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From: Dick Mallard
Date: 08 Oct 2012
Time: 15:03:32 -0500
Remote Name: 72.178.121.195
Hello friends! I might take a slightly different view of teasing and bullying than some. I was teased considerably about my stuttering, especially in high school. However, I figured that if I could learn to cope with such behavior that I would eventually win in the long run. My strategy was to never let on to my "friends" that their teasing and rudeness made any difference to me whatsoever. Self-talk describing the tormenters with descriptive vocabulary did wonders! Did the teasing bother me? Yes. But, was I in control of my reactions? Again, yes. As a result, I gained confidence in myself and quite frankly, I became tougher for the experiences. When I did receive therapy (Van Riper I might add) at the age of 22, I had no problem with negative listener reactions, desensitization (I already was!), and voluntary stuttering. I owe my high school friends a debt of gratitude for helping me in the long run. It is with great pleasure that I go out of my way to talk extensively to the worst of the teasers at every high school reunion with 100% perfect fluency! I love it. I frequently ask parents, "How can you child learn to deal with teasing if they are never teased?" I will go to my grave believing that developing appropriate coping strategies for stuttering is as important, and maybe even more so, that controlling the act of talking. So, all is not bad. As a matter of fact, I tell all single males who come to me for treatment the following: "Hey, one fact is certain about guys who stutter. They all have drop-dead-beautiful wives!"