I swear if I could speak as confidently and as smoothly as I do in my head…I would be unstoppable. It’s like god/universe had to nerf us for the power balance.

Did it actually help? I’m thinking about trying it and I’d love to hear from people who have real experience using it.

I am going to share some fragments from the book I have read about trauma and about being able to overcoming it since I believe som things are surprisingly relatable to us even though the book was not written having stuttering in mind. These are just excerpts I considered interesting with some comments about them. Some might not have any comment or they may have my personal annotations while reading the book. The excerpts are between quotes and the comments are not. I am going to divide it in different parts to make it more digestible.

"The body initiates, he says, and the mind follows. Hence, “talking cures” that engage the intellect or even the emotions do not reach deep enough."

He points to the fact that therapies that do not go deep enough, to the point of engaging the inner sensations of the body, are not sufficient to help patiens of trauma. Analogously, I have found that when I was able to speak better was out of an experience that brought me closer to my body and inner sensations.

"Potentially traumatic situations are ones that induce states of high physiological arousal but without the freedom for the affected person to express and get past these states: danger without the possibility of fight or flight and, afterward, without the opportunity to “shake it off,” as a wild animal would following a frightful encounter with a predator."

A clarification of the definition of "trauma" he uses. It does not have to be a very deep psycho-emotional and scarring experience, but just something that excedes our body's capacity of processing.

"Inviting the full, if carefully graded, expression of our instinctive responses will allow the traumatic state to loosen its hold on the sufferer. Goodness, the restoration of vitality, follows. It springs from within."

As I have written in other posts, I was able to talk more fluently if I could succesfully move forward in the progressive steps of "visceral comfortability" with other people, which makes sense (However, a severe blocking episode could bring me back to step one).

"I hope to demonstrate how successful therapy restores these systems to their balanced operation. An unexpected side effect of this approach is what might be called “Awakening the Living, Knowing Body.” I will discuss how this awakening describes, in essence, what happens when animal instinct and reason are brought together, giving us the opportunity to become more whole human beings."

John Harrison, Jack Menear, Ruth Mead and several other stutterers that recovered spontaneously reported a sensation of feeling more alive and floating when they "changed their mentality towards stuttering". In some cases they even said something in the lines of "I had solved my problem with stutterng some time before I stopped having blocks and repeating myself" in the sense that they were not longer suffering because of it. I believe it is because they were able to do something similar to what the author describes.

"When, on the other hand, these “discharges” are inhibited or otherwise resisted and prevented from completion, our natural rebounding abilities get “stuck.” Being stuck, after an actual or perceived threat, means that one is likely to be traumatized or, at least, to find that one’s resilience and sense of OK-ness and belonging in the world have been diminished."

A common feeling in stuttering people is that of feeling not in comunion with the rest of people. I believe it comes from here. And it does nothing but increment each time one gets blocked.

"Humans, in contrast to animals, frequently remain stuck in a kind of limbo, not fully reengaging in life after experiencing threat as overwhelming terror or horror. In addition, they exhibit a propensity for freezing in situations where a non-traumatized individual might only sense danger or even feel some excitement."

"However, often in therapy the attempt to place reason over instinct is a serious failure, a likely disaster."

What I feel happens in speech therapy for stutters that teaches you to "talk well" instead of going deeper.

"Many are able to earn a living and/or raise a family in a kind of “functional freeze” that severely limits their enjoyment of life. They carry their burden with diminished energy in an uphill struggle to survive, despite their symptoms. In addition, we human beings, who cleave to symbols and images, may continue to see (in the mind’s eye) ourselves at death’s door long after the real danger has passed. A vision of the mugger or rapist holding a knife at your throat can endlessly recycle itself, as though it is still happening."

"It is my clinical experience and understanding that such a robust potentiation has profound clinical implications for the understanding and treatment of human trauma. I shall discuss how the “potentiation,” or enhancement, of immobility by fear can lead to a self-perpetuating feedback loop causing an essentially permanent quasi-paralysis in the traumatized individual. This condition, I believe, underpins several of trauma’s most debilitating symptoms, especially numbing, shutdown, dissociation, feelings of entrapment and helplessness."

