Services

Special Programs

The following programs are offered at the ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬ Speech-Language Clinic. They are offered at different times during the year. Please contact us for more information.

Fluency Groups (preschool, school age, teenagers, adults)
Memory Groups
Aphasia Groups
Voice Groups

Fluency Groups (preschool, school age, teenagers, adults)

The ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬ Speech-Language Clinic offers diagnostic and intervention services for people who stutter across the lifespan. Both intensive and non-intensive interventions for stuttering are offered.

Intervention for Preschoolers who Stutter

Weekly therapy targets fluency, language enrichment, social skills enrichment, and mindfulness in preschool-age children who stutter. Intervention may be individual or in a group. Parent/caregiver involvement in therapy sessions is encouraged.

Intervention for School-age Children who Stutter
Weekly therapy targets fluency, language enrichment, social skills enrichment, and mindfulness in school-age children who stutter. Intervention is typically in groups. A parent support group is also provided.
*The ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬ Speech-Language Clinic has begun offering intensive intervention for school-age children who stutter. Intensive treatment is typically offered during the summer. Weekly maintenance therapy, after intensive treatment, is strongly recommended.

Intervention for Teens/Adults who Stutter
Weekly therapy targets fluency, social skills, and cognitive functioning in teens/adults who stutter. Intervention is typically in groups.
*The ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬ Speech-Language Clinic offers intensive intervention for teens/adults who stutter. Intensive treatment is typically offered during the summer. Weekly maintenance therapy, after intensive treatment, is strongly recommended.
**The ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬ Speech-Language Clinic also hosts the Tampa Chapter of the National Stuttering Association (). This group meets on the third Wednesday of each month, 7 – 9 pm. The focus of the group is on self-help. Adults/teens from the Greater Tampa Bay area share positive discussions about current life experiences and stuttering.

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Memory Groups

Research shows that active participation in learning and social activities is helpful for maintaining healthy memory function. The purpose of this 10-week course to is to learn a variety of memory strategies for common every day memory concerns and to meet people with similar experiences. Participants learn about effective memory strategies, practice using them during the week, and discuss their experiences with the strategies with group members. Spouses and/or family members have a concurrent group to discuss the challenges of memory loss and to learn supportive strategies.

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Aphasia Groups

The Aphasia Groups at the ÉîÒ¹¿´Æ¬'s Speech-Language Clinic are designed to provide people with aphasia the opportunity to complete therapeutic tasks along side other people with aphasia. The clients value this experience as it enhances their quality of life and gives them the opportunity to interact with other members of the aphasia community. Therapeutic tasks are designed to improve reading, writing, speaking, listening, and social communication skills. Clients with all types of aphasia and levels of severity are appropriate for these groups. Aphasia groups meet throughout the year.

The Aphasia Movie Group at USF was started to help patients struggling with comprehension watch and enjoy a film. The Movie Group also incorporates writing tasks as well as verbal expression activities. Group sessions start with a discussion of the movie themes, characters and setting. There is an intermission after the 1st hour of the movie in which there is discussion of the movie plot to that point, characters, motivation and speculation on what might occur in the 2nd half of the movie. After the film, there is further discussion of the plot, any plot twists, and the movie goers have an opportunity to rate the movie and explain their rating.

Among the films that the Movie Group has seen and rated are:
1. Argo
2. Eat, Pray, Love
3. Far From Heaven
4. Independence Day
5. Lars and the Real Girl6. Liberal Arts
7. Silver Linings Playbook
8. Singin' in the Rain
9. Slumdog Millionaire
10. Some Like It Hot
11. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
12. The Station Agent
 
The Aphasia Book Club at USF is a supported reading group patterned after the reading groups conducted by the Aphasia Center of California. Many people say that one of the things they miss most after acquiring aphasia is the inability to read as they did before. Those with acquired alexia are given ramps to reading such as a summary of chapters, a list of any new characters introduced into the story and challenging vocabulary. Additionally, the readers are given a quiz to help them understand what is happening in the chapters. When in session, The Book Club meets weekly to discuss the pages that were assigned and to complete additional tasks that target written communication, auditory comprehension and verbal expression. The discussions are lively and the members are encouraged to give and support their opinions. The books are unabridged generally selected by the Book Club members.
 
So far, The Aphasia Book Club at USF has read:
1. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway
2. The Bridges of Madison County – Robert James Waller3. The Notebook – Nicholas Sparks
4. Message in a Bottle – Nicholas Sparks
5. My Stroke of Luck – Kirk Douglas
6. The 5 People You Meet in Heaven – Mitch Albom
7. Innocent Man – John Grisham
8. The Broker – John Grisham
9. The World's Shortest Stories – anthology edited by Steve Moss (selected stories)
10. Different Seasons – Stephen King (currently reading)
 

Voice Groups

Vocal dysfunction as a result of trauma, abuse, and or disease affects one's ability to communicate effectively. Many working adults are unable to perform their duties due to voice difficulties. We provide individual and group services to help improve voice performance. We also provide specialized services to clients with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Multiple Sclerosis.

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