To Therapy or Not to Therapy?

Many People Who Stutter (PWS) go through speech therapy at some point in their lives. The goals may differ for each individual: from achieving fluency to managing stuttering, to improving communication skills and confidence, etc. Similarly, the outcome and experience of therapy can vary widely. Some PWS could find therapy to be helpful and empowering while others may have a more complex relationship with their therapy– finding it unhelpful at best and harmful at worst. At the end of the day, it is a personal choice.

While I have talked about the downsides of fluency chasing therapy approaches in the past, there is also a cohort of PWS and allies who don’t resonate with the idea of engaging in any form of therapy. This viewpoint stems from the belief that all manifestations of stuttering and the secondary behaviors associated with it are natural and should be embraced without intervention. According to this perspective, the community’s focus should center solely on acceptance, pride, and advocacy. I find elements of this philosophy compelling. In an ideal world (or perhaps in the near future?) where stuttering is fully accepted by society, children who stutter would not internalize negative perceptions or develop self-stigma. They would be less likely to develop struggled speech or adopt secondary (avoidance) behaviors. They would speak freely, without fear or shame—proudly showcasing stuttering in all its raw form & pure glory.

However, the current reality for many adults who stutter is a bit more complex. For many, stuttering is accompanied by self-stigma, significant struggle and even physical discomfort. Why should one suffer through that? Isn’t speaking supposed to be a joyful experience? So I believe that therapy, which is focused on helping individuals reduce struggle, get rid of self-stigma and rediscover the joy of speaking, has a valuable and necessary role within our community.