The Stars of ISTAR 2019 by Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine

2019

ISTAR is an institute of the

Message from the

Clinic Director

ISTAR Foundation Chair It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the chair of the Foundation

Celebration, appreciation, dedication, inspiration.

of ISTAR. These are words that kept coming to mind as I reflected on the past year at ISTAR. We have had a w onderful year and I am thrilled to share this

I was an ISTAR client in May of 1987. ISTAR founder Dr. Einer Boberg and

magazine with you so that you may read about some of ISTAR’s highlights.

co-founder Deborah Kully gave me a key to unlock the stuttering cage in which I was confined. After 30 years of being unable to say my name,

We applaud all of our clients and students who achieved their goals this

answer the telephone or ask a girl on a date without e mbarrassment, ISTAR

year. They are a testament to what you can achieve when you have courage,

gave me the tools to control my stuttering, move forward with my law

determination, support and purpose.

career and live a better, happier life.

The appreciation and gratitude we have for our donors, volunteers,

ISTAR is a world-renowned clinic for the treatment of stuttering and the

executive council and the ISTAR F oundation is profound. I am fond of

training of speech-language pathologists in fluency disorders.

remarking at our intensive clinic graduate events that it takes a village to do this work and what an amazing village we have! Our heartfelt thanks goes

The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness and resources to support

out to all of you who help us provide quality therapy for clients, specialized

ISTAR as a globally recognized centre for research and treatment of

training for students and speech-language pathologists and meaningful

stuttering and other communication challenges through advocacy and

research for furthering our understanding of stuttering.

community engagement.

I have the great privilege to work with a team of caring professionals and

The foundation has a strong and engaged board comprised of the f ollowing

it is their dedication to their c lients and to ISTAR that has contributed to

members:

our successes. Our clients, students, donors, volunteers, friends and staff are truly inspirational. I hope you enjoy reading their stories. Thank you to everyone who has helped ISTAR achieve its mission and v ision.

•

Michael Niven, Chair

•

Anwar Haq, Director

•

Craig Pilgrim, Vice-Chair

•

Nicholas Henger, Director, Alberta

•

Nazir Kassamali, Treasurer

•

Julia Boberg, Director

•

Lars Christensen, Director,

Elks Foundation Representative •

Shamez Kassam, Director, Member of Community-at-Large

Member of Community-at-Large

Sincerely, Holly Lomheim, MSLP, R.SLP, S-LP (C), ISTAR Clinic Director

We all may have different backgrounds, but all of us are motivated by a passionate desire to see the amazing work that ISTAR does for children, youth and adults continue to grow. This has been a very exciting and successful year for the Foundation of ISTAR and ISTAR as a whole, and we know the next year will be even better. Sincerely, Michael B. Niven, Q.C., Foundation of ISTAR Chair

Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research

The Stars of ISTAR 2019

Copy Editors Holly Lomheim

Suite 1500, College Plaza 8215 112 Street

Managing Editor

Amanda McCarthy

Edmonton, AB T6G 2C8

Amanda McCarthy

Laurie Wang

T: 780-492-2619

Writers

Designer

Matthieson & Hewitt Photographers

E: istar@ualberta.ca

Amanda McCarthy

Scotty Lee, Offset Design

Amanda McCarthy

W: istar.ualberta.ca

Jonathan Pullin

Mykyta - Adobe Stock

University of Alberta

Photography Iconium Inc.

To us, every voice matters Talking on the phone, ordering your favourite food, saying your own name—all relatively simple tasks that we do on a day-to-day basis. But for nearly 300,000 Canadians, this is not a reality. Individuals who stutter or are experiencing communication challenges struggle to use their voices each and every day.

ISTAR can help. The Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) offers specialized treatment to children, teens and adults who

stutter. In addition, we conduct research into s tuttering, offer advanced professional training for speech-language pathology students and clinicians, and promote public awareness of stuttering and its treatment. We are committed to ensuring that people who stutter are aware of treatment options and that they have an opportunity to receive the treatment they need. For more information about all of ISTAR’s programs, including stuttering treatment, communication improvement, accent modification and more, visit istar.ualberta.ca.

