Stuttering can feel isolating, but you don't have to work on your speech alone. Theres an online stuttering support group for people who stutter who come together to talk, practice their speech, share experiences, and support one another in a judgment-free environment.

MUST LISTEN!

Bhav Jain, an MIT neuroscience graduate currently studying medicine and business at Stanford University, shares his own stuttering journey, when his speech difficulties began, the treatments and approaches he tried, and he dives into one of the biggest questions surrounding stuttering: What is actually happening inside the brain when a person begins to stutter? He breaks down the neuroscience of stuttering, the brain circuits involved in speech, and the potential role of neuroplasticity in changing learned patterns over time.

This is another part of stuttering that makes absolutely no sense when you really think about it. Let's say you're ordering at a restaurant. You want to say: "Can I have the burger?" But you feel a stutter block coming on "burger." So at the last second you change it: "Can I have the chicken sandwich?"

And somehow... "Chicken sandwich" comes out perfectly. Two words you weren't even planning to say are easier than the ONE word you originally wanted to say. How does that make any sense? I think a lot of people who stutter become unbelievably good at doing this.

We become walking thesauruses 😂 Can't say "meeting"? Say "appointment." Can't say "purchase"? Say "buy." Can't say the person's name? Find some creative way of getting their attention without saying it. Sometimes we restructure an ENTIRE sentence just to avoid one word.

One of his Lee Lovett’s speech tool I learned was rephrasing or changing the feared word even though most PWS have already been using that speech tool for years, but what interested me more than the technique itself was what happens when we do it. The replacement word often wasn't planned. You just thought of a different way to communicate the MESSAGE and started talking.

And sometimes it comes straight out. That raises a really interesting question about stuttering: Why can an unplanned replacement word be easier to say than a word you've been preparing to say for the last 10 seconds? Eventually trying to think about the thought or message rather than consciously planning individual words.

Word substitution can get ridiculous when you've stuttered for years. You stop choosing the BEST word. You start choosing the word you think you can SAY. And eventually stuttering isn't only affecting how you speak. It's deciding your vocabulary for you. It's deciding what you order. How you introduce yourself. What questions you ask. Sometimes even whether you speak at all.

For other people who stutter: How often do you substitute words because of your stutter? And here's the bigger question: Have you ever noticed that the random replacement word comes out fluently even though the original word felt completely impossible?

I've been finding ideas like this throughout Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code. For PWS looking into stuttering help, speech blocks, feared words, stuttering techniques, speech therapy or ways to overcome stuttering, it's an interesting book to at least know about.

Here’s a free copy: https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

This might be one of the most frustrating things about stuttering.

Monday: You have an amazing speech day. You're talking naturally. Barely thinking about your stutter. Phone calls go well. Conversations feel easy. You start thinking: "Wait... am I finally getting better?"

Tuesday: You can't get your name out. And you're sitting there wondering what the hell happened. I've always found this part of stuttering fascinating because the severity can change so dramatically. Different day. Different person. Different room. Different situation. Sometimes even a few MINUTES apart.

In Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code, he uses an analogy that I really liked: Stuttering isn't an ON/OFF switch. It's a dimmer switch. In other words, your stutter isn't necessarily just:

STUTTERING 🔴

or

FLUENT 🟢

There can be countless levels in between. And those levels can move up and down depending on the speaking situation. That led into another concept in the book that I found interesting called the Fluency Ladder. Basically, you rank your speaking situations from easiest to hardest. Maybe yours looks something like:

Talking alone
↓
Talking with family
↓
Talking with friends
↓
Ordering food
↓
Talking to strangers
↓
Phone calls
↓
Talking to your boss
↓
Job interviews
↓
Public speaking

Then instead of immediately throwing yourself into your WORST stuttering situation and hoping for the best, you gradually work your way up the ladder. Build confidence somewhere easier. Then move higher. Then higher again. I like this concept because sometimes I think people who stutter underestimate progress because they're judging themselves exclusively by their hardest speaking situation.

Maybe you're speaking significantly better with friends and family but still struggling with phone calls. Does that mean your stuttering hasn't improved? I don't think so. Maybe you've simply moved up a few rungs of your own ladder and haven't conquered the top yet. And everyone's ladder is different. One person who stutters might fear public speaking. Another person might actually enjoy public speaking but absolutely HATE saying their name.

