Stuttering therapy in partnership with support groups: the best of both worlds

The current challenges facing school-based speech-language pathologist (SLPs) make it increasingly difficult to provide "best practice" services for children who stutter. Traditional modes of therapy alone do not meet many of the needs of children who stutter and their families. Using an interdisciplinary "team" approach to therapy that incorporates support organizations may increase the probability of positive outcomes for children who stutter. By facilitating the introduction of a support organization experience into the direct therapy process, the school-based SLP is uniquely positioned to use this resource to complement an overall treatment strategy. Although there is no substitute for a competent, professional SLP as the primary care provider in the treatment of stuttering, this article outlines some of the many benefits that can be gained by partnering with support organizations when treating children who stutter.