The Best Advice I Ever Got

[natemello]

The advice I want to share with you will not only improve your speech, but it may improve all aspects of your life as it has to me. It is no hidden secret or something nobody knows, but it does separate the rich and the poor, the successful and the unsuccessful and all people that have had success in one term or another all agree......

Challenge yourself, believe in yourself, understand your meaning, get out of your comfort zone. All of use will agree some situations are easier then others when it comes to speaking... correct? Certain words are easier to say then other. Certain people are easier to speak too etc.

We all have this nice fuzzy bubble of comfort zone :D You know when you aren't thinking too much about your fluency. On the flip side there are zones we are not confident in, our self esteem isn't as high, your mind set is set up perfect for a block!

Speech for a stutterer is very conscious. Now we have had this mind set for a very long time. This is how we understand speech. We do not "think outloud" we look for words and have emotion with our fluency.

Each and everyday do something to expand your comfort zone. If you hate the phone, make an extra phone call. Order the food you want at the restaurant not the dish thats easier to say!

With saying this it is also important to believe in yourself. Understand you can speak fluently. Have confidence in yourself, if you are fluent sometimes there is NO reason why you can't be fluent most-all the time. And thats the truth! Each time you conquer a situation or word UNDERSTAND you control that. Don't let your mind play tricks on you. Each and everyday gain confidence improve your self identity and expand that comfort zone.

Now you can look at this from a different angle. If you didn't stutter what would your comfort zone look like? Now throw stuttering into the mix and look at all the restrictions.

[grantM]

Yes challenging yourself is so important and do not MAKE the stuttering a prime issue.

[787dreamliner]

Wow, that's some good advice. Thanks alot for sharing. It's nice to know that there are others who are exactly like me. In a way I think of all of you guys as my brothers/sisters.

[natemello]

I agree 787 we are only 1% of the world. Each of us carry a bond in one way or another

[Dinasaur]

I completely agree with you. Because the more time we spend in our comfort zones, the harder it will be to get out of it. But things will only start changing (for the better), once you start doing this you normally wouldn't do: desensitization.

[grantM]

I agree 787 we are only 1% of the world. Each of us carry a bond in one way or another

Ahh do not understate the 1%. If you think about it it means around 60 million plus possibly. That is a lot of people. Three times the population of Australia :)

[jakester]

Order the food you want at the restaurant not the dish thats easier to say!.

Isn't that ridiculous?! I've ordered something other than what I wanted so many times because I didn't want to stutter. It s.

[Nelson]

I think we all have! Nobody would ever understand why, unless you stutter! Man when you really think about it............

[bjanmejai]

Ya I used this and this worked for me.Whether u stammer or not be positive in every aspect of life,negativity produces negativity,most of the time in interviews i always keep smiling and the words that come out are fluent and sounds good.Stammering can make a speech adorable to anyone,if the word u stammer on is used in a stretching manner....

[Sliderman3000]

I agree. One day I figured out that I felt worse about myself if I avoided a speaking situation then if I stuttered though it. I chose more and more to "go for it" and I improved over time.

[catherine]

yes, I agree ;-) the best advice is "go&do it". Avoiding is only getting into this problem depeer and depper..

[Sliderman3000]

Hi Catherine from Poland. Deeper and deeper is right. Its like this. You have two plants. The "speech monster" plant and the "I can do it" plant. Each time you avoid, you water the "speech monster" and each time you are courageous you water the "I can do it plant". The goal then is to kill the speech monster.

[Nemo]

Hi Catherine from Poland. Deeper and deeper is right. Its like this. You have two plants. The "speech monster" plant and the "I can do it" plant. Each time you avoid, you water the "speech monster" and each time you are courageous you water the "I can do it plant". The goal then is to kill the speech monster.

I agree, but when killing the speech monster, you need to have a weapon. That weapon is a good speech technique. If you have nothing to kill the monster with, the monster may overwhelm you with severe stuttering, feelings of shame, embarrasment and fear.

