Stuttering Foundation Podcast: Recent Episodes

Stuttering Foundation

Stuttering Foundation provides resources, services, and support to individuals who stutter, their families, and professionals who serve them. SF offers comprehensive, up-to-date information on stuttering through its publications, workshops, virtual learning webinars, and now, podcast! Join us for discussions on clinical skills development and support, parent education and awareness, and inspiring personal stories.

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Kurt Eggers, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Ghent University in Belgium, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to provide an introduction to temperament and stuttering. Drawing on his clinical and research expertise, Dr. Eggers provides an overview of temperament, reviews the historical context of temperament within research, highlights findings from his work and the broader literature, and discusses why temperament may be an important factor to consider in understanding how individuals experience and respond to stuttering. The conversation also explores clinical implications, current areas of research focus, and areas of future research consideration. Throughout the episode, listeners gain a deeper understanding of how temperament may contribute to individual differences among people who stutter, important clinical considerations related to temperament, and how this knowledge can help inform individualized assessment and intervention.

For further learning, explore Dr. Kurt Eggers' newest ASHA CE Course available through Stuttering Foundation, "Temperament Relevance & Implications for Children Who Stutter." The presentation is also available on the Streaming Video Library for those not seeking ASHA CEUs.

Bio: Kurt Eggers is a Professor in the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Ghent University in Belgium where he coordinates the Stuttering Research Group. He is chair of the European Stuttering Specialization, past president of the World Stuttering and Cluttering Organization, and Secretary of the Certified European Stuttering Specialists. Kurt has worked clinically for many years, and his research focuses on temperament, attention, and executive functioning in stuttering and speech disfluencies in different populations.

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Catherine Theys, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss acquired stuttering, including both neurogenic stuttering and functional stuttering. Drawing on her clinical and research expertise, Dr. Theys provides an overview of acquired stuttering, different subtypes, and how it differs from developmental stuttering in terms of etiology, presentation, and experiences. The conversation explores assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment considerations, including the unique challenges faced by individuals who develop stuttering later in life. Dr. Theys also shares insights from the research literature, highlighting the need for more systematic investigation in this area and discussing projects her lab is pursuing to advance our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying acquired stuttering and improve clinical assessment and intervention. Throughout the episode, listeners gain practical guidance for evaluating and supporting individuals with acquired stuttering while developing a deeper understanding of this less frequently discussed area of stuttering research and clinical practice.

Resources for further learning:

Theys & Fairbairn (in press). Acquired stuttering: recent developments. In: The Routledge International Handbook of Stuttering. Howell & Gattie (Eds.). Routledge International Handbook of Stuttering.
Grout-Brown & Theys (2025). Assessment and treatment of acquired stuttering: A single subject study. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 84, 106121.
Theys, Jaakkola, Melzer, De Nil, Guenther, Cohen, Fox & Joutsa (2024). Localisation of stuttering based on causal brain lesions. Brain, 147(6), 2203-13.
Gooch, Melzer, Horne, Grenfell, Livingston, Pitcher, Dalrymple-Alford, Anderson, McAuliffe and Theys (2024). Higher frequency of stuttered disfluencies negatively affects communicative participation in Parkinson's disease. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 67(10), 3631-42.
Gooch, Horne, Melzer, McAuliffe, MacAskill, Dalrymple-Alford, Anderson & Theys (2023). Acquired Stuttering in Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 10(6), 956-966.
Theys & Tetnowski (2023). Case reports of acquired stuttering. In: Case Reports in Stuttering and Cluttering. Eggers & Leahy (Eds.), pgs. 114-123. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Theys & De Nil (2022). Acquired stuttering: etiology, symptomatology, identification and treatment. In: Stuttering: Characteristics, Assessment and Treatment (4th ed.). Zebrowski, Anderson & Conture (Eds.), 33 pgs. Thieme Publishers.
De Nil, Theys & Jokel (2018). Stroke-related acquired neurogenic stuttering. In: Aphasia Rehabilitation: Clinical Challenges. Coppens, P. & Patterson, J. (Eds.), pgs. 173-202. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Theys, van Wieringen, Sunaert, Thijs & De Nil (2011). A one-year prospective study of neurogenic stuttering following stroke: Incidence and co-occurring disorders. Journal of Communication Disorders, 44, 678-687.
Theys, van Wieringen, Tuyls & De Nil (2009). Acquired stuttering in a 16-year-old boy. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 22, 427-435.
Theys, van Wieringen & De Nil (2008). A clinician survey of speech and non-speech characteristics of neurogenic stuttering. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 33, 1-23.

Bio: Catherine Theys is a Professor at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She trained in Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology at KU Leuven (Belgium), where she also completed her PhD in Biomedical Sciences. Her research seeks to advance understanding of speech and language difficulties by integrating behavioural and neuroimaging approaches. Her key research interests include developmental and acquired stuttering, acquired neurogenic communication disorders, and the neuroscience of speech and language.

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Gina Waggott, author of Scatman John: The Remarkable Story of the World’s Unlikeliest Popstar, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, for a conversation exploring the life, legacy, stuttering journey, and lasting impact of Scatman John. The discussion explores how Scatman John’s visibility, openness, and mentorship profoundly shaped Gina’s relationship with stuttering and ultimately inspired her to write his biography. She also shares more about the process of researching and writing the book, including conducting more than 100 interviews to better understand John Larkin not simply as a pop culture figure, but as a musician, mentor, and role model whose message continues to resonate with new generations of people who stutter today.

Scatman John: The Remarkable Story of the World’s Unlikeliest Popstar

More on Scatman John on the Stuttering Foundation's Website

Gina Waggott is a writer, editor, and former BBC professional with a background spanning broadcasting, journalism, and disability advocacy. She is a covert stutterer trying to be more overt, and has been involved in the stuttering community for 25 years. She is currently the Finance & Operations Manager at 50 Million Voices.

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Susan Hamilton Burleigh, M.A., CCC-SLP, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to explore how clinicians, particularly those newer to working with stuttering, can bring Stuttering Foundation resources to life in everyday therapy. Susan brings over 40 years of experience in private practice specializing in stuttering and fluency disorders and has taught and supervised graduate training in stuttering at the University of Washington. She also co-led the Stuttering Foundation’s Western Workshop for two decades alongside Marilyn Langevin and Jennifer Watson.

In this practical, clinician-focused episode, Susan and Sara take the “What’s True For You” activity from The School-Age Child Who Stutters: Working Effectively with Attitudes and Emotions Workbook and walk through how it can be used, expanded, and adapted to support meaningful therapy. Through discussion and a demonstration role-play, they highlight how the activity can help build rapport, deepen understanding of a child’s unique experiences, and guide next steps in therapy.

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Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, of the Chmela Communication Center, join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss what it means to keep the person at the center of stuttering therapy. The conversation explores what person-centered care looks like in practice and how clinicians can keep the individual who stutters at the heart of clinical decision-making. She also introduce the Circle of Principles, describing how this framework can support thoughtful reflection, guide problem-solving in therapy, and help clinicians navigate complexities while remaining grounded in the needs and experiences of the person they support.

Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF has serviced children and teens who stutter for almost forty years at the Chmela Communication Center in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. She is an author, lecturer, consultant, and co-founder and Director of the Training and Therapeutic Experience Program at Camp Shout Out. Kristin holds certifications in yoga, mindfulness, and trauma informed practices. She continues to spend the majority of her time helping individuals who stutter, clutter, and have other fluency challenges and remains passionate about helping speech language pathologists service this population.

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Martha Jeffery, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss a qualitative research project exploring parents’ and children’s perspectives of change following one year of Palin STSC (8–14 years old) therapy. Martha shares the aims and design of the study, which examined how children participating in group or individual therapy, and their parents, described the changes they experienced, and what felt most meaningful.
Drawing on thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, the conversation highlights key themes including shifts in perspective, increased confidence and participation, greater use of skills and strategies, and growing independence and resilience. Martha reflects on how meaningful change from the child and parent perspectives can positively contribute to our therapy development, outcome measurement, individualization, and guide future training and research.

Bio: Martha Jeffery is a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, UK and she has worked there since 2013. She started her career as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2008, and before then she had an earlier life in conference organizing and then banking. At the Michael Palin Centre she works with children and young people who stammer and their families, carrying out assessments and delivering therapy individually and in groups. She also has a smaller caseload of adults who stammer. She is a co-cordinator of the Michael Palin Centre’s training programme, which delivers 12 core courses that range from therapy programmes such as Palin PCI, to using psychological approaches such as Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy with people who stammer. The Centre’s training courses reach over 600 speech and language therapists globally each year, which reaches an estimated 6000 children who stammer worldwide annually. Martha also devises and delivers training programmes - most recently a one-day course on Cluttering. The third strand of Martha’s work at The Michael Palin Centre, is contributing to their research programme and she will be talking about the research project she is currently working on today.

Martha has attended additional training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and has an Advanced Certificate in Solution Focused Brief Therapy from BRIEF (London)’s year-long programme. She is co-author of Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People who Stammer and their Parents: A Practical Guide from the Michael Palin Centre (2024) with Ali Berquez. She is not a person who stammers, but she is married to a person who stammers and is mother to two children - one whose stammer resolved and one whose stammer has continued.

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David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, Professor Emeritus at Emerson College, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to explore what it truly means to be family-centered in clinical practice. Drawing on more than 60 years of clinical and teaching experience, Dr. Luterman shares stories and formative moments that have shaped his belief in placing families at the center of assessment and therapy. The conversation invites clinicians to reflect on how thoughtfully supporting families can foster deeper, more meaningful change for clients.

Additional Resources:

Empowering the Client with Dr. David Luterman
60 Years of Clinical Teacher in Counseling: Reflections with Dr. David Luterman
Sharpening Counseling Skills
Parent Counseling: Conversations with David Luterman

David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor emeritus at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and Director of the Thayer Lindsey Family Centered Nursery for Hearing Impaired Children. He is the author of many articles and several books, including his seminal book called Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders and Their Families, now in its 5th edition. He has done several podcasts and a DVD through the Stuttering Foundation called Counseling People who Stutter and Their Families. In addition to authoring many books, he is a well-known teacher, researcher, consultant, and lecturer. Dr. Luterman is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and recipient of the Frank Kleffner Clinical Achievement Award (2011).

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Dr. Shahriar SheikhBahaei, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss emerging research exploring the cellular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying stuttering. Dr. SheikhBahaei shares his journey from lived experience with stuttering to leading a neuroscience research lab investigating how glial cells, particularly astrocytes, contribute to motor control and speech-related circuits.

The conversation delves into several recent studies from his lab that utilize mouse models to uncover how alterations in astrocyte function and iron regulation may relate to the neural pathways involved in stuttering. Dr. SheikhBahaei walks listeners through the background, scientific rationale, and key findings of these studies, highlighting what they reveal about the non-vocal motor aspects of stuttering and how this basic science may inform future directions in understanding and treatment.

The episode concludes with reflections on bridging laboratory research with the lived experiences of people who stutter and fostering collaboration among scientists, clinicians, and the stuttering community.

Resources discussed:

SheikhBahaei, S., et al. (2025). Non-vocal motor deficits in a transgenic mouse model linked to stuttering disorders. bioRxiv. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.08.669441v2
SheikhBahaei, S., et al. (2025). Iron dysregulation in mice engineered with a mutation associated with stuttering. bioRxiv. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.30.667752v1
SheikhBahaei, S., et al. (2024). Scientists, society, and stuttering: A multi-stakeholder approach. International Journal of Clinical Practice. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ijcp.13678

Shahriar SheikhBahaei, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and faculty member at Stony Brook University. His research focuses on how the brain controls complex motor behaviors such as speech and breathing, particularly focusing on the role of astrocytes in neural circuits. Growing up with stuttering has influenced his lifelong pursuit to understand the neurobiology of speech and communication. He completed his Ph.D. in Neuroscience through a joint program at University College London and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He later became one of the first Independent Research Scholars at NIH, where he established his own lab. At Stony Brook University, he continues to investigate the cellular and circuit foundations of speech disorders while also mentoring the next generation of scientists and advocating for more inclusive perspectives on communication.

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Dr. Hatun Zengin-Bolatkale, Assistant Professor in the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss findings from a two-part research project examining emotional processing and control in children who stutter. Dr. Zengin-Bolatkale begins by sharing her background and what led her into the field of stuttering research. She then guides listeners through her work investigating the interplay between emotions and stuttering, drawing on multiple methods to better understand this complex relationship. The conversation highlights two key studies (referenced below), covering relevant background, study design, surprising and noteworthy findings, and the implications of the results. Dr. Zengin-Bolatkale closes by sharing exciting future areas of research and projects she has underway.

Papers discussed:

Zengin-Bolatkale, H., Key, A. P., & Jones, R. M. (2025). Cortical emotional reactivity, caregiver-reported emotional control, and stuttering frequency in young children. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 85, Article 106139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106139
Zengin-Bolatkale, H., Conture, E. G., Key, A. P., Walden, T. A., & Jones, R. M. (2018). Cortical associates of emotional reactivity and regulation in childhood stuttering. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 56, 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfludis.2018.04.001

Hatun Zengin-Bolatkale, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor in the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. She’s a speech-language pathologist by training and has over a decade of experience across working clinically, teaching, and doing research in the field, with a focus on stuttering. She earned her master’s in speech-language pathology from the University of Illinois and completed her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University. Her work focuses on young children who stutter, with a special interest in how cognitive, emotional, and language-related factors influence the way stuttering develops—and why some children recover while others do not. In her research, she uses a variety of tools, from parent reports and behavioral observation to physiological measures like skin conductance, heart rate, and brain activity, to get a more complete picture of stuttering. Her ultimate goal is to support more informed and individualized approaches to assessment and treatment.

