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From: Kristin Pelczarski
Date: 16 Oct 2008
Time: 13:04:12 -0500
Remote Name: 151.195.3.100
Hi Jolene - Thanks for your comments and questions. I didn't originally create the grapefruit analogy, but I adapted it for use with stuttering from an analogy that I had read written by Debbie Ford. Another one I adapted from her illustrate the repercussions of avoiding something involves a big beach ball. Did you ever try to hold one of those under water for a long period of time? Sometimes it can be quite a struggle to keep the ball hidden under the surface of the water. Regardless of how long it is held underwater, often times, the effort ends with the ball shooting up out of the water - out of control. Things like speech and beach balls don't always respond well to being controlled. Then, despite all the efforts to keep it hidden, it may launch itself high into the air drawing more attention than was intended! I am a big fan of analogies! As to how often do I use it? Once is generally enough to illustrate the concept (usually for non-stuttering folks) or create a starting point for thinking about and discussing ways a person who stutters might avoid (and what those implications might be). Hope that helps!