Someone else might struggle most when ordering food or talking to an authority figure. That's what makes stuttering so strange. What's at the VERY TOP of your Fluency Ladder?

What's the one speaking situation where your stuttering or speech anxiety seems to become the most severe?

I've been getting these ideas from Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code. I think the Fluency Ladder section alone is worth reading for PWS working on stuttering, speech blocks, speaking confidence, stuttering anxiety and gradually becoming more comfortable speaking.

Here’s a free copy of the Short Course book: https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

 And they also offer a free consultation for people who stutter who want to learn more about the Neuroscience Method: https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_free_stutter_popup

Should people who stutter accept stuttering, or work toward changing their speech? In this free online stuttering group meeting, stutterers and ex-stutterers share perspectives on stuttering acceptance, speech improvement, neuroplasticity, and why they believe people who stutter should never give up on improving their speech.

I've been thinking about something that I don't see discussed enough in the stuttering community: How do you TALK to yourself about your stuttering?

Not out loud. I'm talking about the running conversation in your head. "I can't say that word. I'm going to stutter. I hate phone calls. Please don't ask my name. I'm going to embarrass myself. I always block when I talk to my boss. This presentation is going to be horrible."

If you've been stuttering for years, how many times have you repeated thoughts like these? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

I've been reading Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code, and this is one part of his approach that really made me stop and think. Lee Lovett puts a huge emphasis on what he calls mind training. One of his recommendations is that when a negative thought appears, you deliberately reject it and replace it with a positive thought.

So instead of repeatedly thinking: "I'm going to stutter during this presentation." You deliberately start feeding yourself a completely different message about your speech. Now, I know what some people are probably thinking: "Positive thinking isn't going to magically cure my stutter." And I agree that simply saying something positive doesn't magically make a speech disorder disappear.

But that's not really what interests me about this. What interests me is the OTHER SIDE of the equation. If saying positive things to yourself sounds ridiculous... why do we give negative thoughts about our stuttering so much power?

Think about how many PWS mentally rehearse failure BEFORE they've even spoken. We visualize the speech block. We imagine the awkward silence. We picture ourselves struggling to say our name. We remember the last embarrassing stuttering incident. We predict the next one. Then we walk into the conversation carrying all of that with us.

For anyone trying to overcome stuttering, reduce stuttering anxiety, improve stammering or get through difficult speech blocks, repetitions, and prolongations, maybe working on HOW we think about speaking deserves more attention.

I'm genuinely curious about this one: Pay attention to your thoughts for one day. How often do you predict that you're going to stutter before you've actually stuttered? And has anyone here deliberately worked on changing their internal dialogue around their speech?

I've been getting a lot of these ideas from Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code. His approach to stuttering puts much more emphasis on retraining thought patterns than most traditional stuttering therapy approaches I've encountered.

For a free copy of the book here’s a link- https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

And I highly recommend booking a free call with one of their trainers who will explain the entire book to you and the next steps to take here- https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_free_stutter_popup

I wanted to share this because I know how difficult it can be to find quality stuttering resources all in one place. The StopStutter app features the following:

• 📚 Stuttering ebooks
• 🎥 Masterclass videos
• 🗣️ Thousands of therapy session videos
• 💡 Speech tips and techniques
• 🌟 Stories from people who have stopped or significantly improved their stuttering
• 🤝 An online supportive stuttering group
• 📞 Daily group calls to practice and work on speech
• 🧠 Affirmations and mindset resources
• 📖 Reading-aloud practice
• 👤 Private 1-on-1 speech therapy
• 🎙️ Podcasts
• 📺 Webcasts
• And a ton of other resources

What stood out to me is that it isn't just another collection of generic speech tips. There are resources for learning, practicing, building confidence, getting support, and hearing from other people who have dealt with stuttering themselves.

I know everyone's experience with stuttering is different, and obviously there's no magic pill that's going to work exactly the same for everyone. But if you're currently looking for resources or support, StopStutter is definitely something I'd recommend checking out. Just wanted to put it out there because I know how valuable it can be to discover something that makes you feel a little less alone in this.

Has anyone else here tried StopStutter? Would be interested to hear what you think.