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Mitch Guerra—educator, stuttering advocate, and recent contestant on Survivor Season 48—joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to share his story. Mitch reflects on his stuttering journey, from early challenges in school to pivotal moments that shaped his confidence in high school and college, and ultimately his 20-year pursuit of a lifelong dream to compete on Survivor.

He discusses the perseverance it took to finally make it onto the show, what it meant to represent both himself and the stuttering community on national television, and how meaningful moments—including a viral exchange with host Jeff Probst—sparked broader conversations about listening and acceptance. Mitch also reflects on the role of stuttering in building deep connections, his return to the classroom after Survivor, and the powerful impact his visibility has had on students who also stutter. To close, he offers inspiring advice to young people who stutter: “Even if you haven’t seen someone like you do it before, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible—you might just be the one to go first.”

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A research-clinical team from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center—Dr. Tim Saltuklaroglu, Tricia Hedinger, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, and Eddie Brown, M.A., CCC-SLP—join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to share insights into Finding Your Voice, a stuttering therapy program they created, have seen make a meaningful difference in clinical settings, and are now beginning to test in an early-stage clinical trial. The program seeks to support clients through self-discovery, first-hand exploration, and awareness building to promote agency and meaningful change—helping individuals find their “ideal voice,” one that aligns their values and desired outcomes with how they see themselves both inside and out. The team discusses the program’s origins and development, highlights clinical experiences and personal stories of impact, and outlines the ongoing trial’s goals and design.

For questions and inquiries related to their work, please feel free to contact the research team: tsaltukl@uthsc.edu

Bios:

Tim Saltuklaroglu, Ph.D., is person who stutters who entered the field of speech pathology to learn more about the disorder and help children and adults who stutter. He completed his undergraduate degree at Washington State University and then his Master’s degree at the University of Alberta. After practicing as an SLP in the North Carolina school system, he entered the Ph.D. program at East Carolina University. He earned his Ph.D. in 2004 and since then has been on faculty at the University of Tennessee, where he is currently a full professor. He has co-authored over 55 peer reviewed publications and one textbook, and has received external funding through the National Institute of Health.

Tricia Hedinger, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF is a clinical professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Knoxville and a board-certified specialist in stuttering, cluttering, and other fluency disorders. Ms. Hedinger serves as Vice Chair and Director of Continuing Education for the World Stuttering Network. She is also a published author, contributing to books, chapters, and peer-reviewed articles on stuttering and speech-language development. Ms.Hedinger also serves on the advisory board for the Stuttering Treatment and Research Society (STARS).

Eddie Brown, M.A., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist, researcher, and educator dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of developmental stuttering. He is a person who stuttesr, a 5th year PhD student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Knoxville, a national stuttering association chapter leader, and a teaching assistant for stuttering classes.

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Ali Berquez, MSc, PG Dip CT (Oxon), BRIEF Cert. SF Practice, Clinical Lead at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering (MPC) in London, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to take listeners behind the scenes of group therapy for young people who stutter (stammer) and their parents. Think of this episode as a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of setting up, cultivating, and successfully facilitating group therapy.

Ali shares the rich history and evolution of group work at MPC, highlighting its unique benefits and common challenges. She offers practical guidance on planning and structuring groups, effective facilitation strategies, and building in opportunities for ongoing support after the group ends.

Woven throughout are powerful reflections from young people and parents, as well as specific activities and examples—making this episode a valuable listen for clinicians at any stage of their group therapy journey.

Resources mentioned:

Desensitization with Parents Podcast Episode
Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Clinical Supervision Webinar
Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People who Stammer and their Parents
Michael Palin Centre Training Opportunities

Ali Berquez is Clinical Lead at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, UK. She works with clients of all ages who stammer and/ or clutter, including adults. As is a qualified practitioner in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Solution Focused Brief Therapy and integrates these methods into her clinical work with children, young people, parents and adults. Ali is an experienced trainer who regularly delivers courses in the UK and internationally (including the Stuttering Foundation’s annual Eastern Workshop in Boston). She is involved in writing, offering clinical supervision and contributing to research projects and recently completed an accreditation in clinical supervision. She is part of the scientific committee for the Oxford Stuttering and Cluttering Research Conference and a certified European Stuttering Specialist.

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Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for a special mini-series introducing listeners to a range of counseling approaches and their potential applications within stuttering therapy. Throughout the series, Daniel shares his extensive knowledge and go-to resources, offering a foundational overview of each approach, practical examples of how they can be integrated into stuttering therapy, and recommendations for those looking to dive deeper into further learning. This third and final episode of the three-part series focuses on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Check out the previous two episodes of the series for more on SFBT and Motivational Interviewing!

Resources:

Building a Life Worth Living
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Manual
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills: 101 Mindfulness Exercises for Children and Adolescents

Bio: Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language therapist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he serves children, teens, and adults who stutter (along with their families). He serves as the stuttering team lead and is the associate director of Camp TALKS, a summer day-camp for children who stutter. His other passion involves young children with autism. He is a classroom lead in the Preschool For Children With Autism and is member of the autism diagnostic team. He loves to read, write, teach, and expose his children to the arts.

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Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for a special mini-series introducing listeners to a range of counseling approaches and their potential applications within stuttering therapy. Throughout the series, Daniel shares his extensive knowledge and go-to resources, offering a foundational overview of each approach, practical examples of how they can be integrated into stuttering therapy, and recommendations for those looking to dive deeper into further learning. This second episode of the three-part series focuses on Motivational Interviewing. Tune in for one more episode this month, releasing next Tuesday!

Resources:

Motivational Interviewing in Healthcare
Motivational Interviewing in the Schools
Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change
On Second Thought: How Ambivalence Shapes Your Life

Bio: Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language therapist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he serves children, teens, and adults who stutter (along with their families). He serves as the stuttering team lead and is the associate director of Camp TALKS, a summer day-camp for children who stutter. His other passion involves young children with autism. He is a classroom lead in the Preschool For Children With Autism and is member of the autism diagnostic team. He loves to read, write, teach, and expose his children to the arts.

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Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for a special mini-series introducing listeners to a range of counseling approaches and their potential applications within stuttering therapy. Throughout the series, Daniel shares his extensive knowledge and go-to resources, offering a foundational overview of each approach, practical examples of how they can be integrated into stuttering therapy, and recommendations for those looking to dive deeper into further learning. The series begins with Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). Tune in for two more episodes this month, releasing on the next two Tuesdays!

Resources mentioned:

Tools for Success- A Solution Focused Brief Therapy Taster
Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and young People Who Stammer and their Parents: A Practical Guide from the Michael Palin Centre
Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Clinical Supervision
Previous Podcast Episodes with SFBT components
The Focus on Solutions
1001 Solution Focused Questions
Using Emotions in Solution Focused Therapy

Bio: Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language therapist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he serves children, teens, and adults who stutter (along with their families). He serves as the stuttering team lead and is the associate director of Camp TALKS, a summer day-camp for children who stutter. His other passion involves young children with autism. He is a classroom lead in the Preschool For Children With Autism and is member of the autism diagnostic team. He loves to read, write, teach, and expose his children to the arts.

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Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for an in-depth discussion on the assessment and treatment of cluttering. In this episode, Dr. Scaler Scott breaks down the differential diagnosis process using the LCD definition, provides a comprehensive overview of assessment and treatment, and shares clinical examples and key considerations along the way. Packed with practical insights, this episode will leave listeners feeling more confident and ready to apply what they've learned immediately.

Tip: For additional background, check out a Season 6 episode "All Things Cluttering with Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott"

Resources:

'All Things Cluttering with Dr. Kathleen Scaler Scott,' Stuttering Foundation Podcast Episode [referenced in episode]
'The Cluttering Experience' Rutger Wilhelm Stuttering Foundation Podcast Episode
'Cluttering: Expanding Evaluation & Treatment' Virtual Learning Session
'Cluttering: Shared Experiences' Virtual Learning Session
Cluttering Conversations Podcast
ASHA Leader Article: Debunking Myths About Cluttering

Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, is a practicing speech-language pathologist, Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency, and Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Misericordia University. She has been a practicing clinician for 30 years in hospital, school, and private practice settings. Dr. Scaler Scott’s research interests are largely in cluttering, atypical disfluency, and child language and literacy disorders. She has spoken nationally and internationally and authored peer reviewed articles, book chapters and books on the topic of fluency, literacy and pragmatic challenges. She was the first Coordinator of the International Cluttering Association, and is the recipient of the 2018 Deso Weiss Award for Excellence in the Field of Cluttering, and the 2018 Professional of the Year award from the National Stuttering Association. In 2020, Dr. Scaler Scott received the Judge Max and Tillie Rosenn Excellence in Teaching Award from Misericordia University. In 2022, she became a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.She is co-editor of Cluttering: A Handbook of Research, Intervention, and Education, co-author of Managing Cluttering: A Comprehensive Guidebook of Activities, author of Fluency Plus: Managing Fluency Disorders in Individuals with Multiple Diagnoses and co-author of the recently released Second Edition of the Source for Stuttering and Cluttering. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast Cluttering Conversations, a free podcast available on SoundCloud.

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Researchers from the Delaware Stuttering Project at the University of Delaware—Dr. Ho Ming Chow, Associate Professor and principal investigator, Sayan Nanda, Ph.D. student, and Dr. Nicole Guarino, research scientist—join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss their recent article, "Atypical gut microbiota composition in a mouse model of developmental stuttering," published in Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio). Building upon previous genetic and mouse model research by Dr. Dennis Drayna and colleagues at the NIH [previous podcast episode with Dr. Drayna linked below for background], their study explores the potential link between developmental stuttering and the gut-brain connection by examining gut microbiota differences in GNPTAB mouse models.

In this episode, Dr. Chow, Sayan Nanda, and Dr. Guarino provide essential background context before walking through the study’s development, methodology, and key findings. They discuss the potential role of the microbiome in other neurodevelopmental conditions, the challenges of translating mouse model research to human studies, and the exciting directions for future research this study has prompted.

Article discussed:

Nanda, S., Lamot, B., Guarino, N. et al. Atypical gut microbiota composition in a mouse model of developmental stuttering. Sci Rep 14, 23457 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74766-x

Previous Stuttering Foundation Podcast episode referenced, 'Genetics and Stuttering with Dr. Dennis Drayna.'

Delaware Stuttering Project Webpage

Dr. Ho Ming Chow, Associate Professor at the University of Delaware and a principal investigator for the Delaware Stuttering Project, received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. After working as an engineer for a few years, he became interested in studying human cognition and went to Germany for his doctoral study. He obtained his Ph.D. in Cognitive Sciences with an emphasis on Cognitive Psychology at the University of Osnabrück. He completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health. Before joining the University of Delaware in 2019, he was a research faculty at the University of Michigan and Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.

Sayan Nanda received his Master of Science in Data Informatics from the University of Southern California and his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology. Sayan is currently a Ph.D. student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department at the University of Delaware. Sayan is primarily interested in stuttering research and the application of statistics and machine learning techniques in the same. His focus is on neuroimaging.

Dr. Nicole Guarino is an adjunct faculty at the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the University of Delaware. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from Thomas Jefferson University and her B.A. in Neuroscience from Franklin and Marshall College. She has been working in Dr. Chow’s lab since 2022 and is interested in the neurobiological bases of stuttering.

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Gemma Clarke, MSc, BA (Hons), joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for an insightful introduction to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and its potential role in stuttering (stammering) therapy. In this episode, Gemma explores key NLP principles, shares practical clinical applications and real-world examples, and discusses opportunities for further learning.

Resources:

Michael Palin Centre NLP Training Course (February 2025)
Other training courses through MPC

Gemma Clarke, MSc, BA (Hons), works with young people who stammer, their parents, as well as with adults who stammer at The Michael Palin Centre in London, UK and in private practice . She is passionate about working holistically with clients, ensuring therapy is tailored to the specific needs of the child or young person and their family. Gemma is part of the MPC teaching team and teaches a range of MPC courses. She is responsible for delivering the Palin PCI Accreditation Programme and supports other SLTs through supervision.

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David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss empowering clients throughout the therapeutic journey. Dr. Luterman highlights the importance of establishing a collaborative relationship early in the process, avoiding the pitfalls of 'miracle working,' fostering client confidence, and making the client as self-sufficient as possible. Dr. Luterman walks listeners through practical examples within stuttering therapy with the aim of supporting client-driven discovery, confidence, and independence.

Related Resources:

60 Years of Clinical Teaching in Counseling: Reflections with Dr. David Luterman (Season 6: Episode 5, Stuttering Foundation Podcast)
Sharpening Counseling Skills Course through Stuttering Foundation
Parent Counseling: Conversations with David Luterman Parts 1 & 2 through Stuttering Foundation
Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders as part of the Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation Series
Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders Textbook
Working on the Family Level as part of the Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation Series

David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor emeritus at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts where he taught full-time for 40 years and he has continued to teach the counseling course for 20 more years beyond that (not something many people can say!). He is the author of many articles and several books, including his seminal book called Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders and Their Families, now in its 5th edition. He has done several podcasts and videos through the Stuttering Foundation called Counseling People who Stutter and Their Families and Conversations with Parents. In addition to authoring many books, he is a well-known teacher, researcher, consultant, and lecturer. Dr. Luterman is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and recipient of the Frank Kleffner Clinical Achievement Award (2011).

