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Adult therapy and courses

Avoidance reduction is relevant whatever one's approach, but together with block modification it forms a key part of the 'stammer more fluently' approach.

Avoidance reduction was developed by Joseph Sheehan, a American speech and language therapist who also stammered. Sheehan believed that stammering is maintained by the person's attempts not to stammer. According to Sheehan, a person will remain a stammerer as long as they continue to pretend not to be one. The harder the person tries not to stammer, the more difficult speaking becomes.

Information and articles

Being open about stammering

Talk about honesty... Jonathan Harper-Hill on the costs of trying to hide one's stammer. (Autumn 2001)

On a hiding to nothing by pretending not to stammer The only problem with not stammering was that he was not really living. Anthony Leahy describes how accepting his stammer freed him from fear. (Autumn 2007)

Beyond a search for fluency Having hidden her stammer all her life, Lisette Wesseling had to do very thing she hated doing, when trying speech therapy again. Then the secret began to lose its power. (Autumn 2005)

Tough Talking Tim Shanks takes a very personal look at the work of Joseph Sheehan. (Spring 1990)

Interiorised stammering Our leaflet on interiorised or 'covert' stammering - where you generally sound fluent but exert a lot of energy in avoiding.

Voluntary stammering

The great benefits of stuttering on purpose It's a simple idea that needs a robust and organised approach. After years of trying to speak fluency all the time, Geoff Johnston explains how to make voluntary stammering work for you.

An awesome feeling of control Management Consultant Bruce Mountain describes how, with voluntary stammering, he managed to gain control over his speech.

"Going for it"

Taking risks is the safest option If there's something you really want to do, but think you can't 'because of stuttering' George Campbell shows how to make it happen.

Dreams, here I come Gareth Gates did not let his stammer stand in the way of his dreams.

Confidently disfluent Life is easier without the fear of stammering, but losing the fear can be a long process. Barry Fox recalls how he left the fear behind.

Two speeches and a funeral Eddie Phillips on three remarkable days in one week.

Bouncing Back "Why bungee? Because stammerers need to bounce back!"  By Bob Adams.

Accustomed as I am... Alan Badmington confronted his fears head-on and now wins awards for public speaking.

Howard's Way Howard Yaffe's path to playing male lead in a theatre production that got him rave reviews.

Employment Our employment page links to articles on some of the wide range of jobs being done by people who stammer.

Practitioners

Very many speech and language therapists, including NHS therapists, use avoidance reduction as at least one of their approaches. Contact the BSA Information and Support Service for your nearest therapist.

The City Lit A training institute for stammerers in London. Information and courses, including on interiorised or covert stammering.

What sort of treatments do qualified speech and language therapists offer?
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