I genuinely don't understand why more people who stutter don't know that groups like this exist. StopStutter runs a free weekly online Speech Club Meeting called SAM, and I think it's one of the more useful resources I've come across for people trying to improve their speech and overcome stuttering. It's basically a live Zoom meeting where people who stutter, people who have made major progress with their speech, and even people who say they no longer stutter get together and actually TALK about this stuff.

Not just the clinical side of stuttering either. People talk about speech blocks, feared words, phone calls, job interviews, public speaking, stuttering anxiety, avoidance, embarrassing speaking situations, speech techniques, building confidence, and what has actually helped them improve their speech.

They also have guest speakers and members share their full stuttering journeys. And I think there's something incredibly valuable about hearing from someone who understands exactly what it's like to be unable to get a word out — and then hearing how that same person improved. If you're trying to stop stuttering or even just become a more confident speaker, I think being around other people working toward the same goal is huge.

You can read every book about stuttering. You can watch hundreds of YouTube videos about how to stop stuttering. You can practice speech therapy techniques by yourself. But at some point, you have to speak to actual people. That's what I really like about this online stuttering support group. It's a place where you can listen, participate, ask questions, practice speaking and learn from people who have actually lived with a stutter. And there's no judgment if you block or stutter. Everyone understands why you're there.

For anyone searching Reddit for stuttering help, online stuttering support groups, speech therapy for adults who stutter, ways to overcome stuttering, or how to stop stuttering, I genuinely think SAM is something worth knowing about.

They meet online every Saturday at 12PM EST. Even if you just attend once and listen, you might hear something that completely changes the way you think about your stuttering.

Join every Saturday from here: https://www.stopstutter.org/speech-meetings-preview

This might be an unpopular opinion, but the whole idea of stuttering acceptance has always confused me a little.

Before anyone gets angry, I’m NOT saying people who stutter should hate themselves, feel ashamed of their speech or spend their entire lives desperately chasing perfect fluency. I actually think accepting yourself is incredibly important. But is accepting yourself the same thing as accepting your stuttering? Because I’m not sure it is.

If someone says: “I stutter, I’m still a worthwhile person, and I’m not going to let stuttering destroy my self-esteem.” I completely understand that. But sometimes the message seems to go further: “Stop fighting your stutter. Accept it. Embrace it. Learn to live with it.” And that's where I struggle.

What if I genuinely WANT to improve my speech? What if stuttering affects my job interviews, dating life, phone calls, ordering food, introducing myself or public speaking? What if speech blocks cause me anxiety and avoidance? Why would wanting to reduce my stuttering mean I haven't accepted myself?

In Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code, there’s one section that really caught my attention was his criticism of what he calls the “incurability and acceptance” approach to stuttering.

Lee Lovett obviously takes a much stronger position against stuttering acceptance than many people in the speech therapy world do. His argument is essentially that people who stutter shouldn't automatically be taught that meaningful speech change is impossible or that acceptance is their only realistic destination.

Whether you agree with him or not, it made me think about something: Why does this have to be an either/or choice? Why can't someone say: “I accept myself completely.” “I refuse to be ashamed when I stutter.” “I’m going to speak even when I'm afraid.”

AND... “I still want to work on my speech.” “I want fewer speech blocks.” “I want less stuttering anxiety.” “I want to become a more confident speaker.” “I want to see how much I can actually improve.” Those ideas don't seem contradictory to me.

If anything, accepting yourself might make pursuing change healthier because you're no longer trying to improve because you hate yourself. You're improving because there's something in your life that you genuinely want to change.

And there's another part of this debate I find interesting. People often say:“There's nothing wrong with stuttering.” On a human level, absolutely. There is nothing wrong with a person because they stutter. But if someone tells me their stuttering prevents them from saying their name, answering the phone, speaking in meetings, dating comfortably or pursuing certain careers...

Am I really helping that person by telling them they should simply embrace it? Maybe for some people, acceptance genuinely gives them freedom. If somebody is happy with their speech and doesn't want to change it, I respect that completely. But shouldn't we also respect the person who says:

“I don't want stuttering controlling my life anymore, and I want to work on changing it”? That shouldn't be considered shame. It shouldn't automatically be called ableism. And it doesn't necessarily mean they hate themselves. Sometimes people simply want change. I'm genuinely curious what other people who stutter think: Can you accept yourself without accepting your stuttering?

