Speecheasy

[cann]

I'm just wondering what the market is for used Speecheasys. I have a CIC model, purchased 8 months ago and rarely used, which I am willing to sell; it is in perfect condition. Is anyone aware of a demand for a used speecheasy device? Please let me know if you have any advice. Thank you.

[Jonte]

In perfect condition.. but it didn't work?

[cann]

It works perfectly fine, in fact I only used it about 5 or 6 times. However, I found that it was not right for me. I have a high level of fluency already with some minor blocks. This device became a nusence for me since I had speaking problems less than 5% of the time but had the auditory feedback 100% of the time. I still have all the material and packaging that came with the device and have run into no problems. Realistically, I don't see myself using it again which is why I want to sell it. For me, joining a local Toastmaster's club gave me enough tools to speak confidently. But each to his own.

[macman]

I had never heard of this speakeasy device until I joined the forum and went through some of the old posts.
How is it supposed to help and does it work.

[sally]

I honestly don't think Speakeasy is the answer for most stammerers. Because like most severe stammerers i get huge silent blocks.

And on the Speakeasy Forum, the people that have bought it say it does not work on silent blocks. You need to produce a sound in you vocal cords area on your throat first.

[claragazza]

I honestly don't think Speakeasy is the answer for most stammerers. Because like most severe stammerers i get huge silent blocks.

And on the Speakeasy Forum, the people that have bought it say it does not work on silent blocks. You need to produce a sound in you vocal cords area on your throat first.

I too have serious reservations about this device. The BBC show with Heidi King was quite clear about that: it nearly does not work. And this although Heidi's severe stutter did not include a lot of silent blocks. So even with prolongations and repetitions it does not work.

By the way, Sally, hello and welcome in the forum!
I too have a severe stutter. I have long blocks but also a lot of prolongations and repetitions. Do you get these too?

Claire

[sally]

Hello Claire, and to everyone else.

Yes you are right about the device. I know that breathing in and out is important.

But i feel that we stammerers when faced with a huge block, we should concentrate about producing sound in the vocal area first.

For Eg, when next time faced with a stutter block, Stop talking and then just try and produce the first sound of the word using the throat area only. Don't use the lips or tongue. You should just be able to feel your throat area only.

It will take 3 or 4 attemps but it is worth a try.

[claragazza]

Hello Claire, and to everyone else.

Yes you are right about the device. I know that breathing in and out is important.

But i feel that we stammerers when faced with a huge block, we should concentrate about producing sound in the vocal area first.

For Eg, when next time faced with a stutter block, Stop talking and then just try and produce the first sound of the word using the throat area only. Don't use the lips or tongue. You should just be able to feel your throat area only.

It will take 3 or 4 attemps but it is worth a try.

But how would you apply this for consonants?

[sally]

Hello Again.

You make a very good point, and i have not really thought much about it.

It is simply that i have decided not to focus 100% on the breathing so much. And see what i can do with the vocal cords when i get blocked.

Because when a person gets a big silent block. Your throat is the area that is locking up the most.

[claragazza]

Hello Again.

You make a very good point, and i have not really thought much about it.

It is simply that i have decided not to focus 100% on the breathing so much. And see what i can do with the vocal cords when i get blocked.

Because when a person gets a big silent block. Your throat is the area that is locking up the most.

That's an interseting idea.
By the way, how often do you have blocks Sally?

Maybe I could try this trick on my vowels where I tend to rather have prolongations. Do you have prolongations and repetitions too?

[sally]

Yes i have a pretty severe stammer. About 95% of my stutter words tend to be silent or hard blocks of the the first sound.

That is why i decided to concentrate on getting the first sound on the vocal area first, and then move on from there.

But it still takes about 3-4 attempts to get right, and that is only on one word. Imagine how long it would take in a whole sentence.

The best way to describe it would be, it sounds like you are speaking in a mumbling or a monotone way.

[Standingtall]

Yes i have a pretty severe stammer. About 95% of my stutter words tend to be silent or hard blocks of the the first sound.

