Participants in the June intensive therapy program first share how their stuttering makes them feel and then share information about themselves that is true despite their stuttering. These guys have been truly courageous throughout the first two weeks of the program and are now heading into the home stretch.
In the third week of each intensive therapy program, we have the participants contemplate and answer the following questions:
What’s ‘bad’ about stuttering?
What have been the benefits of your stuttering?
Is there any downside to being a more fluent speaker?
Lastly, what are the benefits of managing your speech effectively and speaking more fluently? What is this doing for your life?
Today, the participants will share their lists, and we’ll discuss the matter in a group. It’s always an interesting discussion, and it’s one of the ways that we encourage our clients to embark on a journey of self-exploration as they prepare to re-enter their lives with new speech management strategies and new perspective.
In an individual therapy session at AIS, Joe prepares for an interview by reviewing his vocal fold management strategies and then role playing the interview with his speech therapist, Carl. Of course, Joe is hopeful that he gets the gig, but understands this will be great practice for upcoming interviews if it doesn’t work out in his favor this time.
We’re blessed to have served so many wonderful people. In this post, British actor and writer Simon Boughey shares about his history and friendship with the American Institute for Stuttering. Thanks Simon, for taking the time out to see us, whenever you’re here in NYC.
We continue to follow AIS client Roisin as she leads up to the August intensive program. Last time, she explained why she chose to do an intensive program at AIS. This week, she talks about stuttering at her new job at a hospital.
Yesterday, we started the June intensive program, and the group has already enjoyed getting to know each other with the conversations and laughter that go with that. They’ve also taken bigger steps than they may have ever imagined. That was just the first day!
We’re going to start getting some people in front of the camera today so you can get to know them.
In the meantime, here are some photos from the May intensive program and what they did out of the AIS office.
Several AIS clients have attended local Toastmasters meetings over the years, and here is Matt O’Malley giving his first Toastmasters speech. He even talks about his stuttering in the speech. What an accomplishment!
If you have questions for Matt, you can post them here. We’ll be sure he responds to your questions.
Here’s a short clip of Jodriann talking about how his speech went in front of the crowd of 300 at Monday’s benefit gala. We will soon get the video from the night. We can’t wait to share the speeches and the rest of the gala with you!
Roisin, a new AIS client, talks about how she chose to do an intensive stuttering therapy program at AIS. We’ll be following Roisin as she progresses toward the intensive program and then through it.
Thanks to Roisin for letting us document her journey. We look forward to getting to know her better on the blog, and we hope that you do, too.
