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From: Peter Reitzes
Date: 09 Oct 2005
Time: 21:58:19 -0500
Remote Name: 69.22.238.4
Great question Katie. Determining success using voluntary stuttering really comes down to how the client defines success. When people who stutter hold realistic voluntary stuttering goals such as reducing speaking fears and practicing speaking strategies, I feel voluntary stuttering has endless potential. During a voluntary stuttering workshop I co-facilitated in New York City a gentlemen participated by using voluntary stuttering one time while speaking to a stranger. After stuttering on purpose a single time, this gentleman came over to me and said that he was going home because the voluntary stuttering “did not work.” When I asked him what he meant, he explained that he expected voluntary stuttering to immediately eradicate his stuttering. At that point in his life he felt that any effort he put into working on his speech must be geared towards quickly eradicating or curing his stuttering. His goals were, in my opinion, far from realistic. Because his goals were unrealistic he failed. The other workshop participants used voluntary stuttering to practice stuttering openly and they all felt successful because they were facing their fears. As far as the length of time a person should expect to use voluntary stuttering, I discuss this topic in my response to Jodi on October 9.