FAQ

Stuttering, a disruption of speech flow, is a comprehensive communication disorder that affects all age groups.

At its core, it involves interrupted speech through repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words, blocks, pauses, or prolongations. The symptoms extend beyond speech, often including facial and/or body movements.

The severity varies among individuals, and the burden can be significant, impacting many areas of life, triggering psychological issues, leading to social withdrawal, loneliness, and hindering career development.

The significance of stuttering highlights the importance of communication, as it is central to human interaction and relationships.

The experience of "being different" can lead to avoidance behavior with social withdrawal, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Personality development is significantly impaired. The resulting psychosocial burden due to reactions from the environment can even lead to social phobia.

In short: stuttering can lead to loneliness.

Recent research has not found a single, universal cause. Newest findings indicate that stuttering is also a neurophysiologically based coordination disorder with incorrect, highly automated speech patterns. This coordination disorder is evident in fine motor processes.

Importantly, it does not reflect intelligence, character, or origin of the affected person.

It is difficult to make definitive statements about curing stuttering. Unlike many doctors and speech therapists, we do not classify stuttering as a condition that requires lifelong treatment with our therapeutic approach.

With the D.E.L.P.H.I.N. method, affected individuals achieve reliable speech fluency, even in stressful situations. Therefore, it is possible to achieve sustainable, stutter-free speech. We can also say symptom-free speech. Stuttering is treatable.

There is no single, generalizable optimal time to begin therapy. Thus, all reputable providers, including us, initially offer consultations and diagnostics. The onset and course of stuttering vary in each child.

Highly recommended: as soon as the first symptoms appear, parents should seek a consultation. We offer these consultations. We specifically address children, adolescents, and adults between the ages of 9 and 35.

The brain's plasticity allows for the treatment of young adults. However, adults have already developed long-standing behaviors that are harder to shed the older they are with stuttering. We treat adults up to about the age of 35.

After your non-binding registration, you will be invited to an online appointment where we will assess the stuttering symptoms and together determine if this therapy is right for you. If our therapy method is not suitable, we will recommend alternatives.

In our healthcare system, it is still standard to recommend lifelong outpatient therapy to those affected, often accompanied by auxiliary sounds (hopping words, frog words, snake words, chewing gum words, etc.) to help soften a speech blockage.

We are taking a new approach. Our method is an intensive program: three weeks of outpatient intensive therapy in a group, where all participants are accompanied by a caregiver. It is not about avoidance strategies or temporary bridging of speech flow disorders. Instead, those affected learn a completely new way of speaking in three speech stages. Through the consistent implementation of the deblocking speech method, it deeply embeds into the subconscious.

After the intensive phase, a comprehensive follow-up care lasting around a year takes place in the form of progress monitoring days and several stabilization days.

In group therapy, participants can orient themselves with like-minded individuals, motivate each other, and experience a sense of belonging from the start. In a group, the feeling of being in a safe space that excludes the outside world increases, without being confrontational as in a 1:1 dialogue.

Both the exchange of experiences and the joint processing and overcoming of negative speaking experiences are significant for the therapy's success. Pursuing a common goal also increases motivation and performance readiness. The S3 guideline for stuttering therapy also points out that group therapy is more effective.

The concept is aimed at stutterers with a high level of suffering and high motivation – aged between 9 and approximately 35 years. However, we do not exclude anyone who is slightly younger or older. We also address those who suppress their symptoms through various avoidance strategies and are unable to express up to 80% of their intended communication.

In some cases, the surroundings may not even notice that stuttering is present because everything that could lead to stuttering is avoided.

A new way of speaking is learned in three stages, oriented towards normal speech.

The first speech stage is learned in individual therapy on the second day of therapy. In this stage, speech is initially very slow and quiet. Here, a deblocking tone is integrated into the speech process, preventing stuttering symptoms from occurring. The larynx must get used to the new way of speaking. In the second speech stage, a second deblocking tone is added, making the speech faster and louder.

In the second speech stage, speech security is very high, and during this therapy phase, we practice presentations, speaking with strangers in shopping situations, etc.

In the third speech stage, the length of the deblocking tones is reduced, achieving normal speaking volume and speed. This results in a melodious way of speaking, which is permanently used in everyday life.

The AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland is an official partner for cost coverage. Only accommodation and meals are excluded.

It is possible that other health insurance companies may also cover the therapy costs. You must apply for cost coverage with your health insurance company. You will receive the necessary documents for this via email after your diagnostic appointment with us.

Simply register non-bindingly through our form. We will then invite you to an online diagnostic appointment.

>> Registration for children aged 8 to 17 years
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