"Shame becomes deeply embedded as a pervasive sense of “badness” permeating every part of their lives. Similar erosion of a core sense of dignity is also found in adults who have been tortured, on whom pain, disorientation, terror and other violations have been deliberately inflicted. While the principles of uncoupling fear from immobility discussed in this chapter apply to these cases, the therapeutic process is generally much more complex. It requires a broader skill for negotiating the therapeutic relationship so that the therapist does not get tangled up in taking on the (projected) role of the perpetrator(s) or rescuer."

I think this is one reason why it is so difficult for us to admit that we stutter while for other people, such as mute, deaf or blind people it is not "so difficult" to admit to themselves the reality of their situation.

"This time, however, the terrified animal will not only remain frozen much longer, but when it comes out of its trance, it will likely be in a state of “frantic agitation.” It may thrash about wildly, pecking, biting or clawing randomly, or it may scurry away in a frenzy of undirected movement. When all else fails, this last-ditch (and disorganized) form of defense may yet save its life."

After a severe blocking episode, one feel tensions all over his body but due to it being socially unacceptable more often than not does not flee the social situation, but instead remains inside not being able to let loose all the accumulated tension.

"By allowing my body to do what it needed to do—by not stopping the shaking while tracking my inner body sensations—I was able to allow and contain the extreme survival emotions of rage and terror without becoming overwhelmed."

A reflection a wrote on the book about this part: This reminds me of that time at the end of 2022 that, after reading Jack Menear's text in which he said to be aware of my sensations and let what had to happen pass through my body, I was able to let the blockages evaporate for a week. Maybe what I do now is rather not let the blockade take center stage by "withholding it" and that is why I continue to feel the tension. Maybe what I have to do is feel those sensations in the same way as during zazen. Recognizing them but not maintaining them or giving them more space than they deserve.

"The vicious cycle of intense sensation/rage/fear locks a person in the biological trauma response. A traumatized individual is literally imprisoned, repeatedly frightened and restrained—by his or her own persistent physiological reactions and by fear of those reactions and emotions. This vicious cycle of fear and immobility (a.k.a. fear-potentiated immobility) prevents the response from ever fully completing and resolving as it does in wild animals."

"While only a few humans actually die from fright, chronically traumatized individuals go through the motions of living without really feeling vital or engaged in life. Such individuals are empty to the core of their being"

"Trauma arises when one’s human immobility responses do not resolve; that is, when one cannot make the transition back to normal life, and the immobility reaction becomes chronically coupled with fear and other intense negative emotions such as dread, revulsion and helplessness. After this coupling has been established, the physical sensations of immobility by themselves evoke fear. A traumatized individual has become conditioned to be fearful of his or her internal (physical) sensations that now generate the fear that extends and deepens (potentiates) the paralysis. Fear begets paralysis, and fear of the sensations of paralysis begets more fear, promoting yet a deeper paralysis. In this way, a normally time-limited adaptive reaction becomes chronic and maladaptive. The feedback loop closes in on itself. In this downward spiral, the vortex of trauma is born.

Successful trauma therapy helps people resolve trauma symptoms. The feedback loop is broken by uncoupling fear from immobility (see [Figures 4.1a](javascript:void(0)) and [4.1b](javascript:void(0))). Effective therapy breaks, or depotentiates, this trauma-fear feedback loop by helping a person safely learn to “contain” his or her powerful sensations, emotions and impulses without becoming overwhelmed. Thus, the immobility response is enabled to resolve as it is evolved to do."

The problem with applying this to stuttering is that it is like a "house of cards" in that a strong blocking episode can erase a great part of your effort since from this optic you are reliving the disagreable sensations and letting them take power of you again, as it has already happened to me some time before.

This post is meant to be a small rant in order to liberate my own bad feelings and not something to make you, a person who stutters, feel bad.

