Stuttering Hub

Incentive to Study Speech and Language Therapy?

This one is about the U.K. I recently learnt that the National Health Service (NHS) can provide funding to those who wish to become speech and language therapists. I thought this was quite cool. I was speaking to a friend in the States who is a speech and language pathologist, and he said they didn't have such funding schemes 'across the pond'. If you want to check out more, here's a link:

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=1923

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=1923

Also, I've heard that De Montfort University runs a Speech and Language Therapy course, in case you want to find it out:

http://www.dmu.ac.uk/Subjects/Db/coursePage2.php?courseID=1152

Hottest Stuttering Blogs for 2009

  

Going into the New Year, below are some of the hottest stuttering related blogs and podcast shows:

The Stuttering Brain: Tom Weidig's blog is a massive resource for those who are interested in cutting edge research in the stammering field. You can look forward to plenty of debate on this blog. Tom is famous for speaking his mind about areas related to stammering!

StutterTalk:This is the biggest stuttering podcast show run by Peter Retizes, Eric Jackson and Greg Snyder. You can find many podcast shows on all kinds of topics of interest for people who stammer, with guests from the community often giving their points of view.

The Indian Stammering Association (TISA): Sachin and the guys at TISA continue to grow in strength and are doing some great things in helping to increase self-awareness in India, the rest of Asia, and indeed the entire globe.

Stuttering Is Cool: Big props to my mate Daniele Rossi over at Stuttering is Cool. He really has helped stuttering become a fashionable thing. Daniele has a new site up and regularly posts up podcast shows about his adventures and other self-help goodies. Maybe we can all do our bit in 2009 and make it even more cooler to be a person who stutters. Maybe it can be a trend for 2009?

The one to watch out for in 2009

Ok you might be wondering what the above heading is for? Well for Stuttering Hub of course! Yes, yes I know I would say that but I have to be a little biased don't I? No seriously, it's been a great 6 months or so since I started up Stuttering Hub. I've enjoyed posting and will continue to do so in the New Year. The biggest thanks has to go all of you who have inspired me to continue writing. Your readership is really what makes Stuttering Hub alive and it really is our place. If you have ideas for topics or things you wanted covered, then please let me know. If you are fed up with any topics that I've been covering then please, please let me know! If you have any feedback then do please let me know. Only with your invaluable comments can we make Stuttering Hub an even better place to be if you stutter.

Hey, one last thing about the list of blogs and podcasts above. I've included the list on the basis of those which are most active, and in English. I know there may be others in different languages which may be equally active, which I haven't mentioned. So here's a message for those blogs out there - please feel free to give a shout on Stuttering Hub! We want to hear from you!

Happy New Year to you all!!!

Lidcombe Program And Stuttering In Children

Hi Friends, parents of children who stammer may be interested in the Lidcombe Program. Developed by a research team headed by Professor Mark Onslow at the University of Sydney (http://www3.fhs.usyd.edu.au/asrcwww/), the Lidcombe Program is a stuttering treatment for children usually below the age of 6. Interestingly, parents are trained by the speech therapist to carry out the program and consists of two main stages. In Stage 1, the parent carries out the treatment every day by monitoring and giving feedback to their child on their speech. This stage also involves the parents' and child visiting a speech clinic, where a speech therapist measures the child's progress. As the child's' speech improves and dysfluency becomes less, Stage 2 begins, where the key aim is to maintain the child's fluency for a year. It seems that the number of times parent and child attend the speech clinic also decreases, as long as the low levels of stammering from the previous stage are maintained. If you are interested, you can find out more about the Lidcombe Program at: http://www.stammering.org/lidcombe_info.html

You may even find the below link for a manual for this treatment helpful:

http://www3.fhs.usyd.edu.au/asrcwww/Downloads/Lidcombe%20Program%20manuals/LP_Manual_English_April_2008.pdf

It's reassuring to know that there are treatments out there that involve parents and children alike, and try to help both sides cope with stammering.

