Treatment Approaches
We provide individualized therapy for all clients, using a combination of fluency shaping and stuttering modification. We try to make therapy as fun, rewarding, and enlightening as possible. Care, patience, and compassion are essential ingredients. For some older clients who do not desire or who have not been able to benefit from regular therapy, we are providers of the SpeechEasy® fluency aids, together with facilitative training and counseling.

Preschool Children (2.5 to 5 years)
Therapy is conducted across a spectrum of parent involvement, depending upon parental preferences and the child's abilities and needs.  Focus is on fluency shaping and rewards; however stuttering modification techniques are often used as well, when indicated. Sensible modifications of the child's speech environment are often requested.

School-Aged Children (5 to 12 years)
One of the advantages of private practice therapy is the ability for clinician and parents to interact on a continuous basis. We "check-in" with parents regularly to provide the status of therapy and the rationale for procedures being used. We also benefit from input provided by parents and teachers.

Teen-Agers Who Stutter
Peer pressure and years of neurological conditioning (and, at times, unsuccessful therapy) can make it difficult to motivate teens to work on their speech.  Desensitization, demonstrating that change is possible, and transferring therapy outside the clinic are particularly important. We believe that bullying must be actively addressed, with parent, child, and teacher counseling. Holistic treatment is essential.

Adults Who Stutter
Mr. Dodge is an adult recovering from stuttering. Stuttering recovery is a lifelong change process for most dysfluent adults, following successful therapy. While counseling and attitudinal work are crucial for adults, we strongly believe that complementary speech work is mandatory to weaken the conditioning that supports the stuttering system and allow the change process to become established. We encourage adults to join support groups and to consider facilitative activities like Toastmasters and ethical (non-cult) personal growth approaches.

Cluttering (read more about cluttering HERE)
In our experience, up to 5 percent of those who seek fluency evaluations at the GSLC are diagnosed with primary cluttering behavior. Usually, this behavior has previously been mis-diagnosed as stuttering. Secondary cluttering behavior also often co-occurs with stuttering behavior.