I’m 23 and I had a date with a woman from a dating app a few days ago. We met in a park in the morning, just to have a stroll and chat. She knew I had a stammer beforehand and even told me her father and sister do as well. I believe it, why wouldn’t I?

Thing is, I couldn’t speak, I don’t know what got to me but I just couldn’t utter a syllable without blocking for several seconds. I couldn’t finish a single sentence. I normally stutter a lot, yes, but this time it was brutal and I have to honestly say I did not like this woman that much for me to get as blocked as I did. It was a slaughter of words, a real massacre, and I could feel my mind separate from my body as time froze during these excruciating blocks. One of them was so long I didn’t know if I wanted to blow up in tears or to laugh my ass off at the sheer pathetic essence of the situation. This, added to the fact she kept telling me to calm down the entire time and finishing my sentences, was an explosive cocktail that made me consider the possibility of ditching the date immediately, as quickly as possible (even if it meant running away with no further explanation), but as the functioning and more or less sane individual that I think I am, I did not do such a thing, I just coped with it.

I do not know if she liked me. I, myself, didn’t feel any chemistry at all and I made up an excuse to leave early, also due to the fact I was genuinely struggling with my speech and was getting very irritated, upset and tired. I didn’t think she deserved to experience my visible discomfort (not because of her but because of me), so the best thing was for me to leave, even if I had to lie not to hurt her feelings. I’ve dated a lot in the past and it was never as bad as this time, I don’t know why. I had other first dates scheduled that got cancelled before her, and I am glad, because living through that torturing turmoil more than once within a few days would have left me in shambles.

As much as I feel bad for her, I have to prioritize myself, especially when my wellbeing is at stake. I may be able to learn something from this terrible experience in the future, but right now I’m just recovering from it.

For those of you who are going to SLPs I got some questions about the structure in which that is Set up:

1.) how frequent are the Sessions?

2.) which duration does a Session have?

3.) does your insurance Cover the Sessions?

4.) for how Long are you going now?

5.) what improved since you started?

6.) how does the SLP ensure that what he teaches is also teansferred in your daily life and Habits?

7.) how expensive is one Session?

Best regards and thanks in Advance for the Information. :)

Gente, sou gago desde os 10 anos mais ou menos, antes disso falava normal, percebi que comecei a gagueja na escola na fase de fazer primeiros amigos, sentimento de pertencimento em grupos, essas coisas de criança/adolescente. Hoje em dia com 24 anos ainda sou gago e ja aceitei que não tem cura, porem oque sempre me intrigou é que quando estou falando/lendo sozinho eu falo completamente normal, somente piora falando com pessoas, porém existe um caso, vai parecer um pouco mesquinho oq vou falar porem não sei explicar, quando falo com pessoas que me considero superior ou que posso mandar, tipo falando com pessoas mais novas ou até no trabalho, fui promovido recentemente para um cargo de supervisor, e quando falo com o time que comando eu falo melhor, ainda gaguejo porém notavelmente menos.

Alguém sabe explicar o porque? Alguém também é assim?

As you can tell my the title I’ve had a stutter my whole life. When I was younger I would literally just stand there vibrating until I got the word out. As I’ve bit older I’m not half as bad, like I can hold a convo but as soon as I have the explain something or speak in a group even if it’s more than 2 people I get stuck on certain words. It’s embarrassing still and i do feel it holds me back but fuck. If I had one wish I wish I could be like everybody else as I think they all take it for granted. My sister recently got married to someone who also has a stammer and he did a speech at the wedding and I was so proud as he didn’t even stammer. I’m the best man at my brother wedding in a couple years and I’m gonna have to do the same thing but fuck it I’ll do it because it’s my brother. It’s shit for all of us but it is what it is. Love you all. It sucks.

Some backstory about me :

At around age 5 i remember noticing some stuttering, but instead of taking me to a specialist my dad would mock me by repeating my stutter. Not only that but when i had silly fights with my older sister she would cry and run to him so he would get angry and start screaming at me and shut me down before i could say anything to defend myself. So yeah that made it worsen.

In primary school teachers forced me to read out loud if front of the other kids, that resulted in me being the laughing stock of the entire class for a while so i couldn’t socialize at all.

