This spring, I had the honor of attending the Stuttering Foundation’s 2025 Eastern Workshop in Boston. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with other passionate speech-language pathologists and deepen my skills in supporting people who stutter. One highlight from the week was completing training in the Palin Parent–Child Interaction (PCI) approach.

Palin PCI is an evidence-based, family-centered method developed by the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering. It’s designed to support preschoolers who stutter by strengthening the parent–child relationship and creating a communication environment that reduces pressure and builds confidence.

What is Palin PCI?

Palin PCI is designed for children under 7 years old. Instead of focusing only on fluency, it empowers parents with simple, practical strategies that can be used during everyday interactions. These strategies include:

• Slowing down the pace of conversation

• Allowing more pause time for turn-taking

• Minimizing background distractions

• Using more comments instead of rapid-fire questions

• Supporting acceptance and confidence in communication

Why This Approach Matters

Early support for stuttering is about more than reducing disfluencies. It’s about helping children feel confident, understood, and safe to express themselves. During the training, one case study showed how a parent made a few small changes—like pausing slightly longer and making fewer demands—and their child began speaking more freely and comfortably. That simple shift reminded me how powerful connection and presence can be.

I’ve already started using this approach with families in my private practice. One parent recently shared that slowing things down during evening storytime helped reduce tension and made talking more enjoyable for everyone. Their child is now speaking with more ease and engagement.

Highlights From the Training

The Eastern Workshop focused on using cognitive and emotional approaches with people who stutter. It brought together clinicians from across the country for a week of deep learning, collaboration, and reflection. We explored a wide range of topics, from the emotional experiences of people who stutter to tools that promote resilience and identity-building.

Instagram Post from 2025 Workshop

Offering Palin PCI-Based Support

I’m now offering Palin PCI-informed therapy and parent coaching for families of preschoolers who stutter. Sessions are available in-person in Portland, Oregon and virtually for families across Oregon and other select states.

If you’re noticing early signs of stuttering, or just wondering how to best support your child’s communication, I’d love to connect.

📬 Email me or schedule a free consultation to learn more.

About the Author
Jessica Beers, SLPD is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist and the owner of Speaktacular Speech & Language. She specializes in early stuttering support, speech sound disorders, and parent coaching.

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#PalinPCI #StutteringSupport #PreschoolStuttering #SLPblog #StutteringTherapy #ParentCoaching #MichaelPalinCentre #SpeaktacularSLP #SpeechTherapyPortland #StutteringFoundation #EarlyIntervention