Ever since I was a little girl, I didn’t know any other way to speak, but some form of stuttering. I come from a family of stutters. Even so, throughout my journey to stop stuttering, I learned that stuttering is not hereditary, as most stutterers have no other stutterers in their families. Stuttering is just a bad habit picked up from watching others speak or simply by worrying too much about what other people think of you. I have finally accepted the fact that I can’t control other people’s opinions, and that the only opinion of me that really matters is my opinion of myself. Stopping appearing speech disabled has improved my opinion of myself a great deal.
I teach young children in a private school now. While I’ve learned to avoid stuttering in class, I still struggled with it mightily when addressing faculty, the student body, strangers, etc. I stuttered enough that all my acquaintances knew I stutter. I’ve always been told that stuttering is incurable and must be accepted. The problem has gotten worse because I am increasingly asked to make presentations to faculty or to groups of parents. I really began to panic.
I went online in early 2024 and found Lee Lovett’s books and YouTube videos, and later joined the World Stop Stuttering Association’s website. Golly! I was instantly hooked. The support system from the website, the videos, the practice groups, the hangouts, and the incredible coaches have helped me tremendously.
However, after almost one year of working on it through WSSA which is the world’s only community of ex-stutterers, I am proud to say I no longer stutter. It’s been months now since anyone has viewed my speech as stuttering, even in my presentations to large groups at school. I owe Coach Prathusha and Coach Lee a huge thank you. Even so, nothing is easy, it requires a lot of practice daily, mind training, dedication, and most importantly faith in yourself. Just remember no one is perfect, we all make mistakes, and give ourselves grace.
I’ve met dozens of others who have conquered their stuttering, all through WSSA. So, don’t give up. You can beat it too.
I am now working on learning to love to speak in pressured situations as well. I plan on continuing my daily mind training treatments for life. That’s how we convert stuttering into a blessing and make ourselves the people that we want to be. This is my success story and counting. You can have one like it too. “Believe that you can improve and you will,” as wrote Lee’s psychiatrist a very long time ago. I believe this now and you should too.
Tina, Michigan, July 2024