Fluency Coaches

Atttention all school aged children 9 and older and teens who stutter. We are now starting fluency coaches. This is where a child or teen who has been in speech therapy with me for 4 months or more becomes a mentor to another child starting out. It will help with fluency practice, confidence in speaking in general and support. We will be assigning our first coaches this week. Look forward to having more teens and children who stutter join this program. Please post a comment if you have any thoughts or questions on stuttering in general.

The hardest thing about being a parent is.............

The hardest thing about being a parent is letting your children find their own way. I wrote a previous post on an interesting stuttering situation with a teen. My 15 year old daughter, who does not stutter, has been working so hard in school. She is a bright girl and I am proud of her, but as a mother can't help worrying about her lack of sleep and constant studying. I know many parents reading this are laughing saying how can you worry about a child studying too much??? I guess I don't want to see her stressed out at a young age. I know she will do well but want her to enjoy the social parts of life too. So I have had to back off and let her be. Not easy. It is the same when you provide speech therapy for your child and you think they aren't trying hard to be fluent. Sometimes you have to back off and let them find their way. Start by asking them what they want out of speech therapy? How does stuttering impact them? How do THEY feel when they have practiced for hours and the tools don't seem to be effective? Maybe reflect, oh that must be so frustrating for you. How can I help? Do you want to write this down and talk to your speech therapist about this? Then once you do this you can talk about how to improve the situation. I don't know all the answers about parenting, but I know PWS need encouragement, follow up, understanding, practice and support.

*****Also, there is an interesting blog post on Sept. 24 by Pam Mertz, a covert PWS. Check it out.
www.stutterrockstar.wordpress.com

Teens and Stuttering

I would like to share an interesting story about a teenage boy I was working with today. He has worked very hard to improving his speech and fluency. He also has a great attitude and knows that stuttering does not define who he is. He told me today that the less he is pressured from family about using fluency tools, the more he uses them on his own. As a result, he is talking more in school, is more fluent and is making more friends. This was a profound statement and difficult when explaining to parents why teenagers, have to take responsibility for their own speech and practice. It is so difficult as parents to watch our children struggle and find their own way in life. It takes courage to back off and let them make mistakes until they find the way to contentment.

Lori's you tube video

I haven't figured out how to link my you tube video to my website, but if you google Lori Melnitsky on you tube, it will come up. If anyone knows how to link it to my website, please let me know. Thanks for all who came to the Tilles center to see me being honored. It was a huge honor and to be surrounded by other successful women with such amazing stories was an experience I will never forget.

Fortune 52 honor-Please seek help for your children

Practice groups are coming. Tonight I was honored by the Long Island Press at the Tilles Center. It was a big honor and I can't thank Steven Kaufman enough for nominating me. If anyone would have told me I would be honored when I was younger and suffering from severe stuttering, I would have gotten very angry. I never thought I would be able to answer a phone, let alone be honored. Please bring your kids for speech therapy and remember they don't have to struggle. Let me help them try and improve fluency and communication. Here is the link for those of you who haven't read the interview yet.
http://www.longislandpress.com/2009/09/02/lori-melnitsky/

Back to school

Please contact me for fluency practice group times for school aged children and teens. Some prior therapy needed but that can be discussed to meet your child's needs.


Check out Pam Mertz's blog on covert stuttering. I have learned alot from it as I am not a covert PWS but many of my clients are.
www.stutterrockstar.wordpress.com

Stuttering Conference Online 2009

http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/conference/conference.html

I highly recommend the International Stuttering Awareness Online Conference

It can also be accessed through www.stutteringhomepage.com

e-mail issues

Having some e-mail issues. You can also e-mail me at LMelnitsky@yahoo.com

Fortune 52 Nomination LI Press

Sorry I haven't finished the speech therapy advice. I got very sidetracked with school starting.
*******************************Big News******************

I was nominated for a wonderful award. To read more, please read:
http://www.longislandpress.com/2009/09/02/lori-melnitsky/

I never thought when I was young and severely stuttering I would be nominated for an award like this. tk you for everything.