— Welcome
A Thoughtful, Individualized Approach To Stuttering Therapy
Every person's experience with stuttering is unique. My goal is to create a supportive environment where clients can build skills, confidence and lasting communication success.
Kelly Cahill, M.S. CCC Speech Pathologist
Kelly Cahill is a licensed speech-language pathologist based in Franklin, Tennessee, specializing in stuttering and fluency disorders across the lifespan. She holds a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Teachers College, Columbia University and the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
She is licensed to practice in Tennessee and New Jersey and has over 20 years of experience working with children, teens and adults who stutter. Kelly is the founder of Nashville Stuttering Therapy and is a recipient of the Ally of Stuttering Speech-Language Pathologist Seal from Spero Stuttering, Inc.
Like most speech-language pathologists, I entered the field as a generalist, trained to work across many areas of communication and with clients of all ages. While I was always curious about stuttering therapy, I didn’t yet know it would become my specialty.
That changed the summer I worked in an intensive stuttering program during graduate school. For three weeks I worked alongside adults who had been living with stuttering for years, some for decades. Many arrived carrying not just the stutter itself but everything that had built up around it. The avoidance. The exhaustion. In some cases, years of feeling unheard.
Watching those same people leave three weeks later speaking more freely, carrying themselves differently, smiling in ways they hadn’t at the start – I knew this was the work I wanted to do. That summer has stayed with me ever since.
My Approach To Stuttering Therapy
The field of stuttering therapy has changed significantly over the years. It used to be almost exclusively focused on fluency and on reducing or eliminating stuttering. Today the field recognizes something more nuanced and more honest: that stuttering is as individual as the person who stutters, and that therapy needs to reflect that.
Some people want to stutter more openly and freely – to reduce the struggle, the tension and the avoidance without necessarily eliminating stuttering itself. Some want to work toward greater fluency. Many want something in between. And what someone wants from therapy can shift over time as their relationship with their own voice changes.
My approach reflects that reality. I do not arrive with a preset program or a single philosophy. I arrive with:
- A thorough understanding of the research and the range of available approaches
- Genuine curiosity about your specific experience of stuttering
- Respect for where you are and where you want to go
- A commitment to following your lead – not the other way around
Whether you are a parent bringing in a young child, a teenager navigating a difficult season, or an adult ready to do something different, we start with what matters most to you. That has always been the heart of how I work.
Why Specialized Training Matters
Many speech-language pathologists receive limited training in stuttering during graduate school. A “CCC-SLP” credential, while essential, does not on its own indicate specialized knowledge or experience in stuttering therapy specifically. Finding a therapist who has pursued dedicated training in this area matters.
As a recipient of the Ally of Stuttering Speech-Language Pathologist Seal from Spero Stuttering, Inc., I have demonstrated a commitment to ongoing, advanced training in stuttering and fluency disorders beyond what my graduate degree required. The seal reflects not just clinical knowledge but an active engagement with the stuttering community and a stutter-affirming approach to therapy.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Bachelor of Science, Villanova University
Licensure & Certification
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Licensed in Tennessee and New Jersey
- Private practice owner for over 20 years
Professional Affiliations
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- ASHA Special Interest Group for Fluency and Fluency Disorders
- Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
- New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Ally of Stuttering Speech-Language Pathologist Seal, Spero Stuttering, Inc.