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Stuttering

Child & Youth Stuttering

If your child stutters, don’t wait to get help. A consultation during the first 6 months of stuttering is strongly recommended. The critical window for intervention should occur within 18 months to have the greatest impact on altering speech patterns. If left unchecked, stuttering can affect social and emotional development and cause feelings of helplessness, isolation, depression and anxiety. If your family has a history of stuttering, cluttering, stammering or avoiding speaking, a consultation is recommended as soon as stuttering is noticed. Preventative tips and therapy techniques are essential for families with a history of stuttering. A brief one hour investment in time may provide critical stuttering advice to avoid long term concerns.

Adult Stuttering

If you stutter and haven’t had success with other programs, you owe it to yourself to talk to Nancy Barcal and her highly trained staff at Granite Bay Speech. Nancy has decades of experience working with stuttering and cluttering and has helped countless adults feel confident while speaking.

Granite Bay Speech therapists have been trained to work with stuttering and cluttering. Director Nancy Barcal, M.A., CCC-SLP has been recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her high level of expertise. You can be sure your individualized program will be based on the latest research based techniques and technology.

Contact us to learn more about Granite Bay Speech and National Stuttering Association groups!

SpeechEasy®

What is the SpeechEasy® fluency-enhancing device?

The SpeechEasy® device is the smallest, most discreet fluency-enhancing device available. The combination of the SpeechEasy® device and therapy techniques provides an integrated approach to stuttering management. The SpeechEasy® device produces natural sounding speech, reduces stuttering in 80-90% of the stuttering population, and reduces stuttering regardless of the rate of speech. The SpeechEasy® is a 100% digital signal, combines delayed auditory feedback (DAF) and frequency altered feedback (FAF), and uses an adaptable digital platform capable of being upgraded without having to buy a new device.

How satisfied are individuals who previously obtained a SpeechEasy® device?

Nearly 80 percent of customers are satisfied with their decision to obtain this device and would still purchase it if they had the decision to make over again. Nearly 90 percent said they would recommend that their friends who stutter consider the device as a treatment option. People who use SpeechEasy® also report a heightened sense of confidence, freedom, and self-reliance, as well as an improvement in social and professional relationships.

What is the first step in evaluating if the SpeechEasy® is right for me?

Call us to schedule a free, no-obligation phone consultation with Nancy Barcal, M.A. CCC-SLP to discuss your individual needs. If you determine a SpeechEasy® evaluation is right for you, a three- to four-hour appointment will be scheduled. If you determine you prefer another solution for stuttering you’ll know that you have received accurate information.

Is it possible to receive a SpeechEasy® device in one day?

Yes! Because our director Nancy Barcal has years of experience and is specially trained, she is a Preferred SpeechEasy® Provider. Comfort Fit devices are available for you to take home the same day you receive your evaluation. Comfort Fit devices are discrete and wrap around the back of the ear, similar to hands-free earpieces.

If you prefer a device that fits inside your ear, an ear impression may be made by an audiologist or hearing aid dealer, and sent off to the SpeechEasy lab. Your custom made device will arrive in approximately 3 weeks at the Granite Bay Speech office. Nancy Barcal will meet with you to teach you how to use your device and maintain optimal function.

Parkinson's Disease

The value of being able to communicate with others is essential for our emotional and mental health. Having the ability to express your wants, needs and thoughts clearly is often taken for granted before you become ill. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the ability to communicate effectively may no longer be possible without assistance. SpeechEasy can help you communicate with clearer speech and a stronger voice. Since Parkinson’s is a chronic and progressive disease, symptoms will change over time and present differently in everyone. The primary symptoms include tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity. Parkinson’s can also have a profoundly adverse effect on a person’s speech and voice – thereby inhibiting their ability to communicate freely. When a person’s speech is affected by Parkinson’s, they may notice a decrease in their loudness, decreased intelligibility, an increase in their rate of speech and communication may simply be more difficult overall. Caregivers and friends may have an increasingly difficult time understanding what the person is trying to say. Frustration levels may increase for everyone. There is help and some of the services are free or low cost. Speech Pathologists and other professionals are available to assist a person with Parkinson’s. Individuals with Parkinson’s may regain more freedom to communicate with less frustration. Call our office to receive a no obligation phone consultation to determine if you might benefit from the SpeechEasy device, vocal training, speech instruction or technology at home and/or work.

Learn More about SpeechEasy

The SpeechEasy® program merges technology with techniques. The SpeechEasy® website provides a wealth of information regarding how the SpeechEasy® device works, research articles, funding resources, and a free download of the FluencyCoach to use online.

Contact us to try out the altered auditory feedback for free!

Stuttering Support

Granite Bay Speech support services for stuttering include:

  • Free Parent Support Classes
  • Free groups for adults and children
  • Individual and group therapy for stuttering
  • Counseling for family members of those that stutter
  • Education for employers about the benefits of employing individuals who stutter
  • Workshops for medical professionals which provide resources for stuttering to their patients
  • Advocacy and fundraising for funding stuttering support services
  • Communication centers and school presentations to decrease bullying of students with communication and stuttering challenges
  • Workshops to spread awareness about stuttering
  • Collaboration with public and private Speech-Language Pathologists
  • Consultation services to public and private schools
  • Presentations to home school groups, charter schools, and civic organizations

The National Stuttering Association

The National Stuttering Association (NSA) is the largest self-help support organization in the United States for people who stutter. The Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA) was founded by Malcom Fraser to educate communities about stuttering.

Nancy Barcal, M.A., CCC-SLP has been a passionate advocate and volunteer for the stuttering community. She held one of the first NSP/NSA groups in the Bay Area of San Francisco in 1983 with the support of John Albach and Michael Sugarman. The NSA was originally called the National Stuttering Project.

In addition to supporting NSA groups, Nancy Barcal along with her team at Granite Bay Speech have been involved with community outreaches relating to stuttering as well. This involvement includes volunteer work for stuttering groups and events, sponsoring the production of the film “When I Stutter”, and donating to school districts that support speech therapy for stuttering. All of these acts of service are detailed on our Caring for the Community page!

Stuttering Resources

Online Vocational Rehabilitation Services Application: California Department of Rehabilitation. Must be age 17 or older. If approved, expenses may be covered for therapy, for a device, or both depending upon individual needs.

I take a 3 hour drive to see Nancy Barcal because after meeting with many Speech Therapists during my lifetime there is no one more qualified in the subject of stuttering than Nancy Barcal. I would drive 20 hours to see Nancy that's how certain I am that she is the person who will help me the best. Nancy understands stuttering more than anyone I have ever met.

Noel A.

Parents - Do not be distracted by those who tell you to look to your school district for help in dealing with a stutter! It will delay effective treatment and can even compound the problem. Nancy is a rare specialist in her field, and it took me years to find her. If you or a loved one is struggling with a stutter, Granite Bay Speech is the only place to go.

Melissa A.

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