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From: Kevin O'Neill
Date: 21 Oct 2012
Time: 19:12:25 -0500
Remote Name: 24.18.229.12
Thanks for the comment! Your idea about projecting an image is really important. People judge us more by body language than by many other factors: you could be stuttering badly but if you're making eye contact, have good posture, and look like you're at ease, that may be more important for making a good impression. (Years ago I assumed people were reacting negatively to my stuttering, but in retrospect it seems much more likely their reactions were to my projection of shame or panic.) More important, though, is that the mind-body connection goes both ways. If you have calm, confident body language (even if you don't feel calm or confident) it actually helps you feel that way. Then you'll be breathing more deeply and your chest and jaw will be more relaxed, so speech is easier. Basically body language is a fantastic "foot in the door" to breaking down the whole stuttering system, and definitely worth working on in a therapy regimen.