Happy Fall to everyone – my favorite time of year!  After taking the summer off to focus on my health (doing better, thank you), I’m back to blogging.   I so appreciate the feedback I’ve gotten from readers of my blog and my book.  There are several additional options for engaging in this conversation with me and others who care about children who stutter.
–  If you are a therapist and would like to join in the conversation, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vuspeechtherapists
My book, “Voice Unearthed: Hope, Help, and a Wake-Up Call for the Parents of Children Who Stutter” has especially resonated with school-based speech therapists.  Many of these dedicated professionals feel at a loss when it comes to treating children who stutter, especially considering the parameters bestowed upon them in the school setting.  I have started a Yahoo Group for therapists who have concerns about children using speech techniques and tools, and would rather focus on keeping kids talking.   They are sharing ideas about goals, measurements, IEP’s, activities focused on encouraging communication, and success stories.
–  Parents are also invited to share concerns, ideas, and success stories at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/voiceunearthed
This group has not been as active, but I know, from the number of parents who have connected with me that there is a desire to connect with others who are exploring options for their child who stutters.  So let’s get the conversation going!  We need to keep talking about how to keep them talking!
For the moment these two groups will be separate.  I want each group to be as comfortable as possible when expressing their concerns and successes.  If information is published that could benefit both groups, I will, with author’s permission, cross pollinate…
Conversations on both of these Yahoo Groups will inspire blog topics.  I will also be sharing my opinions about what I’m reading in professional journals, on national support organizations’ websites and publications, and my own ideas about keeping kids talking.
 So thank you all for your ongoing support — let’s work hard to keep those kids talking!!
Best,
Doreen Lenz Holte