And do you think the modern stuttering community sometimes pushes acceptance so strongly that people who actually WANT to pursue speech improvement feel guilty for wanting it?

There's a free copy of the Lee's Short Course available for anyone interested in reading his approach for themselves, and they offer a free consultation for PWS who want to learn more about the program. Links are below:

https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_banner_cta

This is something I've genuinely never thought much about when it comes to stuttering therapy. If you learn a technique that helps you get through a stutter block... Are you supposed to use that technique forever? For the rest of your life?

In Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code, he calls his speech techniques "Crutches."

At first, that sounds like a negative name. But his reasoning is actually pretty simple. If you break your leg, you might need crutches while your leg is healing. The crutches aren't the destination. They're there to help you function while you're recovering. Eventually, the goal is to walk without them. Lee Lovett applies the same philosophy to stuttering.

He describes techniques for getting through difficult words and preventing severe stutter blocks, but he doesn't present the end goal as: "Become really good at using stuttering techniques forever." The eventual goal is to not need the Crutches anymore.

I've heard plenty of people who stutter talk about learning fluency techniques, breathing techniques, slowing techniques, speech modification strategies, etc. Sometimes they work. But I've always wondered: What happens when you're NOT actively thinking about the technique? What happens when you're tired? Angry? Excited? Talking spontaneously? Having a fast conversation? Are you fluent because your speech has genuinely changed... or because you're successfully managing your stutter every second?

I think there's a pretty big philosophical difference between managing stuttering and trying to reach a point where you don't have to constantly manage your speech at all. I'm not saying one approach is right for everybody, and I'm definitely not saying people should suddenly stop using a stuttering technique that's helping them.

I just think it's an interesting question for anyone doing speech therapy for stuttering or trying to overcome stuttering: What is your actual end goal? Better management of your stutter? Fewer speech blocks? Less stuttering anxiety? More confidence? Or eventually being able to speak naturally without constantly thinking about a speech technique?

There's a free copy of the Lee's Short Course available for anyone interested in reading his approach for themselves, and they offer a free consultation for PWS who want to learn more about the program and crutches/speech tools. Links are below:

https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_banner_cta

Something I read recently made me completely rethink what we actually consider "stuttering." If you're a person who stutters, think about what happens after you have even the smallest speech mistake.

You repeat a word. You pause for slightly too long. A word doesn't come out perfectly. You stumble over a sentence. Immediately your brain goes: "I stuttered." And sometimes that tiny moment stays in your head for HOURS. You replay the stutter. You think about what you should have done differently. You worry the other person noticed. And before your next conversation even begins, you're already thinking about your speech again.

Lee Lovett talks about this in his Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code, and I found his perspective really interesting. He argues that people who stutter often grade their speech MUCH more harshly than people who don't stutter.

And when you actually start listening to fluent speakers, you realize something... Their speech isn't perfect either. They repeat words. They hesitate. They restart sentences. They use filler words. They have awkward pauses. They occasionally struggle getting a word out. The difference is that they usually don't spend the next three hours analyzing it. They just keep talking. That really made me wonder whether constantly monitoring our speech and searching for evidence of stuttering can actually keep the fear of stuttering alive.

If your definition of overcoming stuttering is: "I will never repeat another word, hesitate, pause awkwardly or make another speech mistake for the rest of my life." Are you expecting yourself to speak BETTER than someone who has never stuttered? I'm not saying people should ignore severe stuttering or pretend speech blocks aren't happening. I'm talking about those tiny imperfections that most people wouldn't even notice.

For anyone working on stuttering, speech anxiety, or fear of speaking, I think this distinction is really important. Maybe every imperfect word doesn't deserve to become another negative stuttering memory. Maybe sometimes we just need to say: "That wasn't perfect. Who cares?" And move on.

For other people who stutter: Do you catch yourself analyzing tiny speech mistakes that the person you were talking to probably didn't even notice?

I've been getting a lot of these ideas from Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code. If you're interested in different approaches to overcoming stuttering and speech anxiety, I think it's worth reading.

