Stuttering is Cool

Episode #206: It isn’t easy living with a stutter! On top of the funny looks, ignorant comments, discrimination, and having your sentences finished by well-meaning people, like all differences from “the norm”, stuttering certainly gives us some extra challenges to overcome. On this episode, I chat with Kim Block, author of the “Adventures of a Stuttering Superhero” ch...

Episode #205: Happy New Year! Join me and my friends as we ring out 2016 in Montreal, Canada, over Facebook Live while chatting about speech goals and stuttering tips. Then we take you along for our walk towards the waterfront to watch the fireworks as we ring in 2017. The post Stuttering in the New Year appeared first on Stuttering is Cool .

Episode #204: Could stuttering be more than a speech issue? What about the rest of your body? Dr. Greg Snyder returns to chat about some pretty cool research his lab at Ole Miss is currently conducting. We talk about stuttering in sign language, handwriting, and even touch typing! Then we talk about a remarkable app that shows promise in reducing stuttering through your smartphone’s vibrate...

Episode #203: 1) Get yourself a community. 2) Realize that people don’t care that you stutter. They like the real you! This is a tribute episode for one of my very good friends, Bob Goyetche , who suddenly passed away last week. Bob was a pioneer in podcasting and always helped others get up and running with their own podcasting. Back in 2006, Bob co-founded an awesome, close-knit community...

Episode #202: Don’t strive for complete fluency. Do the best you can do everyday. Whatever that is for you. Be it to stutter openly and freely or keep speech tools in practice. Be comfortable in your own skin. Part of our stuttering journey usually involves the act of practice at one point or another. On this episode, I chat with David Stones , poet, spoken word artist, CEO, and co-organizer...

Episode #201: I had an awesome time at the Nordic Stuttering Seminar which took place in Hämeelinna, Finland with an additional trip to Tallinn, Estonia. On this episode, I share my experiences at my first Nordic seminar as I illustrate the benefits of hanging out with others who stutter. It’s true what the National Stuttering Association’s motto says — if you stutter, you’re not alone! I al...

Episode #200! What a great way to celebrate this milestone: with stutterers from all over the world! Join me at the World Congress for People Who Stutter/National Stuttering Association joint conference which took place in Atlanta, U.S.A. There are a lot of stories from people who stutter in this episode! I speak with old and new friends including Kylie Simmons who was recently detained at the Atl...

Episode #199: Join me on my noisy walk to the train station on my way to work as I encourage the idea of focussing on our strengths instead of comparing ourselves to others in a self-defeating way. It can be tough to resist comparing ourselves to others. I have that trouble, too. We live in a society that demands impossible perfection. Focussing on the qualities that we don’t have will only...

Episode #198: It’s not how you say something, it’s what you say that’s important! Join me and my friend Sam on this episode as we chat about this fact. And trek through beautiful Algonquin Park , Canada’s largest and oldest provincial park. The post Effective communication vs fluency appeared first on Stuttering is Cool .

Episode #197: There’s a whole lot more to us than our stutter! This is the message, Anita Blom, former Stutter Social host, gives in this episode. Continuing my Stutter Social interview series, Anita shares her stuttering survival and resilience tips which includes, talking about your stutter, meeting other stutterers, not comparing yourself to others, and everything is a life lesson. The po...

Episode #196: Canned material which you can use! If you’re having trouble knowing what to say to various reactions to your stuttering, then this episode will surely help! I sometimes still get caught off guard not knowing how to react. But it’s another opportunity to assess, learn, and become more prepared for next time. This episode is brought to you by the Stuttering is Cool book ! F...

Episode #195: Whether you’re keeping your speech tools in practice or letting yourself stutter openly, living with stuttering requires building up and keeping mental toughness. In this episode, I share my take on a superb article I stumbled upon about how mental toughness training is beneficial in all areas of our lives. Including dealing with the embarrassing moments a communication disorde...

Episode #194: Nobody is perfect. Everyone’s life journey is different. So be gentle on yourself when stuttering happens or when you miss out on an opportunity to advocate or educate. These are a few of the 5 stuttering survival tips Elaine Robin, part time Stutter Social host, gives on this episode. We also chat about the benefits of facing your fears, positive self-talk, and talking to othe...