That is why i decided to concentrate on getting the first sound on the vocal area first, and then move on from there.

But it still takes about 3-4 attempts to get right, and that is only on one word. Imagine how long it would take in a whole sentence.

The best way to describe it would be, it sounds like you are speaking in a mumbling or a monotone way.
Hi Sally, I like to welcome you too. Sounds like you and are very similiar, that 95% of my stutter is silent blocks are you call them. You say a few words and then the next word, an block. Maybe it is not the word, but the letter in start of the word, but everything stops. Of course I make faces, tap my feet and/or tap the side of my leg to get the word out. When I do get the word out, that is when I run out of breath and the person whom I"m talking to say's "What did you say".

[sally]

Hello StandingTall,

I would be very interested to know what technique you use to get through the Silent Blocks.

[claragazza]

Yes i have a pretty severe stammer. About 95% of my stutter words tend to be silent or hard blocks of the the first sound.

That is why i decided to concentrate on getting the first sound on the vocal area first, and then move on from there.

But it still takes about 3-4 attempts to get right, and that is only on one word. Imagine how long it would take in a whole sentence.

The best way to describe it would be, it sounds like you are speaking in a mumbling or a monotone way.

What is the difference between a silent and a hard block ? (sorry to ask, that is because of my poor English!)

On which letters do you block?

Have you tried putting a sound like a little "f" or "s" or "h" to initiate difficult sounds? For me, that helps a bit.

[sally]

What i mean is, that i simply get mostly silent blocks where no sound comes out at all.

I have never really tried putting a different letter or sound in front of a difficult word.

I mean it is hard enough getting the first letter of a difficult word out. So to me putting a different sound in front of it would make no difference.

[Standingtall]

Hello StandingTall,

I would be very interested to know what technique you use to get through the Silent Blocks.
I still have them and some days it is pretty bad. I use to be a long distance runner in my youth, so I have notice my breathing. When I have my blocks, I tend to stop breathing as I tense up and fight with the word. So what is working right now is stopping, take a step back, relax, learn to breath again and most of the time I can get the word out.

[Standingtall]

What i mean is, that i simply get mostly silent blocks where no sound comes out at all.

I have never really tried putting a different letter or sound in front of a difficult word.

I mean it is hard enough getting the first letter of a difficult word out. So to me putting a different sound in front of it would make no difference.
Sally, you and I are very much a like. A fly can fly in and it wouldn't worry about the venus fly trap catching him.

The hard part is when you are going to start talking for the first time and you have this silent block. Most people won't see you and the conversation goes on and you miss your opportunity to add something to the conversation. I have used other words just to grab the other people's attention and then relax breath and get the word out. No sound or even air comes out when you are having your silent block.

[sally]

Excuse me for asking but do you use the breathing exercises strategy. And how effectice are they in stressful situations.

I mean i have tried these exercises and somedays they might work 60% of the time, and on other days they are a complete waste of time.

[Standingtall]

Excuse me for asking but do you use the breathing exercises strategy. And how effectice are they in stressful situations.
For me, the only breathing exercise I do is what I picked up over the years. I didn't have theraphy of any kind. Don't know how useful that was, so good luck in your search.

[sally]

Yes i think the reason that the breathing exercises have been fairly effective for you is that you have manage to incorporate simple breathing exercises in normal speech for a couple of years. And have probaly managed to calm yourself down most of the time.

If i tried these Breathing exercises it would take me 2-3 years of talking to notice any difference.

But at the moment it really does not work in panicky situations at all.

[Standingtall]

Yes i think the reason that the breathing exercises have been fairly effective for you is that you have manage to incorporate simple breathing exercises in normal speech for a couple of years. And have probaly managed to calm yourself down most of the time.

If i tried these Breathing exercises it would take me 2-3 years of talking to notice any difference.

But at the moment it really does not work in panicky situations at all.
Your right, it does not really work yet in a panicky situations. a couple weeks ago, I was stopped for speeding and I had my silent blocks. After talking with the police officer for awhile, I manage to calm down and start breathing okay and my speech improved. If you really work on it, you don't have to wait 2-3 years to see results.

