The University of Toledo

Northwest Ohio Intensive Stuttering Clinics

The University of Toledo (UT) Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic will be offering two intensive stuttering clinics. The clinic is directed by Rodney M. Gabel, Ph.D. Dr. Gabel is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist and a Board-Recognized Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders. Dr. Stephanie Hughes, Associate Director, and Brooke Steele both speech language pathologists, also are clinicians in this program. In addition, the staff of the clinic includes graduate students in speech-language pathology who are studying to become speech-language pathologists.

The first clinic offered is the Intensive Stuttering Clinic for Children and their Families (ISCCF). The clinic is especially designed to provide services for older children between the ages 8 and 12 and their parents. The program will focus on teaching children about stuttering, address negative attitudes and feelings about speaking, learn better means of coping with stuttering, and effective techniques for speaking more fluently. Parents will be engaged in an educational program during the clinic, so one parent is required to be involved during the entire program. Parents are a critical part of treatment, thus the educational program is a critical part of this program.

This 8 day clinic will be offered between June 24^th and July 3^rd during the summer of 2013. This is one of very few intensive programs for children in this age group in the country. The cost of the clinic is $300 for the entire clinic, including the cost of therapy and housing for those traveling a great distance to attend the clinic. This low price is possible due to the generosity of the UT Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic and the Psi Iota Xi National sorority (other scholarships may be available).

The Intensive Stuttering Clinic for Adolescents and Adults (ISCAA), which was offered last summer at the University of Toledo, will also be offered during the summer of 2013. This intensive therapy program includes 60 hours of direct treatment (both groups and individual sessions). The purpose of this intensive clinic is to help adolescents (12 years and older) and adults who stutter to develop positive coping strategies for dealing with stuttering. Participants will increase their understanding of stuttering and learn to communicate effectively. They will learn to eliminate their maladaptive reactions to stuttering and reduce their stuttering severity. This clinic is for individuals who are willing to invest a significant amount of time and energy to make meaningful changes in their speech and their lives. To date, research related to this program suggests that this is an effective means for helping people make meaningful changes in the speech and their lives.

As with the ISCCF, this 10 day clinic (offered Monday-Friday, no weekend therapy) is one of very few intensive clinics that are offered throughout the country. The 2013 clinic will run from July 15^th through July 26^th. The cost is $325 for the entire clinic. This fee includes the price of all therapy and housing for the entire intensive portion of the clinic. As with the ISCCF, this low price is available due to the support of the University of the Toledo (UT) Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic and generosity of our community supporters, especially the Psi Iota Xi National sorority. Additional scholarships and sliding scales may be available.

Participant Testimonials: "Therapy helped me realize that being okay with stuttering can actually help me with my speech. I feel better about stuttering, and now I am able to have control and stutter less." "This program has helped me feel better about my speech, better than I have ever felt." "I liked being able to work with my clinician in the clinic, but also talking with people all over campus and in the community. I never thought I could do this.' "Therapy and overcoming my stuttering is more about using my new techniques, not so much about 0% stuttering."

Important details about both the clinic are as follows:

• Up to 8 participants for each clinic. The ISCFF will include students between 8 and 12 and individuals over the age of 12 for the ISCAA.
• The therapy delivered during each clinic emphasizes teaching individuals to modify his/her stuttering, eliminate maladaptive behaviors related to stuttering, and change the negative or self-defeating emotional reactions, feelings, and attitudes related to speech.
• The ISCCF will offer 45 hours of therapy and the ISCAA offers 60 hours of formal treatment will be provided during the intensive clinic. The clinic sessions will run from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm for each clinic. Participants will also schedule three 30-minute diagnostic sessions to be completed prior to attending the clinic. Details regarding these sessions can be discussed with Dr. Gabel.
• Housing will be offered in one of the residence halls at UT. Meals are not included, but there are several dining halls on campus and many restaurants close to campus. Those participants under the age of 18 will need to stay with a parent or guardian during the program. Those interested in housing in Toledo, but not in the residence hall, should contact Dr. Gabel to discuss options. 

Telepractice and Afterschool Therapy Program

After the intensive clinics, follow-up therapy is very important. As a part of the follow-up therapy, the participants will be guided in developing a self-therapy program. The purpose of this self-therapy program is to allow the individual an avenue for continued use of the effective coping strategies s/he learned during treatment. As a part of their self-therapy, participants are encouraged to continue therapy. These services can be provided through the Speech and Hearing Clinic at the University of Toledo. Additionally, for those individuals living in Ohio, but far from Toledo, follow-up sessions can be offered via telepractice. For those who wish to continue therapy, but are not from Ohio options are available and can be discussed with Dr. Gagel and the staff.

To contact Dr. Gabel, please Email: Rodney.Gabel@utoledo.edu or Phone: 419-530-6682

This clinical program is supported through a National Project Grant from the Psi Iota XI National Sorority and through donations made by Psi Iota Xi chapters in Ohio. To learn more about Psi Iota Xi, please visit their website. http://www.psiiotaxi.org/

Research Papers About the Therapy Programs

Gabel, R., & Irani, F. (2012). Improving services for people who stutter: Intensive therapy and telepractice. eHearsay, 2, 71-78.

Irani, F., Gabel, R., Daniels, D., & Hughes, S. (2012). The long term effectiveness intensive stuttering therapy: A mixed methods study. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 3, 164-178.

Irani, F., & Gabel, R. (2011). Intensive stuttering therapy with telepractice follow-up: A case study. Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, 21, 11-21.

Gabel, R., Irani, F., Palasik, S., Swartz, E., & Hughes, C. (2010). Treatment Outcomes of the Intensive Stuttering Therapy for Adolescents and Adults. In A. Harrison (Ed.), Speech Disorders: Causes, treatments, and social effects (pp. 139-158). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Gabel, R., Daniels, D., & Hughes, S. (2008). A mixed-model approach to studying treatment outcomes. Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, 18, 6-16.