This workshop explores the therapeutic alliance in stuttering therapy through co-design and collaboration between a speech-language pathologist and a graduate student who stutters. Through music, art, and client-created analogies, attendees will examine how shared goals and meaningful therapeutic tasks can foster engagement, confidence, self-expression, and communicative growth.
-Participants will describe the role of the therapeutic alliance in stuttering therapy, including the importance of shared goals, collaborative tasks, and clinician-client trust.
-Participants will identify ways to incorporate client interests, analogies, and co-designed activities into stuttering therapy to support engagement and meaningful communication experiences.
-Participants will explain how creative experiences such as music and art can be used to foster communicative confidence, self-expression, and collaboration within therapeutic and educational settings.
About the presenters
Emma Rizzuto
Emma Rizzuto is a second-year speech-language pathology graduate student at Monmouth University and a person who stutters. Her research interests focus on improving therapy outcomes for children and adolescents who stutter.
Erik Raj
Dr. Erik X. Raj is a certified speech-language pathologist and associate professor at Monmouth University (USA), where he directs the Meaningful Digital Experiences Research Lab. His work focuses on integrating digital tools into therapy. He presents nationally and internationally and collaborates on innovative educational technology projects.