[Standingtall]

How fast were you going?
I mean in your car when you got pulled over :rolleyes:
I was doing over 140 km/hr, (Sorry, too lazy to convert to mile/hr), in my truck in an 110 km/hr zone. I was in the slow lane, when an car came off the off ramp and I pulled over. We were side by side and I usually hate that when that happens. Your in the fast lane and both lanes are blocked when two vehicle are doing the same speed.

Anyway, I sped up to pass and next thing I knew, he was keeping pace and we were both doing 140 km. I did beat him, but we both didn't realize the car behind us was the police. He was pulling over the other car, but I stopped too because I do accept responsibility for my actions.

I was shaking and my mouth was moving but no words came out. I was shaking pretty good, getting my proof of insurance and registration and stuff. I took a couple of deep breaths and regained my composure and was able to talk, with only a few silent blocks. The officer was following me for a while, so he had a good feeling about me, he was after the other car and the driver in the other car pulled away. He told me to slow down and got into his squad car and went looking for the other car.

I don't have many panicky situations, so it catches me off guard and I have big time silent blocks. When I regained my composure and starting breathing, I usually do a whole lot better.

[3FingerBrown]

Mine is bought and paid for and I'm waiting on delivery. When I tested it out I was impressed. I even made a phone call with it and my brother was amazed at how good I sounded. It put me in enough control that i was able to fully use my speech therapy techniques (precision fluency shaping).
The 3 tenets to this are deep breathing from the diaphragm, easy onsets of vowels and soft contacts on consonants.
The easy onsets involve starting a deep breath first and making the vowel sound very breathy. You don't even attempt to make an audible sound until the breath is already coming out. The contacts are harder... I take a deep breath and focus on the vowel following the consonants. The idea is to barely make the consonant sound, almost fake it.
With the speecheasy I was told in a real pinch to try making a small uh or ah sound before the first sound. I was deemed a perfect candidate because of the breathing I was taught. I’d like to envision the day I don’t need it. Needless to say, if that day comes, it will be after I get myself a new job.
Also needless to say, if I am stressed or sick enough or both... there is nothing i can do to stop the blocks. Mine can go pretty long too... sometimes as long as I try to push. Sometimes it just doesn't matter what I try but thats not all the time.

[soulman386]

The speecheasy is a rip-off! I used it for more than a year. At first it worked great. I thought I had finally found the solution. But as time went by the device became less and less effective. My anger towards speecheasy is not so much that it didn't work in the long run. Traditional speech therapy didn't work in the long run either. There's no magic bullet for stuttering. My problem with speecheasy is the price. I felt desperate and paid $5000 for it. I've found out since then that the electronics in the device is old technology. The device is hugely overpriced. The Janus company is taking advantage of the desperation of stutterers. In a few years they'll probably discontinue the device and move on to selling another gimmick.

[happy7117]

I have always felt that speech therapy never works in the long one either..what one learns in the therapy session is no good outside the clinic setting because of all the hecticness and stimulation of everything and everyone around one...and speech therapists say to practice outside the clnic..we do, but it is just so impractcal when we are out and about...speech therapists just don't understand what it's like to use "THE techniques" in the real world..people don't sound that way in the real world...and if they don't have the stutter problems we do, they never will understand what it's like......

As in reguards to the Speecheasy, that company sound like they are a fraud....here are some reasons::

1) They are selling a very expensive device that works great for stuttering...but it's $5,000. A price which is very steep for most and what many just don't have....

2) Also the Speech Easy does not work for silent blocks, so it's not for all...

3) Plus it conks out after short use..meaning they rev up a stutterers enthusiasm and confidence for speaking because they sound awesome, but then the device put the brakes on the enthusiam and relief when it conks down.....

4) They are relying on our desperation and misery from our stuttering to make their money....

5) And they should be in jail for it, because they steal our money, and for $5,000 it seems like we are not getting what we pay for..and that is a device that will not break down, a device that works for all kinds of stuttering, and repairs when it does break down...and that should not be for a very long time.....