Workshop Participant Eligibility:
Teens, aged 12-18, who have received a diagnosis of stuttering or have been exhibiting signs of stuttering. Enrollment limited to 6-8 participants. All candidates who apply will be contacted individually by phone to help determine their commitment and availability or be notified of their waitlist status.
Workshop Description:
The Stuttering Camp takes place over 5 consecutive days at the University of Washington Speech and Hearing Clinic at the end of June. Through a combination of individual treatment sessions and group activities, the goal is for teen participants to communicate effectively, have options for approaching their stuttering, be able to manage moments of tension, and work alongside peers who stutter to develop healthy attitudes and emotional responses to their stuttering. All these goals are achieved through a combination of personalized therapy with graduate student clinicians and fun group activities including creating memes, bowling, eating out at restaurants, and playing games. Teens explore talking and stuttering while creating life long friends! Watch a short video about the program HERE.
Parents of teens are also expected to participate during scheduled portions of the workshop including: a parent interview; a SLP-facilitated parent education discussion; a panel presentation with adults who stutter; and a final group presentation on the last day of the Workshop. Following the 5-day camp, teen participants will be encouraged to continue their therapy sessions with a speech-language pathologist (either school- based or community-based) in order to continue treatment goals begun during the workshop and to address individual functional goals. The supervisors for the camp will contact community SLPs to help carryover helpful aspects of the camp into ongoing therapy and a follow-up plan and report will be created to share with community therapists.
This workshop will be led by two ASHA certified speech-language pathologists who have collectively been working with children, adolescents, and adults who stutter for over 20 years. Elyse Lambeth, MS CCC SLP, BCS-F, works as a speech-language pathologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Ms. Lambeth is a board certified fluency specialist with experience working in private practice and outpatient hospitals. Melissa Kokaly, MS CCC SLP is currently Clinical Supervisor and Lecturer for the Stuttering/Fluency Practicum at the University of Washington Speech and Hearing Clinic. Since becoming ASHA Certified in 1998, Ms. Kokaly has been working with people of all ages who stutter in outpatient clinics and private practice. She has accrued over 130 hours of professional continuing education in the evaluation and treatment of stuttering and other disorders of fluency.
Along with supporting teens who stutter, the camp aims to increase clinicians’ proficiency in working with clients who stutter as they carry out assessment and treatment activities under the direct supervision and mentoring of the workshop leaders.
Program Objectives:
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Teens will understand their stuttering and reduce avoidance and struggle.
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Teens will report more positive attitudes towards communication and stuttering.
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Teens will increase participation in social, academic, and other communication activities that they would have previously avoided.
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Parents and Teens will increase their education and advocacy related to issues surrounding stuttering.
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Participating speech-language pathologists will increase their clinical competence and comfort level in working with people who stutter and their families.
Location:
University of Washington Speech and Hearing Clinic, located at 4131 15th Avenue NE, Seattle WA 98105.
Workshop Dates and Times:
The camp is held the last week in June
Participants arrive at clinic: 9:00 am daily
Participants leave clinic: 3:45 pm daily. Daily pre-camp talks and after camp debriefs for SLPs.
Cost:
A $200 CEU and mentoring fee for participating speech-language pathologists, which includes 6 hours of continuing education credits for pre-camp training and mentoring throughout the process. Needs based waivers available. Please contact Elyse Lambeth with questions at elyse.lambeth@seattlechildrens.org or 206-987-5630.
Schedule of Topics:
Day 1: Individualized evaluation of teen’s strengths and potential impacts. Education & Informed Decision-Making Pathway: Participants will learn more about their stuttering, current research about stuttering, and choices regarding communication.
Day 2: Cognitive Pathways: Awareness, Understanding, Desensitization, and Acceptance. Teens will participate in a variety of activities to understand stuttering and begin desensitization towards stuttering and acceptance.
Day 3: Physical pathways: making choices in response to stuttering that can decrease struggle and increase spontaneity in speech.
Day 4: Physical pathways: proactive physical choices that increase comfort in speech mechanism and support getting message across more easily. Self-advocacy pathways: disclosure; bullying and teasing; connecting with stuttering community.
Day 5: Pathways for successful communication into the future with a wrap-up and celebration.
A detailed schedule of Camp Activities will be sent to accepted participants preceding the Camp.
Application: DUE APRIL 20TH
SLPs: Complete this APPLICATION
TEENS: Complete this APPLICATION
If you have any questions, please contact Elyse Lambeth with at elyse.lambeth@seattlechildrens.org or 206-987-5630.