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Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss all things cluttering. In this episode, Dr. Scaler Scott provides an updated overview of cluttering, including how we define and diagnose it with our current understanding. She shares insights into how the field is evolving, debunks myths, and explores the cluttering experience. Dr. Scaler Scott also highlights valuable resources for further learning and offers practical takeaways. Think of this episode as your updated foundation for understanding cluttering.

Resources:

'The Cluttering Experience' Rutger Wilhelm Stuttering Foundation Podcast Episode
'Cluttering: Expanding Evaluation & Treatment' Virtual Learning Session
'Cluttering: Shared Experiences' Virtual Learning Session
Cluttering Conversations Podcast
ASHA Leader Article: Debunking Myths About Cluttering
Cluttering Curriculum Resources (as mentioned in episode)

Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, is a practicing speech-language pathologist, Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency, and Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Misericordia University. She has been a practicing clinician for 30 years in hospital, school, and private practice settings. Dr. Scaler Scott’s research interests are largely in cluttering, atypical disfluency, and child language and literacy disorders. She has spoken nationally and internationally and authored peer reviewed articles, book chapters and books on the topic of fluency, literacy and pragmatic challenges. She was the first Coordinator of the International Cluttering Association, and is the recipient of the 2018 Deso Weiss Award for Excellence in the Field of Cluttering, and the 2018 Professional of the Year award from the National Stuttering Association. In 2020, Dr. Scaler Scott received the Judge Max and Tillie Rosenn Excellence in Teaching Award from Misericordia University. In 2022, she became a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.She is co-editor of Cluttering: A Handbook of Research, Intervention, and Education, co-author of Managing Cluttering: A Comprehensive Guidebook of Activities, author of Fluency Plus: Managing Fluency Disorders in Individuals with Multiple Diagnoses and co-author of the recently released Second Edition of the Source for Stuttering and Cluttering. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast Cluttering Conversations, a free podcast available on SoundCloud.

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Julia Kerrigan, B.A., current second year Master's student and the University of Iowa, and Shelley B. Brundage, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, Fellow-ASHA, join host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss a recent paper published in the Journal of Communication Disorders, 'Lived Experiences of Children who Stutter in Their Own Voices.' The authors begin by sharing a bit about their professional journeys into stuttering, research areas of interest, and then dive into discussing their motivation to further explore and document the lived experiences of young people who stutter where they emphasize the real need to increase this particular area of research within our field of stuttering. They proceed to walk through their design, findings, impressions, and areas of clinical consideration and application.

Lived Experiences of Children who Stutter in Their Own Voices
Julia S. Kerrigan; Shelley Brundage
September 2024
Journal of Communication Disorders
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2024.106468

FluencyBank

*Julia Kerrigan, B.A. is a current second-year Master’s student at the University of Iowa and a Teaching Artist with the SPACE Community and Arts program.

Shelley B. Brundage, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, Fellow-ASHA, is professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the George Washington University (GWU). She is a certified SLP and a board-certified specialist in stuttering, cluttering, and fluency. She is the co-chair of the tri-annual Oxford Stuttering and Cluttering Research Conference. Her research addresses clinical questions that enhance the lives of persons who stutter, by improving procedures for assessment, treatment, and clinical education in stuttering. Recent work has merged her expertise in assessing student learning outcomes with her expertise in the development and use of virtual reality technologies; this work has led to grants, publications, and awards for innovation. She teaches graduate courses on stuttering and research methods and is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching excellence and mentoring. She is the co-author of two books, the seventh edition of A Handbook on Stuttering and Writing Scientific Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders.*

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Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, a pediatric SLP at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to talk all things school-age and adolescent stuttering assessment. This episode was envisioned to speak to the SLP who has an introductory understanding of stuttering, but is hoping to increase their competency and effectiveness in a way that works within their limited time and resources. Think about this clinical conversation as if you decided to call up a colleague or friend who has more experience and ask, 'Help! I have a pediatric stuttering assessment coming up. Could you walk me through what you do and why?'

While those emerging in their clinical comfort and expertise in stuttering will gain the most from this episode, there are plenty of clinical examples and insights shared that could be of support and benefit to all. Daniel and Sara walk listeners through: pre-assessment considerations, assessment planning and decision making, components to comprehensive assessment, both informal and formal options to assessing various areas, and plenty of clinical insights and considerations weaved throughout!

Resource mentioned:

The School-Age Child Who Stutters: Working Effectively With Attitudes and Emotions Workbook
Consensus Guidelines for the Assessments of Individuals Who Stutter Across the Lifespan in American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 30(6), 2379-2393 (2021). (Brundage, S.B., et al, 2021)

Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP is a pediatric SLP at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he splits his time as the stuttering team lead for the pediatric program and as a lead SLP in the Preschool for Children with Autism. He also serves as associate director for Camp TALKS, a summer camp for school-age children who stutter, and as a member of the Autism Diagnostic team. Given the wide array of needs in the hospital, he provides support services across the lifespan. His passion lies in helping individuals who stutter explore acceptance of stuttering and experience the joy of communication. Prior to his role at Vanderbilt, Daniel served in the public school system in Nashville, TN.

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Naomi Rodgers, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Ginger Collins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, and Tim McCarren, M.A., CCC-SLP join host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a recent research collaboration aiming to explore and better understand how SLPs can best support adolescents who stutter for life after high school through transition planning.

Naomi, Ginger, and Tim discuss the need for better guidelines and support for SLPs who support high schoolers who stutter within transition planning, more about transition planning in general, as well as understanding the legal aspects of transition plans for high school students. They share findings from their study's focus groups, specific feedback from various stakeholders, use of their discussion guide (linked below), and finally, offer practical tips for school-based SLPs.

This is a really fabulous and rich episode guaranteed to support SLPs who work with students who stutter across the age span, but particularly those who work with adolescents and want to understand how to best prepare students for the next phases of their lives. A must listen and a very timely back-to-school release!

Resources mentioned:

Postsecondary Transition Planning with Students Who Stutter Discussion Guide
Pre-print of article (under review)
Job Accommodation Network (askJAN)
ASHA: Post Secondary Transition Planning
NSA Career Success

Bios:
*Dr. Naomi Rodgers is an assistant professor at the University Iowa where she directs the Iowa Stuttering Lab and teaches courses in stuttering, counseling, and clinical methods. Her experiences as a person who stutters and speech therapist inspire her research on the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of stuttering and stuttering therapy, with a particular interest in these topics in adolescence. She is active in the stuttering support community, leading the Iowa City chapter of the National Stuttering Association and also volunteering for FRIENDS (the National Association of Young People Who Stutter). She also co-directs UI SHINE, which is a summer program at the University of Iowa for young people who stutter or who are Deaf/hard of hearing.

Dr. Ginger Collins is a professor at the University of Montana, where she is also the Program Director. Dr. Collins directs the Motivational Adolescent Research in Vocabulary and Expressive Literacy (AKA- MARVEL) Lab and is a founding member of the Structured Word Inquiry Research Vanguard (AKA- SWIRV). Dr. Collins teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in language and literacy disorders and a graduate course in stuttering. Her research is primarily focused on literacy interventions targeting morphological knowledge and preparing adolescents for life after school through thoughtful transition planning.

Tim McCarren is a speech language pathologist with Hopkins Public Schools in Hopkins, Minnesota. Tim also leads the Twin Cities adult chapter of the National Stuttering Association. During the summer, he participates in two different camps for kids who stutter. He co-leads the Sioris Family Camp for Kids Who Stutter, a day camp through the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and he is a member of the clinical team at Star Lake Out Loud, a sleep-away camp in Northern Minnesota. Tim is also a person who stutters, and loves to incorporate theatre and improv activities as ways to introduce risk taking, spontaneous communication, community building, and acceptance.*

Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to explore and discuss the importance of committing to easier and relaxed microtransitions to build mindfulness and connection. Kristin recently gave a TEDx talk, 'Microtransitions Build Connections,' which was the inspiration for this conversation. During this episode, we explore the concept of microtransitions, the potential positive impact on communication, creating connection, the stuttering experience, and more!

Resources mentioned:

Microtransitions Build Connections TEDx Talk
Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age by Bruce Feiler
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
Books (for adults and children) by Dr. Christopher Willard
Wherever You Go There You Are: Jon Kabat-Zinn
Search Inside Yourself: Chade Meng-Tan
Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, & Wisdom Rick Hanson with Richard Mendius
Mindfulness Speaks: Considerations in Stuttering Therapy, previous Virtual Learning Session by Kristin Chmela

Bio: *Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF is a board certified fluency specialist and has provided services to individuals with fluency disorders for thirty-five years. She is an author, lecturer, consultant, and owner and director of Chmela Communication Center in the Chicago suburban area. Kirstin is the co-founder and co-director of the Treatment and Training Program at Camp Shout Out. In addition, Kristin has completed 400 hours of training in yoga and mindfulness as well as the Stop and Breathe training course. She is passionate about sharing the mindfulness experience with professionals, clients, and others.

References:
Michael P. Boyle, Mindfulness training in stuttering therapy: A tutorial for speech-language pathologists. Journal of Fluency Disorders, Volume 36, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 122-129, ISSN 0094-730X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfludis.2011.04.005*.

Harley J. The role of attention in therapy for children and adolescents who stutter: Cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2018;27:1139–51

Mongia, M., Gupta, A. K., Vijay, A., & Sadhu, R. (2019). Management of stuttering using cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness meditation. Industrial psychiatry journal, 28(1), 4–12. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_18_19

*Moreno- Jiménez, Jennifer & Carvajal, Raquel & García Rubio, Carlos & Castillo Gualda, Ruth & Montero, Ignacio. (2021). Long-Term Effectiveness of a Mindfulness Based Interven

Tang, Yi-Yuan (2017). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation: How the body and mind work together to change our behavior. Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland.*

Dr. Cara Singer, Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss a recent case study published in Perspectives: 'Treating a Young Child Who Stutters' Lateral Lisp: A Case Study' with her co-collaborator and student, Ellianne Martin. Cara shares her motivation for further exploring speech sound impairments in young children who stutter, overviews the literature thus far within the areas of both motor-based and phonological-based speech sound impairments with children who stutter, and proceeds to walk us through the case background, treatment protocol, and rationales. Cara discusses decision-making considerations when working with children who stutter who have motor-based speech sound impairments, as well as special considerations within therapy to facilitate positive communication attitudes and confidence.

Case Study discussed from Perspectives, October 2023:
Treating a Young Child Who Stutters' Lateral Lisp: A Case Study

Cara M. Singer Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She conducts research related to evaluation and treatment practices for children who stutter and attitudes towards stuttering. Additionally, she teaches and supervises speech-language pathology undergraduate and graduate students in clinical and research settings.

Rutger Wilhelm, author of 'Too Fast For Words,' speaker, and personal who clutters from the Netherlands, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss all things cluttering. Rutger shares his personal experience as a clutterer, his journey to obtaining an accurate diagnosis, what has helped him to feel more confident and competent as a communicator, and his advocacy work aimed to increase awareness and understanding of cluttering worldwide. He further speaks about the nuances and differences between stuttering and cluttering, in addition to the importance of community.

Resources discussed in today's episode:

Too Fast For Words
International Cluttering Association
Too Fast For Words YouTube Channel

Rutger Wilhelm is chair-elect of the International Cluttering Association and also runs the consumer committee within that same organization. He is author of the book Too Fast For Words and owner of the website; toofastforwords.com. Rutger is often a speaker at international congresses and board member of the Dutch Stuttering association.

Derek E. Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, an associate professor, speech-language pathologist, and person who stutters, shares his story to continue our, 'SLPs Who Stutter' series in honor of National Stuttering Awareness Week.

*Our 'SLPs Who Stutter' Series features the personal stories in a monologue, open-ended storytelling format of exceptional SLPs who stutter. They share their personal journeys, interweaving how those journeys impact their professional journeys, and offer listeners insights into the lived-experience within a specialized lens.

Bio: Derek E. Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Derek has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on stuttering. He is a person who stutters, and conducts research on psychosocial aspects of stuttering, identity, and intersectionality. Derek has participated in many self-help events, workshops, and clinical training programs for people who stutter. He is a former President of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and currently serves as the Association's Vice-President (VP) for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In 2023, Derek received the Professional of the Year Award from the National Stuttering Association.*

Angélica Bernabé is a speech-language pathologist, psychologist, researcher, and person who stutters. She is originally from Peru and will begin her Ph.D. studies at Florida State University in the Fall. Angélica continues our series, 'SLPs Who Stutter' in honor of National Stuttering Awareness Week and shares her story.

Our 'SLPs Who Stutter' Series features the personal stories in a monologue, open-ended storytelling format of exceptional SLPs who stutter. They share their personal journeys, interweaving how those journeys impact their professional journeys, and offer listeners insights into the lived-experience within a specialized lens.

Bio: Angelica, a person who stutters and Director of the Specialized Center for Stuttering, is a Speech and Language Pathologist and Psychologist from Peru. She conducts research at Michigan State University's Stuttering Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. Scott Yaruss and will pursue a PhD in Stuttering Research at Florida State University under Dr. Christopher Constantino. Angelica has trained clinicians globally and received the 2022 Clinician Award from the World Stuttering and Cluttering Organization for her work supporting the Hispanic stuttering community.

Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP, a school-based and private practice SLP and person who stutters, shares his story to continue our, 'SLPs Who Stutter' series in honor of National Stuttering Awareness Week.

Our 'SLPs Who Stutter' Series features the personal stories in a monologue, open-ended storytelling format of exceptional SLPs who stutter. They share their personal journeys, interweaving how those journeys impact their professional journeys, and offer listeners insights into the lived-experience within a specialized lens.
Bio: Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP is a speech-language therapist and stuttering consultant for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and an associate clinician at the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington D.C. area. He is also an adjunct professor at Gallaudet University, teaching the graduate level stuttering course.

Mandy Rodstrom, a 19-year school-based SLP and person who stutters, kicks off our new series, 'SLPs Who Stutter' in honor of National Stuttering Awareness Week and shares her story.

*Our 'SLPs Who Stutter' Series features the personal stories in a monologue, open-ended storytelling format of exceptional SLPs who stutter. They share their personal journeys, interweaving how those journeys impact their professional journeys, and offer listeners insights into the lived-experience within a specialized lens.

Bio: Mandy Rodstrom, M.A., CCC-SLP lives in Westerville, Ohio outside of Columbus where she grew up. She is a person who stutters and an 19-year school-based Speech Language Pathologist. After 30+ years of living as a covert stutterer, Mandy has recently stepped out and began her journey to meet and embrace her stutter and the stuttering community. Professionally, this has propelled her to become a Stuttering Specialist. She attends as many stuttering community events as she can! Mandy is married to her college sweetheart and they have three children. When not engaged in all things stuttering, you can find her spending time with her family, enjoying the outdoors, going on long walks, reading, cooking/baking, listening to music, exercising, traveling, watching The Office or Parks and Rec on repeat, or having a family dance party in the kitchen!*

We all hit a wall sometimes as clinicians, don't we? Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to brainstorm ideas for when we feel stuck as clinicians. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging and normalizing navigating clinician problem-solving moments, even among seasoned clinicians! They share ideas and resources that have helped them regroup or change course to meet their clients' needs. Daniel and Sara take an intentionally informal, conversational approach in this episode, bringing listeners into what would be a very typical 'phone a friend' clinical problem-solving conversation they have together as colleagues and collaborators. They share clinical examples and favorite resources back and forth, acknowledge their own areas of continued growth, and hopefully normalize the problem-solving and troubleshooting process for all clinicians!

Resource mentioned:

Implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with School-Aged Children Who Stutter with Lisa Scott, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he serves children, teens, and adults who stutter (along with their families). He also serves preschool-aged children with autism in the Preschool For Children With Autism and coordinates parent education for the program. He loves to read, write, teach, and expose his family to the great outdoors.

Rupert Johnson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor at Nazareth University in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss his experiences personally and professionally with stuttering. Dr. Johnson begins by sharing his story and how giving the valedictorian speech in high school was his catalyst for change. He explores what it's like to be someone who stutters in academia within a CSD program, the many benefits as well as the challenges he faces, and how he supports graduate students through their educational and clinical learning journeys to be better equipped to work with those who stutter in a comprehensive and person-centered manner upon graduation. Rupert further discusses the importance and benefits of cultivating community, honoring and making space for intersectionality and one's multiple identities, and more on an affinity group he helped form for CSD students who identify as people of color, 'Speech-language Therapy and Audiology Minority Program (STAMP).'

Rupert's contact information for anyone local to Nazareth University: rjohnso2@naz.edu

Rupert Johnson is an Associate Professor at Nazareth University in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). He earned his BA in Psychology at Vassar College and M.S. and Ph.D in CSD at Penn State University. Rupert specializes in Stuttering. He teaches the Fluency Disorders grad course at Nazareth and runs the on-campus Stuttering Clinic. In the community, he runs a summer camp for children who stutter (Camp RAYS - Rochester’s Adventure for Youth who Stutter) and serves as a co-chapter leader for Rochester’s chapter of the National Stuttering Association adult support group. He also is one of the co-founders of STAMP (the Speech-language Therapy & Audiology Minority Program), which is an affinity group for racial or ethnic minority students in CSD at Nazareth, and their allies. Rupert’s special interests include investigating the psychosocial aspects of stuttering; advocating for people who stutter; and supporting the recruitment, retention, and success for underrepresented students in CSD.

Join us on a reflective journey with Dr. David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, professor emeritus at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. In this episode, hosted by Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, Dr. Luterman delves into his remarkable 60-year clinical teaching career. Starting with his own educational journey, he shares profound lessons and euphemisms that have significantly influenced his teaching philosophy.

Discover the evolution of Dr. Luterman's teaching framework as he discusses his immersive approach to empowering students in the field of speech-language pathology and audiology to develop counseling skills in a way that empowers them to take control of their own learning, mitigates against the development of self-consciousness, and prioritizes non-judgmental, active listening.

In the concluding moments, Dr. Luterman reflects on the legacy he aspires to leave in our field and the impact he hopes to be remembered for. This conversation will leave you reflecting on your own teaching styles, educational journeys, and (hopeful) legacy in a wonderful way.

Related Resources:

Sharpening Counseling Skills Course through Stuttering Foundation
Parent Counseling: Conversations with David Luterman Parts 1 & 2 through Stuttering Foundation
Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders as part of the Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation Series
Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders Textbook
Working on the Family Level as part of the Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation Series

David Luterman, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor emeritus at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts where he taught full-time for 40 years and he has continued to teach the counseling course for 20 more years beyond that (not something many people can say!). He is the author of many articles and several books, including his seminal book called Counseling Persons with Communication Disorders and Their Families, now in its 5th edition. He has done several podcasts and videos through the Stuttering Foundation called Counseling People who Stutter and Their Families and Conversations with Parents. In addition to authoring many books, he is a well-known teacher, researcher, consultant, and lecturer. Dr. Luterman is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and recipient of the Frank Kleffner Clinical Achievement Award (2011).

Vivian Sisskin, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, and Owner of the Sisskin Stuttering Center, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for the fourth and final episode of this 4-part mini series (part of an ongoing Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) Series which we will continue to add to) to kick off Season 6. In this episode, Vivian discusses the 'Active Ingredients' of change in ARTS®. Listen to Parts 1, 2, & 3 (Season 6, Episodes 1, 2, & 3) released earlier this month where foundational concepts, theory, the journey of ARTS®, and barriers to change were explored.

Further Resources:

Yes, Avoidance Reduction Therapy (ARTS®) is for kids, too! Episode with Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP
Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting Stuttering Foundation Course
Open Stutter YouTube Channel
ARTS® SLP Training Opportunities

Vivian Sisskin , M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F is a Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, an ASHA Fellow, and a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She served as Coordinator for ASHA’s Special Interest Group 4 (Fluency Disorders), Chair of ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and received ASHA’s Media Champion Award. Sisskin served as Vice-Chair of the American Board on Fluency and Fluency Disorders and is a faculty member for the Stuttering Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Workshop. She was named Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. She owns the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington DC area.

Vivian Sisskin, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, and Owner of the Sisskin Stuttering Center, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for the third episode of this 4-part mini series (part of an ongoing Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) Series) to kick off Season 6. In this episode, Vivian discusses impatience, habit, and other barriers to change within the ARTS® journey. Listen to Parts 1 & 2 (Season 6, Episodes 1 & 2) released earlier this month where foundational concepts, theory, and the journey of ARTS® were explored. Tune back in for Part 4 releasing next Tuesday.

Further Resources:

Yes, Avoidance Reduction Therapy (ARTS®) is for kids, too! Episode with Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP
Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting Stuttering Foundation Course
Open Stutter YouTube Channel
ARTS® SLP Training Opportunities

Vivian Sisskin , M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F is a Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, an ASHA Fellow, and a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She served as Coordinator for ASHA’s Special Interest Group 4 (Fluency Disorders), Chair of ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and received ASHA’s Media Champion Award. Sisskin served as Vice-Chair of the American Board on Fluency and Fluency Disorders and is a faculty member for the Stuttering Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Workshop. She was named Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. She owns the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington DC area.

Vivian Sisskin, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, and Owner of the Sisskin Stuttering Center, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for the second episode of an ongoing Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) Series. In this second episode, Vivian discusses the journey in ARTS®, the power of language (the words we use, the language of responsibility), the significance of intent, and a deeper look into 'control' and 'struggle.' Listen to Part 1 (Season 6, Episode 1) released last week where foundational concepts, theory, and a historical perspective of ARTS® was discussed in, 'The Essence of ARTS®.' Tune back in for parts 3 and 4 releasing each Tuesday in the remaining weeks of January 2024.

Further Resources:

Yes, Avoidance Reduction Therapy (ARTS®) is for kids, too! Episode with Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP
Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting Stuttering Foundation Course
Open Stutter YouTube Channel
ARTS® SLP Training Opportunities

Vivian Sisskin , M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F is a Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, an ASHA Fellow, and a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She served as Coordinator for ASHA’s Special Interest Group 4 (Fluency Disorders), Chair of ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and received ASHA’s Media Champion Award. Sisskin served as Vice-Chair of the American Board on Fluency and Fluency Disorders and is a faculty member for the Stuttering Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Workshop. She was named Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. She owns the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington DC area.

Vivian Sisskin, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, and Owner of the Sisskin Stuttering Center, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for the inaugural episode of an ongoing Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) Series. In this first episode, Vivian discusses what she calls 'The Essence of ARTS®' through exploring fundamental concepts, underlying theory, rationale, the historical context and more! Tune back in for parts 2, 3, and 4 releasing each Tuesday in the remaining weeks of January 2024.

Further Resources:

Yes, Avoidance Reduction Therapy (ARTS®) is for kids, too! Episode with Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP
Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting Stuttering Foundation Course
Open Stutter YouTube Channel
ARTS® SLP Training Opportunities

Vivian Sisskin , M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F is a Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, an ASHA Fellow, and a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She served as Coordinator for ASHA’s Special Interest Group 4 (Fluency Disorders), Chair of ASHA’s Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and received ASHA’s Media Champion Award. Sisskin served as Vice-Chair of the American Board on Fluency and Fluency Disorders and is a faculty member for the Stuttering Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Workshop. She was named Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. She owns the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington DC area.

Heather Grossman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins host Sara MacIntyre to discuss Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Stuttering. Heather shares how her interest and passion for REBT initially developed, then walks listeners through the underlying rationale, concepts, and principles of REBT. She proceeds to share specific insights into how to incorporate REBT within stuttering therapy, sharing clinical examples throughout.

Resources mentioned:

Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation Webinar and now CEU opportunity, 'Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy for Stuttering'
ISAD Paper from 2016, 'Holistic Approach to Stuttering Using Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy'
'Bouncing Back from Microaggressions' Paper

Heather Grossman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F is the Director of the American Institute for Stuttering and has worked with individuals who stutter for over 30 years. She has taught stuttering at numerous universities and is an extremely active member of the stuttering self-help community. She is a regular presenter at both national and international stuttering conferences.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss that first interaction, or consultation we have with parents of young children who are stuttering. The discussion covers the importance of leaving space for parents to share their stories and concerns, and how to give information and guidance from a clinical perspective without overwhelming or perpetuating guilt. Further, Ellen and Sara talk about 'how to talk about talking,' how to give parents permission to use the s-word! (yes, Stuttering!), and how to support, prioritize, and foster confidence in communication within young children who are stuttering.

For comments/ questions/ suggestions for the Stuttering Foundation Podcast, please email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Ellen M. Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, is Vice President for Professional Development at the Stuttering Foundation where she contributes to the creation and dissemination of resources and provides consultation to those who stutter and their families. For more than 35 years, she has integrated her education in speech-language pathology and psychology to provide specialized clinical practice, education, and research in stuttering within university, medical center, and private practice settings. Reach out to Ellen anytime at: AskStutteringFoundation@stutteringhelp.org.

Marie Halpin, BSc (Hons), CertMRCSLT, HCPC, a Senior Speech and Language Therapist in Ireland, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss effectively working with autistic individuals who also stutter (stammer). Marie walks us through terminology and emphasizes the importance of language and the words we use within therapy. She explores neurodiversity affirming zones of practice as foundational to our work, the importance of learning and taking the lead from the autistic community, and general considerations for best supporting autistic clients in a total communication, strength-based manner. Finally, Marie discusses Palin PCI considerations when working with autistic children, as well as walking us through a research study (linked below).

Article discussed:
'Palin parent-child interaction therapy with children with autism spectrum disorder and stuttering' in the Journal of Communication Disorders, 2022.

Resources mentioned:

Recent Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation, 'Working with Young Autistic Children who Stutter' with Gemma Clarke
Stammering Plus training at MPC
Marie on Twitter @Mariechalpin
The Therapist Neurodiversity Collective
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Em Hammond @Neurowild_, Elaine McGreevy, Emily Price (Lee)
Divergent Perspectives

Marie Halpin has over 11 years of experience working as a SLT. She has a wealth of expertise working with children and young people in health, education and specialist services. Her areas of clinical expertise include Autism and Stammering, and with a particular interest in neurodivergent-affirming support. Her background includes a number of specialist SLT roles in the UK, which lead to being trained in a range of related therapies, including LevelUp Energy Meters, Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, TalkingMats, SCERTS, Hanen More Than Words and TalkAbility, Makaton, Lámh etc. This role included working within an integrated neurodevelopmental autism diagnostic team, delivering therapy within mainstream schools and autism classes/special schools, as well as delivering trainings to families, school staff and other professionals. She also worked as a specialist at the Michael Palin Centre for many years. This involved specialist consultations and clinical work with children, young people and their families. She is trained in a wide range of therapies for people who stammer, including Palin PCI, Family Communication Skills Therapy, The Lidcocmbe Programme, The Camperdown Program, CBT, ACT, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy etc. Marie regularly presents training on the intersectionality of autism and stammering and has co-authored research on autism and stammering, as well as having contributed to other related publications. She developed and continues to deliver the training ‘Stammering Plus’ which runs at the MPC since May 2019, and she has presented on this at international levels, including at the Oxford Dysfluency Conference 2021. In recent years, Marie has been working in Ireland, leading on national training for teachers related to SLCN and provision of sustained in-school support to build capacity of education staff in supporting all students (implementing universal design for learning). She continues to work in Ireland in

Dr. Laura Wilson, Associate Professor at The University of Tulsa, and her former graduate student and collaborator, Gabrielle Cozart, M.S., CCC-SLP, join host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss their recent study published in Perspectives: 'Strategies for Teachers to Support Children Who Stutter: Perspectives of Speech-Language Pathologists.'

