Managing stuttering as an individual
Hello!
I understand that stuttering can vary greatly from person to person, and everyone has their own approach to managing it. What strategies have you found effective for your own stuttering?
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Managing stuttering as an individual — 2 Comments
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Thank you for this question, Vianney.
The strategies that I have personally found most helpful have changed substantially over the years.
For decades I was obsessed with fluency shaping, and I had the most success with the (now-defunct) Precision Fluency Shaping Program – which retrained people who stutter to speak fluently with well-practiced techniques of relaxed diaphragmatic breathing, gentle onsets, loudness contouring within syllables, and slight stretches/stabilizations of initial voiced sounds.
I was able to enjoy many extended periods, lasting for weeks or sometimes for months, by intensive daily practice and constant monitoring of these techniques.
But every period of fluency ended with relapse – as I discovered that the practice necessary for me to maintain this fluency was just overwhelming.
Eventually, I changed course, and simply and calmly accepted myself as a person who happens to stutter, a person with a speech difference. And life became so much more satisfying for me, and more pleasurable – relieving all the pressure to transform myself into a fluent person. I now realized that life happiness is not dependent on consistency of fluent speech. Okay, so I don’t happen to have consistency of speech fluency. So what? I can simply accept myself as I have been, as I am, and as I will continue to be – a person who just happens to stutter.
Hi Vianney
I’ve tried most things out there. Even hypnosis, carrying pyrit (stone) in my pocket, whispering, you name it. 😉 But what suits me the most is what comes as close to my regular speech, and my personality. So for me that’s pausing and making shorter sentences, a slightly slower speech, slightly more articulating, a slightly lower pitch. But also using body language, courses in presentation techniques, singing, Mindfulness and NLP, self-worth exercises and affirmations, challenging myself (f ex public speaking) and standing up for myself. And also to keep calm and stutter on. As it’s up to me how I chose to speak, and this can vary from moment to moment. And the most important tool for me is acceptance. It’s my safety net. As it’s hard to use techniques all the time. (Try yourself and speak in 3-4 word sentences for 24 hrs.) So to know I’m OK no matter what, and that stuttering doesn’t define me, is a strong base to build upon. Acceptance and Act go nicely together.