Booked up for MacGuire

[Clairy]

Thought I would let you know I'm booked up to go to The MacGuire Project in Cardiff in February.. I'm soo excited because apparently it really works and it helps you talk fluently.. A lot of famous people went to it as well and have had such good results!..
I'll let you all know what it's like and if it really works cause it might be a good idea!.. It's pretty expensive but it's hopefully totally worth it!!..
Take care everyone :) xx

[kghayesh]

Hey that's great news !! I really hope it works out :) Let us updated on how it goes by.... ah and btw how much did it cost?

[tb1223]

Thought I would let you know I'm booked up to go to The MacGuire Project in Cardiff in February.. I'm soo excited because apparently it really works and it helps you talk fluently.. A lot of famous people went to it as well and have had such good results!..
I'll let you all know what it's like and if it really works cause it might be a good idea!.. It's pretty expensive but it's hopefully totally worth it!!..
Take care everyone :) xx

That sounds awesome. I've heard great things about MacGuire as well...do you know if they have any meetings/programs in the US?

[Invictus]

That sounds awesome. I've heard great things about MacGuire as well...do you know if they have any meetings/programs in the US?

McGuire started in the US and they have alot of programs mostly on the West Coast.

I went through the program and to a refresher course.

My main problem is they put too much emphasis on being 100% fluent. They get visibly upset with you when you do not live up to their standards.

If someone has been stuttering for 20 years, it is kind of hard to get rid of the habit in 3 days. But they kind of expect you to do so, and put you down if you aren't 100% fluent.

That is just my experience. I learned alot of positive things from the program in terms of psychology of a stutter, but I wouldn't go back to a refresher course.

[Adrian]

McGuire started in the US and they have alot of programs mostly on the West Coast.

I went through the program and to a refresher course.

My main problem is they put too much emphasis on being 100% fluent. They get visibly upset with you when you do not live up to their standards.

If someone has been stuttering for 20 years, it is kind of hard to get rid of the habit in 3 days. But they kind of expect you to do so, and put you down if you aren't 100% fluent.

That is just my experience. I learned alot of positive things from the program in terms of psychology of a stutter, but I wouldn't go back to a refresher course.

McGuire is also holding courses in Washington DC now. I have done the program and several refreshers. It is not a stuttering cure and it will not make you magically fluent, but you will learn some good tools and be part of a great support group. Some instructors are very tough and demanding as Invictus says, but most are much more easy going. I actually like the tougher instructors more, but that is just me.

[Perad]

Clairy, I would be very thankful if you could post back here when you have finished the course with your experience/changes etc.

[Clairy]

I'll definately get back to you when I come back :D.. I hope the people there are a lot nicer than what you guys have said! I'll probably cry if they're mean lol!..
To the person asking how much it costs, well, the course I'm going to, it costs £700 or something, but if you want to book into the hotel then there are added expenses, I have relatives in Wales so we are going to stay with them for the week! :)..
Thank you soo much for replying, you guys are awesome! :p xx

[Jeff99]

good on you mate i remember my first course in 2004. it's alot of hard work but if you work are an honestly give it your all the results will shock you mate.

good luck champ

[Clairy]

yeah i've been told its a lot of hard work, which i'm fine with cause it's gonna pay off hopefully!..
thank you soo much for the feedback :D

[Arif]

Clairy, i was on the McGuire program in Cardiff.

Are you Claire? the one who made half the room cry in your farewell speech? :)

[xinhai]

Woah....what did that person say / how was it said that made people cry?

Also, Clairy did you finish your program?


Clairy, i was on the McGuire program in Cardiff.

Are you Claire? the one who made half the room cry in your farewell speech? :)

[DKoz]

Thought I would let you know I'm booked up to go to The MacGuire Project in Cardiff in February.. I'm soo excited because apparently it really works and it helps you talk fluently.. A lot of famous people went to it as well and have had such good results!..
I'll let you all know what it's like and if it really works cause it might be a good idea!.. It's pretty expensive but it's hopefully totally worth it!!..
Take care everyone :) xx

That's great! Good luck with your course.