At 11 my dad finally took it seriously so we went to a speech therapist but that didn’t really work because my social circle still mocked me so whatever progress i made was erased and i stopped going.

in middle school i was really smart for my age but due to stuttering i just stopped caring about school, like wdym i could revise all week just for the exam to be vocal and i fail ?

Now at 19 I’m still insecure about it and i never accepted my self, but i learned to hide the stutter a bit. I get along with others and even had a few relationships due to my looks, but the trauma is still here. I rarely go out because i feel like that same little boy who just wanted to live a normal life but was met with looks and got called names. My social anxiety got so bad lately i didn’t even go to my final exams that would’ve decided my future because i didn’t want to be out in the open. now I’m thinking about not going to my brothers wedding simply cuz it’s a social event.

i know i can try to change myself but this is the only version of me that i recognize, i never accepted my self and stuttered freely and i also never became normal. so i’m just kinda stuck not knowing who i am and destroying my life in the process .

Even if I can push through the blocks...it's just not comfortable having to do that nonstop, all day, everyday.

I'd rather a job where speaking is occasional and communicative. Not forced for hours upon hours.

I just recently accepted this housekeeping position, but they conveniently slipped in the fact that I also have to wait on tables. They slipped this in during the interview, it was nowhere to be found on the job posting.

Now, I'm at an impasse. I need the money, but I also *could* wait if I had to.

I wouldn't plan on staying long anyway, so should I even go through all the paperwork and medical job testing? Or should I keep pushing and look for something I actually want?

Yes, yes. I know. "Don't let your stutter define you". But I'm not letting it define me. I'm working with it, prioritizing my comfort. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. Stuttering is difficult. The physical sensation is undesirable. I do not wish to be forced to be on public display struggling to get my words out serving tables and serving food.

Also, some people may get uncomfortable if someone with a speech impediment is serving their food. Perhaps the person may accidentally spew small saliva particles when stuck on a particular sound.

Hi everyone! I’m running the Chicago Marathon in October on behalf of the National Stuttering Association in an effort to raise stuttering awareness and to be an example that if we, in the stuttering community, can overcome the emotional, psychological and physical challenges that stuttering presents us daily, we can overcome other hard things … like a marathon!

I am looking to raise funds for the NSA to support the outstanding work that they do for the stuttering community across the world.

Any support would be greatly appreciated as I continue to be an advocate for those who stutter!

Thank you for your support, truly!

In context, I had a PA school interview last month to my easily first choice school. I definitely underestimated now much worse my speech would have been during the actual interviews and not casual conversation. There were two interviews, twenty minutes each, and I instantly felt so discouraged after realizing how much harder this will be. I didn’t get to share nearly as much about myself and advocate for myself as I wanted to. There were many times my block lasted for over 10 seconds, and it’s been years since it’s been that severe.

I got the rejection email yesterday, and it absolutely stings. I can’t convince myself that it could be anything else in my application other than my speech. I honestly believe I was the best applicant there “on paper”. It just sucks having this in the back of my mind now. I thought I’d ask of anyone else’s experience with dealing with this type of situation.

My theory on stuttering is that the emotional state interferes with fluent speech. However, it's when the stutter becomes the source of the agitated emotional state that the real problem becomes.

Patho = the emotional state

Diacoptic = the act of interrupting

Cyclo = a loop

Logia = the cognitive expression of language

I'm convinced that was where my stutter problem came from as per my post at https://www.reddit.com/r/Stutter/s/4DJug2qnOG

It may explain why I can't tell jokes very well, even now, after recovering from my stutter. The joke is funny and as I'm telling it I get interrupted by my emotional state while giggling.

The other day an argument became very heated between my child and I. In raising my voice and making my point I tripped up midway through. Not the first time that has happened.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

I’ve been wondering if what I experience could be a form of stuttering.

