“I can help.”
I’m glad you’re here. There is hope. I can’t wait to meet you and get started!
CHAMONIX OLSEN SIKORA – M.S., CCC-SLP, BCS-F
ASHA Board Certified • Licensed in: CT, CA, NY, FL, MA, NJ
Meet Chamonix
Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering
What is a Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering?
Don’t all speech therapists work with stuttering? No! There are approximately 140 Board Certified Stuttering Specialists in the United States.
Stuttering is just one small area in the broad range of areas speech-language pathologists (speech therapists) treat. Research shows a majority of school speech-language pathologists indicate that they are not comfortable assessing and treating persons who stutter. (St. Louis & Lass, 1981; Tellis & Tellis, 2003) nor do they feel adequately prepared managing children and adolescents with fluency disorders (Tellis, Bressler, & Emerick, 2008). Unfortunately many generalists who are not prepared or comfortable treat those who stutter, which is a problem in our field. I’m a proponent of no therapy is better than bad therapy.
Our field has become very broad and now encompasses treating stroke clients, children with Autism, swallowing, transgender voice, early language development and the list goes on. Similar to medicine, a need for specialty areas arose. The very first area created (in 1998) under ASHA’s (American Speech Language Hearing Association) guidance was for Stuttering. This was established so speech-language pathologists with advanced knowledge, skills, and experience in stuttering, cluttering, and related fluency disorders; beyond the required Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) could be recognized by consumers, colleagues, and the general public.
A rigorous process was established by ASHA’s American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders to obtain board certification in fluency (BCS-F). A speech therapist must already have their master’s degree and national certification along with several years of being in practice before being allowed to begin the process. I started the process in 2003 and it took me three years to obtain certification. To maintain board certification, many ongoing client hours with those who stutter are required each year and advanced level continuing education requirements in the area of stuttering are also required. Every five years a renewal process must be completed with evidence for client hours along with all continuing education credits plus annual fees. Europe followed the United States and created their own program for specialists in stuttering.
Similar to medicine, if you have a heart problem, you go to a heart doctor. When you stutter or clutter, it’s nice to know you can go to a board certified specialist.
Certifications and Training
A holistic therapist at heart, Chamonix is highly trained and qualified, integrating across fields and continuously thinking outside of the box.
Certificate of Clinical Competence
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Board Certified Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders (BCS-F)
American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders
HeartMath Certified Practitioner
HeartMath
Certified Laughter Yoga Leader
Laughter Yoga International
EFT Level 1: Emotional Freedom Technique
EFT International
Primal Trust Trained
Primal Trust Academy
WHAT CLIENTS SAY:
Media Coverage and Appearances
USA TODAY
WNYC Radio
Barry Guitar, PhD and Chamonix Sikora, MS, CCC-SLP answer questions about stuttering.
Media and Appearance Requests
Interested in booking Chamonix for a media, podcast or seminar? Then you’ve come to the right spot. Please
use the form below to submit your request and we’ll respond within 1-2 business days.
Stuttering Therapy Services
Choose which therapy format best fits you or choose all three.
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
Individualized Therapy for Stuttering from the comfort of your own home. Explore Individual Therapy Services »
GROUP THERAPY
Peer supported group therapy service in the comfort of your own home. Explore Group Therapy Services »
IN-PERSON INTENSIVES
Collaborative multi-day in-person sessions with peers in Connecticut. View Upcoming Intensives »
Frequently Asked Questions
Freedom. To be yourself. To say what you want to say. Confidence. Effective communication. Struggle free speech. Enjoying connection and communication. Choosing to live your life, your values and purpose, over choosing not to stutter.
I love getting to know each person and building a relationship with them. I love watching and helping someone get set free from fear and become who they were meant to be. I love bringing people who stutter together. I love imparting hope and helping people who stutter to connect and feel the sense of belonging and community.
I have a very broad spectrum of knowledge and experience in a variety of areas that impact stuttering. I have my own unique story of overcoming fear and being set free. I have a deep understanding of the nervous system, how it can become dysregulated from experiences with stuttering, how to regulate it, and how the use of mood uplifting practices can aid in the transformation process. I think outside the box and bring in practices from other areas.
In the year 1999 I was given an assignment in my graduate stuttering course that changed my life and gave me great compassion for those who stutter. I was then offered a position to intern at the American Institute for Stuttering in NYC. I watched in awe as Catherine Montgomery, founder of AIS, expertly worked with teens and adults who stuttered. I knew it was my calling to work with people who stutter and that’s what I’ve done ever since.
