Beyond Fluency —
The Whole Person
Effective stuttering therapy addresses far more than disfluency. It attends to fear, identity, avoidance, shame, and the lived experience of communication — across every context that matters to the person who stutters.
"The goal is not a fluent speaker. The goal is a confident, authentic communicator who lives fully — on their own terms."
Our work is grounded in the Speaker Experience of Stuttering and the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) framework — attending to speech production, emotional wellbeing, social participation, and communication identity together, not in isolation.
- Identity and self-acceptance at the center of care
- Reducing avoidance and building communicative courage
- Expanding participation in school, work, and social life
- Honoring the speaker's own goals — not a clinician's metric
Speech & Communication
The technical work of stuttering therapy — speech adjustments, modification strategies, and communication skills used in service of the speaker's own goals, not as an end in themselves.
Avoidance & Approach
Identifying and reducing word substitution, situation avoidance, and behavioral masking — then building the approach behaviors that expand what's possible in communication.
Emotional Well-Being
Attending to the fear, shame, anticipation, and grief that often accompany stuttering — and building the emotional resilience to speak fully and authentically.
Social Participation
Supporting full engagement in classrooms, workplaces, relationships, and the community situations that matter most to the speaker.
Adventure & Challenge
Growth happens at the edge of comfort. Using intentional challenge, outdoor experience, and adventure-based principles to build confidence, courage, and communication identity.
Community & Belonging
Stuttering is not a solitary experience. Building connection with others who stutter — through shared experience, advocacy, and community — is part of the therapeutic journey.
Who We Serve
We specialize in stuttering across the lifespan — from early childhood through adulthood — with care tailored to the developmental stage, goals, and lived experience of each person.
Young Children
Early intervention for children who stutter, with family-centered approaches that build a healthy relationship with communication from the start.
School-Age Children
Building confidence, reducing avoidance, and supporting full participation in the classroom — when it matters most developmentally.
Teenagers
Identity-affirming therapy for teens navigating social pressure, academic demands, and the emotional weight of stuttering in adolescence.
Adults
Specialist care for adults who stutter — addressing career communication, relationships, self-advocacy, and quality of life across all settings.
Families & Parents
Coaching for families on how to respond to stuttering in ways that build resilience, confidence, and open communication at home.
SLPs & Clinicians
Consultation and professional development for SLPs seeking a deeper, person-centered approach to stuttering intervention.
How We Work
Every plan is individualized around your goals and your life — not pulled from a one-size protocol. Sessions may occur in-person or via telehealth, based on what serves you best.
Comprehensive Evaluation
A thorough assessment of speech production, stuttering behaviors, avoidance patterns, emotional impact, and communication participation — grounded in the ICF and Speaker Experience frameworks.
Individualized Therapy
One-on-one therapy built entirely around your goals, your life, and your definition of success — not a standardized protocol. Sessions are paced and structured to fit your needs.
Family & Parent Coaching
Structured guidance for caregivers on supporting a child who stutters — communication strategies, helpful response patterns, and building a home environment that nurtures confidence.
Intensive Programs
Focused, immersive experiences for individuals who want accelerated progress — combining intensive therapy with real-world communication practice across meaningful settings.
Telehealth
High-quality stuttering therapy delivered via secure video — accessible from anywhere. Telehealth is not a compromise; for many clients it opens doors that in-person sessions cannot.
Professional Consultation
Clinical consultation for SLPs, schools, and healthcare teams seeking specialist guidance on stuttering evaluation, treatment planning, and person-centered care frameworks.
The Stuttering Experience
Honest, human conversations about what it means to stutter — exploring identity, courage, therapy, and the lived experience of people who stutter across every stage of life.
Hosted by Dr. Steven Moates, SLP.D., CCC-SLP — each episode goes beyond fluency to explore the whole person, the whole story, and the whole journey. Guests include people who stutter, family members, clinicians, and researchers.
Topics include stuttering identity, acceptance and commitment therapy, avoidance reduction, person-centered care, the Speaker Experience of Stuttering, and conversations with people who stutter from all walks of life.
Dr. Steven Moates
I'm a doctoral-trained speech-language pathologist, certified clinical adventure therapist, and stuttering specialist with a clinical focus on person-centered, identity-affirming care. I've spent years working with children, teens, and adults who stutter — helping them move from fear and avoidance toward confidence, participation, and self-determination.
My approach is grounded in the Speaker Experience of Stuttering, acceptance-based frameworks, and the conviction that the goal of therapy is never simply fluency — it's a full, authentic communication life.
In addition to clinical practice, I serve as a Clinical Program Director and professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and as Founding Director of the iHOPE Stuttering Research Lab — dedicated to Immersive Research in Hope, Openness, Participation, and the Experience of Stuttering.
"The goal is not a fluent speaker. The goal is a confident, authentic communicator — living fully on their own terms."
Our Values
Emotional, relational, and psychological safety is the non-negotiable foundation of every session.
Building the internal resources to navigate communication on your own terms — with confidence and self-determination.
You set the goals. Therapy follows your life — not a protocol written for someone else.
Therapeutic relationship is not incidental — it is the mechanism through which change becomes possible.
Meaningful change is possible at every age and every stage of the stuttering journey.
Stuttering therapy attends to the whole person — emotional health, quality of life, and flourishing beyond the clinic.
Ready to Take the
First Step?
Whether you're a parent seeking evaluation for a child, an adult ready to take the next step towards your communication goal(s), or a clinician looking for consultation — reach out to start the conversation.