Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
Joseph is a 12-year-old who loves gaming and streaming, gymnastics, and flag football. He’s an outgoing, super-friendly kid, always ready to make new friends and try new things. But for years, Joseph struggled with stuttering, a challenge that affected his speech and self-confidence.
His mom, Karyn, noticed something wasn’t quite right with Joseph’s speech around second grade, just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and school went virtual. By fifth grade, his teacher recommended that Joseph start speech therapy, and that’s when his journey with stuttering support began.
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Even though Joseph was in speech therapy and getting good grades at school, his stutter made certain tasks harder, especially when it came to speaking in front of others. Karyn wanted Joseph to receive more personalized and frequent speech therapy. After researching online, she found Expressable, and Joseph began working with speech-language pathologist Taylor Wallace, M.S., CCC-SLP.
Since July 2023, Joseph has been meeting with Taylor once a week for virtual speech therapy. From the start, Taylor was impressed by Joseph's self-awareness and motivation. Unlike many preteens, Joseph was open about his challenges. This allowed them to set goals together and work on strategies to help with his stutter.
Taylor created a supportive, non-judgmental environment where Joseph felt comfortable using strategies to manage his stutter.
"My husband and I would listen in on his sessions, and we realized he was in a safe space," Karyn recalled. Taylor created a supportive, non-judgmental environment where Joseph felt comfortable using strategies to manage his stutter. She also provided session summaries and homework practice for the family, which made a huge difference.
At first, Joseph’s mom felt frustrated when Joseph wouldn’t always use his stuttering strategies. But Taylor provided guidance and helped the whole family understand how to support Joseph the right way. “She probably doesn’t realize how much she impacted the entire family,” said Karyn.
Learning to see stuttering as “something to be managed, not solved”
Joseph’s family has been an essential part of his speech therapy journey. Taylor introduced them to mindfulness techniques, which Joseph’s mom described as having the biggest impact for Joseph. Through mindfulness, Joseph learned to manage his emotions and control his speech in more challenging situations. His family became active participants in his therapy, which helped Joseph feel empowered.
Joseph’s self-confidence grew as he realized that stuttering wasn’t something to be ashamed of. He learned to accept it as a part of his life, not something to be “fixed.” Taylor helped him understand that his stuttering wouldn’t go away completely, but he could manage it. “Stuttering is something to be managed, not solved!” Karyn explained.
Joseph’s self-confidence grew as he accepted stuttering as a part of his life, not something to be ‘fixed.’
Joseph agreed. “The techniques [Ms. Taylor] has introduced to me, like light contact and pausing, have made a big difference in my life,” he said. “They have helped me feel more confident when I speak and when I interact with others in everyday life. These strategies have improved how I express myself and have given me tools to better manage challenges.”
Joseph now views stuttering as something that happens, but that he can control. One of his biggest accomplishments was learning not to “start over” during a stuttering moment. Instead, Joseph learned to keep moving forward, using his strategies to manage his speech rather than freezing up and starting over. Taylor used a great metaphor to help him understand: “If you keep stopping and starting over, it’s like backing up and running into the same car. Instead, just turn the car and go around the obstacle.” This realization helped Joseph break free from the cycle of tension and frustration.
A newfound confidence in the way he speaks
Today, Joseph is feeling more confident than ever. He’s taking on situations he used to avoid, like speaking up in class or doing presentations. He’s no longer afraid of stuttering because he knows how to handle it when it happens.
Joseph’s mom has noticed the change. “Speech therapy has increased Joseph’s self-confidence like none other,” Karyn said. “He would shy away from answering questions in class. Now, it’s nothing to him.”
Joseph now sees Taylor every other week and is on track to graduate from speech therapy in the summer of 2025. He’s ready to maintain his skills on his own, feeling empowered to handle any challenges that come his way.
Empowered to control his own journey
Joseph’s time with Expressable has been transformative, not just for him but for his entire family. The support, strategies, and guidance they received have made a lasting impact. As Joseph gets ready to move on from speech therapy, he’s excited to continue using the tools he’s learned in everyday life. His mom is no longer worried about his stutter holding him back.
Through his hard work and the support of his family, Joseph has turned a difficult challenge into a strength. He’s learned that stuttering doesn’t define him—it’s just a part of his story, one that he’s now confident in telling. And with the right support, Joseph is ready to face whatever comes next, knowing he’s in control of his own journey.
Let Expressable support you, too!
If you’re concerned about your child’s speech, don’t hesitate to get support. Get started with Expressable today—we’re here to help your child become the communicator they were made to be!
This story and photo were published with permission from the client's family.
