People who stutter and clinicians who treat stuttering are going to be gathering in the Netherlands for a very interesting and worthwhile conference. I’m looking forward to attending. I’m also presenting an eye opening workshop that will talk about aspects of stuttering that aren’t usually known. I hope to see lot’s of my Facebook friends there. Please share this so that all those who don’t know about the conference can register.
Purpose/target audience
To provide information that will give everyone interested in stuttering a logical perspective of the stuttering experience and a direction for more effective treatment
Patients or Materials
Experiences and reports of thousands of clients, including audio and video clips
Results/analysis
People who stutter can become aware of the different ways that their speech production system can function
Conclusions
When the speech production system functions normally the result is effortless speaking and enhanced self-confidence
Between blogs, books, forums, Oscar winning movies, conferences, etc., there is a lot of information out there about stuttering. However, there are important aspects of stuttering that are not widely known. Knowing them can be life changing for people who stutter.
From time immemorial, stuttering has stymied everyone. One theory after another has come into vogue, but attempts to apply these theories to treatment have lead to frustration. Even today, with all that we know about stuttering, there is no comprehensive theory that can explain the observations, personal experiences, and current research findings. In this talk I will discuss 10 aspects of stuttering that help to develop a unified theory of stuttering, and support an effective treatment approach.
I have come to understand these aspects of stuttering during a quarter of a century of trying to figure out the most effective way to treat stuttering. Everything I will discuss comes from empirical studies of thousands of people who stutter, and what I have learned about normal speech production, the way thoughts, feelings, beliefs, perceptions, and neurological networks interact, as well as brain plasticity and the benefit of mindfulness training. The outcome is that clients, even those who have been through years of previous treatment approaches, report that the talking points to be discussed have given them a different way to think about speaking and stuttering. They came to realize that their problem isn’t the stuttered speech. People who stutter covertly or overtly saw how they were incorrectly using their speech production system and how they can change the way it functions. They experienced speaking in an effortless way without monitoring their speech, talking slowly, or using artificial techniques designed to hide stuttering. They found that it is possible to speak naturally with ease and confidence and that speaking can be an enjoyable and satisfying experience.