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Barriers to More Fluency

From: Judy Butler
Date: 06 Oct 2008
Time: 17:07:01 -0500
Remote Name: 72.74.236.64

Comments

I am wondering if any of you observe barriers to increased fluency that prevent someone from changing his/her identity from a person who stutters to a person who is increasingly more fluent. 1. The person who stutters resisting letting go of his/her own identity as a person who stutters; 2. Persons in the environment resist the 'stutterer' becoming a more fluent person. I've read Dr. Montgomery's paper about the benefits of stuttering. I understand that becoming more fluent translates into behavioral changes. The book "Why I called my sister Harry" has a powerful chapter written by the wife of a PWS about her negtive feelings as her husband's communication skills improved. Please speak beyond the sense of - now the PWS makes his own phone calls... - and talk about how there may be a mourning the loss of the identity of a person who stutters. For example, a know a wife who says her children whine that their father would not be their father if his fluency improved. I actually think I see this same phenomenon in elementary school children. Thank you.


Last changed: 10/06/08