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About the presenter: Judy Kuster, M.S. in speech-language pathology and M.S. in counseling, is a professor in Communication Disorders at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is well-published in Internet resources and has presented at state, national and international conferences. She is the webmaster for Net Connections for Communication Disorders and Sciences and the Stuttering Home Page as well as the coordinator of this online conference. She holds Specialty Recognition in Stuttering and is a member of the Division #4 Fluency and Fluency Disorders. She is a member of the National Stuttering Association, the International Fluency Association and the International Stuttering Association. |
PWS Speak for Themselves Online
by Judy Kuster
from Minnesota, USA
Telling your personal story has become an important part of "therapy," including therapy for stuttering. There are numerous ways people who stutter tell their stories. "Open mic" sessions at self-help group meetings and conferences have become very popular ways for people who stutter to tell their touching and inspiring personal stories in an open forum. At the 2005 National Stuttering Association Convention in Chicago, one person told of always wearing a too-small shoe because it was difficult for him to say 11. A woman shared how she used to refer to her brother as "my mother's son" to avoid the word brother.
Others have published autobiographies about their stuttering.:
- Jezer, M. (1997). Stuttering: A life bound up in words. New York: Basic Books.
- Love, Robert E (2000) The Bob Love Story: If It's Gonna Be, It's Up To Me, Chicago, Illinois: Contemporary Books.
- Murray, Frederick P. (1980). A stutterer's story. Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America.
- Shields, David, Dead Languages:
- Steele, Lise G. Cloutier, (1991) Living & Learning With A Child Who Stutter: From A Parent's Point Of View, NC Press Limited,
Another place where people who stutter tell their stories is on the Internet. This paper will highlight several examples. The reader is invited to explore these insightful stories, which are often used for discussion in therapy and self-help group meetings.
The International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) online conferences for the past seven years have provided many opportunities for people who stutter to share information and tell their own stories. Below are a few examples, all worth re-reading!! Search past online conferences for additional excellent examples!
1998 — The Power of Your Voice
- Paths Toward Recovery, featuring a panel of Kristin Chmela (Illinois, USA), Geoff Johnston (South Australia), Walt Manning (Tennessee, USA) and Bob Quesal (Illinois, USA)
- Born with a Broken Tongue, by Martin Casey (Ireland)
- Stages of Coping: A Stutterer's Journey from Denial to Integration by Louise Heite (Iceland)
- Speaking Is My Challenge -- And I'm Facing Up To It by Marty Jezer
1999 — Many Languages, One Voice
- The Stuttering Paradox: A Trap To Full Acceptance. Some Journal Based Thoughts From A Covert Stutterer by Lieven Grommen (Belgium)
- Stuttering: the Real World by Michael Hughes (Canada)
- Change by David Preece (United Kingdom)
- "TEENS — The Best Stuttering Years of Your Life?" by Gina Waggott (United Kingdom)
2000 — Reach Out to Children Who Stutter
- The Real World of Jobs by Karen Lewis (Ohio, USA), Gunars Neiders (Washington, USA), Lee Reeves (Texas, USA), Louis Roden (Georgia, USA), David Steiner (New York, USA), and Ann Van Der Berg (South Africa)
- Lessons from Within the Stuttering Community: Perspective of a Teenager and his Parent by Jay Castleberry and Susan Short Castleberry, (Illinois, USA)
- Stuttering and James Griffin by James Griffin (Melbourne, Australia)
- Childhood: the pain of stuttering by Mike Hughes (Canada) Questions/comments
2001 — YOU ARE NOT ALONE: Transforming Perceptions
- My Words Have Wings — Finally! by James Abbott, Jr. (Michigan, USA)
- "I've Got a Secret — And It's Scaring Me to Death! (The Story of a Covert Stutterer)" by Steve Hood (Alabama, USA) and Chris Roach (Texas, USA).
- A Search for Fluency That Ended With Acceptance by Craig Stephenson (Idaho, USA)
- Life Lessons: Putting Stuttering into Perspective by Candace Webster (Michigan, USA)
2002 — Don't Let Stuttering Stop You...
- Getting on with Life by Adam Demello (Alaska, USA)
- One chronic stutterer's path to fluency and his supposition by Huang Haiyin (China)
- The Gift of Stuttering by Russ Hicks (Texas, USA)
- Parents: A Source of Comfort and Support by Sophie Bell Sacca (New York, USA) and David and Nicola Bell (Arizona, USA)
2003 — "INTERNATIONAL STUTTERING AWARENESS" is everyday. . . We just celebrate it on October 22!
- A Stutterer's Odyssey Through Life. by Dorvan Breitenfeldt (Washington, USA)
- Breaking the cocoon and discovering who I am by Marija Cvetkovic (Croatia)
- Passing As Fluent by Terry Dartnall (Australia)
- My Personal Experience with Stuttering and Meditation. by Ellen-Marie Silverman (Wisconsin, USA)
2004 — International Year of the Child Who Stutters
- Looking Back and Looking Forward: It Gets Easier by several authors from around the world
- Obsessions with Language, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Stutter by Jesse Loesberg (California, USA)
- My Personal Transformation by Masaki Nagao (Japan)
- Tongue Tied. by John Ravenscroft (England)
2005 — Community Vision for Global Action
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This year's conference also features several personal stories by people who stutter. The authors are not only eager for you to read what they have to say, but also to respond to your questions/comments on the threaded discussions attached to their papers.
Another resource created by people who stutter can be found on the Stuttering Home Page, under "People Who Stutter Speak For Themselves." These brief autobiographies were written by persons who stutter. They include information about therapy programs they have tried, about their successes and disappointments, about their goals and aspirations. Many include helpful information about how they want listeners to respond to them. The most recent edition features the selections indexed below. All are accessible on http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/PWSspeak/PWSspeak.html
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