Episode #193: You’re going to stutter. It’s part of the package. So don’t beat yourself up if you have a stuttery day. That’s the advice from Pamela Mertz, Stutter Social host, and producer of the Women Who Stutter podcast and blog . Pamela hid her stuttering for 30 years until one day she had enough. Once she start stuttering openly, telling people about it, and hanging ou...

Episode #192: Everything will be alright. Really! I chat with Stutter Social host, Chad Mannisi, who shares his tips on living a full, rich life in spite of stuttering. Chad purposely chose to present about stuttering in school to raise awareness and answer questions students might have been afraid to ask; he keeps in mind that no one is truly judging him; he also noticed that when fluenters don&#...

Episode #191: Give yourself permission to stutter! I chat with Stutter Social host, Annie Bradberry, about the methods she uses to prevent her speech from getting in the way of her life, work, and play. You won’t want to miss this episode as Annie’s stuttering survival tips can turn anyone from a shy, covert stutterer to a confident speaker regardless of fluency. This is the third part...

Episode #190:  Stuttering survival tips, part 2. There’s no special secret to beating stuttering. Achieving this nirvana is unconditional self-acceptance, non-avoidance, non-judgement, and living in the moment. I interview Stutter Social host, Hanan Hurwitz, in this second part of my series all about stuttering survival tips. Links mentioned in this episode: Stutter Social NSA/ISA stuttering...

Episode #189: You’re making a phone call and growing more anxious about stuttering with each ring. What do you do? Learn telephone survival tips and master other speaking situations in dating, job interviews, small talk, body language, and stuttering your name as Christine Dits, community manager of the Stutter Social app, shares her methods for dealing with stuttering and building resilienc...

Episode #188: Happy New Year! Let’s start the new year off with the right mindset – dealing with stuttering head-on, avoid avoiding, and building up resilience to our speaking fears! On this episode, my fellow Stutter Social hosts join me in sharing stuttering survival tips to get your mental toughness started. Download PDF This episode is brought to you Stuttering is Cool: A Guide to Stutte...

Episode #187: There I was on stage in front of an audience of about 70 people introducing and explaining the next scene my fellow improvisers were about to perform. Stuttering was on my mind but I was determined to try two pieces of advice instructors, Ashley Comeau and PK, had given me about using stuttering to my advantage when on stage and not doubting myself. I’ve been taking improv clas...

Episode #186. You’re 10 years old, you stutter, and the first day of school is approaching. You’re thinking about the negative reactions the other kids in your new class will have towards your stuttering. You’re afraid of being teased, bullied, and not making any friends. So what do you do? You create a poster about stuttering and present it to your class! This is what 10 year ol...

Episode #185: Looks like stuttering is a lot more complex than we think! And that makes researching the cause, treatment, and cure an astronomical challenge. On this episode, I chat with my friend, Dr. Greg Snyder , who is a professor and stuttering researcher at Ole Miss , about the complexity of stuttering and stuttering research. What if scientists looked at stuttering as an umbrella pathology...

Episode 184: Let’s meet the Broca Brothers! Hailing from the Netherlands, Hille and Stuart have been producing fantastically useful tips on how to keep in control of your stuttering as well as dealing with all the emotional stuff that comes with living with stuttering. We chat about how the Broca Brothers went from severe, quiet stutterers to confident YouTubers. We are living in a smaller w...

Episode #183: A friend of mine gave a TEDx Talk! David Resnick gets interviewed on my show once again but this time it’s about his really interesting TED talk he gave at TEDxCulverCity . David is a David Resnick is an entrepreneur who creates playful experiences that build communities such as Stutter Social which we co-founded with a friend back in 2011. In his talk,  Using Technology to Bui...

Episode #182: Speed bumps can be our friends! On this episode, I speak with my new friend, Jesse Schwartzman, who is a paralegal who uses the phone quite often for his career. Jesse shares his stuttering story including a cool speed bump analogy showing a positive side to blocking! Jesse also shares a piece of advice that his speech pathologist, Carl Herder from the American Institute for Stutteri...