Programs Clients range in age from

2 to 82

Stuttering Therapy, Communication Improvement Program (CIP), Accent Modification, Teasing and Bullying (TAB), Telehealth, Virtual Reality and more

Over publications on stuttering and speech

More than

3,700

clients impacted to date

Two offices:

Edmonton Calgary

‘They have truly changed our lives’: Elks, ISTAR help give young stutterer his confidence back Collin Tanner was four years old when his family became worried about his speech. But then they found ISTAR. By Amanda McCarthy When Collin Tanner was four years old, he would often have to repeat himself. Not because no one was listening, but because he couldn’t control it.

“The Elks helped us immensely through Collin’s stuttering journey by providing funds for Collin to attend refresher camp and to help with travel expenses from Nanaimo, BC to Edmonton, AB.”

“We noticed a lot of repeating, especially at the end of words,” explained Collin’s mom, Jane Tanner. “His stuttering got worse as he got older, and it was so hard to see him struggle to communicate. We became concerned when we realized this was not something he was going to grow out of.”

When asked whether he feels more confident after attending ISTAR, Collin says, “Yes, a lot more!”

Jane found out about the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) through a friend of an extended family member. Shortly after, his grandparents took him to be assessed. “Collin attended ISTAR twice—first, in August 2017 and then again in March 2018,” said Jane. “He absolutely loved his time at ISTAR. Everyone there was wonderful and it was great for him to meet some other kids who have similar challenges.” During his time at ISTAR, Collin received treatment for his stutter through individual therapy with an ISTAR clinician and through the children’s camp. The Elks provided the funding for ISTAR and its world-renowned treatment program.

While his stutter is still noticeable, and he has smooth days and bumpy days, his speech is much better and he can manage it well on the days that are bumpier or more stressful. “We would like to add how incredibly grateful we are to the Elks and to the wonderful people at ISTAR. They have truly changed our lives. We felt helpless for so long as we struggled to help Collin manage his stutter. As soon as we stepped foot in ISTAR we felt s upported and we were able to learn so much.” Jane was able to attend all sessions with Collin so she could learn how to help him continue his speech work at home. “Collin will now be able to enter his pre-teen years with the tools he needs to manage his stutter. We have seen so much improvement— he is so confident and has so much to say! Without the financial support from the Elks, we would not have been able to achieve this success!”

To show how much the Elks and their donation mean to him, Collin, with the help of his grandfather, decided to write a poem in their honour

There are volunteers working in our fair town,

Helping with wheelchairs and disability care,

Who help those in need when life gets them down.

Donations for the needy to make life a little more fair.

They seldom fuss or show a frown,

Helmets for biking or skating so our brains aren’t bare,

A happier, helpful team just can’t be found.

Special meals and events given with loving flair.

Their members do what they will to make things right,

The Elks help our students and seniors, the young and the old,

Speech improvement, hearing aids or improving our sight.

Food for the hungry, clothes for the cold.

Maximum effort is given with all their might,

When help’s needed for a fund-raising auction, consider it sold,

To lessen the load for the disable so life’s an easier fight.

With energy, and commitment; They’re brave, kind, and bold.

Whether young or old; whatever the need,

Our unspoken heroes, each and every day,

Helping the food bank and community, taking the lead.

Working tirelessly for others to improve our work and play.

Planting ideas, sowing the future’s seeds,

Helping community members in need to smooth out their way.

Serving our communities, so many needs to feed.

Thank you kind Elks; in our hearts you’ll always stay.

A work of devotion: Retiring speech-language pathologist reflects on passionate career at ISTAR Elizabeth Haynes, who joined ISTAR in 2002, played an integral role in opening the Calgary clinic By Jonathan Pullin When retiring speech-language pathologist Elizabeth Haynes looks back on her career, she often feels as though life was nudging her in the right direction.

algary, which happened in 2006. They started in the back of a C hearing loss clinic and moved several times throughout their venture. Today, they have their own downtown clinic.

