Stuttering: Reflections on a Career and Assorted Topics (Ep. 514)

stuttering, StutterTalk
Dr. Robert Quesal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow

Bob “the expert” Quesal joins Peter Reitzes to reflect on almost four decades of working in speech-language pathology. During the first half of today’s episode, Dr. Quesal is asked about some assorted topics which include the announcement that Speech Pathology Australia’s recent proposal to the Australian Treasury was rejected. Bob is then asked if our understanding of stuttering has improved during recent decades and about aggressive promotion of stuttering sites and products on social media. On the second half today’s episode, Bob is asked to discuss his reflections on a career in stuttering and speech-language pathology. Bob discusses ASHA and stuttering, the view that “everybody must acknowledge that there’s more to it  [stuttering] than fluency,” the need for stuttering organizations to “continue to step up and provide educational opportunities” and that professionals “need to take advantage of those opportunities,” the importance of fluency specialists being vigilant in responding to potentially irresponsible internet claims and warnings about “political research.”

Robert Quesal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a person who stutters, a professor emeritus of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Illinois University, a fellow of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and a retired board certified specialist in fluency disorders.

For background to the Speech Pathology Australia proposal, see this episode and show notes for related links.