'Get used to different'

Ben and Alison in their own words (and introducing Ben's speech and language therapist)

Ben Peetz with his parents and sisters upon his high school graduation

Last week, I wrote about the importance of creativity in Ben’s Peetz’s life — how he’s able to both express who he is through his creation of different characters and stories based on some of his favorite TV shows, and how sharing his art helps him to communicate with others.

Ben’s mom, Alison, has advocated for Ben’s communication style to be accommodated throughout his life, and over the years, she has relied on allies to help her in that mission. One of Alison’s favorite advocates is Kary Mirasola, a speech and language pathologist who works with Children’s Wisconsin. Kary not only has served as Ben’s speech therapist, she also has been an important part of Ben’s team both in the IEP (Individualized Education Program) process when Ben was in school, and more recently, in his efforts to find a job.

Alison told me that she wanted Ben’s IEP process to be led by Ben as much as possible since he was the one who best knew his goals, challenges, and the services he needed the school to provide. Kary had a “brilliant idea”, according to Alison, to give Ben the tools to explain those needs during IEP meetings.

“Kary said we had to give Ben something to anchor onto in order for him to understand what is being talked about, so she suggested putting things in terms of the different superhero movies he enjoys,” Alison said. “So we talked about his strengths being his superpowers and the things that were difficult being his kryptonite.

“She reframed it for him so he would be able to answer those IEP questions in a way that made sense for everybody. Kary knows the way into Ben’s world.”

When I spoke with Kary, she described a philosophy that has been honed over two decades of focusing on speech and language therapy. She’s come to believe that her task isn’t just to help her clients communicate; it’s to help them problem-solve.

“The ability to problem-solve is a thinking skill, not a language skill. But I’ve come to understand that, without language, problem-solving is incredibly difficult, whether it’s working out things in your head through language or the language you’re producing to communicate with others,” Kary said. “If we’re being asked to solve a problem, we have to be able to use words to think through that.

“And if we can help kids access those words through acting them out or using pictures or through TV shows, whatever way makes sense to them, we’ll make a more successful, well-adjusted person.”

By working with and through the interests and passions of her clients — by meeting them in their world — Kary has had success in helping them to access the language they need to solve problems and to express themselves to others.

That has definitely worked for Ben.