Is it an intense course, meaning do they cover a lot of topics and you have to practice a lot on your own?

Because I signed up for a course that was through the University of Toronto and it ran for 3 weeks. I had intense classroom work lots of homework in the evenings where I had to record my voice while working.

Dan

[Clairy]

oh my god, Arif yeah i'm the one who made people cry lol!..

the course was amazing, feel so different and Arif, you dont so well, what a difference!

god, what a small world eh?

i would totally recommend the MacGuire Programme people, it's a dream come true!

[Clairy]

the goodbye speech was really emotional for everyone, i never meant to make half the room cry but i couldn't help it, lol, i started crying straight away and couldn't stop!..

i can't even remember what i said!..
i finished the course yeah, so did Arif!
VERY hard work and really early hours to late at night but the hard work definately has paid off, if you can get to a course then you really should, it's definately a dream come true like i said, i can't believe the difference!

[emily0624]

Hey, interesting to hear about your course, and congrats on finishing it. And that's great about the farewell speech, hah! .. :)

[Arif]

Claire! how are you?

lol, very small world..

Yeh I was proud of myself but i'm finding it difficult using the technique outside in the real world.

I have been mocking alot of people with deliberate dysfluency just to see their confused reactions which is amusing lol.

How are you finding it?

Attended any support groups yet?

I went to one yesterday.

Also, Alan Rogers has the final day speeches on video - i'm getting mine off him, you can ask him for yours too.

[Arif]

About the farewell speech.

I dont remember much either but Claire just started off with her name and said 'that sounds good doesn't it'

Because she struggled with it on the first day.

Then her voice broke as she said how proud she was of everyone and how far we'd all come (or something like that)

There was more but i dont remember except her thanking everyone and seeing half the room with tears in their eyes.

You almost had me in tears too - but i just managed to hold on! :rolleyes:

[xinhai]

Hrm...which program did you guys all meet at? where is this program? (I live in the US myself) Haha...can you post a transcript/copy/breif synopsis of the speech you gave? or better yet, even a video :D

[bignick]

Claire,

I am very pleased for you that you completed the course and feels it has made a difference.

From what I understand there is a lot of practice involved in keeping fluent but it is worth it to see an improvement in your speech.

Nick

[Clairy]

Arif!!
i'm really good thanks! yourself?
i'm finding it really good talking with the deliberate dysfluency just to confuse people, my boyfriend went mad when i told him i was meaning it hehe :D
you managed to get through a few contacts on your list yet then?
did you like the course?
i havent been to any support groups yet but i'm booked for the course in Newcastle in May!! really excited about that, a lot of the new students from Cardiff are going, so is Graeme Duffin - the drummer for Wet Wet Wet! my mum will be so chuffed haha!!..

----

as for my speech, i have the video on my phone, my did recorded it but its not very clear, when i get the dvd i'll get it on the pc people! :]..
yeah Arif, i started with my name and said somethin like "how awesome was that" or somethin, and i said "seeing the new students stand up here without a bother and say a speech was the best feeling in the world" or something, then i turned to Alan, Antony, Andrew and Iain and i started crying and saying thank you, made Alan cry i think lol!..
then i said "it means so much that i can now say what i want when i want how i want it"..
it's all a blur! but thats kinda how it went, then i said more thank you things to people and stuff.. i didn't mean to make people cry though, hell, I didn't even mean to cry!!

[seasand]

Clairy and others:

Is the £700 including refreshing course and support group cost?

I plan to get a stutter treatment any way, It would be around Aus $1500, If not too much additional cost, I would like to try aslo.

In reality, It's hard to know a speech pathologist good or not.

