Communication Must Include Listening – Christopher Osby

Chris OsbyAbout the Author:
My name is Christopher Osby, and I am 23 years old. I’ve stuttered most of my life, but this challenge has shaped me into the person I am today. I found confidence through sports, which taught me teamwork, resilience, and the power of a positive mindset. Pursuing a degree in communication disorders at Sacramento State allowed me to deepen my understanding of stuttering. During my studies, I returned to Granite Bay Speech, the very place where I had received therapy, to work as a mentor. For nearly three years, I had the privilege of mentoring others who stutter, developing therapy materials, and helping individuals navigate the same challenges I once faced. This experience was transformative both professionally and personally, solidifying my belief that my journey with stuttering has made me a more empathetic, resilient, and effective teacher. I often say, “It’s a good thing I have a stutter; otherwise, no one would ever get a word in!”.

In this 2-minute video, Granite Bay Speech Office, through a client, Chris Osby, offers key advice for conversation partners of individuals who stutter. The focus is on fostering open communication by encouraging partners to ask the person who stutters how they prefer to converse. We emphasize that listening to one person who stutters might differ from another, so it’s crucial to understand their unique preferences. The video encourages partners to be patient, empathetic, and understanding, while avoiding making the person feel pitied or uncomfortable. The overall message is to be open to learning about stuttering and to support the person in a way that respects their individuality.

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Communication Must Include Listening – Christopher Osby — 10 Comments

  2. Hey Christopher!

    I really enjoyed watching your video. It made me feel like what better way to get your point across about listening to individuals who stutter by creating a video. I also liked learning first hand how each individual is different when I comes to stuttering moments, and how you encourage other to ask you questions about it (if those people are trying to learn).

  3. Hi Christopher! I found your video very informative! I think it is very interesting how there are so many different perspectives and preferences of people who stutter when it comes to how they want their communication partner to react. I have often found myself wishing I knew what a person who stutters was thinking when I was listening to them talk and stutter. Do they think I look impatient, or are they comfortable with how I am behaving and reacting? Do they want me to finish their word/sentence for them, or would they prefer that I wait patiently? Your video made me realize that I can just ask them next time I find myself in that position so that I know I am being respectful and empathetic when communicating with them. Good luck in your future career!

  4. I loved this. Thanks for the video, Christopher. I liked your personal, informative approach and the examples of how exactly it feels. Thank you for helping to educate listeners everywhere.

  5. Hi Christopher, it was nice reading and listening to your story. You mentioned being in sports and how you learned about teamwork, resilience and being positive. On harder days, what do you do to maintain that positive spirit? Additionally, did you ever receive speech therapy or reach out to any other professionals regarding your stutter?

  6. Hello Christopher! It’s Wiktoria and Patrycja from Poland here — we study speech therapy at the University of Silesia in Katowice. We have read your article and we want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for sharing such an insightful article! Your perspective on fostering open communication with individuals who stutter is incredibly important. The way you’ve transformed your personal challenge into a source of strength and empathy, not only for yourself but for others, is truly admirable. It’s absolutely amazing! Keep up the great work—your words truly inspire others to be more supportive and considerate!

  7. Hello Christopher,

    Your advice is great! Thank you for sharing how to be more understanding while avoiding making the other person feel uncomfortable. Authenticity is critical during conversations!

    Shaniah

  8. What a great advice, Christopher! I wish more kids, teens and young adults would speak their minds and teach the world what stuttering is about, what they can do to make a speaking situation easier for us, and simply how to listen. I hope your video will inspire others to speak up. Thank you!

  9. Hi Chris, I enjoyed listening to your video. I find it interesting how many perspectives and preferences of those who stutter when communicating with a partner. Acknowledging that reading the face of someone who does not stutter can cause an individual to become nervous or stuck on a word is important. Listening to your video made me more aware that asking the individual what they would prefer is okay. Asking the individual is being respectful.

  10. Hi Christopher,

    I enjoyed reading your post and watching the video providing more tips for conversational partners! Providing more resources like that in the form of a quick video is excellent for sharing with friends, family, and other conversational partners, especially if the individuals who stutter are not ready to have that conversation themselves yet. I know you are making a huge impact in the lives of your mentees and anyone who has come across this post! I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I have no doubts that you are living out your purpose to the fullest. Your experience and positive attitude that make you more relatable will be noticeably different. Those with similar experiences may be more receptive to what you say because you have been in their shoes before, which leads them to feel heard and understood.

    Thank you for sharing,

    Tyler Louise