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From: Lynne Shields
Date: 09 Oct 2012
Time: 03:06:44 -0500
Remote Name: 84.107.143.212
Dear Vivek, This is a good question and I know it is a real concern for many people who stutter. There are many responses that can be made to speaking partners who interrupt you or who are rude or unkind to you because of stuttering. The way you might respond to those type of situations will vary based on your own personality and communication style, as well as the specifics of a particular incident. The important issue, from my point of view as a speech therapist, is for a person who stutters to find ways to respond that allow them to be true to themselves and to act on the knowledge that they have a right to be heard, and that no one has the right to try to make them feel badly because they happen to stutter sometimes when speaking. Responses can vary from being very straightforward ("I'm not finished talking yet", "please do not interrupt me", "I don't appreciate your rudeness"), to joking (for example, if they mimic your stuttering, "I can stutter better than that; would you like me to show you how to do it?"), to simply ignoring someone who is rude or walking away from them. I think it is important to choose responses that allow you to assert your right to speak and to be treated well, but that fit your own personality and style. I wish you the best! Regards, Lynne