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From:
Date: 21 Oct 2010
Time: 00:11:27 -0500
Remote Name: 76.215.118.209
Sukhpreet, You asked several questions, so I'll try to answer them in order. 1) how important is it to let the clients know about how they would be appreciated while setting up goals. I'm not sure I am understanding exactly what you are asking, but if you are wondering if I tell the clients that they will earn a reward for meeting goals, no, I don't really approach it that way. If we set a goal to say "hello" to one person each day that he or she would not ordinarily speak with, and they accomplish the goal that was set, then I talk with them about how this made them feel, and whether or not they see themselves as having succeeded with the goal. If they respond positively, then they may need no more than a verbal acknowledgment of that success, or a high five. If they respond by putting themselves down (i.e., 'I did it, but I probably wouldn't have if they hadn't said hello first'), then I would probably talk with them about defining success and accepting successes that are met. When they challenge themselves to something that is perceived as quite difficult by them, this might be a situation where I'd suggest they think of how they would like to celebrate this step in a tangible way when they meet the goal--they do choose the reward (in consultation with parents, if the client is a child). 2) Also will letting them know at the onset of the therapy that if you achieve goal "a", you will get a reward say,a coloring book. As I mentioned above, in cases where the client really needs something tangible, I work with them to select what will help them pay attention to the success and celebrate it. So, it could be a coloring book, or a piece of candy, or a trip to the zoo with their parents--it really varies. I do not want to get into a long term use of big, tangible rewards--it is a short term vehicle to get the person to acknowledge achievement and begin to internalize the celebration of success. 3) Will it help with the incorporation of various techniques in the clients fluency treatment? No matter what goal is being addressed, helping a client learn to recognize their own ability to make changes for themselves promotes good motivation. This is a big positive, regardless of the goal being addressed (or technique being used). Hope this answered your question. If I've misunderstood you, please let me know. Regards, Lynne