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From: Terry Dartnall
Date: 10/3/03
Time: 7:16:57 PM
Remote Name: 132.234.9.96
Hi Valentina
What an interesting mail! When you came out into the open with your stuttering you felt better about it, but then your stuttering got worse. Your confidence deteriorated and you lost your avoidance mechanism. I say in my paper that I am always hoping that my speech will improve, which will lead to improved confidence, which will lead to improved speech, and so on upwards. It does seem to me that you’ve had the opposite experience. You came out into the open, and this seems to have affected your confidence, which has affected your stuttering, and so on.
I do wish we knew more about this. The received wisdom in the overt community is that we should “come out” and be open about it. I would find this very hard to do, partly because I’m afraid of the kind of outcome that you describe.
But Valentina, I’m sure it will come good for you. It took a great deal of courage to come out and be open like that, and that kind of courage will pull you through, even though you’re doing it tough at the moment. You say, “I feel as though life is passing quickly …” I love it! You’re only 23! All of the good stuff lies ahead!
Terry