Thanks :)

[Derek181]

There is a program up in Canada called Istar, and i swear its the best program ever. the slp's there are great. its a world renowned institution and when i took the intensive, everyone was fluent after. its a three week long course, full days. It was the best money ive ever spent in my life haha. Like they have people from all around the globe go there. its pretty sweet, id recommend anyone who wants to overcome their stutter to go there. I havent heard much on the mcquire program except for gareth gates went through it.

[Arif]

Arif!!
i'm really good thanks! yourself?
i'm finding it really good talking with the deliberate dysfluency just to confuse people, my boyfriend went mad when i told him i was meaning it hehe :D
you managed to get through a few contacts on your list yet then?
did you like the course?
i havent been to any support groups yet but i'm booked for the course in Newcastle in May!! really excited about that, a lot of the new students from Cardiff are going, so is Graeme Duffin - the drummer for Wet Wet Wet! my mum will be so chuffed haha!!..

----

as for my speech, i have the video on my phone, my did recorded it but its not very clear, when i get the dvd i'll get it on the pc people! :]..
yeah Arif, i started with my name and said somethin like "how awesome was that" or somethin, and i said "seeing the new students stand up here without a bother and say a speech was the best feeling in the world" or something, then i turned to Alan, Antony, Andrew and Iain and i started crying and saying thank you, made Alan cry i think lol!..
then i said "it means so much that i can now say what i want when i want how i want it"..
it's all a blur! but thats kinda how it went, then i said more thank you things to people and stuff.. i didn't mean to make people cry though, hell, I didn't even mean to cry!!

Hi Claire, i'm doing great

The phonelist is really helping - i've just counted how many i've done - 22 people and left 18 messages (but they count! :cool: ) so i done 40!

Please tell me u aint done more than me! :rolleyes:

I'll never finish by next sunday tho..

I also did public contacts on Saturday where i disclosed to people - that's so much more difficult to do in your home town.

Yep I loved the course, made a big difference - ordered my first cappuccino the other day, BIG achievement :rolleyes:

i'm gonna book for newcastle within this week..so yep one more newbie going lol.

who on earth is graeme duffin? lmao...i only know one guy from wet wet wet and he has long hair..

grr i hated your speech - so much better than mine, im not jealous at all...

[Arif]

Clairy and others:

Is the £700 including refreshing course and support group cost?

I plan to get a stutter treatment any way, It would be around Aus $1500, If not too much additional cost, I would like to try aslo.

In reality, It's hard to know a speech pathologist good or not.

Thanks :)

The £700 is for the 4 day course and lifetime membership - this includes free support groups.

The refresher courses cost £20 per day i think, which is really not much at all.

You're paying the initial £700 for lifetime membership - and personally i think its well worth it not just for the course but for the fantastic support network that mcguire has afterwards.

many other speech courses advertise fluency - but i'm sure its just as easy to revert back to your old ways after those courses if you dont get help afterwards.

i like how mcguire differs cos the after-support is great and thats one thing i dont think other speech courses have in place.

..i should be getting paid for saying this..

[Arif]

There is a program up in Canada called Istar, and i swear its the best program ever. the slp's there are great. its a world renowned institution and when i took the intensive, everyone was fluent after. its a three week long course, full days. It was the best money ive ever spent in my life haha. Like they have people from all around the globe go there. its pretty sweet, id recommend anyone who wants to overcome their stutter to go there. I havent heard much on the mcquire program except for gareth gates went through it.

different folks different strokes :p

is the after support good as well or did u come away completely fluent that u didnt need it anymore?

[Derek181]

well you come away completely fluent. but the trick is to keep up with your skills and practice them every day... which iam sure most people dont do once they leave and then in like maybe a few months later they relapse if they didnt practice... but me so far ive been practicing and have remained relatively fluent.

[Adrian]

different folks different strokes :p

is the after support good as well or did u come away completely fluent that u didnt need it anymore?

