Effective counselling skills for speech and language therapists

Louise trained as a speech and language therapist 16 years ago and started her career working with children and young people in school and community settings. Her interest in stammering grew as she started running after school therapy groups for children who stammer and learnt more about the wider impact that stammering has on a person’s life. Louise pursued specialist training in ways of working with stammering and went on to set up evening groups for adults who stammer in one of the London NHS trusts. She joined City Lit as a part-time tutor in 2019. Louise does not stammer and finds the opportunity to learn from adults who stammer invaluable. She became particularly passionate about the emotional impact of stammering and psychological ways of working which moved her career into the field of mental health. Louise gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in 2023 and now works as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist for the NHS alongside her part time work in stammering.

Anita McKiernan, BSc, MSc, Dip Coaching, Dip Counselling Skills, MRCSLT, HCPC registered. Anita is a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist and joined CityLit as a part-time tutor in 2019. Her wider work includes children, young people & adults with Selective Mutism, Stammering and Voice Disorders. She spent several years working in the NHS in clinical & management roles. Anita is also a Visiting Lecturer & Clinical Tutor at City, University of London. She is the Chair of the National Clinical Excellence Network in Selective Mutism and is an adviser for the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists. She is also a member of the National and Regional Clinical Excellence Networks in Fluency. Anita has completed further qualifications in areas of Coaching & Counselling and uses a range of psychological approaches in her work. As a lover of the Arts and trained improviser, Anita reslishes the creative process of working with others. She draws on various art forms as appropriate, including art-making, music, movement, improvisation and poetry. She has written songs & melodies for therapeutic use and writes poetry when the impulse strikes!.

Vivien has been a part-time tutor for City Lit since 2009. In 2023 she gained the opportunity to be a Co-ordinating Tutor at City Lit. Vivien does not stammer herself but does experience cluttering (as part of her dyslexia). She has had a varied, diverse and creative career so far, the central thread being a personal and passionate pursuit to understand our individual and cultural relationship with fluency. She has found the combination of City Lit’s environment (students attending adult education), City Lit’s approach and the group therapy setting a unique and ideal path for students to progress with their speech and wider life goals. Vivien also trained as a voice teacher (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, 2005). She has taught voice at East 15 Acting School, Italia Conti, London School of Dramatic Art (LSDA) and she is currently the voice tutor for Buckinghamshire New University’s BA (Hons) Acting Programme. In 2010 Vivien studied writing and directing at RADA (MA Text & Performance) which has supported both her professional and personal creative endeavours considerably.

Carolyn is a leading UK stammering specialist. She stammers herself and had life-changing therapy at City Lit. Following this she decided to train as a speech and language therapist (SLT) and feels privileged to have spent her career at City Lit. She helped develop what is probably the most comprehensive range of stammering therapy courses in the world. 2019 marked her 40th year as a City Lit tutor. She has a particular passion for working with people with interiorised stammering. In 2009 Carolyn qualified as a mindfulness teacher and has been a pioneer in terms of integrating mindfulness into stammering therapy courses. She is an experienced trainer and has helped to develop training programmes for SLTs in mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy and counselling skills. Carolyn has had many articles and chapters published and is a co-editor of Stammering Therapy from the Inside (2013). She has led training and therapy courses throughout the UK and has also taught in Europe, the US and New Zealand. In 2012 she was honoured to receive the International Fluency Association’s Clinician of Distinction award.

Vivien has been a part-time tutor for City Lit since 2009. In 2023 she gained the opportunity to be a Co-ordinating Tutor at City Lit. Vivien does not stammer herself but does experience cluttering (as part of her dyslexia). She has had a varied, diverse and creative career so far, the central thread being a personal and passionate pursuit to understand our individual and cultural relationship with fluency. She has found the combination of City Lit’s environment (students attending adult education), City Lit’s approach and the group therapy setting a unique and ideal path for students to progress with their speech and wider life goals. Vivien also trained as a voice teacher (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, 2005). She has taught voice at East 15 Acting School, Italia Conti, London School of Dramatic Art (LSDA) and she is currently the voice tutor for Buckinghamshire New University’s BA (Hons) Acting Programme. In 2010 Vivien studied writing and directing at RADA (MA Text & Performance) which has supported both her professional and personal creative endeavours considerably.