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From: Alan Badmington (to Amy)
Date: 12 Oct 2005
Time: 08:22:34 -0500
Remote Name: 84.69.53.133
Hi Amy, Hey, please call me Alan! ‘Mr Badmington’ makes me feel rather old ;-) Thank you for your kind remarks. I note your dual interest in stuttering – both as a parent of an 11 year daughter (who stutters), and as a graduate student at the College of Saint Rose, New York. Incidentally, I visited New York in August a few days after I addressed a class of SLP graduate clinicians at Temple University, Philadelphia. Yes, I did create a hierarchy of speaking situations that I systematically attacked. It was amazing how I grew in confidence as I achieved things that I previously felt lay outside my scope. Did I attend counselling? No, I didn’t but I was fortunate that I belonged to a programme that provided an incredible degree of support (24/7). If you would care to read my paper, ‘STEP OUTSIDE: Why expanding comfort zones can improve our stuttering and lead to more fulfilling lives’, you will gain a far better understanding of the challenges that I devised. Simply click on the following link: http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad6/papers/badmington6.html You will also note that I took every opportunity to attend numerous adult courses/seminars that, at first sight, may appear totally unrelated to stuttering. My decision was influenced by the fact that I wished to place myself in situations where I could interact with persons I did not know. They embraced such subjects as assertiveness, self-esteem, confidence building, positive thinking, public speaking and communication skills. I viewed these challenges as further stepping-stones along the road to personal growth. I wish you every success at the College of Saint Rose. I’m sure that your interest in such events as this ISAD Online Conference will benefit your studies, and your relationship with your daughter. Thank you, once again, for taking the time to respond to my article. Kindest regards Alan