Question
As a future SLP, what are ways that we as professionals can help implement change that PWS would like to see such as disfluencies being normalized and decreasing the stigma that many PWS have written about throughout the various articles posted?
This a really good question but a really tough one to answer.
I find that starting the conversation around decreasing stigmatisation and normalising stuttering is always a good place to start.
Have these conversations with your family, friends, colleagues and anyone else who will listen.
If you have social media accounts or forums maybe try sharing posts written by PWS.
Call out any posts online that don’t accept stuttering and explain why you’re calling them out.
I think the important thing is to get this message out there, in whatever shape or form.
I hope this has helped 🙂
Yes, stuttering needs to be normalized. And the best way is to raise awareness. The more people understand what stuttering is about, that it’s very common, and what they can do as a listener, the more we will speak, and the more normal it will become. As many aren’t aware what stuttering is about, because of the media keeping the stigmas alive, and we’re experts on hiding, because of these stigmas and reactions from the people around us.
If we feel we’re allowed to speak the way we do, and being see the way we are, our personalities, our skills, and not being judged or rated for our stutter, we get the chance to heal. You might have heard about the stuttering iceberg, where what you hear and see is above the surface, while emotions are under the surface. For the part below the surface to come up above the surface, we must allow stuttering to be seen and heard. Nina G produced another iceberg, where all our skills are under the surface. I’ve had the joy to see a real iceberg turn around in Iceland, and that intense blue color made so so happy. So let’s help PWS to get the stutter behind the person, instead of in front. To not let stuttering define us. It’s not who we are, just a way we happen to speak.
Because of my stutter, and wanting to be the person others wanted me to be, I lost my identity. When I met other PWS, as the age of 27, other PWS helped me to find myself again, and to show that person to the world, with all my skills, personality, hopes and dreams. Yes, that made me hide less and stutter more, but I was myself again. So help us by showing us who we really are and that we’re worth being seen and heard. For that, we need people around us to help us to find our voices, our pride, and the power to say No to people who bring us down, and to say Yes to challenges. And to educate the people around us. Family, friends, schools, employers, etc.
Also share the Declaration on the Right to Stutter.
Thank you for being our ally.
Happy ISAD and keep them talking.
Anita