Although stuttering is considered a neurogenic or developmental, there are several emotional factors that play into it. Sometimes, fluency disorders can lead up to psychosocial and emotional issues too. Shame, guilt, higher expectations play a key part in stuttering. There’s a prevalence of stuttering in about 1% of the adult population. People who suffer from stuttering disorder will have to face stigmatization and discrimination as a consequence of society. This is where counseling becomes imperative as a part of stuttering therapy.
Often when speech-language pathologists work with clients who have stuttering issues, they go beyond just training them on speech techniques. It’s beyond a regular speech or fluency disorder, most of the time there are attitudinal and emotional aspects connected to it.
What is counseling?
Counseling is not just about providing information and solving client’s concerns or even telling them what to do. It is all about building an interactive therapeutic relationship between the Speech-language Pathologists and their clients, to help them identify effective solutions to their problems. As an experienced counselor, sensitivity, personal presence, compassion, empathy, and integrity are key characteristics that will make clients with stuttering disorder comfortable.
Importance of counseling
Counseling helps alleviate the mental anguish of those who suffer from stuttering. As a counselor, it’s important to build a relationship with their clients and create an atmosphere in which they are able to express how they truly feel. Let’s get a better understanding of how can counseling positively impact people who stutter.
Counseling becomes highly effective amongst people who stutter as it helps understand the potential for growth and development. With the help of a counselor, there’s a sense of self-realization that is developed.
When counseling becomes a part of the stuttering therapy, it helps clients with fluency disorder deal with attitudes and fears. Essentially, this can root from stuttering.
Counseling sessions help reduce negative emotionality that has probably build up amongst people who are likely suffering from the stuttering disorder.
Every therapist helps foster independence amongst their clients. It doesn’t mean the abandonment of the client, but they are made capable to reduce their dependency on the speech therapist.
Stuttering can cause negative emotions, which can in turn reflect on the fluency of speech. But, speech-Language Pathologists are trained to assist people with stuttering concerns to develop the ability to reduce the overall emotional and psychological consequences. It’s a process that can be a long and challenging process, but counseling becomes an imperative part of the therapy sessions.
For more information please visit www.allislandspeech.com or 516-776-0184