FAQ

A: Stuttering isn't an illness with a universal 'cure.' It is more similar to conditions like allergies or hiccups. While stuttering can be challenging, the way people (and parents) respond to it can make the difference. What we do with it, can influence the outcomes.

For many, it resolves naturally, while for others, it persists. Our specialized therapies don't promise a 'cure' but work towards the best desired outcomes. For many children, stuttering resolves as fluency stabilizes developmentally. For other children, stuttering persists for some time, or into adulthood.

We always collaborate to set goals, tailor strategies, and track progress to achieve positive outcomes for all the people we work with.

A: Yes, all our therapists specialize in the treatment of stuttering from ages 2-99. They also have broad experience and training beyond stuttering to inform the holistic care we provide for people and families.

A: Success is individualized; it's about achieving what matters to each person. We start by identifying their specific goals, evolving from "I want to stop talking like ____" to communicating with confidence and success in real-life situations. We establish measurable metrics for both visible speech communication mechanics and the speaker's inner experience of ease and spontaneity. Our approach leads to high success rates, with almost all clients reporting 4/5 or 5/5 satisfaction in achieving their communication goals. Tracking progress allows us to ensure clients are making strides toward their desired outcomes.

A: Use these questions to guide your decision.

1. Are you (parent) concerned? Yes / No

2. Is your child expressing or showing signs of frustration regarding stuttering? Yes / No

3. Did stuttering first appear more than six months ago? Yes / No

4. Is your child approaching five years old? Yes / No

If you answered "YES" to one or more of these questions, we recommended consulting with a licensed professional specializing in preschool stuttering. You/r child deserve to get answers to your questions and receive guidance to be better.

A: No. We help parents and families with children as young as 2 years old.

• Empowering Parents: Meeting a specialist equips parents with insights and tools to support their child effectively.

• Parents Set the Tone: Children benefit from parents who have reliable resources to ask questions, get support, strategize, and problem-solve.

• Minimizing Risk of Negative Effects: Research shows that delaying intervention may lead to unhelpful coping mechanisms and reduced self-esteem.

A: First and foremost, we validate your concern. Your child’s well-being is our primary concern.

Did you know? Our experience shows our stuttering therapy doesn’t harm self-esteem. On the contrary, our clients generally show more confidence and enjoy more openness and flowing conversations between parents and children.

We help parents help their kids: Parental engagement in preschool stuttering therapy leads to the best outcomes. In addition to whatever parents learn to do, it benefits children when we reduce excessive stress and unhealthy worry related to the elephant in the room (preschool stuttering).

A: We help parents help their kids today, to become exceptionally successful adults. We treat specific speech-motor-communication concerns within the integrated context of child development - including the child’s social-emotional well-being and academic-vocational success.

Plan A: We guide parents with wholesome methods to help their children stabilize their speech fluency.

Plan B: We teach parents to connect joyfully with their children, nurturing the development of confident communicators and paving their path to success at home, school, and with friends, regardless of stuttering.

Integrated nuance: The research and our experience tells us; (A) most preschool children who stutter won't continue to stutter as adults. Our goal is to help parents support their children towards this outcome. At the same time, (B) some children continue to stutter regardless of therapy. It's no one's fault - it's beyond the influence of parents, child - even the therapist.

So, we proceed simultaneously with both Plan A and Plan B. This balanced approach increases positive outcomes and lessens potential negatives. Many children stop stuttering. Others see a significant reduction in stuttering less frequently and with less tension. We support every family and every child's unique journey. We take pride and following young children as they grow up and seeing so many achieve everything they dreamed of - and much more.

A: We partner with parents as the key agents of change in therapy for preschool children who stutter. Parents are actively involved, receiving guidance, tools, and support them as they engage in daily "special time" activities with their child (~10min per day).

Our approach focuses on empowering parents and children through:

• Parental Guidance: We provide essential training and support to parents.

• Daily Engagement: Equipping parents with tools for 10-minute daily special time.

• Data Driven Progress: Utilizing video recordings, quantitative and qualitative data to monitor progress.

• Collaborative Approach: Involving parents actively ensures comprehensive support for the child's speech-communication development and reaches the child in their safest space with the people they love most.

Through guidance and collaborative efforts, we enable parents to play a pivotal role in their child's speech development journey. We set up metrics for parents to track both quantitative speech progress and qualitative daily experiences at home and school.

In our meetings, we review collected data, set specific goals, and ensure enjoyable "special time" for the child and parent. Our approach adapts to individual parent-child dynamics without judgment, meeting families where they're at.

The therapy has two phases: Phase 1 is "Progress" where we meet weekly and establish consistent rhythm between the parent and the child; and then Phase 2 is "Maintenance" where meet less frequently and monitor the progress to last.

These phases proceed according to the child's progress.  When the progress reflects steady and stable data for 2 weeks we transition to Phase 2. As we monitor the child's progress, we meet less and less frequently, providing as much or little support as parents need. We are always responsive to the child/parent needs, and slide back into Phase 1 with more frequent meetings as needed.

The goal is to set-up parents to be capable problem solvers and to see their children enjoy talking at home, at school and beyond.