Speak Out February 2021 DIGITAL EDITION

to work directly on the speech itself. When I did my training, we often did not even listen to a preschool child speaking but assumed they would be ‘normally’ nonfluent. We also spent time working on the secondary, overt symptoms rather than the fluency itself. I think a further change has been increased measurement, thus easier substantiation or confirmation of change. I think that is due to the early researchers (in Australia in particular) being psychologists. They really introduced clinicians in the field of stuttering to aspects of scientific/research methodology. Further, there has always been a focus on the impact of stuttering on the individual, but now there is better treatment for anxiety and other consequences. We also now focus more on the goals of the person with whom we are working and helping them sound acceptable (to themselves in particular). Q You have inspired many clinicians. Who has inspired you? My headmistress at school was a wonderful role model. She taught us to be confident young women and I do not think any of us thought about hurdles, in terms of us being women. She taught us respect for all. In terms of my career, I have to say that Mark Onslow has been a huge influence. When Roger Ingham left Sydney and moved to the USA, I was working at La Trobe and Mark was in Sydney. Mark inspired me early on about the significant responsibility an academic position carried – the need to defend evidence and stand up for what we know to be true. Some of his comments to speakers at conferences were not popular, but they were accurate and responsible, and taught me a lot about the role and responsibility of an academic. Q Y ou have been in a fortunate position of both being an academic, researcher, lecturer, tutor and clinician for most of your career, I think. What have been the implications of these varied roles to you as a practising clinician? Each role has influenced the other. The academic aspect has taught me what I consider to be best practice, as well as a range of options for treatment. Lecturing has kept me on my toes, with clever, thinking students challenging "The biggest change I have seen has been the confidence to work directly on the speech itself."

Q What are your insights about working with families living with a child who stutters? I think we underestimate the impact of stuttering on the family (as well as on the child). Parents are often burdened by worry about their child’s communication. I have learned to acknowledge the effort parenting itself is, as well as trying to engage in a stuttering therapy. The family need lots of encouragement and support as they move through the treatment process. Q A couple of years ago Nathan Hall, who is an associate professor of educational and counselling psychology at McGill University posted on Academic Twitter “If you could go back and tell your younger academic self one thing you’ve learned about academia, what would you say?” Sue, how would you respond? I think I would tell myself to be brave. To use all the opportunities that arise. I would tell myself to do my PhD as early as possible and to network well. I think young academics need to know the wide range of staff with whom they come into contact, as every person in the workplace, no matter what their role, has something to offer. Q I remember you saying Sue that the early identification and treatment of children who stutter should hopefully lead to a huge reduction in the number of adults presenting for stuttering treatment. Is this something that you have seen over your long, working career? Yes, I do think we are seeing fewer adolescents and adults now as the treatment of young children is more effective. However, I think that the older people we see, who have had earlier treatment, are probably in the more severe or persistent category. I have observed that many adults we now see at the La Trobe Communication Clinic are from migrant families where they have had no opportunity for treatment, or they have more complex issues than stuttering alone – different from earlier days. Q What changes and what constants have you seen in stuttering therapy over the years. The biggest change I have seen has been the confidence

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February 2021 | Speak Out