Comments From: Pete Hawkes Date: 10/2/99 Time: 6:02:52 AM Remote Name: 195.92.194.19 Comments Mike, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your paper. As a stammerer myself I do tend to 'set myself up' for failure before a difficult speaking situation. Your approach and ideas have certainly given me alot of 'food for thought'. Having just been in intensive therapy, we have been shown to practice and rehearse a situation then afterwards pick through it to see where we went wrong. Your method is perhaps a contradiction to what I have been advised, however it is something I will try. Yes, I must admit I use to feel that when I stammered I was the centre of the universe, now I am losing that feeling and will apply your techniques to try and lessen it further. Thankyou! I must remember to forget!!!!:-) Re: Comments From: Mike Date: 10/2/99 Time: 12:22:46 PM Remote Name: 142.166.254.48 Comments Pete, Therapy is great! I've nothing against theapy! But, as with other skills, it is sometimes almost impossible to implement the techniques in the "real world." As a group, (and I HATE generalizations!) stutterers are too hard on ourselves. If we would focus more on living, and less on stuttering, we'd live happier and easier lives. (Don't you just HATE it when people get "preachy"?!! herapy! From: Walt Manning Date: 10/5/99 Time: 4:01:33 PM Remote Name: 141.225.97.53 Comments Enjoyed your highly-readable paper Mike. Therapy should involve the cognitive shifts that you are discussing. For therapy to be effective and long-lasting, most adults who stutter need lots of what you are describing. Stuttering: the Real World From: Janell Larsen, Eagan, MN USA Date: 10/6/99 Time: 2:52:44 PM Remote Name: 204.72.75.225 Comments Thank you for your time and article. I found the part of the "fluent lifstyle" something that I will try to with my students as a speech/language therapist. It is an approach that could be use in many different areas of life. We all need to be kinder to ourselves. Re: Stuttering: the Real World From: Mike Date: 10/22/99 Time: 6:52:26 AM Remote Name: 198.164.98.72 Comments Janell, Thanks for your kind words! Letting it go. . . From: Judy Kuster Date: 10/19/99 Time: 5:11:35 PM Remote Name: 134.29.30.79 Comments Thank you so much for sharing your insights. I was particularly interested in the negative self-talk that you sometimes experience regarding stuttering, and some of the helpful strategies you use to drive those thoughts from your mind. You are so right - we tend to awfulize a lot of things we do -- and others barely notice if they do at all, and forget quickly. We hang onto those memories far too long. It applies in many areas of life - including stuttering. Finding ways to let it go is an important part of healing. Great paper! Re: Letting it go. . . From: Mike Date: 10/22/99 Time: 6:54:04 AM Remote Name: 198.164.98.72 Comments Judy, You truly demand a lot of time...first the hours spent preparing the articles, and second, the hours I've just spent trying to look up "awfulize" in the dictionary! :-) Stuttering: the Real World From: Maryann Wilkins Date: 10/21/99 Time: 3:41:52 PM Remote Name: 199.33.133.81 Comments I really enjoyed reading your article! I felt that the biographical excerpts you included really emphasized your point. Although, I have to say I do not know much about playing pool. Regardless, I understood the point you were making. The advice and lessons you gave are suggestions that anyone can and should implement in their own lives when faced with an anxiety provoking situation. Thanks for submitting your article and allowing for me and others to read it. Re: Stuttering: the Real World From: Mike Date: 10/22/99 Time: 6:55:37 AM Remote Name: 198.164.98.72 Comments Maryann, Thanks for the kind words! So, you don't know much about playing pool, eh? Want to play a couple of games for $100? :-)