Here you’ll find ways to stay connected, discover helpful resources, and engage with others who share similar experiences. Our focus is on keeping children talking, exploring, and thriving in the world around them.
For adults/parents:
Difference not Defect
(A compilation of essays put together by Patrick Campbell, Christopher Constantino, and Sam Simpson – and I was honored to be included.)
For the younger crowd:
Cartoon books by Daniele Rossi (for all ages).
Go to FRANKYBANKY.com for a delightful selection of comics, videos, and games by Daniele Rossi
by Anne Marie Conway
For ages 9–12 (but I really enjoyed it and I am WELL beyond those years) This book is about friendship and family and finding the courage to speak out.
Speech therapists can receive their ASHA Certification of Clinical Competency (CCC) with little or no instruction around stuttering. ASHA also provides a path to specialize in stuttering through their ASHA Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders (BCS-FD) process. As promising as that may sound, very few speech therapists have gone through the rigorous and time-consuming process to earn that certification. This is due to the fact that there is a relatively low demand for treatment of stuttering compared to other speech challenges. In addition, even the BCS-FD certified therapists disagree on the safest and most effective approach to address stuttering.
Another certification that indicates a speech therapist has prioritized stuttering as a focus area is the SPERO Stuttering “Ally of Stuttering.” Ally of Stuttering® Therapist Directory | Spero Stuttering
This designation is far more accessible to professionals than the BCS-FD and is a good place to start. An “Ally of Stuttering” certification does not guarantee that a speech therapist has embraced the Voice Unearthed point of view, so it is still important for parents to understand the various approaches and the potential risks that can accompany those approaches. Feel free to contact me directly for more information and guidance.
Both of my books, Voice Unearthed: Hope, Help, and a Wake-Up Call for the Parents of Children Who Stutter and VoiceS Unearthed: The Impact of Childhood Intervention on Those Who Continue to Stutter are books I wish we could have read when we first started out on this journey with our son in 1999. In order for parents to determine if a therapist appreciates the Voice Unearthed perspective, it is important that they familiarize themselves with the variety of approaches and the often unintended outcomes of those approaches.
