INTERDISCIPLINARY BOOT CAMP ON STUTTERING FOR SLPS: SPEECH + MENTAL HEALTH
How to provide holistic care by combining evidence-based practices from speech pathology and mental health. Presented by:
JULIA UNGER, PH.D., CCC-SLP
STEVE HOFF, PSY.D.
Dr. Steve Hoff is a licensed psychologist in MA, NY, and CT. He obtained his doctoral degree in Child/School Psychology from New York University. Prior to the Invivo Institute, he co-founded Barrington Psychology Inc. in Great Barrington, MA, a practice which specializes in child and adolescent mental health. Steve brings extensive experience in academia having spent a significant part of his career as a professor. He has published articles in the journals Psychology in the Schools, Perspectives, and in the National Association of School Psychologists’ monthly professional newspaper. He has presented internationally on the topic of youth mental health.
Presenter Disclosure: Dr. Hoff is a co-founder of the Invivo Institute Research Foundation. He receives a course stipend.
Dr. Julia Unger is a bilingual, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) with licensure in several states as well as Germany. Julia holds international degrees including a graduate degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a Ph.D. from the University of Education Heidelberg in Germany. Julia has spent over a decade in higher education most recently serving at the rank of Associate Professor. In her faculty role, she has worked with hundreds of graduate students, providing clinical education, teaching graduate courses and guiding research projects. As a clinician, Julia has focused on providing evidence-based, holistic care for people who stutter for the majority of her career. She has presented her research at conferences globally and has published in the Journal of Fluency Disorders and the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
Presenter Disclosure: Dr. Unger is a co-founder of the Invivo Institute Research Foundation. She receives a course stipend.
Course Description
This online course is designed to help speech language pathologists learn how to incorporate critically needed mental health practices into their work with clients who stutter, from childhood to adulthood. This eight, one-hour-session series incorporates a review of the state of the art evidence underlying each therapeutic modality and offers course participants the opportunity to apply and discuss these approaches and strategies as relates to their own caseloads. For clients to achieve lasting change, skills learned in treatment must transfer to and be relevant in everyday life.
We believe this is essential for training practitioners as well. Our training presents current, evidence-based practices, and the opportunity to practice them in real-time with colleagues. Courses make time for real-life case vignettes and application questions. Attendees leave Invivo Boot Camp with ready to use skills that can be immediately incorporated into daily practice.
Clinical experience with stuttering is recommended but not required.
Eight session sequence, to be taken together or individually/stand-alone
Course Registration Link
Course Fee: $30 per session OR $200 for 8 course sequence
Session 1: An Interdisciplinary look at Stuttering Modification (SM) - Tuesday, December 9th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: This course is designed to help SLPs revisit the essential steps of SM, especially around secondary behaviors and psychological concepts. Participants will practice strategies aimed to minimize the impact of stuttering. Finally, participants will apply these interdisciplinary concepts integral to SM to their own caseloads
Learning outcomes:
Describe the key features of the stuttering modification approach
Identify one psychological concept foundational to stuttering modification
List one concrete strategy that can be applied to your own caseload as a result of this course
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcomes and Introductions
10 min: A review of the therapeutic stages of the stuttering modification approach
10 min: Secondary behaviors: how they develop and impact quality of life
10 min: Techniques to minimize secondary behaviors
5 min: Clinical case vignette
15 min: Application and discussion of discussed concepts
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Target Audience/Prerequisites: This course is for SLPs currently working or interested in working with clients who stutter. Clinical experience with stuttering is recommended but not required. This is a live meeting utilizing the meeting platform Zoom. Participants are encouraged to keep their cameras on throughout the meeting to fully participate in the interactive, hands-on nature of this course.
Course Registration Link
Session 2: An Interdisciplinary look at Fluency Shaping - Wednesday, December 10th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: This online course is designed to help speech language pathologists revisit the essential steps of the fluency shaping approach. Specific emphasis will be placed on supplemental strategies such as mindfulness, which can greatly enhance the speech modification strategies emphasized by fluency shaping approaches. Participants will have the chance to practice interdisciplinary strategies that can support a holistic approach in conjunction with fluency shaping techniques. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to apply and discuss these interdisciplinary concepts as pertains to their own caseloads.
Clinical experience with stuttering is recommended but not required. This is a live meeting utilizing the meeting platform Zoom. Participants are encouraged to keep their cameras on throughout the meeting to fully participate in the interactive, hands-on nature of this course.
Learning outcomes:
Describe the key features of the fluency shaping approach
Identify one psychological concept that can enhance the use of fluency shaping strategies
Explain and provide an example of how clinicians can utilize mindfulness in clinical practice.