After support is key to these types of therapies. Programs that can make people fluent in three weeks or three days (in the case of McGuire) are very common. Some programs teach you techniques and just throw you to the wolves to eventually relapse. Better programs hold support groups and allow you to come back for a nominal fee. McGuire does a good job with after support. I don't anything about ISTAR.

[Derek181]

ahh support groups are useless if your not willing to put in the time to practice every day though. Only thing i find about support groups is its somewhere to go and stutter freely amongst other stutterers...

[Adrian]

ahh support groups are useless if your not willing to put in the time to practice every day though. Only thing i find about support groups is its somewhere to go and stutter freely amongst other stutterers...

Derek, I'm not talking about the regular NSA/BSA type support group. I mean a support group dedicated to practicing a specific therapy. Any therapy takes lots of practice and it is a heck of alot easier to stay motivated when you are part of an active group.

Anyway, I am not trying to bash ISTAR. I have heard good things about it and it sounds like a good program.

Adrian

[Derek181]

haha i didnt say you were! ive never really been to an actual active group. it would be cool though. to talk with a bunch of stutters and if practicing skills was one of the mandatory things then yah it would be helpful. but i still think that you have to practice every day or else a group isnt a whoooole lot of help. they dont have groups up here in canada haha

[Clairy]

Hi Claire, i'm doing great

The phonelist is really helping - i've just counted how many i've done - 22 people and left 18 messages (but they count! :cool: ) so i done 40!

Please tell me u aint done more than me! :rolleyes:

I'll never finish by next sunday tho..

I also did public contacts on Saturday where i disclosed to people - that's so much more difficult to do in your home town.

Yep I loved the course, made a big difference - ordered my first cappuccino the other day, BIG achievement :rolleyes:

i'm gonna book for newcastle within this week..so yep one more newbie going lol.

who on earth is graeme duffin? lmao...i only know one guy from wet wet wet and he has long hair..

grr i hated your speech - so much better than mine, im not jealous at all...


aww you've definately done more than me! i don't know how many i've phoned, i just choose people at random, i mainly speak to my primary coaches, lol.. have you phoned Dave Ayres?

that's great that you've done disclosures and contacts in your hometown, i haven't done it yet, how many contacts did you do?

well done on ordering the cappuccino! i ordered mine and my boyfriend's meals last tuesday after having a bit of a slip up so i got a bit more emotional haha!

aww thats great, maybe this time we will speak! we never got to speak in the course! David Booth is going as well, and so is Dylan Evans - i loved Dylan lol!

lmao i said that too, but he's the drummer for Wet Wet Wet!.. yeah you meaning Marti Pellow? he used to have long hair, my mum LOVES him, she's hoping Graeme brings Marti to the course but i think she's just having false hope lol..

aw don't be silly, you done great! your speech really improved from the first day and you done so well!!
no one was better than anyone, everyone made such a huge difference cause of the amount of work we done!..

but my primary coach, Hayley, she told me everything we will be required to do and stuff, we'll enjoy it more this time because the saturday is Grad night, it'll be so good, i can't wait lol.. Talking about Newcastle by the way..

speak to you soon!

[Arif]

ive finished my phonelist! - i finished it on sunday so exactly 2 weeks, i just left messages to about half of em tho.

i done contact sessions 2 weeks in a row now, first week i only did 10, last saturday i did about 50 but i got so nervous and the costal breathing to calm me down was making me hyperventilate :rolleyes:

lol well done to u too, its such a big deal being able to order and ask for stuff over the counter..

lol Dylan is so funny - i saw his final day speech yesterday at the support group hes hilarious.

i know we barely spoke, but i barely spoke to anyone cos i didnt want to get stuck - its called avoidance :p

btw ive got my public speech and final day speech off Alan Rogers already ha!

just thought i'd brag :cool:

oh yeh marti pellow lmao i know who he is, dont ask how..

i rang hayley on sunday i think as i went through the phonelist and it was her birthday and i was interrupting cos she had friends round, i felt like a right pratt :rolleyes:

[barrymcgee]

Hey,

I too am a McGuire graduate, I've been on the programme for about 3 years now and it literally 'changed my life'. However, I'll not preach, if anyone wants more information visit;

www.mcguireprogramme.com

..and you'll get all the information you need.