During her second year of university, her father pushed her to think about her future.

“Everyone at ISTAR is so committed—Holly Lomheim, our clinic director, the speech-language pathologists and the dean, the staff and everyone at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Our various donors, the Elks and the Foundation of ISTAR have all played an integral role in the success of the clinic. It’s a really unique thing. I don’t think there’s anything like ISTAR in Canada that’s associated with a university faculty.”

“He was a physician and introduced me to a speech-language pathologist at the hospital where he worked. I thought ‘this could be interesting’. It combined health care with language, which I liked. So I decided to give it a try.” The Kamloops, BC, native started her undergraduate degree at a local college, transferred to the University of Victoria and finished up at Western Washington University. She was then accepted to a two-year master’s program. “After I graduated, there weren’t many jobs in BC. I heard through a friend that there were jobs in Alberta, so I thought I would move there for a couple of years to get some experience and then move back to BC. And here I am, still in Calgary many years later,” says Haynes with a laugh. Haynes first worked at the Calgary General Hospital and then with the Calgary Health Region (now Alberta Health Services) before moving to ISTAR in 2002. “I think I’ve known about ISTAR since becoming involved with speech. It was very well known. At one of my speech practicum placements in Victoria, we did a version of ISTAR’s Comprehensive Stuttering Program. I ended up meeting people from ISTAR at speech conferences,” says Haynes. “Then in 2002, Deborah Kully, one of the founders of ISTAR, asked me if I would be interested in applying for a position with them in Edmonton.” Haynes took the position and worked in Edmonton for three years before she and Kully started talking about opening an o ffice in

For Haynes, ISTAR has been a work of devotion. One of the benefits of being a part of ISTAR is that she gets to see her clients grow. “I love seeing my clients make progress. They’re so brave, challenging themselves to speak when speaking is already hard. Especially the clients that stutter and have experienced teasing or bullying because of it. I watch children go from avoiding talking to being little chatterboxes,” says Haynes. “My favourite thing is meeting a child I worked with when they’re older and they don’t even r emember that they stuttered.” While Haynes plans to travel and write in her retirement, she won’t be stepping away from speech therapy entirely. “I’m hoping to continue my association with ISTAR through training students and mentoring younger speech pathologists.” To her colleagues at ISTAR, Haynes offers encouragement to continue their mission: “Keep on doing the work you’re doing. You’re changing lives and it’s important work. And to other SLPs thinking of working with ISTAR: it’s not scary, it’s actually really rewarding. The clients are so courageous. Go for it—do a practicum and learn all you can.”

‘A piece of the p uzzle’: Speech-language pathology student credits ISTAR with setting her up for success Tanya Firkus developed an interest in fluency through her master’s program, which led her to the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) By Jonathan Pullin When Tanya Firkus finished her undergraduate degree, there were a few careers she had in mind. The Alberta native took some time to travel and work as an educational assistant in Calgary and it was there that she met a speech-language pathologist. “She was very passionate about her job and took me under her wing. I got to see what an impact she made on the children I worked with. Until then, I was thinking of becoming a teacher, a nurse or a counsellor. I realized speech-language pathology was a nice amalgamation of all those professions, and she encouraged me to apply to the MSc Speech-Language Pathology program.” At the University of Toronto, Firkus developed an interest in fluency through taking courses in her master’s program. When she found out about the ISTAR placement, she applied and was accepted. “I was able to see first-hand how transformative the therapy was for clients and their families and the difference that it can make. To be a piece of the puzzle that helps clients find their voice was truly inspirational.” During her time at ISTAR, Tanya worked in an intensive three-week clinic for children who stutter. She also participated in a week-long social communication program for teenagers. “ISTAR was a very intense clinical placement, though it was an extremely supportive environment. I was lucky enough to have the chance to work with some incredible clinicians. I learned fluency skills specifically, but I also learned a full range of skills that I will undoubtedly carry with me into my clinical practice.”