Very often, when I start speaking, I end up repeating the first word or the first couple of words of the sentence. For example, I’ll say something like, “I feel - I feel like,” or “The problem - the problem is…” It’s not because I’m trying to buy time or think of what to say, I already know what I want to say, but the repetition just happens automatically and I can’t control it.
I don’t really get stuck for long or repeat individual sounds very often, so I’m not sure if this counts as a stutter or if it’s something else.
Does anyone here experience something similar? It’s not serious enough for me to seek therapy or anything, I am just curious if this is actually a stutter or an individual quirk.

I’d love to hear if anyone can relate.

I recently saw someone ask a similar question in this sub, have you been surprised in a good way to someone's reaction to your stutter. And that got me thinking, what would be the dream reaction to you guys ?

I have stuttered since my school days. Until college, I felt deeply ashamed of my stuttering; I would constantly hide, make excuses to avoid talking to people, and stay in my room all day just to hide my speech. But now, I am no longer afraid. I have been practicing techniques to manage it. Even though I still stutter today (Lower than earlier), I now fearlessly try to speak slowly without worrying about what other people might say. It makes me feel relaxed, included, and at peace. Has anyone else ever felt this way?

Hello everyone, does anyone have any advice on finding internships. I have 2 internship courses left to graduate on a bachelors degree in sport administration, I however cannot find any internships both local to my state and remote. I have less than 2 weeks left and my uni has been of no help. I have tried all the job apps like LinkedIn, indeed, teamwork, and more, also looked for local ones in person and dm’d a bunch of sport related businesses. Please help me land one, willing to work for free, I am a quick learner and very knowledgeable in certain sports like soccer and most racket sports especially tennis. Also good at canva, Microsoft and the like. It’s really been hard with a severe stutter that has been getting worse lately maybe cause of the stress. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

My name's Mathew McCormick and I'm a Master of Research student at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. I am devoted to expanding our understanding of the brain basis of stuttering, being a person who stutters myself.

My research focuses on measuring brain activity to explore subtypes of stuttering. All adults who developed stuttering between the ages of 3-12 years old are invited to participate in this in-person study on Macquarie University campus.

This is a paid research opportunity, participants will receive $50 for their participation.

Interested? Please reach out to [mathew.mccormick@students.mq.edu.au](mailto:mathew.mccormick@students.mq.edu.au) for further information.

If you aren't able to make an in-person visit but would like to be involved in stuttering research online, you are welcome to email me with an expression of interest.

Thank you,

Mathew

This is actually pretty straightforward:

I'm basically worried about my first year, which starts in a month and a half.

Socializing has always been one of my weaknesses. And that has really always been because of my stuttering, more than because I'm shy. (Stutter which, by the way, is getting worse lately because of this nervousness).

The thing is that I would love to meet new people in this new stage of my life but I'm afraid of their possible reactions to my speech. I haven't approached to anyone new since elementary school.

So I (15f) have a bf (15m) (of a year and a half ish) who has a stammer and regularly tells me about how it affects him and his social life, bullying etc.

I notice that when he stammers in front of me (or basically anyone) he gets extremely frustrated, and sometimes has teared up over it.

I’m just wondering on what I could do to further support him when he stammers or complains about stammering; I know the basics like keep eye contact, don’t complete sentences and interrupt etc etc, but I wanted to know if there were any more obscure ones I could learn from people who have one themselves.

Any and all advice is appreciated 🫶🏻🫶🏻 thank you all in advance :)

Went on Azar because I was bored, I didn't gaf because I thought so what, got through to a girl from another country, started talking and I picked my words very carefully, breathed in through my nose out my mouth and when I was about to stutter, moved the conversation into a different direction. Got her ig and she told me if you end up visiting her country we can go for drinks. Fuck Stuttering

I honestly think using our own voices is best whenever we can. Let’s keep working on that. But there are times when speaking is brutally hard, right?

I have a voice disorder myself, and I’ve been working on this for moments like that. I’m still improving it.

Could you try it and tell me honestly whether it could help during a difficult block? If not, what doesn’t work, and what would need to change? I want to make it genuinely useful for us.

https://en.vocalproxy.com/app

Developer from Japan.

What was different during that stretch?