Online therapy against the stuttering

Techniker Krankenkasse and Institut der Kasseler Stottertherapie present new online therapy

07/17/2014

With the help of a new online stuttering therapy sufferers can overcome their speech disorder from home. The novel concept is offered by the Institute of Kassel Stutter Therapy in cooperation with Techniker Krankenkasse (TK). „For the first time, people affected by the speech blockade can now deal with pure online therapy“, so the message of TK.

„After our therapy, most participants can speak fluently“, explained the founder of the Kassel Stutterertherapie, Dr. med. Alexander Wolff von Gudenberg. As a person affected had the specialist in general medicine, voice and speech disorders themselves „a true therapy marathon“ lives through, reports the TK. On the basis of these personal experiences he developed the concept of the Kassel Stutterertherapie, which itself „as particularly effective, even in people who stutter heavily“ turned. „Concerned individuals who previously barely managed to get a word stutter-free in many situations give lectures, successfully conduct sales pitches or easily address strangers“, stressed Alexander Wolff von Gudenberg.

800,000 stutterers in Germany
To this day, it has not been conclusively clarified how stuttering occurs. There are, however „Evidence of neurological and genetic influences“, reports the technicians health insurance. „In addition, stress and stressful experiences can help trigger or aggravate stuttering“, so the message of health insurance. Although the speech disorder is considered incurable, but the stuttering therapy provides quite effective help. About one percent of the total population (800,000 people in Germany) suffers, according to the Federal Association Stuttering & Self-help under the speech blockade. However, stuttering occurs much more frequently in children and adolescents. So are TK according to „Five out of a hundred children affected, mostly to puberty.“ Generally is „the stuttering very individual, because no one stutters like another“, continues to explain the Federal Association Stuttering & Self-help.

With online intensive courses against the stuttering
So far, sufferers have had to complete their therapy in one of the treatment centers on site and sometimes cover considerable distances. With their online intensive courses, Kassel stutter therapy now offers the opportunity to work from home on the language block, Mandy Kettlitz, who is responsible for the project the TK supervised. The teletherapy is doing this „to all stutter patients over the age of 13 throughout Germany.“ These would have to be before the start of online therapy „only once in person at the Institute of Kassel Stutterertherapie introduce to check whether the program is suitable for them.“ The online offer is also based on the previous successful concept of the Kassel Stutterertherapie with specially developed speech technique, individual feedback and help in overcoming psychosocial stress and speech fears. The costs of the therapy are completely covered by the TK.

Therapy on the home computer
In the course of online stuttering therapy, patients become „in the virtual therapy room over a period of one year purely online - at the home computer - therapiert“, reports the TC. Sometimes the therapy takes place in one-on-one talks, but usually in group sessions with three other stutter patients. At the beginning, they train with their therapists for three to six hours a day, before the time required gradually reduces to one to three hours per week, according to the message from the Techniker Krankenkasse. In addition, a computer-assisted program helps to practice outside the therapy sessions. Overall, the new online offer of the Kassel Stutter Therapy significantly facilitates access to treatment for those affected, and they can complete the time-consuming sessions, at least in their usual environment. (Fp)