When I was in high school, almost every other word was a block. I figured out how to “avoid” some blocks, but with oral presentations and after school activities, “avoiding” grew more difficult.

I shared with my mom that I need to get some help because my suffering was too much for me to handle. My parents were didn’t have a clue about stuttering.  The best they could advise me was to encourage me to get a job so I could pay a professional to help me.  With that guidance, I relied on my friends to make the calls from folks in the yellow pages – yes the Internet was not user-friendly yet.  The best we could come up with a “vocal coach.”  I landed a first appointment with the wife of a deceased vocal coach.  Her partner had died and she took over this practice.

So there I went weekly at $50 per visit learning how to project my voice using prolongations and soft sounds – this was my introduction into speech therapy.

If you were in my situation – what would you do?

Liz Mendez