[Sliderman3000]

I agree, but when killing the speech monster, you need to have a weapon. That weapon is a good speech technique. If you have nothing to kill the monster with, the monster may overwhelm you with severe stuttering, feelings of shame, embarrasment and fear.

I'd like to amend my post a little. It is not realistic to expect to kill the speech monster (perhaps low tolerance to imperfection is part of the problem) but you can you can weaken and management it. Nemo, what good speech technique do you recommend?

[Nemo]

I'd like to amend my post a little. It is not realistic to expect to kill the speech monster (perhaps low tolerance to imperfection is part of the problem) but you can you can weaken and management it. Nemo, what good speech technique do you recommend?

I use the Passive Airflow Technique which I was taught in the 80s. Like all fluency techniques it is not a miracle cure, of course, but it is probably the best available. It's actually a combination of various techniques. The main feature is a VERY passive, slight airflow out from the lips BEFORE speaking (to gently open the vocal folds). Then also slowed first syllables, Low Energy Speech (soft, lower tone of voice and with minimum movement of speech organs), thinking "rest" instead of thinking about the feared word.

In addition, much emphasis on general stress control, as fluency techniques are very difficult to apply if your stress level is very high. The technique must be applied correctly and PRACTISED MUCH so that it becomes a habit. It should be taught by someone trained who has specialised in it - if you don't apply it correctly it won't work.

[Sliderman3000]

I was taught the Passive Airflow Technique in 1984. I don't remember it being call that but I do remember it was based on Martin Schwartz's book and method. For me, it has worked fairly well. My son stutters and was taught a similar approach, however, the passive airflow prior to speaking was not a part of the technique. He isn't doing as well. He doesn't get stuck very often but when he does it is a major block. I don't know if the lack of learning the airflow part is a factor or if he just doesn't really care that much to work on his speech as much as I have. Anyway, I agree with your recommended approach.

[Nemo]

I was taught the Passive Airflow Technique in 1984. I don't remember it being call that but I do remember it was based on Martin Schwartz's book and method. For me, it has worked fairly well. My son stutters and was taught a similar approach, however, the passive airflow prior to speaking was not a part of the technique. He isn't doing as well. He doesn't get stuck very often but when he does it is a major block. I don't know if the lack of learning the airflow part is a factor or if he just doesn't really care that much to work on his speech as much as I have. Anyway, I agree with your recommended approach.

I am sure that not doing the airflow has contributed to not doing so well. The airflow is such an important part that I wonder who the therapist was who omitted to teach him that. It amounts to professional negligence.

[Sliderman3000]

I am sure that not doing the airflow has contributed to not doing so well. The airflow is such an important part that I wonder who the therapist was who omitted to teach him that. It amounts to professional negligence.

I remember asking about the omission of the airflow and being told that they don't include that because it may cause breathing issues. I didn't argue. But I do believe the the airflow aspect has been positive for me.

[gowtheflo]

what is the passive air flow technique? Is it when u run ur voice in a continuous motion, keeping your voice on?

[Sliderman3000]

what is the passive air flow technique? Is it when u run ur voice in a continuous motion, keeping your voice on?

Keeping your voice on, can be helpful, however, I see that as a dynamic technique. That is, once you are talking, it helps you from getting interrupted. In contrast, the passive air flow technique (the way I was taught) helped me to get started when speech was stopped. It is kind of hard to master because of the stress. The approach is to let out a small amount of air just prior to saying the word. Then when you say the word, make sure you stretch the word by prolonging the vowel sound. The idea is to learn a new response when blocked to relax the vocal cords with passive air flow. We used a microphone (held close to the lips) and recorded the practice sessions. Done right, you can hear the passive (non stressed) air flow blow gently over the microphone prior to the feared word. I don't know if they still teach this but I would recommend a speech therapist because if you don't do it right, it can be counter productive..

[chris420]

what is the passive air flow technique? Is it when u run ur voice in a continuous motion, keeping your voice on?


when i was in grade school my speech therapist had me talk with the same flow without making 'spaces between your words" altho it doesnt help me:/