 

Interview with Leys Geddes, Vice-Chair of the British Stammering Association

Today's post is a special interview with Leys Geddes, Vice-Chair of the British Stammering Association and campaigner for issues that affect people who stammer. Leys answered the questions I asked him below:

1. What inspired you to start campaigning for the stammering community?

I’ve always been aware of the prejudice, first at school and then in every other aspect of life.  The very least of the difficulties was that people laughed at me.  Then, at work, I was once fired for stammering and on three other occasions there was a strong movement to get me fired - but others stuck up for me and I survived.  But I’ve always liked talking to people and, as I am fortunate enough to have had a good education, I always had things I wanted to say.

I nearly took the quiet option, to become a copywriter in an advertising agency in London, but I just stopped myself in time, and applied successfully for the Shell Management Trainee Programme.  Since then I worked in a number of marketing agencies and consultancies, in management positions, and have simply had to talk.  So I have become accustomed to talking and stammering - and dealing with the consequences!  But, often, I must say, I have been very unhappy with my inability to express myself clearly and to assert myself in situations where there is potential conflict.  As a result of this, I may appear to be - and may actually be - a little aggressive!

I had always felt I should do something about this continual prejudice against stammering, because I could not control my speech at all times, never mind how hard I tried.  But many people still seemed to think that I was indecisive, weak and possibly even stupid.  So, when I joined the British Stammering Association, which was only a few years ago, I did so mainly because I wanted to learn more about stammering.  And I was particularly struck recently when research began to prove that our brains were different - and that this was the root cause of stammering.  Here, at last, was some proof that it was not our fault, nor our parents’ fault, and it made me even more determined to improve society’s understanding of stammering - and to try to right the wrongs to which we are subjected.

So I decided to speak out.

My marketing background helped me to see that most of the very few stammering stories which do get into the news tend to be about people who have had miraculous ‘cures’ or who, according to journalists, have the ‘strength of character’ to overcome their stammers.  This gives the unfortunate and inaccurate impression that stammering is no problem and we could all be cured if we simply pulled ourselves together.

So that’s why I think we need to put over a much more realistic view of stammering to the 99% of society which does not stammer.  If we could do this, it would make it easier for us all.  Maybe, we could then walk into a room of strangers and say ‘I stammer’ and everyone would be cool with that.  But we should not seek sympathy but, rather, we should be demonstrating that we are normal, sensible people, most of whom succeed in finding ways to overcome a constant series of hurdles in an effort to make the most of ourselves, our abilities and our potential contribution to society.

2. Do you feel you have reached a stage where the needs of the stammering community are being met?

No, we have made some progress, particularly in terms of discrimination laws and the very recent agreement by Government to introduce Early intervention, but we still have miles to go.

I look at the tremendous progress made by people with mobility disability.  But I also look at the 40 years that have gone past since the Black Power protest at the 1968 Olympics.  And I know from these two examples that it is possible to get your views and your cause accepted, if you work hard, but it takes a long, long time for society to change its views.

3. What is your main personal goal from your campaigning efforts?

To encourage other people who stammer to speak out.

Many thanks to Leys for sharing his fascinating and inspiring story on how he got into campaigning for people who stammer. If you like, you can find out more about Leys' efforts at the following links:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-epHaW8nTJQ

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1284012/save_9_out_of_10_children_from_a_lifetime_of_stammering/

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-myr8yCk0u0k/tell_us_the_truth_about_stammering_stuttering/

http://www.stammering.org/adverts.html

Voluntary Stammering

Yep, I mean stammering on purpose. What? I hear you question in shock!  I can't stutter on purpose. Isn't the whole thing about trying not to stutter? Well, maybe it's not. I will explain... Voluntary stammering is a viable and effective speech therapy technique, that's been around since the 1950's. I can see how it can have its uses. By stuttering on feared words on purpose, rather than having the dreaded anticipation of the feared word, can help put a person in control of the stammer, rather than the stammer controlling the them. Also, it can help them to try not to avoid stuttering, much more openly.