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcomes and Introductions
10 min: A review of the therapeutic stages of the fluency shaping approach
15 min: Psychological strategies to supplement speech restructuring
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min: Application and discussion of discussed concepts
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 3: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Stuttering - Thursday, December 11th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: Cognitive behavioral therapy is among the evidence-based approaches used in the interdisciplinary treatment of stuttering. This online course will introduce cognitive behavioral therapy to speech-language pathologists. Basic concepts including self-talk and cognitive restructuring,will be explained and discussed in the context of clinical work. Course attendees will practice application of skills and will develop the ability to use strategies in their work with clients. The important concept of “transfer” of strategies to client’s everyday life will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe core strategies used in CBT
Explain how CBT strategies can be applied in clinical practice
Demonstrate the ability to apply CBT strategies in work with clients
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
25 min: Discussion of cognitive behavioral therapy strategies, and their application in clinical work with clients
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min: Practice application of concepts & discussion
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 4: Mindfulness in the Treatment of Stuttering - Monday, December 15th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: Mindfulness practices are among the evidence-based approaches with demonstrated effectiveness in the interdisciplinary treatment of stuttering. This online course will introduce mindfulness strategies and practices to speech-language pathologists. Basic concepts will be explained, and discussed in the context of clinical work. Course attendees will practice application of skills and will develop the ability to use practices and strategies in their work with clients. The important concept of “transfer” of strategies to client’s everyday life will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe core strategies used in mindfulness
Explain how mindfulness strategies can be applied in clinical practice
Demonstrate the ability to apply mindfulness strategies in work with clients
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
25 min: Discussion of mindfulness strategies,and their application in clinical work with clients
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min: Practice application of concepts & discussion
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 5: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Stuttering - Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy is an evidence-based approach with promising application for interdisciplinary treatment of stuttering. This online course will introduce ACT strategies and practices to speech-language pathologists. Basic concepts will be explained, and discussed in the context of clinical work. Course attendees will practice application of skills and will develop the ability to use practices and strategies in their work with clients.The important concept of “transfer” of strategies to client’s everyday life will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe core strategies used in ACT
Explain how ACT strategies can be applied in clinical practice
Demonstrate the ability to apply ACT strategies in work with clients
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
25 min: Discussion of ACT strategies,and their application in clinical work with clients
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min:Practice application of concepts & discussion
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-upASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 6: Positive Psychology in the Treatment of Stuttering - Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: Positive psychology is an evidence-based approach that supports mental and physical well-being. This online course will introduce positive psychology practices to speech-language pathologists. Core concepts will be explained, and discussed in the context of clinical work. Course attendees will practice application of skills and will develop the ability to use practices and strategies in their work with clients.The important concept of “transfer” of strategies to client’s everyday life will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe core strategies used in Positive Psychology
Explain how Positive Psychology strategies can be applied in clinical practice
Demonstrate the ability to apply Positive Psychology strategies in work with clients
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
25 min: Discussion of positive psychology strategies, and their application in clinical work with clients
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min: Practice application of concepts & discussion
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 7: How to use “Mental Health Homework” in Treatment - Thursday, December 18th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: The assignment of “homework” can be a highly effective method to foster client progress, leading to improved outcomes, mastery of skills, and reduction of negative experiences and symptoms. This evidence-based tool will be discussed in the context of working with clients. Course attendees will understand the concept of homework, develop the ability to assign homework, and will practice application to clinical cases. The important concept of how homework supports the “transfer” of skills to the client's everyday life will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe the concept of homework as it applies to clinical practice
Explain how homework contributes to helping clients
Demonstrate the ability to apply the concept of homework to working with clients
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
25 min: DIscussion of mental health homework and integration into clinical practice
5 min: Clinical case vignette
20 min: Practice application of concepts & discussion
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
Session 8: Clinician self-care: Build YOUR self-care program - Friday, December 19th, 2025 @ 9am EST.
Course description: The importance of self-care in assuring practitioner well-being and burnout prevention is well established and supported. This course will provide an understanding of the specific benefits of consistent self-care practices. Development of a personal self-care program will be facilitated, so that each course attendee leaves with a personal plan. Factors that will support the successful implementation of self-care practices, as well as obstacles, will be discussed.
Learning outcomes:
Describe the concept of self-care and its importance to clinician well-being
Explain how self-care strategies can be incorporated into daily life
Demonstrate the ability to apply concepts of self-care by creating a personal self-care plan
Time ordered agenda:
5 min: Welcome and Introductions
10 min: Discussion of the importance of self-care, and
20 min: Development of personal self-care plan
20 min: Discussion of supports and obstacles to successful integration of self-care plan to daily life
5 min: Conclusions and wrap-up
ASHA CEUs: This session is available for 0.1 ASHA CEUs
Level: Intermediate
Course Registration Link
About the Invivo Institute Research Foundation Continuing Education Offerings
We are clinicians from the world of speech pathology and clinical psychology who have joined forces to offer comprehensive interdisciplinary care. While we provide services to a wide range of complex communication disorders and differences, our focus and passion is working with people who stutter. Our continuing education mission is to provide fellow-clinicians with the tools they need to be most effective in our challenging work. Our unique approach reflects our belief that to effectively treat the person who stutters, clinicians must be equipped to support mental health, within their scope of practice.
Commitment to Accessibility for all Learners: We are committed to providing accessible learning to all participants, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please contact us at info@invivoinstitute.org, or call us at (413) 854-1705 if you require accommodations. All requests for acommodations must be submitted at least 14 days prior to the course start date.
Refund/Cancellation Policy: Please send refund requests to info@invivoinstitute.org and include a stated reason for the request.
Course Completion Requirements:
1) Upon completion of the course, attendees will take a 5-question multiple choice post-test with a passing score of 100% required to receive course credit (quiz allows unlimited attempts). Learners will be given immediate access to the quiz following the course. The quiz must be completed within 72 hours of course completion.
2) Attendees must attend the entirety of the course (attendance will be tracked). Partial credit will not be available.
3) Due to the interactive nature our virtual courses, we expect all attendees to participate with their webcams on.
We look forward to seeing you at Boot Camp!