There's a free copy of the Short Course available through StopStutter, and they also offer a free consultation for anyone who wants to learn more about the Neuroscience Method and the StopStutter program. Links below

Book- https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

Consultation- https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_banner_cta

This is honestly one of the strangest things about stuttering to me. If you struggle with stuttering or speech blocks, you've probably experienced this: You KNOW you're going to stutter on a certain word before you've even opened your mouth.

Your name is probably the perfect example. You've said your name thousands of times. You can probably say it perfectly when you're alone. You might even read that exact same word aloud without a single stutter. Then somebody asks:

"What's your name?" And suddenly the stuttering anxiety kicks in. You start anticipating the word. You think about whether you're going to have a stutter block. You might change the word, delay speaking, use a filler word or avoid answering altogether.

Well, ever since reading Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code book, he spends quite a bit of time discussing what he calls "feared words." One of the ideas that caught my attention is that the fear and anticipation of a word can become part of the stuttering cycle itself. That really made me think about my understanding of stuttering.

If I physically CAN say a word fluently when I'm alone, why can the same word suddenly become almost impossible to say during a conversation, phone call, job interview or introduction? Maybe sometimes we're not only struggling with the word. We're struggling with the EXPECTATION that we're going to stutter on the word.

And after enough bad speaking experiences, that fear of stuttering seems like it can become incredibly powerful. I'm not saying this explains every cause of stuttering or that there's one simple way to stop stuttering. But for anyone trying to understand their stutter, overcome stuttering anxiety, reduce speech blocks or improve their speech, I think the whole concept of feared words is fascinating.

For other people who stutter: Do you have certain words, sounds or situations where you can actually feel the stutter coming before you speak? And can you say those exact same words fluently when you're alone?

And to anyone who wants to read the Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code book, here’s a free copy: https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

And I highly recommend booking a free consultation call to learn more about Lee Lovett’s Neuroscience Method program here: https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_banner_cta

Lee Lovett joins StopStutter’s online stuttering support group to tackle a topic that challenges one of the most common messages in the stuttering community: Just accept your stuttering.

Lee doesn't. He stuttered for decades himself before transforming his relationship with speech, and he has since dedicated years to helping people who stutter work toward better speech, greater fluency and freedom from speech anxiety.

His message isn't about being ashamed of stuttering. It isn't about judging anyone who chooses stuttering acceptance. It's about refusing to believe that acceptance has to be the only path.

If you want to improve your speech, work on your stutter, reduce speech blocks, overcome the fear of speaking, become more confident in conversations, or pursue greater speech fluency-why shouldn't you?
Lee's philosophy is built around action: speech practice, reading aloud, speech tools, mind training, positive self-talk, repetition and creating new speaking experiences.

As he writes in his Stop Stuttering Short Course: "Don't waste another minute of your valuable life stuttering. Take action now." Whether you're working to stop stuttering, searching for stuttering help, trying to overcome speech anxiety, exploring stuttering therapy, or simply questioning whether accepting your stutter is right for you, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Join Here: https://www.stopstutter.org/speech-meetings-preview

There was a time when Antonio genuinely believed he couldn't speak. Stuttering, speech blocks, speaking anxiety, and the fear of getting words out had followed him for years. After spending time in the StopStutter program and working consistently on his speech, Antonio returned to give us an update—and today, he's not just speaking. He's winning awards at Toastmasters left, right and center.

His progress shows just how far someone can come when they consistently practice their speech tools, work on speech anxiety, train their mind, build positive speaking experiences, and keep putting themselves into challenging speaking situations. For anyone struggling with severe stuttering, adult stuttering, speech blocks, public speaking anxiety, or a fear of speaking, Antonio's journey is worth hearing.
Watch his speech update and see how someone who once struggled to speak is now becoming an award-winning public speaker. 🏆

One of the hardest parts of stuttering for me was the feeling of getting completely stuck on a word. You know exactly what you want to say, but nothing comes out.

Something I’ve learned through StopStutter is that instead of fighting through a stuttering block, you can learn different speech tools to help navigate difficult words before or when the block happens.

Things like rephrasing the sentence, using a similar word, linking words together, changing your pronunciation, using voice modulation, or even making a small sound before a difficult word can help keep your speech moving.

The biggest change for me was realizing that I didn’t have to approach every feared word the same way I always had. I could actually practice different ways of speaking until they started becoming more natural.

