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From: Carla
Date: 16 Oct 2012
Time: 10:19:55 -0500
Remote Name: 108.8.240.60
Hi Dale, I agree that there does not have to be abusive treatment, either physically or emotionally to instill internal fear. I remember having dreams as a child where someone was chasing me with a gun, and I could not cry out or scream for help. The dream never had an ending, but it seems that the dream repeated itself numerous times before my 5th birthday. I did not stutter as a result, but have had that fear on an off throughout my life. I know that children do have dreams that are scary, that seem to come from nowhere, in spite of happy families. I'm wondering if those early dreams can just be the initial fear trigger for stuttering? Or for those who don't stutter, for some other fear. Since your earliest memory was the dream of not being able to call out for help, even before you could speak, do you think that may have been the precipitating event for your stuttering? Life's events can affect us in ways we may never know, but it seems that there are ways to unlock the secrets, and you have found yours! Do you think that some of the earlier therapy techniques may have worked better if paired with understanding what stuttering is, and looking into past events, probing for the beginning? I think today, most therapists do not just focus on the speech - but work on emotions and feelings and perceptions. Carryover for any behavioral change is difficult, and persistence and practice are key, along with understanding. Thanks for sharing your journey.