Anatomy and Physiology of Costal Breathing

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Response to Paper

From: Geoff Johnston
Date: 03 Oct 2011
Time: 18:31:32 -0500
Remote Name: 118.210.14.245

Comments

I note your comments on an essay I wrote several years ago regarding the McGuire Programme. My paper was not meant to be a scientific paper in any form but a general explanation of the physical process used by the Programme to enable people to experience stutter free speech. We take people who cannot speak on the first morning of a course and three hours later they are standing up in front of 50+ people saying their names, addresses and phone numbers flawlessly. The only thing we have taught them during that time is the McGuire speaking technique which includes the breathing method denigrated in your paper. Two and a half days later they are standing up at Darling Harbour in Sydney giving a speech to hundreds of people without one stutter! It works! However, the McGuire breathing and speaking technique is only a part of our holistic approach to overcoming stuttering which includes addressing the fear and anxiety and other psychological components associated with stuttering. Because the end of our 4-day intensive course is just the start of a person’s recovery, most important is the ongoing coaching and support available to members of the Programme. Part of your role it seems is to comment on the lack of “evidence and efficacy data” to support costal breathing and other techniques used by the McGuire Programme. My role is simply to help people who stutter become effective communicators and we do that quite successfully. Our evidence is real life changes, quality-of-life issues that see graduates change careers, win area, state and division public speaking competitions, start their own businesses as trainers, motivators and speech coaches. Refer www.feelthefear.com.au and www.affirmyourpower.com.au for just two examples of McGuire graduates who have changed their lives around speaking. I do agree whole-heartedly with your statement that “It is our hope that future research will illuminate what is working and why”. I’m sure David McGuire would welcome a scientific study into why his programme is life-changing for the majority of graduates. The costs and expertise involved in such a study is beyond the resources of the Programme. A great title for your next paper might be “Conversations with Recovered Stutterers – how did they do it?” I can provide you with a list of people to interview.


Last changed: 10/03/11