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Re: An effective attitude for PWSs

From: Steve Hood
Date: 10/17/01
Time: 12:20:45 PM
Remote Name: 199.33.133.50

Comments

Hello, John

You might want to check out the paper that Chris Roach and I did for this ISAD conference: "I've got a secret.... story of a covert stutterer). This has information that may be of interest to you.

Woody gave you some very good advice. Anything I might add would be along the same lines. When the feelings of inferiority, guilt and shame all coexist with the frustration, struggle and fear, it is understandable that the PWS would try to avoid words, people and situations, etc, associated with stuttering. This is why we need to help the PWS to become more accepting and tolerant of stuttering. Fear and avoidance only serve to help perpetuate the problem. Elsewhere in the ISAD Conference, there are papers dealing with desensitization that you may find helpful. Of course, this involves taking some short term risks in order to achieve some long term goals, and as Woody indicated, this doesn't happen over night. It taked time. It also helps to have a supportive clinician. Those PWS who are chasing the "Fluency God" and trying to be 100% fluent as a result of tricks and avoidances are on a collision course with setbacks because the shame and guilt and denial and fear and avoidances remain strong. Acceptance is important, and those who show this acceptance are able to do such things as voluntary stuttering -- they are able and willing to "advertise" their stuttering -- willing to talk openly about it.

You have raised an important issue, and I hope others will join in and add to this discussion.

Best wishes on your journey !!


Last changed: September 14, 2005