A *FREE* Training in Stutter-Affirming Therapy for Public School SLPs

Many speech-language pathologists receive limited training in stuttering during graduate school and may feel uncertain about how to effectively support students who stutter. Whether your graduate school training was last year or decades ago, you may heard that our field is moving away from a fluency focus when it comes to speech therapy for stuttering. But you may be wondering:

If I’m not focused on fluency, what exactly should therapy look like?

This presentation is designed to answer that question.

I offer a free professional development training for school districts across Washington State focused on practical, evidence-based stutter-affirming therapy approaches that clinicians can immediately begin implementing in their practice.

About the Presentation

Title: Stutter-Affirming Therapy: If Not Fluency, What Am I Doing?
Length: Approximately 1-1.5 hours (can be adjusted to fit your meeting schedule)
Format: In-person or virtual
Cost: Free
ASHA CEUs: Not available
Designed for: School-based SLPs and their interns

What Participants Will Learn

Participants will leave with:

  • A clear understanding of the life-impact of stuttering and the rationale for stutter-affirming therapy

  • Practical skills for implementing stutter-affirming therapy

  • Increased confidence in working with students who stutter

The presentation bridges research and real-world clinical application, helping speech therapists move from uncertainty to actionable therapy practices they can use immediately.

Evidence-Based and Clinically Grounded

This training integrates current research and contemporary approaches to stuttering therapy, including:

  • Stutter-affirming care

  • Counseling-informed practices

  • Acceptance and commitment-based principles

  • Communication participation frameworks

  • Desensitization and avoidance reduction

The goal is not to eliminate stuttering, but to help students communicate more freely, confidently, and authentically at school.

Available Across Washington State

I am currently offering this presentation for free to public school districts throughout Washington.

Trainings can be conducted:

  • In-person

  • Virtually via Zoom or Google Meet

  • During staff meetings, professional development days, or department meetings

Presentation length can also be modified to fit your district’s needs.

About the Presenter

I am an SLP providing specialized stuttering therapy for children, teens, and adults in Washington State. In addition to being the owner of Brave Stuttering Therapy, I also work as an elementary school SLP with the Mukilteo School District.

My clinical work focuses heavily on stuttering, counseling-informed therapy, and supporting children in developing healthier and more confident relationships with communication. My passion for the topic of “stutter-affirming therapy” comes from my own lived experience as a person who stutters. Though I continue to receive the advice to charge for this presentation, I offer it freely in hopes that young people who stutter and their families—along with my school-based SLP colleagues—will all benefit from stutter-affirming therapy!

David Sanchez, CCC-SLP

A smiling man with dark hair, wearing a blue sweater, standing outdoors in front of green leafy bushes.

Reviews From SLPs

  • "David, thank you so much for your incredible presentation on stutter-affirming therapy. I've been practicing 30 years and it is such a switch from what I learned in graduate school. We all appreciated your wisdom and guidance on this important topic."

    —Edmonds School District

  • “David… THANK YOU for such a wonderful presentation. It was FANTASTIC! It totally changed my understanding of how to approach stuttering therapy. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and firsthand experiences with us!”

    —Mukilteo School District

  • "My favorite presentation by far. Such a fun learning experience!"

    —Edmonds School District

  • “Thank you so much for your time, expertise, and guidance!  It was a great presentation and I learned a lot! I met with one of my 8th grade students who is a stutterer and we did the 'Miracle Question' today :)”

    —Mukilteo School District

  • "Thank you SO much for the amazing presentation. I truly learned a lot and am excited to implement some new techniques into my own practice."

    —Edmonds School District

  • "Thank you for the wonderful presentation. Your knowledge on the topic and the organization of the presentation was excellent."

    —Edmonds School District

Request a Training

If your district or SLP team is interested in scheduling a free professional development presentation, I would love to connect.