Beyond Words: Making the Experience of Stuttering More Joyful

Course Number: ABIO2010

When: Available December 1, 2020 – December 1, 2025

Where: Available under “Course Content” at the bottom of this page. Audio only.

Description: This session discussed the difference between spontaneity and fluency of speech including important factors when treating fluency. In this session, Stuttering Identity and Stuttering Gain are defined and how to effectively incorporate them into therapy. Other evidence-based strategies were discussed for this population, as well as how clinicians can use critical-thinking in stuttering therapy.

Who This Course Is Good For:

Any ASHA member, CCC holder, or other professional that is licensed or credentialed to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology or preparing to earn ASHA CEUs.
A professional who works with a person who stutters (PWS) or plans to in the future.
Any SLP who wants to improve the stuttering experience by helping PWS develop more robust stuttering identities and by developing therapies that make the experience of stuttering more joyful.
Any SLP who is interested in the subjective experience of stuttering, specifically how stuttering feels to the speaker.
Any SLP who is interested in how the lived experience of stuttering interacts with culture and society.

Who This Course Isn’t Good For:

Any professional who has an extensive background in stuttering/fluency therapy.
Any professional that does not currently work with any PWS or plan to in the near future.

Presenters:

Venita Litvack, M.A, CCC-SLP

Venita is an Assistive Technology (AT) Consultant in south Florida. She has a passion for using AAC, AT, and literacy to support individuals with complex communication needs, autism, and other disabilities. Venita has delivered poster presentations on several topics related to AAC at ASHA and co-presented several ASHA CEU accredited courses. Venita co-authored two articles published in ASHA Leader’s online publication, as well as the Lou Knows What to Do book series published by Boys Town Press. Recently, Venita started utilizing the power of social media to empower and motivate educators across the country through the Speechie Side Up podcast, blog, Instagram account, and YouTube channel.

Christopher Constantino, PhD

Christopher Constantino is a professor at Florida State University whose research interests include stuttering, identity, neurodiversity, and therapy. Christopher has studied how the lived experience of stuttering interacts with culture and society. He is interested in the subjective experience of stuttering, specifically how stuttering feels to the speaker and aims to improve the stuttering experience by helping people who stutter develop more robust stuttering identities and by developing therapies that make the experience of stuttering more joyful.

Disclosure Statements

Venita Litvack has the following relevant financial relationships to disclose: ownership interest in Speechie Side Up, LLC and Tassel Learning, LLC; royalties from the Lou Knows What to Do book series.

Venita Litvack has the following relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose: member of the ASHA Special Interest Group 12.

Christopher Constantino receives a salary from Florida State University and royalties from the book Stammering Pride and Prejudice published by J&R Press. His research is supported by awards from Florida State University, the National Stuttering Association, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Christopher Constantino has no nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED FOR .10 ASHA CEUS
(INTRODUCTORY LEVEL: PROFESSIONAL AREA)

Learning Outcomes

As a result of this activity, participants will:

Identify at least 3 differences between spontaneity and fluency.
Describe at least three factors to consider when treating a new person who stutters (PWS).
Define Stuttering Identity and why it is important in stuttering therapy.
Define Stuttering Gain and why is it important in stuttering therapy.

Agenda

Time	Topic
0:00	Introductions and Backgrounds
4:00	Description of the difference between Spontaneity and Fluency
26:00	Description of Stuttering Identity and its importance in therapy
33:00	Description of Stuttering Gain and its importance in therapy
44:00	Discussion of ways clinicians can use critical thinking to provide evidence-based therapy when treating fluency
49:00-60:00	Discussion of goal writing for stuttering therapy