ASHA JOURNAL DECEMBER 1988 - Review by Dr. Eugene B. Cooper

"No Words To Say." By Allan Holzman. Produced by Holzman and Ron Amick. Distributed by Amick/Holzman Company, 10061 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, CA 91602-2560. Color only. 56 minutes. Reviewed by Eugene B. Cooper, professor, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

"No Words To Say" begins with the simple printed message that people like Moses, Winston Churchill, and Marilyn Monroe stuttered and that about 1% of the world's population stutters. This message flows across the screen with the sound of a piano as background.

Allan Holzman, the producer, director, photographer, and editor, then discusses his own stuttering problem and his desire to produce a film on stuttering. Holzman notes that while conducting research for the project he became aware of the stuttering therapy program that Joseph G. Sheehan conducted for 35 years at the University of California at Los Angeles until his death in 1983. The program continues under the direction of his wife Vivian. The videotape is dedicated to Joseph G. Sheehan and was filmed at UCLA featuring stuttering therapy program staff members Vivian Sheehan and Peter Kupferman and more than a dozen adults who had been or currently were enrolled in the therapy program.

The videotape consists primarily of shots of the verbal interactions of Sheehan and Kupferman with adult stuttering clients in group situations and concludes with what might be described as a graduation performance where group members stand before their colleagues and express their feelings about stuttering and how they have coped with it. There being no narration, the continuity of the videotape is dependent solely on the editing of the spontaneous verbal interactions of the group-therapy participants and the short personal statements of clients at the videotape's conclusion. The quality of the sound and the picture throughout this color video is excellent.

Holzman notes at the beginning of the video that the UCLA program is based on the concept that stutterers can be fluent if they give up the attempt to be fluent and learn to stutter openly by eliminating stuttering-avoidance responses and the fear of stuttering.

The remainder of the videotape demonstrates how that orientation to stuttering and its treatment is implemented at UCLA. Clients are advised that they are no different in any way from normal speakers. They are advised that there is nothing physically wrong with them or their speech mechanism. Clients are urged to purge themselves of all the tricks they have learned to avoid stuttering. They are counseled to accept themselves as stutterers.

Techniques such as the use of voluntary stuttering, "sliding" (continuous phonation with light articulatory contacts), and "canceling" tense involuntary disfluencies by immediately repeating the stuttered word with a voluntary disfluency are among the specific procedures described to assist clients in learning to stutter openly and freely.|

While some of the concepts concerning the nature of stuttering and its treatment as presented in this videotape might be considered simplistic, it is difficult to criticize this videotape. It succeeds admirably in presenting an overview of the UCLA program in an interesting and informative manner without any distracting didactic narration.

A large measure of the videotape's success can be attributed to the attractive, bright, winsome, and articulate stutterers who participated. One must wonder how representative they are of the adult stutterers in the general population. Nevertheless, the clients' thoughts, attitudes, and feelings are expressed honestly in this videotape and, overall, their message is informative, instructive, and, indeed, inspiring

This videotape should be in the library of every education program in speech-language pathology. In addition to introducing clinicians to Sheehan's conception of stuttering and its treatment, students can observe a variety of stuttering patterns in adults. Clinicians working with adults can use the tape to assist clients in exploring their own feelings and attitudes towards stuttering as well as to simply inspire clients in their continued pursuit of their own goals.

Finally, this videotape should be required viewing at least once annually by every support group for stutterers. As with "Joseph G. Sheehan's Message to a Stutterer," the producers of "No Words To Say" have made a significant contribution to the profession and to those who must cope daily with chronic stuttering.

"No Words To Say" Copyright (c) 1988 AMICK/HOLZMAN COMPANY

Discounts for orders of five or more; e-mail Ron@Amick.com .

To inquire about purchasing, please e-mail Ron@Amick.com, or write AMICK HOLZMAN COMPANY, 10061 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, CA 91602-2560. Voicemail may be left at (866) 510-6561 x4776, or a FAX may be sent to this same number.

About the Reviewer

Dr. Eugene B. Cooper, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is Professor in Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Professor and Chair Emeritus, Department of Communicative Disorders, The University of Alabama.