[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Lee
Date: 03 Oct 2007
Time: 13:10:38 -0500
Remote Name: 71.96.169.41
Thank you for reading the story and your questions. Yes, I did have access to a support group for stuttering. I was fortunate to have attended several meetings of the National Council of Stutterers in Washington, DC. It was the first "national" self-help group for stuttering organized during the early years of the so called "self-help movement" in the 1960s. it was that exposure to others who stutter in a safe and accepting environment that was not only critical for my own self acceptance but also planted the seed for my life long involvement in self-help / mutual aid with the National Stuttering Association. Regarding the issue of never talking about my stuttering with Dr. Malnati perhaps some clarification is necessary. Keep in mind that I was a high school kid working in an animal hospital and Dr. Malnati was my boss. While we did not have frank and open discussions about my stuttering I never felt as though it was a taboo subject. I do not regard that as unusal for the era or even for today in a similar situation. Open disclosure and speaking freeley about one's stuttering is often a major obstacles for PWS. However, it is a critical issue that must be overcome if significant improvement in fluency and/ or communication are to be achieved and sustained. Hope this answers your questions.