Addressing Cognitions and Emotions in People Who Stutter Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy

The workshop is aimed at speech and language therapists working with people who stutter. Many people who stutter experience anxiety as a result of negative thoughts and expectations about different speaking situations and listener reactions. This can result in social avoidance and can impact the quality of life, as has been documented in older children, adolescents and adults. Speech, language therapists often feel insufficiently trained to address these thoughts and feelings and consequently feel more secure in limiting their clinical interventions to working with speech behaviors.

Cognitive (Behavior) Therapy was developed in the 60s by Aaron Beck and has been further developed by his daughter Judith Beck. Cognitive Therapy focuses on the role of thoughts, assumptions, and core beliefs to explain why people feel anxious, are afraid of or avoid certain situations. It provides clients the tools to gain insights in their cognitions and feelings in order to achieve a change in their behaviors. Cognitive Therapy techniques are widely used in clinical psychology but also by fluency specialists in the treatment of people who stutter a) as a means to explore the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and b) to evaluate and modify beliefs and cognitions.

During this workshop, we will focus on using these techniques with school-age children, and adolescents/adults. Participants are encouraged to bring in examples of their own cases.