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Speech and language therapy or any traditional treatment for stuttering is probably the first treatment alternative we choose when it comes to eliminating our stuttering problem. Most of us (including me) start this “journey of hope to get rid of stuttering” with speech and language therapy. It can be a private SLP (Speech Language Pathologist), a well known speech therapy program or a speech therapy clinic in our city or university. In my case, I tried ALL with NO or TEMPORARY results.
To be honest, I’ve never heard a PWS tell me “I went to speech therapy in my twenties for the first time and got over my stutter.”
Is this a coincidence?
I do not think.
Does that mean speech and language therapy sucks and is worthless?
No, that is not the case either.
So what is it?
Why is that? After all, speech-language therapy has been around for years, and sessions are run by professional speech-language therapists.
The reason is one of the following… if not both.
1- The specific speech and language therapy program you planned to attend was not good enough.
Traditional speech therapy techniques and applications can be very similar in general, but your speech-language pathologist and their skills are critical and play a huge role in your success when it comes to achieving your desired outcome.
You and your stuttering iceberg need to be ANALYZED and UNDERSTOOD very well. If you don’t feel understood and instead feel like a simple “one for all” approach is being used, then there is a high chance that you will lose interest in the program and stop believing that he/she can help you.
What I am trying to say here is that the name “speech and language therapy” should NOT be enough for you to make up your mind. WHO you are going to work WITH and whether or not they involve the psychological aspect of stuttering in your stuttering treatment are extremely IMPORTANT factors that you should definitely consider before making a decision.
2- You were simply not prepared for the change.
It may not be the right time for you…or the way you approach the problem may not be the right one…meaning you don’t endorse the effective use of those speaking techniques.
This is mostly about the MENTAL side of the equation and is closely related to the inner game of stuttering. Before going through speech and language therapy or any traditional treatment for stuttering, your expectations must be correct and realistic.
One of the WORST mistakes we make is going through a speech therapy program with the expectation of curing our stutter in a very short period of time by learning traditional speech therapy tools and techniques. You may think that these physical techniques are the solutions that will get you fluent the next day, but in reality they are just tools that will help you bring yourself to fluency.
I can hear you say;
“OK Chazzler, I understand that those are the possible reasons…
But then tell me what to do about it”
Here are some hints and tips for you…
–> Do your RESEARCH. If possible, schedule a free consultation to meet your speech and language therapist before you decide anything.
–> Make sure you have the right MINDSET and set your expectations and goals correctly…in a “smart” way!
–> Ask yourself if you are READY to make a CHANGE in your life. If you don’t have solid reasons for doing so, then you probably won’t be able to experience permanent positive results no matter how effective the techniques are.
–> And last but not least, I highly suggest you learn about the inner game of stuttering before looking into speaking tools and techniques.
One last point is…
Research and familiarize yourself with other solution alternatives currently on the market.
Especially now that there are a LOT of those.
You may want to consider them in CONJUNCTION with your speech and language therapy sessions or simply on their own as an alternative solution that will get you to your ultimate goal.
…and you may be wondering…
What are the most popular workarounds on the market today and how do I choose one to make sure it will meet my needs and expectations so I don’t end up going through all that frustration when I realize it didn’t work? again?!
…and I think I may have an answer to your question below.