Laura and Gabby walk us through their motivation for documenting ways teachers can help support children who stutter in school from the perspectives of SLPs. They share their perspectives of various suggestions, go deeper into the nuance and individualized nature of supporting students who stutter, and share important clinical insights and suggestions for teachers in a comprehensive and thoughtful way. Above all, they emphasize how teachers can support the communicative competence, confidence, and comfort for students who stutter in a way that meets students where they are. While at the same time also empowering school-based SLPs and teachers to grow their knowledge and expertise in stuttering to best support their students. A very timely back-to-school episode that would be beneficial for teachers, school-based SLPs, parents, and beyond!

Article discussed from Perspectives, February 2022:
Strategies for Teachers to Support Children Who Stutter: Perspectives of Speech-Language Pathologists

Resources mentioned:

Stuttering Foundation's Teacher Page
FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter
Teacher page on FRIENDS

Contact Information Discussed:

Email Ellen through 'Ask the Stuttering Foundation' AskStutteringFoundation@stutteringhelp.org
Contact Sara with any comments or suggestions: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

*Dr. Laura Wilson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at The University of Tulsa. She teaches a graduate course in stuttering, has established a local chapter of a support group for children who stutter, and is a co-founder of OAKS- the Oklahoma Affiliates for the Knowledge of Stuttering- which is a special interest group for professionals in the state who work with people who stutter. She enjoys learning with and from people who stutter, and has been fortunate to work with fantastic colleagues and students in speech-language pathology who are interested in stuttering.

Gabby Cozart, M.S., CCC-SLP is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in Arkansas. She has worked in school-based and pediatric outpatient therapy settings. Her interests include stuttering, executive functioning, and literacy.*

Dr. Ho Ming Chow, Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware and principal investigator for the Delaware Stuttering Project, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss a recent article, 'Brain developmental trajectories associated with childhood stuttering persistence and recovery,' in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Ho Ming and his collaborators, including principal investigator and renowned stuttering researcher, Dr. Soo Eun-Chang from the University of Michigan, conducted the largest longitudinal study of childhood stuttering to date, comparing children with persistent stuttering and those who later recovered from stuttering with age-matched non-stuttering peers, to examine the developmental trajectories of both gray matter volume and white matter volume using voxel-based morphometry. Dr. Chow walks us through the study's development and design (which originated in Dr. Soo Eun-Chang's lab), hypotheses, findings, strengths, limitations, and shares future areas of research interest— all in a very clinician-accessible manner.
Thank you for sharing your work with all of us, Dr. Chow and for your continued commitment to helping us learn more about stuttering.

Article discussed in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience:
Brain developmental trajectories associated with childhood stuttering persistence and recovery Authors: Ho Ming Chow, Emily O. Garnett, Simone P.C. Kenraads, Soo-Eun Chang

Delaware Stuttering Project Website

Dr. Ho Ming Chow, Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware and a principal investigator for the Delaware Stuttering Project, received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. After working as an engineer for a few years, he became interested in studying human cognition and went to Germany for his doctoral study. He obtained his PhD. in Cognitive Sciences with an emphasis on Cognitive Psychology at the University of Osnabrück. He completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health. Before joining the University of Delaware in 2019, he was a research faculty at the University of Michigan and Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to kick off a new series dedicated to exploring and supporting the growth of counseling skills in clinicians working with those who stutter (and beyond!). To kick off this series, Ellen and Sara discuss [likely] the most important skill to consider—Active Listening! They break down what 'goes into' active listening, why active listening is so critical in supporting those we work with through their journeys, ways to improve our clinical listening skills, and they share clinical examples and simulated responses (as well as common pitfalls!) throughout.

Active Listening article to help supplement this discussion

For comments/ questions/ suggestions for the Stuttering Foundation Podcast, please email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Ellen M. Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, is Vice President for Professional Development at the Stuttering Foundation where she contributes to the creation and dissemination of resources and provides consultation to those who stutter and their families. For more than 35 years, she has integrated her education in speech-language pathology and psychology to provide specialized clinical practice, education, and research in stuttering within university, medical center, and private practice settings. Reach out to Ellen anytime at: AskStutteringFoundation@stutteringhelp.org.

Dr. Evan Usler joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a recent paper in JSLHR, "Communicative Fluency and the Experience of Stuttering: A Viewpoint," which is linked below. Evan shares his synthases of various theories related to our conceptual and practical understandings of fluency. He explores questions like, 'What does it mean to be fluent or disfluent?' 'What is wrong with defining fluency as purely the absence of stuttering?' 'What is superficial fluency vs. communicative fluency?' How does a deeper understanding and meaning of a 'deep-state fluency' fit into the lived experience of stuttering? Evan further explores how an expanded conceptualization of fluency beyond just simply speech production aligns with Sheehan's Approach-Avoidance Conflict, and further, has the potential to be a useful indicator of psychosocial well-being for individuals who stutter.

Article discussed today: "Communicative Fluency and the Experience of Stuttering: A Viewpoint" in JSLHR

For more information on the University of Delaware Stuttering Project, visit the website here.

Evan Usler, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware's Communication Sciences & Disorders Department. Evan is the Director of the Interpersonal Neurophysiology Lab where he studies the interactions between cognition, language, and speech motor control.

Geneviève (Gen) Lamoureux, a Montreal-based speech therapist, person who stutters, and Ph.D. student studying at Université de Montréal in Montreal, Canada, joins host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to share her covert stuttering story and to explore the impact of self-stigma from both personal and professional viewpoints.
In this episode, Gen explores how elements identified in research as effective means of reducing (self-)stigma have actually played a huge role in effectively reducing (and healing from) her own self-stigma and enabled her to live well with stuttering. Throughout the episode, Gen shares stories and personal examples which really make the research and concept of stigma truly come to life.

Links from Discussion (full reference list below):

Je je je suis un podcast
Activia Commercial
Article about Ad

Bio: Geneviève (Gen) Lamoureux is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist and a Ph.D. student in speech-language pathology at Université de Montréal in Montreal, Canada. With the SLP Judith Labonté, she co-produces and co-hosts one of the very first podcast in French on stuttering, “Je je je suis un podcast” (meaning “ This this this is a podcast”), from the Association Bégaiement Communication (ABC), a francophone stuttering organization in Québec, Canada. Gen, who used to work as a translator, translated in French Daniele Rossi's Stuttering is Cool: A Guide to Stuttering in a Fast-Talking World as well as John Gomez's documentary, "When I Stutter", and is in the process of finalizing the translation of Stammering Pride and Prejudice: DIfference not Defect. Regularly appearing in the media for stuttering, Gen has also been featured in a pan-canadian Activia commercial in the Fall of 2021, in which she gave a stuttering voice to convey the commercial theme “You’ve got guts”.

References:

Boyle, M. P., Milewski, K. M., & Beita-Ell, C. (2018). Disclosure of stuttering and quality of life in people who stutter. Journal of fluency disorders, 58, 1-10.
Boyle, M. P., Dioguardi, L., & Pate, J. E. (2016). A comparison of three strategies for reducing the public stigma associated with stuttering. Journal of fluency disorders, 50, 44-58.
Boyle M. P. (2015). Self-stigma associated with stuttering: Implications for well-being and strategies for change. In Keynote speech presented at the 8th World Congress of Fluency Disorders of the International Fluency Association (IFA), Lisbon, Portugal.
Boyle, M. P. (2013). Psychological characteristics and perceptions of stuttering of adults who stutter with and without support group experience. Journal of fluency disorders, 38(4), 368-381.
Campbell, P., Constantino, C., Simpson, S. (2019). Stammering pride and prejudice. J & R Press Limited.
Constantino, C. D. (2023). Fostering positive stuttering identities using stutter-affirming therapy. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(1), 42-62.
Corrigan, P. W. (2022). Coming out proud to erase the stigma of mental illness. World Psychiatry, 21(3), 388.
Gerlach, H., Chaudoir, S. R., & Zebrowski, P. M. (2021). Relationships between stigma-identity constructs and psychological health outcomes among adults who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 70, 105842.
Gerlach, H., & Subramanian, A. (2016). Qualitative analysis of bibliotherapy as a tool for adults who stutter and graduate students. Journal of fluency disorders, 47, 1-12.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F and Cara Singer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a new parent rating scale (18-item), Vanderbilt Responses to Your Child's Speech Rating Scale for Parents (VRYCS), developed collaboratively by a team listed below, to help support parents' self-perceived responses to the speech of their children who stutter. The VRYCS can help clinicians select targets and assess progress in parent-based, communication-focused early stuttering interventions consistent with family-centered programs such as Palin PCI and RESTART-DCM approaches. Dr. Kelly and Dr. Singer walk listeners through the development of the VRYCS, the factors included based on statistical analysis, it's clinical uses and implications, and future research directions.

To learn more and to access the VRYCS in the appendices:
Validation of the Vanderbilt Responses to Your Child’s Speech Rating Scale for Parents of Young Children Who Stutter
Singer, Kelly, White, Zengin-Bolatkale, & Jones (2022)
Link to the article to access the scale and to read more in JSLHR

Also referenced within:
Palin-Parent Rating Scales

Email Dr. Cara Singer if you have difficulty accessing: singerca@gvsu.edu

Email Dr. Ellen Kelly if you would like support in using the scale or to learn more about its clinical application: askthestutteringfoundation@stutteringhelp.org

For comments/ questions/ suggestions for the Stuttering Foundation Podcast, please email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Guest Bios:
*Ellen M. Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, is VP for Professional Development at the Stuttering Foundation. She is a board-certified speech-language pathologist specializing in stuttering and other fluency challenges. One of her main roles with the Stuttering Foundation is providing consultation to people who stutter, family members, SLPs, teachers, physicians, and anyone else, around the world, who seeks assistance. Prior to joining the Stuttering Foundation, she spent 35 years in academia, teaching in the areas of stuttering and counseling, providing clinical services, engaging in research, and presenting clinical and research findings nationally and internationally.

Cara M. Singer Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She conducts research related to evaluation and treatment practices for children who stutter and attitudes towards stuttering. Additionally, she teaches and supervises speech-language pathology undergraduate and graduate students in clinical and research settings.*

Christopher Constantino, Ph.D., CCC-SLP joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to explore stuttering therapy, and specifically, what he means by 'Stutter-affirming therapy' described in a recent article in LSHSS, "Fostering Positive Stuttering Identities Using Stutter-Affirming Therapy." [Linked below] Chris discusses what it means to move towards, rather than away from stuttering and how powerful this perspective is to creating long-standing positive changes to how we stutter, how we view ourselves as individuals who stutter, and our overall outlook and optimism for life and the future. Dr. Constantino further explores the benefits of embracing stuttering as an identity rather than rejecting it, he shares literature surrounding Identity constructs of relevance for a deeper conceptual understanding, and shares how important being able to develop positive identities around stuttering can be for the process of change. Chris describes a case-example of a 12-year-old boy named 'Will' throughout to provide clinical examples and antidotes. A longer episode, but well-worth the depth provided!

Article discussed (accessible with ASHA credentials):
Fostering Positive Stuttering Identities Using Stutter-Affirming Therapy in LSHSS

Other Resources from Chris:
Stuttering Well: A Conversation About the Self-Management of Stuttering
CEU Course and Streaming Video by Dr. Christopher Constantino

For questions/ comments/ suggestions, email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Bio: Christopher Constantino, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor at Florida State University and lives in Tallahassee, Florida with his wife Megan and sons Augustine and Sebastian. Chris teaches courses on Stuttering and Counseling at Florida State, researches how to improve the experience of stuttering, and supervises student clinicians. He co-edited the book Stammering Pride and Prejudice.

Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP and Jack Henderson, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologists at Vanderbilt's Bill Wilkerson Center, join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss all things group therapy for stuttering. Jack and Daniel unpack group therapy in a way that makes it accessible for all comfort and competency levels and provide clinical suggestions and examples for effectively working in groups with individuals across the lifespan. They discuss the importance of cultivating and building community, the multitude of benefits the group format can both directly and indirectly provide to group members, the power of support and accountability, and more!