Firkus would like to continue to develop a specialty in fluency when she graduates and hopes to eventually provide service to rural populations, much like the community she was lucky to grow up in. As she moves into her final 10-week placement, she believes her time at ISTAR helped set her up for success. “To other speech-language pathology students, if you’re considering a placement at ISTAR, it’s an incredible experience. This population is a specialized area within the speech-language pathology field—it is a very rewarding area of practice. ISTAR provides you with the tools you need to succeed. They push you outside of your comfort zone and make you a stronger and more well-rounded clinician overall.”

ISTAR client-turned-volunteer giving back to children, youth and adults who stutter Erin Johnson is spreading her message of hope when it comes to achieving fluency By Amanda McCarthy Erin Johnson knows first-hand how important volunteers at ISTAR are—not just because she is one, but because she attended ISTAR as a young girl and the treatment has changed her life. At the age of 10, Johnson received intensive therapy at the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) for a severe s tutter. Now a successful manager in medical affairs for Alberta Health Services, she’s giving back to the clinic that gave her the tools to excel in her speech by sharing her experiences with current clients and their families. “I reconnected with ISTAR a few years ago to do a tune-up and further develop my skills,” explains Johnson. “I was asked to take on a role as a volunteer and have been participating in past-client talks since 2017.”

“It’s important for the students to hear the lived experience of people who stutter. If they are going to be an advocate and partner for clients and families in their speech journey, it’s imperative that they are aware of the potential struggles and situations their clients may face.” Now that Johnson has been able to maintain her speech, she is thankful for the opportunities at ISTAR, both as a client and as a volunteer. “I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for ISTAR. The ability to communicate is vital to our everyday interactions—it really is a gift. I am so very thankful for my treatment and for my fantastic speech-language pathologist Shea [Thompsen] who supports my maintenance. I would absolutely recommend people volunteer and help out in whichever way they can.”

Meeting other clients and sharing her story of hope are now Johnson’s favourite things about spending time at ISTAR. “I’m honored to share my stuttering experience and provide insight on what has helped me to maintain a comfortable level of fluency. I talk with parents and their children, youth and adults. I share my story of hope with people who stutter and their families to show them that the skills can work and fluency is possible,” says Johnson. “It has taken me a long time to accept my speech and to take back my power of communicating. Our world operates at a quick pace and speech can be rushed in many interactions. Taking back this power and sticking to my rate as I speak throughout the day has been a game changer. My message for all people who stutter is that you are worthy of the time and space to share your story and communicate with the world on your terms. Every voice truly does matter.” When she’s not serving in the clinic, Johnson also donates her time to speech-language pathology students in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta.

THANK YOU

for changing lives, one donation at a time Thank you to all of our thoughtful, committed and generous donors and volunteers who have changed the lives of our clients through financial support and the gift of time. Stuttering can impact all aspects of a person’s life— what might seem like a simple task to us can be challenging for someone who stutters. But you’re making a difference.

When we see a child asking a question in class, a teen conversing with their peers or an adult nailing a job interview, know that YOU helped make that possible. Thanks to you, we received $284,893.61 in support this year. That’s 423 children, teens and adults who were able to get the therapy they needed to succeed in life.

Your support has meant a lot to all of our clients. We’ll let them tell you just how much: “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I literally cried reading [the funding approval] —even my husband had tears in his eyes! We appreciate this so much!” - Megan Akister, mother of six-year-old client Ryder

“Last November, my son looked at me with frustration in his eyes, sighed and said, ‘mom, I just can’t get the words out.’ I felt helpless and scared. Fears of this affecting him for the rest of his life overwhelmed me. But then we found ISTAR and discovered their ICAP funding and immediately felt relief. I truly feel that without funding, my ability to help my son through treatment would have been hindered by my anxiety over making payments. I cannot thank you enough for providing a way. You have answered our prayers. We have seen tremendous success with our son’s fluency!” - Kelsey, mother of four-year-old Maxton

