ABSTRACT
Psychologists have said that “Psychotherapy is an undefined technique, applied to unspecified problems, with unpredictable outcome. For this technique, we recommend rigorous training.” (Raimy, 1950, p.93). We might say, in a cynical moment, “Stuttering therapy is an obscure blend of techniques, applied to a baffling problem, with frequent failure. Only specialists should be allowed to do this.” This comment, however facetious, reminds us that a gap often exists between what we do in the clinic and what we know scientifically about what we do (for example, which strategies are effective, why are they effective, and how much long-term change takes place). Sometimes the gap is a mile wide, sometimes only a few slim inches, depending on whether we are treating a client by clinical intuition or by a more standardized use of proven techniques.