Resources links:

Camp T.A.L.K.S.: Talking and Learning with Kids Who Stutter
The Art of Community by Charles Vogl

To submit episode topics or suggestions, email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Guest Bios:Daniel Shaw, M.S., CCC-SLP is a pediatric SLP at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, where he splits his time as a lead SLP in the Preschool for Children with Autism and on the Autism Diagnostic team with serving young children, school-age/teens, and adults who stutter, and their families. Stuttering services range from individuals to group and all incorporate parent coaching and supports. He is interested in helping individuals who stutter find acceptance of stuttering and to experience the joy of communication in small and increasingly pervasive steps. He has also worked to encourage fellow SLPs to consider new ways of supporting stutterers/families in practical ways (such as personal coaching and through various presentations), as stuttering therapy can seem daunting to initiants. Prior to his role at Vanderbilt, Daniel served in the public school system in Nashville, TN.Jack Henderson, M.S., CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. He works primarily with people who stutter and their families across the lifespan. He is the Director of Camp TALKS (Talking and Learning with Kids who Stutter).

To kick off 2023 and Season 5, Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss their best hopes for 2023 ahead. They discuss the importance of honoring our history as a field, remembering the footsteps that we walk on and those that came before us, while also looking ahead in innovative ways, their individual goals for continued learning and development. and beyond!

For comments or suggestions, email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Explore and Subscribe to 'Ask The Stuttering Foundation' YouTube Channel
Email: askstutteringfoundation@stutteringhelp.org

Ali Berquez, Clinical Lead at the Michael Palin Centre in London, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the concepts of perfectionism, high standards, models of imperfection and how they may show up in therapy for some of the children and families we work with. Ali begins by sharing how her interest in this area originated, explores perfectionism and high standards as concepts more generally, then explores their relevance within stuttering therapy for some children and parents we may work with. Ali shares a range of resources for further learning, children's book recommendations to use in therapy, as well as clinical examples where she pulls from cognitive behavioral therapy, SFBT, and beyond, leaving us all feeling a bit closer to our 'good enough' state as clinicians supporting those we may work with where high standards feel like they could get in the way of where they hope to be.

Resources Mentioned:

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
Overcoming Perfectionism by Shafran, Wade, & Egan
Freeing our Families from Perfectionism by Thomas Greenspon
Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
Breaking Up with Perfectionism (Podcast) with Adam Grant

Children's books suggested:

The Beautiful Oops
Fantastic Elastic Brain
The Real Deal in Perfectionism: A Guide for Kids

Bio: Ali Berquez, MSc, PG Dip CT(Oxon), BRIEF Cert. SF Practice, is Clinical Lead at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, UK, where she has worked for over 20 years. Her role includes working with clients of all ages including adults who stutter, teaching nationally and internationally (including the Stuttering Foundation’s annual Eastern Workshop in Boston), writing, offering clinical supervision and contributing to research projects. Ali is Chair of the UK’s National Stammering Clinical Excellence Network and a certified European Fluency Specialist.

Christopher Anderson joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss his recently published book, Every Waking Moment, which follows Chris's personal journey as a person who stutters. Chris shares his inspiration for writing and sharing his story, more about the writing and publishing process, pivotal moments in his journey, what sets avoidance reduction therapy apart from other therapy approaches, his process to finding self-confidence and a joy of communication, and more!

Link to read more and purchase Every Waking MomentEvery Waking Moment Blog

Every Waking Moment is an absolute must read for those looking for connection and inspiration through personal story blended with an unparalleled look into the process of change from an avoidance-reduction therapeutic perspective. Every Waking Moment is uniquely positioned to impact those who stutter, as well as clinicians and allies looking for a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of what transforming one’s relationship with stuttering, healing from the trauma, and living the life you want to live, every waking moment, looks like.

Bio: Christopher Anderson is a person who stutters who has spent over thirty years studying how to articulate the complexities of stuttering and the journey to self-acceptance. He is a longtime member of stuttering self-help organizations, such as the National Stuttering Association, and regularly shares his experience with speech-language pathologists.

Christopher has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Intelligence Studies, and is an award-winning subject matter expert on national security for the US Government in Washington, DC, where he lives with his family. He enjoys endurance sports--is a three-time Ironman triathlon finisher--Atlanta Braves baseball, and prefers an ice-cold root beer with his pizza.

Derek Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor at Wayne State University, joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the beauty and power of creating space for storytelling within the therapeutic process. Derek discusses how critical it is to allow clients to take the lead in telling their stories and sharing what is meaningful to them, and how to clinically leave space and facilitate this process most effectively. Further, Derek discusses what 'affirming' clients in the therapeutic process looks like, how important this was for him within his own journey as well as within his clinical experience, and how affirmation within therapy can create space for deeper reflection related to identity, intersectionality of multiple identities, and important cultural and individual considerations. Throughout the episode Derek shares example facilitative prompts and clinical examples

Resources:

The Impact of Stuttering on Identity Construction
A Life of Contradictions: What I've Learned About Resilience from Living with Multiple Marginalized Identities
Stutter with Confidence: Stuttering will NOT Steal My Joy

Bio: Derek Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who specializes in stuttering therapy. He is also an associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where teaches courses on stuttering and supervises graduate student training in stuttering. Derek has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on stuttering. Derek is a person who stutters. His research focuses on psychosocial experiences of stuttering, identity, and intersectionality. He has participated in many self-help events, workshops, and clinical training programs for people who stutter. Derek is a native of Houston, TX, and currently enjoys urban life in Detroit. He is a Past President of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Tim Flynn, M.S., CCC-SLP, a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist and person who stutters, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the complexities, roadblocks, and importance of stuttering education and advocacy within the school setting. Tim shares ways school-based SLPs can help dispel stuttering misconceptions to teachers, faculty, staff, and parents in order to best support students who stutter within the educational setting and beyond. Further, Tim discusses the importance of developing and supporting the self-advocacy skills in the students we work with and how greater education regarding stuttering, therapy 'successes,' outcomes, and expectations can ensure everyone is on the same page. Tim shares clinical experiences and stories throughout as well! This is a must-listen for anyone working within the schools who wishes to better advocacy, educate, and support students who stutter.

Tim Flynn, M.S., CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and has worked as a speech-language pathologist within the public schools for 14 years. Tim is an active member within the stuttering self-help community. He has facilitated multiple seminars and workshops for children who stutter, families, teachers, and speech-language pathologists. Tim also has authored or coauthored articles exploring measuring and modifying attitudes toward stuttering. He has also guest lectured for multiple graduate programs' stuttering courses.

Dr. Evan Usler joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a recent paper in Topics in Language Disorders, "Why Stuttering Occurs: The Role of Cognitive Conflict and Control," which is linked below. The purpose of this article is to provide theoretical explanations of the experience of stuttering through pulling from and incorporating a variety of previous explanations, findings, and clinical theories in efforts to speculate questions such as: Why is speech fluency so situationally variable? How do stuttering-like disfluencies develop? Why are stuttering-like disfluencies perceived as a loss of control? and Why do stuttering-like disfluencies take the form they do?

Article discussed today: "What Stuttering Occurs: The Role of Cognitive Conflict and Control" in Topics in Language Disorders.

For more information on the University of Delaware Stuttering Project, visit the website here.

Evan Usler, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware's Communication Sciences & Disorders Department. Evan is the Director of the Interpersonal Neurophysiology Lab where he studies the interactions between cognition, language, and speech motor control.

Rodney Gabel, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor and Founding Director of the Division of Speech and Language Pathology at Binghampton University, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss evolving clinical outcomes, putting the client in the driver seat, and supporting clinical empowerment as an essential metric for therapeutic change. Dr. Gabel interweaves personal experiences, clinical growth and shifts over time, as well as discusses the importance of his deeper exploration and learning into Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to support his clinical development.

Resources mentioned:
Insurance Reimbursement for Stuttering Therapy by Katie Gore, M.A., CCC-SLP
The One Where Sara is the Client and Ellen is the Therapist
Therapy Session #2 with Sara and Ellen: SFBT Simulation
Solution-Focused Goal Development
Bio: Rodney Gabel is a Professor and Founding Director of the Division of Speech and Language Pathology at Binghampton University. Dr. Gabel has worked clinically with people who stutter for more than 25 years. He has developed intensive clinical programs that both serve the community of people who stutter and provide training opportunities for graduate students. Dr. Gabel has been an active researcher and has published more than 75 articles and book chapters. He has also been an active presenter at local, state, national, and international conferences.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a listener submitted question:

"How do you know when to “graduate” your student/ client? I know this varies greatly from person to person, but I would appreciate some insight into how that decision is made."

Sara and Ellen reflect on what contributes to this on-going, collaborative, and gradual decisions making process together with the student/ client. Further, they discuss how beneficial taking a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy framework lens/ questioning could be in helping the collaborative process, and share clinical examples and antidotes along the way.

More resources related to Solution-Focused Brief Therapy:

About Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy- A Taster!
Working with Parents of Children Who Stutter and Supporting Change through SFBT
and previous podcast episodes!

For topic suggestions/ comments/ feedback, write to Sara: Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss Avoidance Reduction Therapy (ARTS®) as it can be applied to younger individuals who stutter. Ben begins by sharing a bit about his personal journey and experiences as a person who stutters, and specifically his experiences with ARTS® as a client himself and then now as a clinician working in the public schools as well as for Sisskin Stuttering Center. Ben proceeds to give listeners a thorough history and overview of the 4 stages of ARTS® therapy, interweaving rationale and clinical examples throughout. During the later portion of the episode, Ben acknowledges the hesitations clinicians new to ARTS® may have in considering the approach with younger people who stutter; however, through Ben's examples, clinical antidotes, and recommendations, he leaves listeners feeling assured regarding its applicability and appropriateness for younger individuals and adults alike. This may be one of our favorite episodes, we hope you enjoy and another thank you to Ben Goldstein for sharing his wisdom with us!

Article in Seminars referenced in episode by Ben Goldstein and Vivian Sisskin is currently in press but should be available soon (based on the date this episode was released).

For further learning:
Overview of ARTS® by Vivian Sisskin and Mark Baer
Stuttering Foundation Course: Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting

For episode suggestions, comments, and questions, please reach out to Sara: Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Ben Goldstein, M.A., CCC-SLP: is a speech-language pathologist for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington D.C. area. He has presented on Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) at national conferences, speech pathology graduate school programs, and to school-based speech pathologists in the Mid-Atlantic region. He is passionate about working with children and adults who stutter and supporting them to become the confident, spontaneous, and effective communicators they can be. In his free time, Ben enjoys playing guitar, camping, and watching his favorite football team — the Baltimore Ravens.

Jack Rodriguez, a person who stutters, and a senior in Texas State's undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders program joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to share his story and discuss the dynamic nature of stuttering acceptance. Jack is mentored by Texas State University professor, Dr. Farzan Irani and, together, they co-wrote an ISAD Paper, "Speak The Change: Dynamic Nature of Stuttering Acceptance," which they will be presenting at the upcoming IFA World Congress in Montreal. In this episode, Jack walks us through his journey towards greater stuttering acceptance and what we means by 'dynamic nature,' how he learned to embrace his stuttering as part of his overall communication, and the process of leaving space within acceptance for making changes to how he approaches a moment of stuttering physically. Jack closes with advice he would give to his younger self as well as to young people who stutter in general. We are so thankful to Jack for opening up and sharing his journey with all of us!

Bio: Jack Rodriguez is a senior in the Communication Disorders program at Texas State University. His personal experiences with stuttering inspired him to pursue a degree in Speech-Language Pathology. His research interest includes the psychosocial aspects of stuttering and is currently in the process of completing his Honors Thesis. He also serves as the president for the NSSLHA chapter at Texas State University.

Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP and Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F take on the most popular episode, "Communication Over Fluency" for a Part 2! In their discussion, they break down both terms into more depth and add practical, take-away clinical examples and nuggets throughout. The idea of taking 'fluency off the table' is complex when considering wanting to support clients in their unpacking and peeling away of what can get in their way of saying what they want to say and being the most effective communicators they can be. They further discuss our role in this process as therapists and interweave Solution Focused Brief Therapy questioning as a means of guiding individuals to discover and identify the path that will get them each closer to where they hope to be as individual communicators.

Additional Resources:

Avoidance Reduction Therapy in a Group Setting with Vivian Sisskin
Praise the Showing Up by Vivian Sisskin
Covert Stuttering: Transitioning from Covert to Overt

For episode suggestions or comments, please feel free to email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Sharon Millard, Ph.D., MRCSLT, Reg.HCPC from the Michael Palin Centre joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a topic she recently presented on at the Rome I.C.O.C. (International Conference on Stuttering) titled, "Does Therapy Satisfy Children Who Stutter?" Dr. Millard shared feedback and research from the child perspective on what their reported best hopes for change were, and a discussion surrounding how we meet those needs from children, allowing those to shape our therapy. In addition, Dr. Millard emphasizes the strong benefits of using Solution-Focused Brief Therapy as a means of, in an individualized manner, drawing out client's hopes, goals for change, and what 'satisfies' them in order to best meet their needs within therapy. Finally, Dr. Millard gives an overview of how to incorporate the child's perspective into the Palin Model (see below links for more information), and ends with a discussion exploring potential future areas of research.

To learn more about the Michael Palin Centre: Click Here
Resources for SLPs/ SLTs from MPC

Sharon Millard Ph.D., MRCSLT, Reg.HCPC: Dr. Sharon Millard is the Research Lead and a Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist at the Michael Palin Centre, where she has worked since 1995. Dr. Millard has published research into the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions developed at the Michael Palin Centre and is co-author of the Palin Parent Rating Scales (a free, online outcome measurement tool completed by parents). Dr. Millard has had a number of editorial roles, presents regularly at international conferences and is involved in a number of scientific committees. She is currently Chief Investigator for an NIHR funded feasibility trial to explore Palin Stammering Therapy for School Children (8-14) and Co-Chair for the Oxford Dysfluency Conference. In addition to her role at MPC, Dr. Millard is a lecturer and clinical tutor at City, University of London. Dr. Millard is a certified European Fluency Specialist.