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to come to ISTAR for help. We are already seeing significant progress with Garrett’s speech and we are excited for his future! It is a wonderful feeling to have the financial burden associated with Garrett’s treatment lightened. Thank you again. We sincerely appreciate your generosity.” - Ashley and Matt Quaale, parents of four-year-old client Garrett

“We are excited to see how our once shy and reserved Lucas will grow with the additional support of the I STAR team. Unfortunately, due to our fi nancial situation, we were unsure if we would be able to provide him the gift of fluent speech. Your generous donation has t aken a large part of that concern away. These funds are not only giving our son an o pportunity to be u nderstood, but also giving us the gift of peace of mind.” - Lana Bang, mother of five-year-old Lucas Klassen

We would like to extend a special thank-you to our long-standing donors, the Alberta Elks Foundation and the Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children and all of the members of the Elks Lodges, the Royal Purple Lodges and the Elks Royal Purple Lodges.

Our deepest appreciation also goes out to ALL of our donors for their continued support.

We can’t do it without you.

Imagine not being able to order a meal or talk on the phone. Imagine knowing there’s help for your stutter but you can’t afford it. Unfortunately, there are many individuals who are not able to attend ISTAR clinics and workshops for this simple reason.

When you support ISTAR through planned giving, you become a passionate supporter committed to helping people with communication challenges find their voices. You join the ranks of Michael Niven, former stutterer now turned donor in the fight to end stuttering.

I was an ISTAR client in May of 1987. After 30 years of being unable to say my name, answer the phone or hold a conversation, ISTAR gave me the key to unlock the stuttering cage that confined me—they gave me the tools to control my stutter and move forward with my law career. Now, I want to help ISTAR do that for others. By naming ISTAR in my will, I can help ensure no other child, teen or adult has to go through what I did. You can help more stutterers find their voices by supporting ISTAR today.

Donate online at istar.ualberta.ca CONTACT: John Voyer, Assistant Dean, Development 780-248-5781 | jvoyer@ualberta.ca Tax receipts will be issued from the University of Alberta for donations over $20

Former ISTAR client and current Foundation of ISTAR Chair Michael Niven with his ‘before’ video

Four-year-old boy gives his mom the chance to hear him say “Happy Mother’s Day” Lucas Klassen’s mom used to be his interpreter. But thanks to the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) he’s now able to speak for himself. By Jonathan Pullin While some kids get their mom flowers for Mother’s Day, four-year-old Lucas Klassen gave his mom Lana Bang the chance to hear him speak for himself—a priceless gift for the Red Deer resident who was diagnosed with otosclerosis, a disorder that will

life and I could not bear the thought of how hard life, school and future relationships would be if he could not communicate easily on his own.”

eventually take away her hearing.

After making the trek to Edmonton from Red Deer for an assessment, where he was officially diagnosed with a stutter, Bang knew this was the place for her son.

Lana would describe her son as a rambunctious and happy boy. He loves seeing his friends at preschool, attending Taekwondo and watching documentaries on robotics. He is smart, funny and social. But only a short time ago, Lucas had difficulty communicating. His mother noticed early on that he wasn’t keeping up with his peers. By the age of three, he was only able to speak a handful of words. When he tried to string more than a couple of words together, he would become flustered–he could understand others but he couldn’t express himself, and that was the hardest part.

“Lucas seemed so relaxed at ISTAR,” said Bang. “His sessions with Shea [Thompsen], his speech-language pathologist, are tailored to him by finding methods that he responds to. The program keeps parents involved by having them provide feedback to their child each day. Shea asks Lucas to assess himself by asking ‘are you b eing smooth?’ She also teaches me how to apply the skills they learn together at home. Shea is amazing at guiding and helping me refine the skills in a way that is best suited to help Lucas.”

That’s when they suspected that Lucas had a stutter.

Ever since his treatment at ISTAR, the progress has been astonishing.

“He could always play well with kids, but he couldn’t talk to them. It was to the point that they would ask me what he was saying and I had to be his interpreter. Other kids didn’t know how to feel about him. All he wanted was to make friends, but they would ostracize him,” remembered Bang.

