From: Phillip J. Roberts
A comprehensive approach Stuttering is a complex condition involving much more than the disfluencies that non-stutterers notice. The bulk of the stuttering phenomenon is hidden. Stuttering affects the whole person. Stuttering includes destructive feelings, perceptions and emotions such as shame, embarrassment, guilt, low self-esteem, frustration and fear of particular speaking situations. The stuttering phenomenon also encompasses unusual behaviors such as irregular breathing patterns, eye contact avoidance and word substitutions.Treating such a complex condition requires a comprehensive and holistic approach that addresses each and every aspect of the phenomenon. If one aspect of the stuttering phenomenon is left unchecked, the stutterer is very likely to relapse after a few weeks or months.
Comprehensive Stuttering Therapy is not a cure
Stuttering is not a disease and therefore cannot be cured. Stuttering is a condition that, with the help of adequate stuttering therapy, can be successfully controlled. Comprehensive Stuttering Therapy, as its name implies, is a therapy and is designed to help you control stuttering and increase your fluency.
Understanding stuttering
Comprehensive Stuttering Therapy provides in plain English the basic knowledge needed to be able to grasp the complexity of stuttering. Stuttering can be compared to an iceberg: 90% of the mass of an iceberg is hidden below the surface. Similarly, the bulk of the stuttering phenomenon is hidden. Non-stutterers are usually only aware of the disfluencies (the tip of the iceberg) and have no idea about what is going on 'below the surface'.
Stutterers know that stuttering means a lot more than disfluencies. Stuttering is a complex issue composed of many different elements: negative feelings and emotions, strange behaviors and misconceptions that affect every aspect of a person's life. You will learn how these different elements interact with your speech, reinforce your disfluencies and sabotage your efforts to become fluent. Stuttering obviously cannot be effectively and durably eliminated if these hidden elements are ignored. Effective stuttering therapy should consider and address the entire stuttering phenomenon.
The exercises
Part II of Comprehensive Stuttering Therapy is composed of 30 exercises that are designed to help you to effectively and permanently control stuttering. Some of these exercises directly target the speech mechanism while the others aim at altering your self-destructive emotions, feelings and behaviors.
You will find below some of the topics that are dealt with in these exercises:
· Relaxation of the muscles of your larynx. Stutterers have a tendency to involuntarily tense the muscles of their larynx and this causes stuttering blocks. Relaxing the muscles of the larynx is not easy because they are difficult to locate and you will be taught how to relax them properly.
· How to breathe in a way that promotes fluent speech. Stutterers often have irregular breathing patterns and you will learn how to breathe in a relaxing way and how to promote fluency by properly synchronizing breathing with speech.
· How to emphasize the vibration of your larynx and how this can help prevent stuttering blocks from occurring.
· How to avoid triggering the contraction of the muscles of your larynx, mouth, lips and tongue.
· How to positively alter the perceptions you have about yourself, your stuttering and other people.
· Anticipations about speech and communication with others.
· The importance of eye contact.
· How to deal with your emotions and prevent them from affecting your fluency.
· How to speak without resorting to word substitution or fillers.
· Discard the hidden intentions that unconsciously sabotage your efforts to become fluent.
· How to prevent stress from interfering with your fluency.
Part II of Comprehensive Stuttering Therapy is composed of 30 exercises that are designed to help you to effectively and permanently control stuttering. Some of these exercises directly target the speech mechanism while the others aim at altering your self-destructive emotions, feelings and behaviors.
You will find below some of the topics that are dealt with in these exercises:
· Relaxation of the muscles of your larynx. Stutterers have a tendency to involuntarily tense the muscles of their larynx and this causes stuttering blocks. Relaxing the muscles of the larynx is not easy because they are difficult to locate and you will be taught how to relax them properly.
· How to breathe in a way that promotes fluent speech. Stutterers often have irregular breathing patterns and you will learn how to breathe in a relaxing way and how to promote fluency by properly synchronizing breathing with speech.
· How to emphasize the vibration of your larynx and how this can help prevent stuttering blocks from occurring.
· How to avoid triggering the contraction of the muscles of your larynx, mouth, lips and tongue.
· How to positively alter the perceptions you have about yourself, your stuttering and other people.
· Anticipations about speech and communication with others.
· The importance of eye contact.
· How to deal with your emotions and prevent them from affecting your fluency.
· How to speak without resorting to word substitution or fillers.
· Discard the hidden intentions that unconsciously sabotage your efforts to become fluent.
· How to prevent stress from interfering with your fluency.