Kicking off a new year with our first episode of Season 4 with a very special guest! Jane Fraser, FRCSLT, President of Stuttering Foundation , joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to share the history of Stuttering Foundation in honor of the 75th Anniversary this year. Ms. Fraser shares early memories of her father, discusses his relationship with his stuttering, the beginnings and evolution of Stuttering Foundation, memories from the first workshops with the 'Stuttering Greats,' and finally, what she think her father would be most proud of.

For more information on the History of Stuttering Foundation, "How One Person Can Make a Difference."

For episode suggestions/ comments: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Bio: Jane Fraser, Hon. FRCSLT, serves as the president of The Stuttering Foundation of America, a position she has held since 1981. The oldest and largest nonprofit organization for the prevention and treatment of stuttering, the Foundation has grown tremendously in size, scope and outreach under her leadership and direction.

The daughter of Stuttering Foundation founder Malcolm Fraser, Ms. Fraser received a degree in Russian and Linguistics at Bryn Mawr College and continued graduate work in both subjects at the Universite de Strasbourg, France. As an avid student of language and speech, Ms. Fraser is fluent in French and lived in that country for 20 years. An experienced editor, translator, and interpreter, she previously worked for the Institut Gustave Roussy and for the Assemblee Nationale in Paris.

*Among her many professional affiliations, Ms. Fraser lists: Member, NIDCD Advisory Council of the National Institutes (1996-2000); Vice President, Action for Stammering Children in London; President, The Malcolm Fraser Foundation; Member, Societe Francaise de Phoniatrie; and Member, International Association of Logopaedics and Phoniatrics.

Other affiliations: Member, Advisory Council, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (1996-2000); Member, Board of Trustees, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York (1991-1997); Board member, The Orianne Society; Co-Chairman, Regional Campaigns, Hamilton College; Co-Chairman, Parents Association, Pitzer College, Claremont, California; Board Member, National Association for Hearing and Speech Action (1984-1987); Member, Board of Trustees of The Alexander Hamilton Institute.*

Personal honors and awards include a past Carnegie Foundation grant for Russian studies in Russia and the Distinguished Alumnae of the Century Award, Hutchison School Centennial, 2002; the Outstanding Contribution Award from the International Stuttering Association at their World Congress in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on May 9, 2007; was chosen Nonprofit Executive of the Year by the Nonprofit Times in 2008. On Sept. 17, 2014, she received an honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists for her distinguished service in promoting the profession of speech and language therapy.

Personal honors and awards include: Distinguished Alumnae of the Century Award, Hutchison School Centennial, 2002; the Outstanding Contribution Award from the International Stuttering Association, 2007. She was chosen Nonprofit Executive of the Year by the Nonprofit Times in 2008.

Caryn Herring, M.S., CCC-SLP joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to talk all things Covert Stuttering. They discuss and thoroughly define covert stuttering clinically, while weaving in elements of their personal stories as individuals who have covert stuttering backgrounds. Caryn and Sara then move on to breakdown what the 'components' for change may include when moving from concealment to openness. Caryn and Sara weave their personal stories within their discussion throughout. We hope you enjoy this episode!

Organizations mentioned:
FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter
National Stuttering Association
Stutter Social

For questions, comments, suggestions: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Caryn Herring, M.S., CCC-SLP is a person who stutters, an SLP, and a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University. Her research interests include the process of desensitization, exposure therapy, and the impact of voluntary stuttering. She is involved in stuttering support organizations and serves as the Chairperson of Friends–The National Association of Young People Who Stutter.

Dr. Hope Gerlach-Houck, Assistant Professor at Western Michigan University, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to share her recent research related to better understanding concealment and the overall impact on well-being for individuals who stutter. Dr. Gerlach-Houck explores the importance of understanding stigma and identity, intersectionality of identities in relation to concealment, clinical implications, and future areas of research in order to continue to learn more about concealment- ultimately to help people who stutter improve quality of life outcomes and well-being.

Relationships between stigma-identity constructs and psychological health outcomes among adults who stutter (Gerlach et al 2021)

Bio: Hope Gerlach-Houck is an assistant professor at Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on how context shapes the ways in which people cope with stuttering and how those different ways of coping affect their psychosocial wellbeing. She is particularly interested in exploring relationships between stigma, concealment of stuttering, and wellbeing. Hope had a unique opportunity to learn about stigma this past summer when she was accepted to attend an intensive training on stigma research methods through the NIH. She has been actively involved in support organizations for people who stutter and has worked as a speech therapist at summer camps for youth who stutter. She also oversees stuttering therapy groups for both kids and adults at Western Michigan University.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP for a 'Dear Stuttering Foundation Part 2' question and answer episode with a specialized school-based focus! Dr. Kelly and Sara talk through clinical questions submitted to Stuttering Foundation with a variety of school-based focuses such as: supporting clinical development of school-based SLPs, recommendations for teachers, supporting children through the transition back to in-person school, accommodations, and more!

To submit questions/ comments email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Voon Pang returns for an 'all-things stuttering' chat with Sara! They discuss Voon's path towards gaining greater clinical expertise in stuttering, the positive shifts in climate of the New Zealand/ Australia stuttering world that he is noticing, best hopes for change for clients, allyship and the stuttering pride movement, and more!

Links Referenced in Episode:

Chapter referenced, "The Therapeutic Journey- Guided by Road Map or SAT-NAV" by Frances Cook (2012)

Mary Weidner's Virtual Learning Webinar, "Building a Supportive Community for Children Who Stutter"

Click to Register for Voon's Virtual Learning Session in October 2021:
"Cultivating Stuttering Pride: Guiding Principles for Speech Language Therapists"
*Voon Pang, BSc Speech Pathology, MNZSTA, CPSP, University of Auckland: Lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his partner and dog. He is a speech language therapist and clinical educator at the University of Auckland and owns a practice specializing in working with people who stutter and students with language and literacy related difficulties. His passion is to help people become the best communicator they can be as well as standing tall and being proud of their individuality.

For any questions/ comments/ suggestions, please e-mail Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.*

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP for a 'Dear Stuttering Foundation' Question and Answer episode! Dr. Kelly and Sara talk through clinical questions submitted to Stuttering Foundation ranging from parent concerns, clinician training inquiries, clinical case questions, 'frequently misunderstood topics,' and more!

There will be more to come, please submit questions or clinical case concerns for future 'Dear Stuttering Foundation' episodes to Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Rob Dellinger, M.S., CCC-SLP of the Wake County Public Schools in Raleigh, NC is back for Season 3 to continue our 'Stuttering in the Schools' segment. Rob begins by reflecting briefly on the challenges of this past school-year due to the pandemic, while also highlighting the 'silver linings' and areas of growth he's had as a clinician, and has witness among his colleagues within the schools. The conversation shifts to focus on looking ahead to what hopes to be a 'more normal' year as a school-based clinician and discusses what recommitment to best practices in school-age stuttering therapy means to him. Rob describes the core components to a comprehensive evaluation for children who stutter. The episode concludes with a reflection on hope and resiliency as key takeaways from the year.

Mandy Hampton Wray, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a recently published longitudinal study seeking to look deeper at early phonological skills and stuttering. Specifically, looking at whether the neural processes underlying nonword rhyming tasks differentiated stuttering persistence and recovery.

Dr. Hampton Wray provides listeners with historical context within phonology and stuttering research, discusses preliminary work and collaborations that led to forming these hypotheses, walks listeners through the study findings and potential clinical implications of this area of work, and moves on to discuss areas for exciting future research.

You won't want to miss this episode, Mandy has a phenomenal way of explaining complex research in a very digestible, listener-friendly manner!

Link to Article discussed in JSLHR
Neural Processes Underlying Nonword Rhyme Differentiate Eventual Stuttering Persistence and RecoveryAuthors: Amanda Hampton Wray and Gregory Spray

Bio: Amanda (Mandy) Hampton-Wray is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh. Hampton-Wray is a cognitive neuroscientist who studies the development of brain systems that support language and attention in typical and disordered populations. Previously, she was an assistant professor at Michigan State University. Hampton-Wray received her BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin, and both her MS in Speech-Language Pathology and PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at Purdue University.

Ali Berquez, MSc, PG Dip CT (Oxon), BRIEF Cert. SF Practice, Clinical Lead for Children at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, UK, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the process of desensitization for parents of children who stutter. This discussion is based on a paper in AJSLP from 2018 written by Ali Berquez and Elaine Kelman, "Methods in Stuttering Therapy for Desensitizing Parents of Children Who Stutter." Desensitization is typically discussed in relation to working with individuals who stutter themselves; however, Ali shares how critical it is to incorporating desensitization work with parents as well. Ali shares clinical activity examples, rationales, antidotes, stories, and more!

Links mentioned during episode:

Michael Palin Centre Training Opportunities
Stuttering Foundation Course with Elaine Kelman and Ali Berquez
Stambassadors

Bio: Ali Berquez is Clinical Lead for Children at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London, UK, where she has worked since 2000. Her role includes working with clients of all ages including adults who stutter; teaching nationally and internationally (including the Stuttering Foundation’s annual Eastern Workshop in Boston), writing, offering clinical supervision and contributing to research projects. She has collaborated with Professor Patricia Zebrowski and her team in the USA over the past few years to explore the expectations of young people and parents from therapy using Solution Focused principles. Ali is a Study Day Coordinator for the UK’s National Clinical Excellence Network in Dysfluency and a certified European Fluency Specialist.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP for our first episode of Season 3! Sara and Ellen discuss and explore helping to support clients shift from taking the 'out' in many communication situations to participating more fully independently. They discuss foundational rationale to help get individuals and families 'on board,' why the 'wait for fluency' approach to tackle challenging communication situations is flawed and harmful, and they lay out a pathway for creating and celebrating small steps or successes in a solution-focused, strength-based manner that supports this, often difficult, shift.

For comments/ suggestions, feel free to email Sara: Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP for our final episode of Season 2! Sara and Ellen discuss and explore the process of letting parents know when and how to let go. They discuss how to: initiate this growth conversation among parents and individuals who stutter, cultivate on-going parent/child ‘debrief’ opportunities, and better understand the benefits of starting to ‘let go,’ allowing the child to take the lead—fostering accountability and independence. Dr. Ellen Kelly discusses “The Circle of Security” as a helpful framework to reference in this process.

Organizations mentioned in today’s episode:

FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter
Camp TALKS (Vanderbilt)

For comments/ suggestions, feel free to email Sara: Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Dr. Rick Arenas, Associate Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico, is back to discuss his research related to better understanding variability and anticipation. Specifically, Dr. Arenas discusses a study conducted in collaboration with his student, Amanda Ortiz-Alvarez, "A Phenomenological Investigation of the Contextual Variability and Anticipation of Stuttering." [Linked below] Dr. Arenas begins by describing the concepts of anticipation and variability as they relate to stuttering and then walks us through the study development, findings, and future implications.

Link to Full Text Article (via the UNM Thesis Repository)

"A Father's Advice" By: Rick Arenas

Bio: Dr. Rick Arenas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico. He received a bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Science, a master's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology and a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science all from the University of Iowa. His primary research interest is in developmental stuttering. He is interested in the anticipation of stuttering and the contextual variability of stuttering: Why is it that stuttering occurs consistently more frequently in particular contexts? Recently his research has transitioned toward the way people relate to their stuttering and how it plays a role in their personal narrative. Using qualitative methods, he is investigating how people who stutter change their thoughts and beliefs to live harmoniously with stuttering. The overall goal is to translate research findings in to more effective treatments for stuttering in order to lessen the social and emotional impacts of the disorder.

For Questions/ Feedback, email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Dr. Ellen Kelly hosts today's episode, which is an audio adaptation of a video presentation (video viewing details below). This "Career Retrospective" Series is a new Stuttering Foundation project. Through this project, we hope to honor and archive the careers, stories, lessons, and advice for future generations from the "Stuttering Giants."

In this candid interview, Dr. Ehud Yairi summarizes just a few of his major contributions to our understanding of the onset, development, and persistence of stuttering. His career retrospective is interwoven with his personal experiences of stuttering as a child and young adult in Israel and how they influenced his decision to enroll at the University of Iowa for graduate studies, where he also met his wife Janie. Professor Yairi recalls the avenues of inquiry and outcomes of over 50 years of pioneering research in stuttering, discusses some related implications, and offers a bit of advice for current and future clinicians and researchers.

Note: there is a video version complete with visual slides that really enrich the experience. We recommend viewing via the Stuttering Foundation Streaming Video Library.

For feedback, feel free to email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

Dr. Rick Arenas, Associate Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss a recent research study conducted in collaboration with his student, Katlyn Ferguson, which looks at the experience of parents of children who stutter, and specifically their experiences in support group involvement. "The Experience of Being a Parent of a Child Who Stutters and Subsequent Involvement in Support Groups: A Narrative Study," uniquely seeks to add to our understanding of the caregiver experience of stuttering, and a growing need to better document the positive impact of being involved in support organizations/ community. Five parents were interviewed and asked to describe their experience as a parent of a CWS. Interviews were analyzed using a modified version of Carol Gilligan’s Listening Guide. Dr. Arenas shares the many common themes parents' reported, and above all else, the positive impact getting involved in support has had on their true understanding of the experience of stuttering.

