Christopher Constantino joins Peter Reitzes to discuss disability rights and disability studies and how they may intersect with speech-language pathology and self help for people who stutter. During the second half of today’s episode, Mr. Constantino is asked about his research on passing as fluent (known to some as covert stuttering). Chris suggests that passing as fluent may be less an oppression of authenticity and more a power move to access able-bodied privilege. Mr. Constantino describes this analysis as “returning agency to the person.” Chris suggests that passing as fluent may be more of a “resistance” to dominant discourses than a repression of an authentic self.
Christopher Constantino is a person who stutters and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Chris is doing his clinical fellowship in the Shelby County Schools in Memphis and is conducting a research study to understand and contextualize the experiences of passing as fluent for people who covertly stutter. Chris will be hosting some StutterTalk episodes this summer from the International Fluency Association’s World Congress in Portugal, July 6-8.
Dhruv Gupta and Vikas Tantias join Dr. Joe Klein to discuss the great success of the FRIENDS stammering and stuttering conference in Mumbai, India which just concluded. Parents and families came and were ready to talk about the acceptance of stammering and much more. Speech-Language Pathologists attended and gained a better understanding of stammering, voluntary stammering and working on goals other than fluency. Today’s guests discuss growing up before self help groups such as The India Stammering Association (TISA) were available and the power of support for people who stammer.
FRIENDS Conference in Mumbai, India
Dhruv discussed his local self help group which meets for 2 and a half hours sessions with activities such as going to a mall to use voluntary stammering, round table conversations and plans to begin including children and parents in self help. Dhruv mentions being inspired to bring FRIENDS to India after attending a FRIENDS conference in the United States.
Joe Klein, Ph.D, CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and an assistant professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Klein is the author of numerous papers and articles including his chapter Stuttering: The Great Paradox in the book Stuttering: Inspiring Stories and Professional Wisdom, published by StutterTalk.
Dhruv Gupta is a volunteer with TISA, a social entrepreneur, a tech enthusiast, and an Indian with a global outlook.
Elaine Kelman and Scott Palasik join Peter Reitzes to discuss The International Fluency Association’s 2015 World Congress on cluttering, stuttering and other fluency disorders which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal from July 6th-8th 2015. This event is a collaboration between the International Fluency Association (IFA) and the International Cluttering Association (ICA). Self-help organizations and individuals with fluency disorders will also be actively involved, during both the planning phase and the event itself. All three speakers on today’s episode expressed how impressive the list of presentations, events, keynotes and poster sessions are for this World Congress and how challenging it is to choose only a few to discuss on air. The following presentations were discussed on air and constitute only a small sampling of the scheduled World Congress events:
Smits-Bandstra, Sarah: Self-help groups enhance student learning in fluency disorders courses
Franken, Marie-Christine & Holtmaat, Carike: Recovery of Childhood Stuttering in the Clinical population: Preliminary Study
Weidig, Tom: Ten obstacles to measure outcome of early childhood intervention
Langevin, Marilyn; Swift, Michelle; Lomheim, Holly: Mindfulness following the Comprehensive Stuttering Program
Cheasman, Carolyn & Everard, Rachel: Acceptance and commitment therapy: therapist and client perspectives
Simpson, Sam & Everard, Rachel: Stammering and the Social Model of Disability: Implications for Therapy
Brundage, Shelley, B.; Bernstein Ratner, Nan; Wu, Catherine; Hoff, Erika: Does bilingualism elevate stuttering risk: Methodological concerns and research result
Elaine Kelman
On today’s episode it was announced that Dr. Tom Weidig, the brain behind the Stuttering Brain blog, will be hosting for StutterTalk at the IFA’s 2015 World Congress.
Elaine Kelman, MSc, Cert CT, Cert MRCSLT is Clinical Manager at The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children in London, President of the International Fluency Association, a Certified member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, an International affiliate of ASHA, and a Member of the Health and Care Professions Council. Ms. Kelman, with Alison Nicholas, authored the textbook Practical Intervention for Early Childhood Stammering: Palin PCI Approach.
Scott Palasik
Scott Palasik, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the University of Akron. Dr. Palasik developed a stuttering therapy approach called the Mindfulness Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Somatic Stuttering Treatment.
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.
Dr. Leana S. Wen, Health Commissioner of Baltimore
Dr. Leana Wen joins Peter Reitzes to discuss growing up with covert stuttering, learning to face stuttering openly, avoidance reduction therapy, the power of meeting others who stutter and so much more.
Claire Campbell joins Peter Reitzes to discuss her experiences with preschool stuttering treatment and her views on Speech Pathology Australia’s proposal to the Australian Government Department of Treasury.
