Day 89: Sharing my experiences with SLP's

     I want to extend a big thank you to the Speech Pathologist's of the Birmingham, MI school district for inviting me to come share and discuss my experiences with stuttering, school and speech therapy among many different topics.

Day 76: Speech Therapy

Today I conclude another spring term of speech therapy at Wayne State University. As I grow older, and even with a degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, I continue to learn just how valuable these 45 minute sessions are. Every week, I am able to refocus, think about goals and discuss situations, attitudes and stuttering with interested students and SLP's. I work on easy onset, bounces and prolongations in an effort to stengthen my stuttering toolbox for implementation in daily interaction. I practice skills like eye contact, tone, rate of speech and posture,  all that have helped me become an effective communicator, even when fluency is hard to find. As a young adult, I can't emphasize enough just how valuable speech therapy is, and if you're a PWS, I urge you to continue with, return to, or just talk about speech therapy and how you may benefit.

I'd like to thank Erik Raj, Derek Daniels, Christelle and the rest of the WSU Speech Clinic for their continued support, effort and interest in providing speech therapy for those who stutter.

Below is a piece I wrote for the NSA website www.westutter.org regarding speech therapy as a young adult.


Should I attend speech therapy?

Whether you have years of experience or are considering attending for the first time, speech therapy as a young adult has a number of benefits. Speech Therapy offers a platform to:

• Discuss situations such as job interviews, oral presentations or socialinteractions and devise strategies to best help reach your goals.
• Improve effective communication skills that can be applied in the real world.
• Refresh and learn new tools (fluency modification, shaping, etc.) that help to offer control and improve confidence in regards to stuttering.
• Analyze attitudes and behaviors in an effort to best handle stuttering as a young adult.
• Retain accountability and stay proactive in pursuit of communication goals.

Life for any young adult brings on many different challenges. Speech therapy is a worthwhile option for those who stutter to help approach these challenges in the best way possible.

What sort of speech therapy is best for me and where do I find it?

With continued improvement in the Speech and Language Pathology field, professionals have a greater understanding of stuttering and how to treat it. Stuttering is so complex and different for each individual; a Speech Pathologist will be able to devise the right plan for you. Speech Therapy is offered at:

• High School
• College or University
• Hospitals
• Private Clinics
• Intensive Programs

There are many options for speech therapy, it is best to consult with a professional and find the best option for you.

Speech Therapy just isn't for me.

If you are unable to attend speech therapy, a great option is to find your local NSA support group. At NSA support group meetings, people who stutter, their friends and family, and all who are interested meet to discuss issues and offer each other support as it relates to stuttering. It is a great place to meet other people who stutter, practice techniques, and seek advice or just converse with different people.

Day 69: Spreading Awareness at Oakland University

Read the article here: http://oaklandpostonline.com/2013/04/09/life/post-bach-student-spreads-awareness-about-stuttering/

Day 62: The Drive Thru