Season 8: Episode 3: Keeping the Person in the Center with Kristin Chmela

Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, of the Chmela Communication Center, join host Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP, to discuss what it means to keep the person at the center of stuttering therapy. The conversation explores what person-centered care looks like in practice and how clinicians can keep the individual who stutters at the heart of clinical decision-making. She also introduce the Circle of Principles, describing how this framework can support thoughtful reflection, guide problem-solving in therapy, and help clinicians navigate complexities while remaining grounded in the needs and experiences of the person they support.

Kristin Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF has serviced children and teens who stutter for almost forty years at the Chmela Communication Center in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.  She is an author, lecturer, consultant, and co-founder and Director of the Training and Therapeutic Experience Program at Camp Shout Out. Kristin holds certifications in yoga, mindfulness, and trauma informed practices. She continues to spend the majority of her time helping individuals who stutter, clutter, and have other fluency challenges and remains passionate about helping speech language pathologists service this population.