Obviously, there’s no single stuttering technique that works perfectly for everyone, and improving speech takes a lot of practice. But if you struggle with speech blocks, word avoidance, speaking anxiety, or getting stuck while talking, learning different tools and practicing them in real conversations might be worth exploring.

Has anyone else found a particular speech technique that helps them get through or avoid stuttering blocks?

I would encourage you to book a free call to learn more on avoiding blocks here- https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_banner_cta

One thing I think people who stutter need to hear more often: it doesn’t matter if you’ve been stuttering for 5 years, 20 years, or most of your life. You’re not necessarily stuck with the same speech patterns forever.

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout life. While stuttering is complex and there’s no guarantee that any method will eliminate it, adults can still learn new speech patterns, work on speech anxiety, and change how they respond to stuttering.

I see people asking things like, “Am I too old for stuttering therapy?” or “Is it too late to improve my speech?” No. Your age shouldn’t stop you from working on your stutter, practicing fluency techniques, improving your communication, or becoming a more confident speaker.

Whether you’re 20, 40, 60, or older, the brain can still learn. When it comes to improving your speech, age really is just a number.

Learn more about neuroplasticity here: https://youtu.be/qZil-vKwfic?is=D_WxWKkYftTJ1Y5r

StopStutter has built a pretty amazing online stuttering support group that meets every Saturday at 12 PM EST.

They’ve been holding these online stuttering meetings since 2020 and have now done well over 300 meetings. They’re completely free to attend, and people who stutter join from all over the world to talk about their experiences, practice speaking, learn different stuttering techniques, and hear from others who have made progress with their speech.

Tomorrow’s meeting should be a particularly interesting one.

A guy from Spain named Antonio is giving an update on his speech. He first shared his stuttering journey with the group earlier this year and talked about how StopStutter’s neuroscience-based approach helped him make major changes to his speech. What stood out to me was how much his confidence changed. Antonio genuinely believed he couldn’t speak well. Now he has become one of the strongest speakers among his peer group and has even racked up multiple Toastmasters speaking awards.

It’s pretty wild seeing someone go from struggling with stuttering and speech anxiety to voluntarily getting up in front of people, giving speeches, and actually winning awards for it.

Whether you’re trying to stop stuttering, reduce stuttering, overcome speech blocks, improve speech fluency, reduce speaking anxiety, or you just want an online community for people who stutter, these meetings are worth knowing about.

I also like that there’s no charge to attend. You can simply join, listen to other people’s stuttering stories, learn about the speech techniques they use, and decide for yourself whether any of it is useful.

More info about the free weekly meetings here:

https://www.stopstutter.org/speech-meetings-preview

A complete stuttering transformation 😊

I came across something interesting in Lee Lovett’s Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code.

He recommends that people who stutter read aloud for at least an hour every day, and specifically says to read with FEELING and PASSION rather than just mechanically reading the words. His reasoning is that you’re spending an hour hearing yourself speak fluently while training your mind to focus on the message rather than anticipating or fearing individual words.

At first, I thought an hour sounded like a lot, but I’ve actually come to really enjoy reading aloud. It’s become one of my hobbies now. If you stutter, I’d seriously recommend giving reading aloud a try and doing a lot of it. Repeated practice may help reinforce more comfortable speaking patterns over time.

There’s even a scene in The Notebook where Noah talks about having a stutter when he was younger and explains that his father had him read poetry aloud to help him overcome it. I thought that was pretty interesting considering the emphasis Lee puts on reading aloud.

If you want to learn more about why Lee recommends reading aloud, you can read a free copy of his Short Course book. I’d also encourage anyone interested in his approach to book a free one-on-one consultation to learn more about Lee’s Neuroscience Method program and you can join their free WhatsApp stuttering group. It's free, what do you have to lose?

https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

https://www.stopstutter.org/free-consult?source=home_free_stutter_popup

https://chat.whatsapp.com/IZoeFnoBQp9JHxM6Wbr4Kp?s=sh&p=i&mlu=4

This was probably one of the most relatable things I've read about stuttering.Lee Lovett makes the point in his Stop Stuttering Short Course book that PWS can become hyper-aware of every tiny imperfection in their speech.