If you're interested, you can check out how to use this technique on the British Stammering Association web site:

http://www.stammering.org/johnston.html

There is also a podcast show on voluntary stuttering over at StutterTalk:

http://stuttertalk.com/2007/10/20/stuttertalkcom--voluntary-stuttering.aspx

It's a good show to check out!

 

Tips For Improving Non-Verbal Communication Skills

You know that communicating isn't just all about talking and trying to be fluent right? You can use various non-verbal communication techniques to really help get the messages you are trying to get across to people. Below are a few tips:

1. Eye contact - I know, I know this is really hard, and you shy away from looking people in the eye when speaking for fear that they might see you struggle. But just give it a try. Next time you feel you are about to stammer when talking just hold eye contact for a second or two longer. Start off small and work your way up.

2. When standing, why not stand tall and straight. Not only does this make you look more confident, but you will feel it too. Try it when sitting, too. It's amazing how a slight change in our posture can affect the way we feel.

3. Actively Listen - By this, I mean really listen to another person when they are speaking. I appreciate that this can be difficult if you stutter (because you may be thinking about how you are going to respond, and whether you will block on not), but by focusing on the person who is speaking, the mind can become occupied, and not be worrying about how you will speak. It also makes you seem like a good listener, and the person you are communicating with will appreciate this.

I know the above is easier said than done. Unfortunately there is no magic formula. But I know from my experiences, and like with anything - improvements can be made. It just takes practice, practice, practice and more practice. Give them a go - I have full confidence that you'll pull them off!

A Christmas Rap

To all my friends at Stuttering Hub, I've written you a rap for Christmas that I hope you'll love. Wishing you a good one, full of laughter, joy and cheer, spreading good will, and jokes funny to hear! So here's to 2009 - an enjoyable New Year!

Happy Holidays!!!

Interview with Peter Reitzes, co-host of StutterTalk.com

Friends, I have a special interview today with Peter Reitzes, which I think you'll find interesting. Peter co-hosts the famous StutterTalk podcast show with his colleagues Greg Snyder and Eric Jackson (http://stuttertalk.com/). Peter answered the following questions I asked him:

1. Has the popularity of StutterTalk as a podcast show exceeded your expectations? If so, could you please tell us how?

When we first started publishing StutterTalk about two years ago, we were averaging 10-20 downloads a day. Now we average several hundred a day. There have been times where we have had 700 downloads in a single day. Since StutterTalk began, about 4-5 other podcasts about stuttering have emerged – I don’t think we ever expected that level of support and recognition.

2. Can you tell us a bit about your experiences as being a person who stutters?

I have often said that I did not grow up stuttering, I grew up trying not to stutter. I was a covert stutterer until I was about 21 years old. Most people had no idea that I stuttered. I hid it really well until my “tricks” just didn’t work anymore. Towards the end, when I was really hitting rock bottom, I was acting in ways that must have seemed absurd to people. There was the time that my professor asked me where I was from and I did everything I could to not say “Delaware” because I knew I was going to stutter on it. I kept saying things like, “I am from a small state”, “I am from the first state” and “I am from a state that starts with the letter d.” I remember the look my professor gave me. Her look said, “This guy is really kind of a jerk.” But I wasn’t, I just was scared to death of stuttering. I don’t think I ever saw a future beyond my stuttering. Growing up, every choice I made was dependent on the possibility of stuttering.

And then one day I couldn’t take it anymore. I reached out for help and somehow, with a lot of luck, ended up finding a great speech therapist – Dr. Phillip Schneider. Phil helped change my life. He understood that covert stuttering was real and was not simply a “mild” form of stuttering. Phil had more faith in me then I had in myself. A lot of change and many good things happened with Phil. Stuttering became okay and being a person who stutters became okay. Being me was no longer bad. Knowing Phil has been one of the greatest gifts and greatest honors in my life.

3. Have your own experiences of stuttering contributed to your becoming a speech therapist?

One day, just weeks after meeting Phil, I knew that I was going to become a speech-language pathologist. I called my parents and told them. I remember my mother saying something like, “This is the best idea I can remember you having.” I knew that I wanted to have the impact on people’s lives that Phil had on me.

