| If you are a person who suffers from stuttering, | | | | only way to dissolve that baggage we carry as a |
| you'd know that stuttering is more than just a | | | | result of our disfluent speech. |
| physical speech block. It is a block in our choices, | | | | Mistake #6: Focusing on why one cannot |
| in our decisions, in our personality, in our potential, | | | | overcome stuttering instead of why one should |
| in what we can achieve and who we can become | | | | overcome it |
| in life! | | | | I have met and worked with thousands of |
| Therefore, finding a solution to stop stuttering | | | | stutterers and coached easily hundreds of them. |
| becomes a huge desire in a stutterer's life...and the | | | | There is one thing in common in almost all |
| most popular solution alternative has always been | | | | stutterers... and that is negativity. We, as |
| stuttering/speech therapy. Unfortunately, no | | | | stutterers, are too much into finding the negative |
| matter which stuttering therapy stutterers go | | | | and why we cannot make it instead of coming up |
| through, the results are almost always turn out to | | | | reasons why we should and will make it happen. |
| be the same; no or temporary results! | | | | Remember that, whether you believe it will |
| Why do you think that is the outcome in almost | | | | happen or not, you are probably right! |
| all cases? | | | | Mistake #7: Going through a speech therapy |
| In this article, I am going to list 9 worst mistakes | | | | program because that is what your loved ones |
| you should avoid when it comes to benefiting | | | | want for you |
| from a stuttering therapy. | | | | This is about you, therefore it needs to be the |
| Here they are... | | | | right time for you. You need to be ready for the |
| Mistake #1: Expecting to learn a physical technique | | | | change. Stuttering is not just a speech block, it is |
| which will cure your stutter | | | | a block in our choices, in our potential, in our |
| I had done this mistake myself for years. Going | | | | dreams. Therefore, overcoming stuttering is not |
| to any kind of speech therapy program and | | | | just a change in your speech, it is a change in |
| expecting to learn a physical technique which will | | | | who you are and who you can become. This is a |
| cure your stuttering the next day simply means | | | | matter of living a life where stuttering is not an |
| losing this game before you even start it. | | | | obstacle on your way to live a confident, |
| Anybody or any program promising you this... is | | | | successful, fulfilled life!.. and that needs to take |
| misleading you in the most innocent terms! | | | | place when you are ready to make it happen. |
| Mistake #2: Aiming for complete fluency | | | | Mistake #8: Not understanding the difference |
| One need to realize that fluency is not the | | | | between a therapy room and real life situations |
| objective, it is a consequence! Fluency comes as a | | | | I used to think like; "why the hell I sound great in |
| by-product. Therefore, remember that there are | | | | the therapy room but stutter severely once I |
| a lot more beneficent aspects to aim for (such as | | | | step in the outside world?". It was very |
| learning effective tools which will give you the | | | | frustrating, because I couldn't explain why the |
| confidence to face your fears and expand your | | | | heck this was happening. I was lost in zillions of |
| comfort zones) rather than aiming for fluency | | | | question marks in my head. |
| during and after a speech therapy program for | | | | The controlled environment is the reason. Since |
| the purpose of hiding your stutter! | | | | stuttering is not just a physical speech problem |
| Mistake #3: Choosing a speech therapy program | | | | and it involves the whole person; once you are |
| which focuses solely on physical speech | | | | alone in the real world situations, those factors |
| mechanisms | | | | take the lead and that creates the "stuttering |
| Stuttering needs to be approached holistically. | | | | mindset" which causes you to experience speech |
| Stuttering is not just a speech problem; it is a | | | | struggles. |
| system problem involves the whole person. Your | | | | Mistake #9: Not being involved in a support group |
| emotions, limiting beliefs, divided intentions, | | | | post-therapy |
| self-image, mentality, fears, confidence, mind | | | | As we all know, there is no cure for stuttering. |
| psychological state, and a lot more are all involved | | | | So, just like any other skill, reaching a desired level |
| when it comes to stuttering. Therefore, all those | | | | in your speech is a process... and there will be ups |
| factors need be addressed to overcome | | | | and downs throughout this process. Therefore, |
| stuttering effectively and permanently. | | | | when you are experiencing one of those "downs" |
| Mistake #4: Expecting that stuttering is a problem | | | | you need strong, supportive people around you to |
| which can be "fixed" | | | | understand, support and lead you to the right |
| Stuttering is not a problem which can be "fixed", it | | | | direction. |
| is a problem which, the way I put it, can be | | | | I had gone through almost all kinds of speech |
| dissolved. I agree that stuttering is a mysterious | | | | therapy programs out there, tried almost all |
| puzzle; however it is still a puzzle! Therefore, if | | | | products on stuttering.. but I ended up getting the |
| you put the right pieces in the right places on the | | | | same results every single time; me looking in the |
| right time it can be solved and dissolved. There | | | | mirror in a worse condition than pre-therapy. |
| are hundreds, if not thousands of living proofs of | | | | Frustration, anger, hopelessness... |
| this. | | | | It is not until I met some amazing people who |
| Mistake #5: Using the learned tools/techniques as | | | | had been able to overcome stuttering and were |
| tricks to hide ones stuttering and giving up on the | | | | more than happy to show me to do the same, to |
| first block post- therapy | | | | get the results I had been looking for years. So, |
| Don't focus on not getting blocks. Don't focus on | | | | be aware of those mistakes I mentioned above. |
| using your fluency tools to hide your stutter. | | | | Don't do the mistakes I and thousands of other |
| Instead, use your tools, techniques, strategies, | | | | stutterers had done. Life is too short to learn only |
| etc. to build up the confidence to go out, face | | | | from your mistakes, learn from other's mistakes |
| your fears, expand your comfort zones and | | | | as well! |
| prove yourself that you can do this. That is the | | | | |