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From: Rob Grieve
Date: 18 Oct 2007
Time: 04:33:56 -0500
Remote Name: 62.136.119.41
Hi Margaret and Renata, Thank you for your response and questions. I am replying to both of you at the same time as your questions are strongly related. As regards previous formal therapy it would have helped me a lot more if we had focused more on the emotional/confidence issues as well as the mechanics of speech. As I am sure you realize there is a link between your speech (action) and the often negative (reaction) of people and how that can sap self confidence! To ignore the emotional aspect is not dealing with the whole issue. At some of the workshops at the 5th World Congress of IFA July 2006 at Trinity College Dublin, some PWS made an analogy with an “iceberg”…….the dysfluency is only the tip…..what about the huge emotional part that is unseen! On how to build confidence, not easy to answer! Age and maturity, small achievements in life have all been crucial in building confidence…one step at a time. Also encourage PWS not to be too hard on themselves in relation to 100% fluency! Many “fluent” people…block, ummh aah when they speak! Unfortunately, we are often very sensitive about our dysfluency as it can play a pivotal role in our lives. The aim is often to carry on regardless and try to focus on what you say not always how it is said…easier said than done, maturity certainly helps!! Please see the fantastic paper in this ISAD 10 conference Two Things I Wish I'd Known About Stuttering When I Was Younger by Alan Badmington (Wales, UK)…which I have recommended to many people. Within the last couple of years I have started to joke (humour…fantastic tool) and use self disclosure about my dysfluency. Need to feel the time is right and that you are confident in your self. When I teach on physiotherapy courses nationally, always indicate to the participants about my speech dysfluency……..fantastic release of pressure to present 100% fluency, enable me to concentrate on what is said not how it is said!! BUILDS THE CONFIDENCE UP! As regards avoidance of the topic and family (speech dysfluency) see Alan Badmington paper. Never avoid discussion of the topic……..it will eventually turn up and cause a lot of pain. However, with our daughter (age 8 now) when she was about 4 yrs old she did stutter on certain words, we ignored it (no pressure on fluency) and the small bout of dysfluency was resolved! I think the issue of avoidance is more pertinent when a person has a definite speech dysfluency. Hope this helps………. Kind regards, Rob