4. Are there any changes you would like to see happen in the stuttering  community?

I would love to see the self-help movement for people who stutter hit a renaissance of sorts. There are many fine groups doing lots of fine work, but it doesn’t feel as if the self-help conferences are growing or getting bigger. Getting several hundred people to attend a self-help conference is great, but shouldn’t our conferences for people who stutter number in the thousands by now? No one is to blame and I don’t have the answers, but I am thinking about it!
Thanks for inviting me to answer these questions.

Peter Reitzes, MA CCC-SLP

StutterNY.com

Adjunct Professor: Long Island University

Co-host: StutterTalk.com podcast and Stuttering101.com podcast

Co-editor: The Journal of Stuttering Therapy, Advocacy and Research
JournalofStuttering.com

Many thanks to Peter for sharing his experiences with StutterTalk, and his personal journey with stuttering.

A 'Speak More Fluently' Approach

Two main schools of treatment for stammering exist which were described by Professor Hugo Gregory in 1979. One is known as 'Stuttering More Easily'. I will talk about some of the techniques used in this category in future posts. The other main category is 'Speak More Fluently,' which I want to talk a bit about today. An example of a technique belonging to this category is called Light contacts.

Some of you may have been taught Light Contacts by a speech and language therapist. Others of you may not be aware of this method. Light contacts involves changing the tension when speaking. For a person who stammers, when saying consonant sounds such the letters b,d,t. p, can create tension which may lead to stuttering. For example, have you experienced your tongue seeming to stick at the top of your mouth, or behind your teeth? This is when there is too much tension in your tongue while saying certain words beginning with a consonant. By concentrating on relaxing the speech organs, and articulating sounds ever so gently, consonant sounds can be spoken in a relaxed and tense free manner.

The following link gives step by step instructions on how to do the Light Contacts technique:

http://cfst.com/PDF/Light%20Contact%20Student%20Weblink.pdf

You can also find out more at:

http://www.stammering.org/options.html

Why not give it a go? It might just help.

CBT and Stuttering

I've been reading a book on cognitive behavioural therapy by (CBT) Jesse H. Wright, Monica R. Basco and Michael E. Thase (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Cognitive-behavioral-Therapy-Competencies-Psychotherapy/dp/1585621536) and I'm finding it very interesting. I'd like to share some of the stuff I've picked up from the book with you guys...

Events and activities impact us every day. Something happens. Somebody says something. You see something. Events trigger thoughts in our minds. These thoughts can be positive or negative. These thoughts then lead us to experience emotions within our bodies. And these emotions then cause us to carry out actions or behaviours.  What this actually summarises is known as the basic Cognitive-behaviour Therapy model, and can be used as a basis for changing those behaviours.

So where is the link between CBT and stammering you may ask? Well, this model could be used to understand how our thoughts about stuttering can lead us to experiencing certain emotions, which could contribute to behaviours including stuttering itself.

All people have automatic thoughts that pop into their minds as a result of situations, contexts. Many times, such thoughts can be meaningful and sound. However, if thoughts leave you feeling anxious, angry or fearful, then have you ever considered the logicalness of this thinking?

In order to work with our thoughts we need to understand when we are creating them. However, it can be difficult to remember what thoughts we had, or even what events even triggered them. There are different approaches that can be used to help uncover them. One of the most simplest, but one that requires practice is to catch yourself having these automatic thoughts!

Perhaps an example might help.

Well, in CBT an example of this type of thinking is called 'over-generalization'. So say a person who stutters makes a conclusion about a negative event, they may proceed to extend this to other areas of life.

For example, say you had the following thought: "I'm having trouble with stuttering at work, I can't do anything properly."

You could catch yourself thinking this. You could then ask yourself: "Does me having a stammering incident at work really mean I can't do anything properly?" I mean, is this the truth? What evidence can I find that proves this type of thinking to be false? What else can I do? I bet there are a thousand things...

If you find yourself having negative thoughts and responding to them in undesirable ways, ask yourself if you really have to respond in the ways you are doing. Do you really have to believe every one of your thoughts? What would happen if you didn't?