Link to Full Text Article (via the UNM Thesis Repository)
Link to Friends: The National Association of Young People who Stutter
"A Father's Advice" By: Rick Arenas

Bio: Dr. Rick Arenas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico. He received a bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Science, a master's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology and a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science all from the University of Iowa. His primary research interest is in developmental stuttering. He is interested in the anticipation of stuttering and the contextual variability of stuttering: Why is it that stuttering occurs consistently more frequently in particular contexts? Recently his research has transitioned toward the way people relate to their stuttering and how it plays a role in their personal narrative. Using qualitative methods, he is investigating how people who stutter change their thoughts and beliefs to live harmoniously with stuttering. The overall goal is to translate research findings in to more effective treatments for stuttering in order to lessen the social and emotional impacts of the disorder.

Back by popular demand! Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Associate Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to continue their clinician-client role-play focused specifically on modeling a Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) session. This 'therapy session' is a continuation from the recent episode, "The One Where Sara is the Client and Ellen is the Therapist," so be sure to catch that first before tuning in! Ellen begins by giving everyone a very brief overview of SFBT and then they dive right into the session!

For more continued learning regarding SFBT: Check out our course, "Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Taster" on our streaming video library.

For comments/ suggestions, feel free to email Sara: Smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

Cara Singer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss findings from her recently published study, "Clinical Characteristics Associated With Stuttering Persistence: A Meta-Analysis." [Linked below] Cara shares how she first became interested in this area of research, the process of conducting a meta-analysis study, her findings, drawbacks/ limitations, and possible directions she hopes to take this research in the future. Cara walks us through updates to the well-known and utilized "Risk Factors Chart," available on the Stuttering Foundation's website based on her study findings.

Link to Article in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Cara M. Singer Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She conducts research related to evaluation and treatment practices for children who stutter and attitudes towards stuttering. Additionally, she teaches and supervises speech-language pathology undergraduate and graduate students in clinical and research settings.

Dr. Ellen Kelly hosts today's episode, which is an audio adaptation of a video presentation (video viewing details below). This "Career Retrospective" Series is a new Stuttering Foundation project. Through this project, we hope to honor and archive the careers, stories, lessons, and advice for future generations from the "Stuttering Giants."

Recently retired from Vanderbilt University, Professor Emeritus Edward Gage Conture provides a retrospective of his illustrious career in the field of stuttering. Threaded with personal history, his legacy of mentees, and an abundance of research and clinical contributions, Dr. Conture provides a retrospective of the personal and professional influences on his career and scientific discoveries that will continue to guide the field for decades to come.

Note: there is a video version complete with visual slides that really enrich the experience. We recommend viewing via the Stuttering Foundation Streaming Video Library.

For feedback, feel free to email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

In the continuation of our 'Sara and Ellen' discussion segment, Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Associate Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), joins host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, for a fun simulation of an initial therapy session/ intake consultation discussion. Sara puts her 'client' hat on and plays herself about 12 years ago when she first began speech therapy, and Ellen, plays the role of the therapist!

Dr. Bridget Walsh joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss recent research related to documenting and better understanding disfluency behaviors expressed by 4- and 5- year-old children who stutter and to identify whether stuttering characteristics at this age are predictive of later stuttering recovery or persistence. Dr. Walsh discusses potential future areas of research and, in general, her hopes for how learning more about the characteristics of disfluency patterns in this age group may be able to impact our work clinically in the future.

Link to study in JSLHR
Link to participate in Dr. Walsh’s current study

Bio: Dr. Bridget Walsh is a certified speech-language pathologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University. She directs the Developmental Speech Laboratory in the Communication Arts and Sciences building. She received her B.S. and M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience from Purdue University. Translating thoughts into spoken words is a seemingly effortless ability, one easily taken for granted, yet speech production is a fascinating and remarkably complex process. Dr. Walsh's research focuses on the mechanisms underlying the development of stuttering in young children. She uses a multilevel approach combining neuroimaging, articulatory kinematics, autonomic nervous system recordings, and behavioral approaches to assess how stuttering emerges in young children, and to answer critical questions about why many young children recover from early stuttering while others persist and develop a lifelong chronic condition.

For feedback/ episode suggestions, email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

In our final installment (and possibly our favorite!) of our Panel Series, all ten panel members debrief and answer questions from students. Listen and learn as panel members offer more details on their own experiences, share perspectives on things like speech tools and managing parent expectations, and they close by offering advice to SLPs based on their experiences. We hope you've enjoyed this series as much as we have! Thank you so very much again to all panel members for allowing us to share your stories and insight!

Listen and learn from the stories of five more adults who stutter as they reflect on their journeys. Spring, Eugene, Cara, Dillon, and Sara share where they were, where they are today, and where they hope to be in the future. Be sure to join us next week for Part 3 for a Q&A and discussion among all 10 panelists. Endless thanks to the panel members who so willingly shared their stories with all of us!

Listen and learn from the stories of five adults who stutter as they reflect on their journeys. Megan, Heather, Jack, Emily, and Courtney share where they were, where they are today, and where they hope to be in the future. Be sure to join us for Part 2 next week, where we will hear from another 5 adults who stutter. Then, tune back in for Part 3 for a Q&A and discussion segment with the whole panel. Thank you so much to the panel for allowing us to share your stories!

Rob Dellinger, M.S., CCC-SLP of the Wake County Public Schools in Raleigh, NC is back for a special episode for our school-based segment focused on goal writing. Listen to Rob continue his discussion related to challenges school-based therapists face, and offer suggestions for how we can expand our viewpoint and provide more comprehensive therapy to children who stutter in the schools.
Rob shares how important a comprehensive assessment is for laying the foundation for goals that fit the child. He emphasizes how goals should go far beyond fluency measurement/ strategies and offers a measurable framework for conceptualizing goals for overall communicative effectiveness, participation, and quality of life impact.

Resource mentioned:
Working with School-Age Children Who Stutter: Basic Principle Problem Solving by Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP and June Campbell, M.A., CCC-SLP.

Feedback/ Suggestions? Write to Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org

What do adults who stutter and stuttering specialists think it means to make a positive change to stuttering? Naomi H. Rodgers, Ph.D., CCC-SLP and Hope Gerlach, Ph.D., CCC-SLP join host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss their current research related to better understanding what the change process looks like for adults who stutter; specifically, “What would an adult who stutters be doing if they were making a positive change to their stuttering?” Hope and Naomi discuss the three core themes that emerged, clinical applications, future areas of research they hope to investigate, and more!
Note: This study is still under review and is not yet published.

Further Reading:
"Applying The Stages of Change"

Naomi H. Rodgers, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. She moved there in 2019 after finishing her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa under the mentorship of Dr. Tricia Zebrowski. She directs the UNL Stuttering Lab where she focuses her research program on the psychosocial aspects of stuttering, primarily among adolescents who stutter.

Hope Gerlach, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an assistant professor at Western Michigan University. She also is a transplant from the University of Iowa and a part of the Dr. Tricia Zebrowski lineage. Her research focuses on how stigma and identity-related factors influence the experiences of people who stutter.

Questions, Feedback, or Suggestions email Sara: smacintyre@stutteringhelp.org.

We kick off Season Two with the continuation of our 'Sara & Ellen' discussion segment with host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, and Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Associate Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Sara and Ellen discuss the importance of preparing clients to become their own clinicians, and how we should work towards making ourselves 'useless' as therapists rather than perpetuating clinician dependence. Finally, they discuss how to guide clients in developing their own goals and foster self-accountability.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP for an episode devoted to discussing how to best support parents through the therapeutic process and across the lifespan of a child. Ellen and Sara talk through how they build and foster strong partnerships with parents beginning from the initial contact/ evaluation process all the way through into incorporating them in therapy and building the depth of their understanding and knowledge-levels. Sara and Ellen then discuss unique situations like working with parents of children who stutter who stutter themselves, navigating fluency-demanding parent conversations, and they end by sharing some of their favorite resources to give to parents.

Courtney Luckman, M.A., CCC-SLP discusses practical strategies and activities for thawing the Stuttering Iceberg in therapy with clients who stutter. Courtney shares a bit about her personal journey as a person who stutters, how her experience impacts her work as an SLP, and walks us through how to utilize the Stuttering Iceberg analogy in therapy with practical suggestions to target the: affective, cognitive, and physical components of stuttering.
During today's episode, Courtney references a blog post she wrote for MedBridge, "10 Practical Strategies for Thawing the Stuttering Iceberg." Link Here

Sharon Millard, Ph.D., CertMRCSLT, HCPC, research lead and clinical specialist at the Michael Palin Centre in London, gives listeners an overview of exciting research findings to support the efficacy and effectiveness of the Palin PCI therapy program for young children who stutter and their families. Sharon gives listeners a brief introduction to Palin PCI, then reports interesting findings from a 2018 Paper, "Palin Parent Child Interaction Therapy: The Bigger Picture," in AJSLP. Future areas of research are discussed as well as opportunities for further learning are shared.

Links discussed in episode:
Palin PCI Manual (New)
Oxford Dysfluency Conference
MPC Training Opportunities in UK

Robert Dellinger, M.S., CCC-SLP of the Wake County Public Schools is back for our second episode in our school-based segment. Listen to Rob continue his discussion related to challenges school-based therapists face, and offer suggestions for how we can expand our viewpoint and provide more comprehensive therapy to children who stutter in the schools.
"Unless we’re experts in stuttering - and most of us aren’t - the work setting challenges of school-based practice (and the limits of our education and training) can really pressure us into relying too much on Speech Tools."We can evolve our thinking around Speech Tools. The biggest misconception is that school-age CWS can learn speech tools, and apply them all the time, and then the problem is fixed. Stuttering just doesn’t work this way.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss navigating the many uncertainties that can come about when working with young children who stutter and their families. Ellen and Sara discuss how important individualization is with all clients, but specifically with this age group. They discuss the bigger picture of communication, how to set families up for the potential for persistence, meeting our clients where they are, ways to support and encourage healthy communication attitudes, and more! This will be followed up by an episode specifically focused on supporting parents in a couple weeks.

Three young adults join host, Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to share their journeys with stuttering and their advice to therapists. Mary, Aileen, and Josette discuss where they were, where they are today, where they hope to be, and what has positively impacted them along the way. The three guests share advice to therapists, specific experiences with therapy that have stuck with them, and the power support has played in all of their journeys.

Nic Brow, M.A., CCC-SLP joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the importance of community. Nic opens up about his personal journey as someone who stutters, his experience in Avoidance Reduction Therapy as both a client and clinician, and discusses how impactful finding the stuttering community was for him. Nic and Sara talk about different support options within the stuttering community and how important it is for therapists to understand the power of community in their work with individuals who stutter of all ages.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss the importance of taking therapy beyond the therapy room. Ellen and Sara discuss suggestions on client-driven 'outside' assignments and goal generation, the concept of scaffolding desensitization and exposure, and ideas for taking things outside of the therapy room in a variety of ways.

Dr. Dennis Drayna joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss recent findings in genetics research specific to stuttering. Dr. Drayna begins by giving viewers an overview, then moves on to share an exciting new finding from his lab related to potential astrocyte cell involvement in stuttering.

Voon Pang, BSc,CPSP, MNZS joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP from ASHA 2019 in Orlando, Florida where they discuss and debrief on various sessions they attended throughout the second part of the convention.

Voon Pang, BSc,CPSP, MNZS joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP from ASHA 2019 in Orlando, Florida where they discuss and debrief on various sessions they attended throughout the first part of the convention.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre to discuss Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) as a helpful framework for developing client-driven goals in therapy. SFBT helps guide clients to identifying and setting their own goals for change in a strength-focused, positive manner. Ellen and Sara discuss the importance of developing goals in a collaborative manner with clients, how to shift the focus from what's not going well, to what actually is going well, and finally, they provide clinical examples of SFBT in practice.

Christopher Constantino, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor at Florida State University, joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to discuss his research related to better understanding covert stuttering and the reasons why individuals who covertly stutter decide to pass as fluent. Chris proposes that individuals who pass as fluent choose to pass more as an active, 'survival' tactic in today's able-body dominated society rather than a passive repression of one's authentic self that has historically been proposed. Later, Chris shares clinical implications of his research and how we, as clinicians, can better serve individuals who pass as fluent the better we understand the true interaction of stuttering and society.

Robert Dellinger, M.S., CCC-SLP, of the Wake County Public School System in Raleigh, NC joins Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP to kick off our "Stuttering in the Schools" on-going series aimed at tackling topics specific to therapists working in the school setting. On this episode, Rob Dellinger shares his district's journey to increase expertise and comfort among therapists when working with students who stutter. He discusses the steps his district took to implement a training program and on-going consultancy support for Wake County therapists. Additionally, Rob discusses his district's framework for approaching stuttering therapy in a whole-child manner, putting overall communicative effectiveness at the forefront.

Ellen Kelly, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-F of Vanderbilt University joins Sara MacIntyre to discuss what focusing on Communication over Fluency may mean in effective stuttering therapy. Dr. Kelly shares her experience and evolution as a therapist and researcher and encourages clinicians to re-consider goals strictly related to speech tools for a variety of reasons. In addition, she discusses the role of an SLP in the process of change, and what taking a solution-focused, client-centered approach to therapy may look like.

Stuttering Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of Stuttering Foundation Podcast. We will feature a variety of episodes focused on providing relevant and practical clinical knowledge, research updates, support and advice for parents, special segments such as supporting therapists working in the school setting, and more!