Holger Prüß

Holger Prüß (born May 5, 1960 in Kiel ) is a German speech therapist and stuttering therapist who developed the Bonn stuttering therapy.

biography

After completing his technical college entrance qualification, Holger Prüß studied special education from 1982 to 1987 and from 1987 to 1989 additionally a diploma in speech therapy at the University of Education in Kiel . Since he dealt intensively with the topic of stuttering due to his own dismay, he specialized in this area. During her studies she worked in an outpatient practice in Kiel with stuttering adolescents and adults. In 1989 he moved to Bonn to treat severely affected stuttering adolescents and adults at the LVR Clinic in Bonn. In this context he developed the concept of Bonn stuttering therapy. Holger Prüß is married and has two children.

Bonn stuttering therapy

The concept

First of all, as part of a comprehensive diagnosis, the individual stuttering symptoms and the psychological and social problems that often accompany stuttering (e.g. negative self-concept, fear / shame, avoidance) are recorded. The first basic component of the therapy pursues the goal of supporting each individual in reducing negative feelings and thoughts as well as linguistic and situational avoidance behavior and to achieve self-confident and open communication behavior (behavioral therapeutic concept). After the reduction of movements, tension and other accompanying symptoms, a local speech technique (stuttering modification) is developed. Local means that the individual stuttering event is strived for as tension-free as possible without changing the entire speech. In order to improve the fluency of speaking even further, controlled, fluent speaking is developed with the help of a global technique ( fluency shaping ). In this case, speaking is initially slowed down and then increasingly adjusted to the normal speaking pace. After the therapy, each participant in the therapy has various options for deciding on a type of technique or to switch between or combine them depending on the situation. So each individual can find his or her best techniques. So that all therapy contents can be implemented successfully and permanently in everyday life, they are trained and consolidated in all relevant situations (telephoning, speaking to strangers, speaking with family and friends). A jointly developed lecture on the subject of stuttering and therapy also supports each individual in attaining the most self-confident and fluent speech possible in the school / work area. Stuttering is characterized by an increased risk of relapse in the young and adult age range. That is why the concept of Bonn stuttering therapy aims with the help of

• Follow-up weeks
• Weekly Skype Rounds
• Refresher days

aims to stabilize the linguistic and personal therapeutic success in the long term. The therapy participants learn to counteract fluctuations independently and are given strategies to prevent and cope with possible relapses.

Social relevance

Thanks to a long-term teaching assignment at the University of Cologne and numerous lectures and training courses, the therapy concept is very well known in German-speaking Germany and abroad. The therapeutic approach is now used in the outpatient setting as well as in various training centers and is part of speech therapy training. The Bonn stuttering therapy has been carried out since 1989 with great long-term success. Over 1000 stutterers have used this inpatient therapy offer so far. The peculiarity of Bonn's stuttering therapy consists of the combination of the two therapeutic approaches, “stuttering modification” and “fluency shaping”, which have only been proven to be effective in adolescents and adults.

"Holger Prüß is one of the most recognized stuttering therapists in Germany". The Bonn stuttering therapy has established itself in Germany as one of the most important therapeutic approaches in the field of stuttering.

Publications

• H. Prüß, K. Richardt: Bonn long-term evaluation scale for the living situation of stutterers (BLESS): A new instrument for diagnosis, therapy planning and evaluation. In: Forum Speech Therapy. 29 (2), 2015, pp. 14-18.
• H. Prüß, K. Richardt: Bonn long-term evaluation scale for the living situation of stutterers (BLESS). New online procedure for initial and progress diagnostics in children from 12 years of age, adolescents and adults. In: Practice Language. (3), 2015, pp. 162-165.
• H. Prüß, K. Richardt: The Bonn stuttering therapy. A patient-oriented combination approach for adolescents and adults. In: Forum Speech Therapy. 28 (2), 2014, pp. 6-16.
• H. Prüß, K. Richardt: Patient-oriented approach in the therapy of stuttering in adolescence and adulthood. In: C. Iven, B. Kleissendorf (eds.): St-t-tt-ttotttern. Current impulses for diagnostics, therapy and evaluation. Schulz-Kirchner, Idstein 2010, pp. 113–132.
• H. Prüß: An autobiographical consideration of my examination of the problem area of ​​stuttering - the way to a basic dualistic understanding. In: M. Grohnfeldt (Ed.): Curriculum Vitae Studies and Speech Therapy . Modernes Lern, Dortmund 1996, pp. 181–203.

Movie

• Learning to control stuttering: stuttering and speech control techniques according to Holger Prüß. for those affected and professionals. Demosthenes 2000, ISBN 3-921897-40-8 . (Video cassette, VHS, 55 min.)

Web links

• Website by Holger Prüß
• LVR Clinic Bonn: Bonn stuttering therapy
• Info sheet for Bonn stuttering therapy from the clinic
• Focus article on stuttering
• Fluency shaping on Wikipedia

Individual evidence

1. ^ Team - LVR Clinic Bonn. Retrieved July 5, 2019 . 
2. ↑ T. Müller (Ed.): No mountain without valleys. Reevaluate and use setbacks in stuttering therapy. Demosthenes, Cologne 2016, ISBN 3-921897-82-3 .
3. ↑ Stuttering: advanced training with a very high practical component - Holger Prüß. Retrieved July 5, 2019 . 
4. ↑ Lecture “Bonn Stuttering Therapy”. Retrieved July 5, 2019 . 
5. ↑ Bonn stuttering therapy - LVR-Klinik Bonn. Retrieved July 5, 2019 . 
6. ↑ ^{a b} Harald A. Euler, Benjamin P. Lange, Sascha Schroeder, Katrin Neumann : The effectiveness of stuttering treatments in Germany. In: Journal of Fluency Disorders. 39, 2014, pp. 1–11, doi: 10.1016 / j.jfludis.2014.01.002 .
7. ↑ Acceptance speech by the journalism award winner Iris Gesang | Health Foundation - Knowledge is the best medicine. Retrieved on July 5, 2019 (German).