@Kayleigh: I believe limited scholarships are available if you have trouble paying the full cost of a course.

I should also point out you do not pay any fee until the third when you are giving the option to stick with the course or not.

Regards,

Barry

[jekintel5]

can u share what tecnique u use in the program? i hope to learn from u , i also would want to go the program, but it would be 100% impossilbe to go. not in my country side.

[barrymcgee]

The technique is taught over a four day intensive course and it really takes the full four days to absorb it all.

However, a revised version of the textbook is available to pre-order on amazon here;

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Stammering-McGuire-Programme-Speaking/dp/0285636731/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205436148&sr=8-1

..which will explain everything in great details. You can then decide if you wish to attend a course or not although personally I would reccommend it.

[seasand]

Hi: I finished the course, It's really good, I think we not only learn technical, But learn many other things. any McGroup graduates here, feel free to talk to me in or , to practise the technique.
:)

[Grandma5]

Lots of luck with the course. Please let us know who it goes. I will be praying for you. Grandma5

[jekintel5]

hmm...........anyone had try the MC course??? did it works???? can u teach me what to do when having a block? i heard tat have one way is to slide the word......

[seasand]

The best of best. you won't waste your money, however, the technique you can "only" learn face to face.

Once again, I gained freedom.That's gift from God, I will join toastmasters for futher practise public speech.

[wimaco]

Hi,
Just want to say that I have heard some amazing things about the McGuire programm and if I had a stammer I would defenitely go and join this programme. I know for a lot of people its pretty expensive but if you think about the things you get back it will change your life as it has for so many others.

I also want to answer Clairy's post about Graeme Duffin....he's not the drummer of WetWetWet ;) but he's their Lead Guitarist and a really lovely kind guy, just in case you get to speak to him at one of the courses ;) . He's also a Coach and Course instructor for the Programme.
He's got a web-site : http://www.graemeduffin.eu

All the very best,
wimaco

[nate]

I really wish those things would come to Africa once in a while. East Africa. Even if it was in Rwanda I'd find a way to get off work and go. Gareth Gates gives this program so many props. And I have watched his interviews and theyre great. Its like a metamorphosis, he talks so wonderfully now. I understand though that it took him over 5 years! But at least being on that path to fluency is great.
Good luck. Even though I know luck probably has very little to do with it.
But anyone do post some pointers even though I realise that it's not easy to emulate in a non face to face way. Anything could be helpful, you never know.
Nate
---------------------------------------------------
Sharing is Caring

[JCarver]

April 3, 2008

Fellow Stutterers,
Thank God for this site. A little information about me… I’m 41 and a life- long stutterer. I think that I am a pretty successful (Thank God) business owner. I own a couple different firms. Still, I am terrified to speak although my businesses require it of me. One of my businesses is a Insurance/Financial Planning firm, another a greeting card company while another I have authored a self-help book. I get so frustrated with myself as I wish fluency would, one day, be my friend. Regardless, I push on and you can too. I desire to be an inspiration/encouragement to those who desire it.

A couple ideas, I know those of us who stutter wish they could express themselves without the embarrassment of our speech. I found a way…my greeting card business…it’s awesome. You can try it for free at www.sendoutcards.com/10327 It’s a way for you to express your feelings in a card in a way that just won’t come out your mouth.

Another idea is to read my book. It clearly tells of my struggles and how I was able to deal with them.
http://www.lulu.com/content/2134271 This site is where you can get more information about my book.

Again, my role (here) is not to sell you anything but put tools in your hands to do something regardless of your struggle. You can overcome anything. Let me help!

John Carver
The Carver Group
15 E Main St #223
Westminster, MD 21157
JohnCarver@hughes.net – Email
410-905-8336 - Cell