“We’re shocked at how well he has responded to the treatment at ISTAR—he’s getting better every day. People are commenting on the change,” said Bang. “His grandparents can understand what he’s saying now and you can see the confidence building in him. He’s inviting other kids over to our house, he’s interacting with strangers instead of hiding behind my leg. It’s amazing.”

“One day, his frustration levels were so intense that he screamed for an hour. I felt helpless. He would try to talk but the words wouldn’t come out.” The search for a speech therapist in Red Deer fell short, with many telling Bang they could not provide any more assistance to Lucas. Just when things seemed hopeless, one of Bang’s friends told her about the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR). After reading more about services they offered, the family decided to apply for Lucas’s assessment and treatment, and were accepted just in time. “I have been diagnosed with otosclerosis, a disorder that will eventually take my hearing,” said Bang. “The clock was ticking for me to help Lucas before I could no longer be his interpreter—before I could no longer have hope of hearing my son speak fluently.”

Lucas continues with his weekly Skype sessions with Shea to keep his speech in tip-top shape. His mother says now that he’s started talking, he never wants to stop. “He takes over the conversation around the dinner table,” Bang said with a laugh. “He’s been so responsive to the treatments. It’s like watching this little seed grow into a flower.” For other parents that may be experiencing the same situation with their child, Bang advises them to ‘keep their heads up.’ “It gets better. Keep encouraging your child. You know your child the best. Trust the process, because it does work—Lucas is living proof.” Thanks to ISTAR and Bang’s continued support and love, Lucas was able to say “Happy Mother’s Day” this year.

I didn’t want Lucas to fall through the cracks. He is the love of my

VR at ISTAR: New virtual reality program tackles social anxiety among stutterers Clinic technology allows speech-language pathologists to choose scenarios that fit with their clients’ needs By Amanda McCarthy It is well known in the speech-language pathology community that people who stutter can face a lot of anxiety when it comes to speaking situations. But new research from the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) is trying to change that with a little help from virtual reality. “Right now, we’re using our VR technology to allow clients to practice for their final speeches—a written piece that intensive stuttering c linic participants present at the end of their treatment,” explains Torrey Loucks, research chair in stuttering at ISTAR. “Clients conduct their speeches in a virtual world that mimics an actual public speaking situation—on a stage, at the front of a room, at a boardroom table. What we want is to provide challenging communication situations so that people who stutter can practice the skills they use in therapy and also reduce the anxiety they feel going into a social situation.” In recent years, research has shown that the communication a nxiety that people who stutter face is very similar to what would be defined as social anxiety disorder. In fact, for almost 50 per cent of people who stutter, their fears around public speaking and social situations are severe enough to pass a screening test for social anxiety disorder. However, while people who stutter may not experience the full spectrum of social anxiety disorder characteristics, they often share some of the diagnostic features. “We can have people who are largely fluent—they’ve made excellent gains in treatment, they maintain those gains—but communicating

in public can still give them tremendous anxiety,” says Loucks. “The social anxiety is definitely secondary to the stuttering, though— if the person didn’t stutter they probably wouldn’t have a fear of public speaking or being in social situations.” Those who showcase social anxiety disorder characteristics along with stuttering may require more in-depth therapy to help them become comfortable during social interactions. This is where virtual reality comes in. “These kinds of virtual reality tools provide social situations in which people can go through some type of communicative exercise, whether it be a speech, socializing or just being with people,” says Loucks.

A customized experience for each individual “The virtual reality technology and programming currently available at ISTAR allows therapists to choose environments that fit with their clients’ needs. For instance, if a client is just starting out, they can be placed in a virtual room with no avatars present so that they are able to get comfortable. After that, the number of avatars can be adjusted as therapy progresses. Receptiveness of the group of avatars can also be adjusted to see how stutterers react when faced with distractions such as talking, whispering and movement.” Essentially, therapists can create an exposure therapy regiment for virtual reality, where the environment becomes more challenging as time goes on and people are exposed to situations that they find anxiety-provoking.

