What does stuttering treatment look like?
There are two general philosophies of stuttering treatment:
Fluency shaping is the process of training a person with a stutter to maintain a style of speech that reduces the likelihood of stuttering. It assumes that if a person can effortfully control their speech, then the anxiety and discomfort associated with stuttering will no longer be a problem. Often, this type of treatment begins with a very unnatural speaking style to promote 100% fluent speech. Over time, this speaking style is shaped to sound natural to the ignorant observer.
Stuttering acceptance is the process of teaching a person who stutters how to function in their life without trying to change their stutter directly. It assumes that stuttering is only a problem because of the ways in which it impacts the lives of people who stutter, causing them discomfort and anxiety; therefore, treating the anxiety and discomfort will lead to the individual becoming happier and communicating more freely with their loved ones. Paradoxically, people who accept their stuttering fully can end up speaking more fluidly than those who pursue fluency shaping treatment!
The type of treatment that a person receives will likely depend on their attitudes, the severity of their stutter, and their clinician’s perspective on stuttering. If there is one type of stuttering treatment that you would greatly prefer, then be sure to discuss your clinician’s treatment philosophy during your intake conversation. Questions that you can ask include:
Do you use a fluency shaping or stuttering acceptance approach in your therapy? (this will prompt a very straight-forward answer)
What types of goals do you often work on with clients? (hint: fluency shaping clinicians will describe strategies to change your speech, and acceptance-promoting clinicians will describe strategies to investigate your emotional responses to stuttering or to change your perspective)
How will we know when I am ready to be discharged from therapy? (hint: fluency shaping clinicians will say that it is when your speech is stutter-free, and acceptance-promoting clinicians will say that it is when you feel confident in your speech regardless of whether you stutter)