“Smooth Talkers”

A comprehensive treatment program for teens and adults who stutter

“Smooth Talkers” is a treatment program for teens and adults who stutter.  Both group and individual therapy are offered.  **New** The clinic now offers one-time or on-going “booster” sessions for those who just need a refresher course of techniques, support, and strategies.

The group is lead by CSD students under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Smits-Bandstra and Lori Griffin.  Students have the opportunity to learn individual and group therapy principles and procedures in stuttering and cluttering, methods of assessment, and therapy techniques.  Students also have opportunities to conduct research and present at local and national conventions.

Treatment emphasizes confident successful communication; however, each person can choose to focus more of their time on specific speech tools, self-acceptance and positive attitudes toward speaking, or both.  The group provides practice of therapy techniques in a more realistic social environment.  In group or individual sessions participants will learn and practice new fluency-enhancing techniques.  Participants will learn strategies that focus on enhancing their confidence and their ability to successfully participate in conversations, reading, presentations, and other communicative contexts.  Participants also have a chance to meet, network, blog, surf, chat, Twitter, etc. with other people for whom stuttering is only a small part of who they are.  Stuttering therapy techniques taught at the St. Cloud State University Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic have been proven effective in recent scientific research studies (Boothe et al., 2006; Conture & Yaruss, 2009; Craig et al., 1996; Hewat et al., 2006; Onslow et al., 2003).

Recent National and International Conference Presentations:

Smits-Bandstra, S., Bauerly, K., Kroll, B., Gracco, V., & De Nil, L. (2010). Clinical Research in Adult Motor Speech Disorders and Fluency” [Abstract]. Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologists Conference Program.

Smits-Bandstra, S., & Gracco, V. (2009). Retention of speech sequence learning in stuttering and Parkinson’s disease [Abstract]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association annual convention, Session # 1051.

Smits-Bandstra, S., & Gracco, V. (2009). Comparing sequence learning and retention in stuttering and Parkinson’s disease [Abstract]. Proceedings from the Sixth World Congress of Fluency Disorders, (not yet published).