Activities for Group Therapy

The following activities are offered to provide a "flavor" of the type of speaking activities which might be planned for group therapy. The overall goal is to create the maximal number of speaking opportunities for clients, in real-life situations which challenge their fluency skills in a way different than in individual therapy.

THE LIFE LINE

Objective: Stimulate dialogue of client's life story and their stuttering.

Materials: A large piece of paper and a pencil for each participant; an easel and tape may also be helpful. The paper held in a landscape orientation; a line is drawn horizontally across the paper. A point is drawn on the line about 1/4 of the way from the left end.

Instructions: "The line drawn on the paper represents your life; the point on the line is when you were born. Now add six points to their line representing the following events:"

A major world event which took place just before the time of your birth
Something that happened in kindergarten
Something that happened in high school related to your speech
Your first real job (your interview, how you felt, etc.)
What you do right now (how you got there)
What you will be doing five years from now (how will your life be different)

Finally, tell your life story to the rest of the group, explaining each point on the life line in sequence of their occurrence."

TALK SHOW

Objective: Create an opportunity for extemporaneous speaking.

Materials: Prepare several scenarios (a special feat, ability, or notable event the client is alleged to be "famous" for participating in) on note cards. Each card contains a premise that the client will discuss.

Instructions: One client is selected to be the "host", another client selected to be the "guest". The host is given the card and introduces the guest, revealing his or her specialties. The host interviews the guest, in a talk show format, for about five minutes.

Thanks to Christy Nicoles, Class of 2002, for this great idea!

STUTTERING FOR DUMMIES

Objective: Stimulate discussion of stuttering by organizing and describing chapters for a book about stuttering.

Materials: Paper and pencils or easel and paper

Instructions: Help the group prepare to write about stuttering with the intention of helping others to learn more about it. What categories do group member feel would be essential to include? What specific information is important for people who don't stutter to know?

MOST EMBARRISSING

STUTTERING MOMENTS

Objective: Desensitize individuals to negative experiences stuttering by sharing misfortunes with others.

Materials: Paper and pencils

Instructions: Take 3 minutes to draw a picture of your most embarrassing stuttering moment. Explain your picture to other members of the group. Discuss how the situation might have been handled differently, knowing what you know today.

EIGHT RULES FOR BETTER STUTTERING

Objective: Stimulate discussion of the "new rules" by which stuttering new operates after some therpay. The new rules should portray stuttering as more controllable; the client should assume some responsibility for using targets; and an opportunity to contrast "what I used to do" with "what I do now".

Materials: Chart and easel

Instructions: Clients are encouraged to talk about how their stuttering had changed and how their attitude upon entering speaking has become more affirmative and more disciplined. Have each group member contribute their "rules" starting with the most important ones. Write them on the chart for group discussion.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Objective: Create an opportunity for extemporaneous speaking, use of imagination and adding to your vocabulary

Materials: Search a dictionary to find some obscure words. Prepare of list of the words with their actual definitions on a separate page.

Instructions: Read one of the new vocabulary words; have each client attempt to define the new word. All group members vote on the definition they think is most accurate. One client then reads the actual definition of the word.

Thanks to Leyla Raffuel and Chandley Hephner, Class of 2002, for this idea!

FLUENCY FANTASY

Objective: Promote a discussion about the "value" of fluency. What price would a client be willing to pay to be fluent...and what price would be too high to pay to be a fluent speaker?

Instructions: The group leader asks group participants a series of probing questions. "If there was a pill that would make you fluent, would you take it?" "What if it only made you fluent for one hour at a time and you could only take three pills per day?" "Which of the following side effects would you tolerate so that you would be fluent: drooling, dizziness, nausea, sexual dysfunction, drowsiness, periodic blackouts, shakiness, partially impaired vision, others?"

Thanks to Shelly Caldwell, Class of 2003, for this great idea!

TRADING PLACES

Objective: Have client consider the "value" of his stuttering problem.

Materials: None

Instructions: "If you could trade your stuttering for someone else's problem, what do you think would be a fair trade? The trade needs to be an 'equal' exchange."

GROUP STORYTELLING

Objective: Stimulate imaginative dialogue among all group members.

Materials: None

Instructions: "We are going to take turns telling a story. I will begin the story and each person in turn will add to it."

The group leader begins the story, naming two characters, a scene, identifies their intent and passes the story to the next group member. Each member speaks for two to three minutes telling a segment of the story. Imagination and creativity are encouraged. When the story returns to the group leader, he or she concludes the story.

GIVING DIRECTIONS

Objective: Create a scenario in which the client needs to provide directions to someone else.

Materials: None (Local map is optional)

Instructions: "You have invited the person sitting on your left over to your house for a cup of coffee. Describe to them in detail how to get to your house from the Clinic."

Option - The listener can then repeat the instructions to insure that they have accurately understood them.

LIAR'S CLUB

Objective: Client's need to successful tell a "fib" to fool the other clients, while maintain poise and fluency.

Materials: 3 pads of paper and 3 pencils

Instructions: "We are going to take turns forming groups of three. Each member of this "liars group" will write down one 'obscure' fact about themselves. Liars Group members share their secret facts with one another and give the papers they are written on to me. The three liars group members sit side by side facing the audience group. I will read one of the little known facts about one of the three group members; each group member will then tell a brief story about why he or she is the one who the secret is about, trying to fool the group audience. After all three liars group members have tried to convince the group audience that each secret is about them, the audience voices their opinion as to which secret is really about which liars group member. "

Note: All of these activities have been used extensively in our group sessions. Clinicians should devise new speaking activities for their sessions.