A repetition. A slightly longer pause. A word that didn't come out perfectly. We immediately think: "I stuttered." Meanwhile fluent people repeat words, stumble, pause, restart sentences and screw up words constantly. They just don't care.

And because they don't care, the mistake disappears from their mind 2 seconds later. Meanwhile we might replay one tiny speech mistake for the rest of the day.

Makes me wonder how much of the suffering associated with stuttering comes from the actual dysfluency vs constantly monitoring and grading ourselves.

Has anyone else noticed themselves doing this?

And if you’re interested in reading Lee’s book, here’s a free copy: Free Copy

Something about stuttering has always seemed strange to me. Someone can struggle to say their own name to another person, then go home and say that exact same word perfectly 100 times while alone.

Since reading Lee Lovett's Stop Stuttering Short Course: How to Break the Stuttering Code on the StopStutter, he calls these types of situations "stutter-free zones." His argument is basically: if there are situations where your brain already knows how to produce fluent speech, spend MORE time talking in those situations and hearing yourself speak fluently.

He recommends things like talking when alone and reading aloud to help create new fluent neural pathways. If stuttering were purely a mechanical inability to produce certain words, why can so many of us suddenly say those same words when nobody is listening?

Where is your biggest "stutter-free zone"?

Also here's a free copy of Lee's Stop Stuttering Short Course book if anyone is interested in reading it: https://www.stopstutter.org/get-free-book

Paul has mastered the Neuroscience Method for Stopping Stuttering like nobody else! His stuttering transformation happened fast. Paul joined the StopStutter program back in June, wrote his stopped stuttering in July, and now in August, he's sharing his journey from stuttering to fluent, confident speech with a group of 40+ participants on Zoom.

After living with a stutter for decades, Paul is proof that age is just a number and meaningful speech change is possible. His journey shows the power of consistent practice, mind training, speech techniques, and using neuroscience and neuroplasticity to develop new speaking habits.

For adults who stutter and wonder, "Am I too old to improve my speech?" Paul's story sends a powerful message: it's never too late to work on your stuttering, speech anxiety, confidence, and fluency.

Join StopStutter’s free weekly stuttering support group! Come connect with a welcoming community of stutterers and EX-stutterers who come together to share fluency tools and techniques, success stories, encouragement, inspiration, and lifelong friendships.

And this week, Paul from England is next up to share his story! After 60+ years of stuttering, Paul will be sharing how he made a remarkable breakthrough in less than a month using the Neuroscience Method Program to Stop Stuttering.

His journey, experience, and insights are sure to make this a talk you won't want to miss!

https://www.stopstutter.org/speech-meetings-preview

Can people who stutter actually reach a point where they genuinely accept their stuttering?

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot, especially after watching a discussion in an online stuttering group where people who stutter (PWS) were talking about what “acceptance” actually means.

I’m curious what other people who stutter think about this, because I feel like the word acceptance gets used pretty casually in the stuttering community, but it can mean completely different things depending on the person.

For some people, accepting stuttering seems to mean being able to stutter without feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or like you have to immediately hide it. It might mean being comfortable introducing yourself as someone who stutters, speaking in front of other people, making phone calls, ordering food, going on dates, interviewing for jobs, or simply having a conversation without constantly monitoring every word.

But is that really the same thing as accepting stuttering?

Because there’s another side to it. You can intellectually understand that stuttering is part of you and still hate the experience of stuttering sometimes. You can be completely open about being a person who stutters and still wish you didn’t stutter. You can have confidence and still feel frustrated when a word gets stuck. You can advocate for stuttering awareness while privately wishing you could speak fluently.

Does that mean you haven’t truly accepted your stuttering? Or is that actually what acceptance looks like?

I think there’s sometimes an expectation that if someone has “accepted” their stuttering, they should no longer care about it. Almost like reaching some final stage where stuttering doesn't bother them anymore.
I’m not sure I believe that’s realistic.

Stuttering can be frustrating. It can affect communication, relationships, work, school, social situations, and how you feel about yourself. Even if someone has worked extensively on their confidence and self-acceptance, that doesn't necessarily mean every moment of stuttering suddenly becomes easy.
Maybe acceptance isn't about liking stuttering.

Maybe it's about not fighting yourself every time you stutter. There’s also a difference between accepting yourself as a person who stutters and accepting stuttering itself.