Description: This presentation will explore the origin and development of personal communication values that clients who stutter bring with them into a speech therapy experience. We will also examine the influence that societal stigma and unhelpful listener assumptions may have on the development of these values. This framework will be explored in reference to therapy protocols that focus directly on achieving fluency, and the possible paradoxical effects of such approaches. We will focus on ways for SLPs to collaborate with clients to identify what goals and outcomes are most meaningful to them in accordance with their personal values. We will also review strategies for SLPs to: cultivate a strong therapeutic alliance, develop better awareness and understanding of the language we use to measure "success," and finally, how to empower clients to take ownership of their own therapy experience.

Target Audience: Speech-language pathologists*, Parents of Children and Teens who Stutter, Adults who Stutter

Bio: Mark O’Malia, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and person who stutters. He is a full-time clinician at The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) in New York City, working with people who stutter across the lifespan. Mark is actively involved in the stuttering self-help community, frequently facilitating and presenting workshops at national conferences for both Friends and the National Stuttering Association (NSA).