Low self-esteem, frustration or even anger at oneself are common problems for people who stutter. As a result, many SLPs (Speech Language Pathologists) begin treatment for stuttering by helping people accept their stutter. Accepting the stutter is important for a number of reasons:

• Stress about stuttering often makes repetitions and blocking worse.
• People who stutter need to communicate without embarrassment or fear.
• Self-worth is of higher value than fluent speech.

It doesn’t end there, though. Fluent speech can be acquired. Just like someone who doesn’t play piano is not “damaged,” so too, someone without fluent speech is not “damaged.” On the other hand, just like someone without natural musical aptitude can learn to play piano, so too people who do not naturally speak fluently can learn to do so.

“Everyone” knows how to speak, and “everyone” has to learn to play piano.

It’s true, playing piano is generally a learned skill; prodigies like Mozart are rare. However, there are many for whom playing piano is easy, while for some, even picking out the basic notes is difficult. For most people, fluent speech is easily learned. For those who stutter, fluent speech is a great challenge

But I’m ok with my speech, why should I change it?

Are you ok with not knowing how to play the piano, speak French or juggle three balls? Probably.
Why? Because those aren’t activities you need to showcase daily.
Communication is a basic human need, and daily life requires speech. The easier it is to talk, the easier day to day life will be.

In short, stuttering isn’t something bad you do. People who stutter can learn to speak with ease, comfort and fluency. To find out more about gaining fluency, fill in the FREE appointment request form or purchase our e-book, Freeing Your Inner Fluency, a Dramatically Different Outlook on Stuttering.

Begin your path to fluency. Schedule your personal assessment at no cost with Barbara Dahm.

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