Claire Campbell is an ethnobotanist in Fremantle, Australia, a PhD candidate and full time mother of two gorgeous children. Her eldest child, Wellington, is currently receiving stuttering treatment.
On today’s episode, Ms. Campbell reported that after ten Lidcombe sessions, it was clear to her family that Lidcombe stuttering treatment was not working for them and they needed to seek other treatment approaches. Ms. Campbell shared that her family initially sought publicly offered speech therapy and was informed that Lidcombe would be used and that her family was not offered a choice of treatments. When Ms. Campbell questioned the use and continued use of Lidcombe treatment she was informed that she needed to change her attitude and accept Lidcombe. When receiving Lidcombe treatment, Ms. Campbell shared that while her son Wellington did not stutter during the 15 minutes a day of special talking time (of parent-administered treatment), his decreased stuttering did not transfer to spontaneous speaking situations. Ms. Campbell shared that one of their speech-language pathologists using Lidcombe thought that Wellington would benefit more from other preschool stuttering treatments, but she was required to use Lidcombe because of government funding and the rules of her clinic. During Lidcombe treatment, Ms. Campbell explained that Wellington’s stuttering increased and became more severe.
Ms. Campbell was asked about an individualized and family centered stuttering treatment approach she is using now for Wellington with a speech-language pathologist she recently found. Ms. Campbell explained that her family is much more comfortable with this approach and feels able to include relatives and teachers in the treatment. In just a week, Ms. Campbell reported Wellington’s new treatment has had a great positive impact on the family and that Wellington is feeling empowered and is responding well to treatment. Ms. Campbell described this as a positive parent/child/clinician therapeutic relationship.
At the end of the episode, Ms. Campbell expressed expressed great concern regarding Speech Pathology Australia’s proposal to the Australian Government Department of Treasury. For background, Jane Fraser, President of the Stuttering Foundation, described the issue in a recent statement:
“Australia’s professional association for speech pathology has recently submitted a proposal to the Australian government seeking to provide reimbursement for only a single type of stuttering treatment, creating a ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy for treating pre-school children who stutter. We find this proposal unthinkable and strongly oppose any policy action to limit choices to a single method by controlling government reimbursements for healthcare practitioners in any field…”
Ms. Campbell encouraged Speech Pathology Australia and professionals to consider the importance of each family unit when making treatment decisions and to “tailor treatment to the individual child.”
Related Links:
Kathy Viljoen’s letter to Speech Pathology Australia – link
Janet Beilby’s letter to Speech Pathology Australia – link
Speech Pathology Australia’s proposal/budget submission to the Australian Government for 2015-2016 – link
The Stuttering Foundation’s Response/Statement titled Another Blunder from Down Under – link
Craig Coleman’s post/petition – A Dangerous Precedent from Australia: What It Means and What Happens Next – link
Speech Pathology Australia’s Response/Statement – link
Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children letter to Speech Pathology Australia – link
Craig Coleman’s ASHA blog post, A Controversial Proposal on Stuttering Treatment from Speech Pathology of Australia: What It Means and What Happens Next – link
ASHA blog post by Ann Packman, Mark Onslow and Deborah Theodoros – link
International Fluency Association Press Release – link
Lidcombe the only effective treatment in Australia? – link
Submission to the Community Affairs References Committee of the Senate – “An inquiry into the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia” – link
A very important question to Onslow and Packman – link
Deborah Theodoros has been misinformed about the efficacy of Lidcombe – link
The Australian Budget Lidcombe Proposal Debate: A Primer in Memes – link
StutterTalk® is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to talking openly about stuttering. StutterTalk is the first and longest running podcast on stuttering. Since 2007 we have published more than 700 podcasts which are heard in 180 countries.
1 Jun 2015
Passing As Fluent: A Power Move to Access Able-Bodied Privilege? (Ep. 517)
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Christopher Constantino joins Peter Reitzes to discuss disability rights and disability studies and how they may intersect with speech-language pathology and self help for people who stutter. During the second half of today’s episode, Mr. Constantino is asked about his research on passing as fluent (known to some as covert stuttering). Chris suggests that passing as fluent may be less an oppression of authenticity and more a power move to access able-bodied privilege. Mr. Constantino describes this analysis as “returning agency to the person.” Chris suggests that passing as fluent may be more of a “resistance” to dominant discourses than a repression of an authentic self.
Christopher Constantino is a person who stutters and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Chris is doing his clinical fellowship in the Shelby County Schools in Memphis and is conducting a research study to understand and contextualize the experiences of passing as fluent for people who covertly stutter. Chris will be hosting some StutterTalk episodes this summer from the International Fluency Association’s World Congress in Portugal, July 6-8.