“You can add environmental noise, change the lighting, move the position of the speaker (client) or make the setting casual or f ormal.” Every client receiving treatment at ISTAR who consents to participate in the virtual reality project is asked to fill out a questionnaire. This allows Loucks to monitor the rate of anxiety pre- and post-practice. “We want to work off of the research that is already available and apply it to those who stutter,” explains Loucks. “There has already been a little bit of research conducted using virtual reality with those who stutter, which has found that virtual reality environments elicit the same kinds of disfluencies as speaking in everyday real-life environments. So we know that when we use this technology, clients are still facing the same kind of speech challenges that they normally would—this gives us hope that virtual reality will provide useful speech opportunities for ISTAR clients. We really want to continue to look at the benefits of this.”

VR does not replace real-life scenarios

clients to use those real-life scenarios more strategically and make the experience more valuable. “When we run intensive clinics, instead of having three sessions where volunteers come in and clients are required to give a speech each time, we can have them practice under VR and complete one speech in front of volunteers and make that speech more valuable—they can practice harder and more o ften u nder VR to really get the most out of their one public speech.” Although research is still ongoing, Loucks is very hopeful that the virtual reality stuttering program will greatly benefit therapists and their clients. “Oftentimes, people who stutter fall into one or two social a nxiety disorder sub-types: fear of public speaking and performance anxiety. The literature suggests that providing virtual reality exposure therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy delivered through virtual reality environments can benefit people with social anxiety disorder. So this is really what we are working towards.”

While the virtual world does not replace actual environments to perform in, the augmented practice allows therapists and their

Smooth

Talk 2018-2019 AT A GLANCE

$284,893.61 donated to support stuttering treatment and research

423

students completed clinical placements

students completed research placements

clients received treatment (412 Canadian and 11 international)

Congratulations to the following scholarship recipients: Lauren Komarnicki from the University of Alberta (Elks & Royal Purple Fund for Children Scholarship), Anna Tendera from the University of Alberta (Deborah Kully Scholarship in Stuttering Treatment and Research), T anya Firkus from the University of Toronto and C arissa Ferguson from the University of Alberta (Deborah Kully/ Alberta Elks Foundation Scholarship in Stuttering Treatment and Research) and Jessica Harasym O’Byrne, PhD student and clinician at ISTAR (Dr. Einer Boberg/Alberta Elks Foundation Memorial Graduate Award in Stuttering Treatment and Research).

ISTAR participated in the 2nd ISTAR Family Fun Day at West Edmonton Mall, the O ASIS student conference, the Elks and Royal Purple Walk for Children and Pink Shirt Day.

ISTAR was a recipient of the Exemplary Green Spaces award from the University of Alberta’s Office of Sustainability.

The inaugural Foundation of ISTAR fundraising event for ISTAR, Two Good Knights at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, raised $12,600 for client supports.

ISTAR delivered workshops and training for speech-language pathologists: •

ISTAR clinician co-instructed two-day Lidcombe Program training sessions in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta and Loma Linda, California (The Lidcombe Program is a behavioural treatment for children who stutter that involves a parent or carer providing therapy in the child’s everyday environment)

•

Held two-day basic Comprehensive Stuttering Program training

•

Provided best practice therapy training session for pre-school and school-aged children to Alberta School D ivision speech-language pathologists

•

Broadcasted a webinar on the Comprehensive Stuttering Program for Speech Audiology Canada

J IN US! Million Dollar Quartet for ISTAR Hosted by the Foundation of ISTAR Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. Mayfield Dinner Theatre 16615 109 Ave NW, Edmonton Come out and support ISTAR and celebrate International Stuttering Awareness Day while enjoying a complimentary cocktail, a silent auction and music inspired by the great musicians Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins! Ticket sales will help support ISTAR, and more specifically, the Client Assistance Program, which helps provide treatment to those in need so they can speak with confidence and without fear. Support ISTAR: bit.ly/ISTARquartet

We hope to see you there!