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From: Anita
Date: 06 Oct 2010
Time: 09:39:50 -0500
Remote Name: 217.209.3.225
Hi Caitlin No, I didn't feel confident with my speech. My youth was filled with bullying and bad experiences. SO much I was suicidal when I was 18. You can find my life story at Pam Mertz' fabulous site http://stutterrockstar.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/proud-of-me-finally-episode-11/ It defenitely was a learning process. To find myself, to accept myself and to live life despite my stutter. But being surrounded by people who stutter and helping others to find ways to live life to the fullest, has helped me tremendously! The minute I met stutterers my age, spending the whole night telling jokes, I knew I would spend the rest of my life being the face and voice for people who stutter. And to help others coming out and take charge of their lifes, as well as making decision makers listen. But being with teens is so amazing, because the change they make in just one week is so amazing, I get tears of pride by jut thinking of them!!! We don't work with therapy. With the youngsters we work with making them aware of their rights and their abilities to make a change. We use workshops making them express themselves, by all different ways, from theatre to computer presentations/websites. The kids get to play, play and play while we use games where they are challenged to speak, while the parents are with therapists and learn more about stuttering and their rights as parents. So I guess the red thread is to make them proud of themselves no matter what and to make them speak up for themselves, children, young adults and parents. Keep talking! Anita