After experiencing an event that would threaten my career, I had enough and decided to attack my blocking. My name is Esaí, and I live in Puerto Rico. I have blocked, stuttered, and even accompanied those with awkward gestures since I was approximately four. This was true for phone calls, in front of groups, authority figures, and even friends, family and strangers. My blocking was so extreme that I could not read aloud, present myself, or have conversations in a normal way. And as you can imagine, I was a situational PWS, some days my stuttering was minimal, other days I stuttered and blocked on every word.
Throughout the years my stuttering did improve, naturally, but it was still a disability. After joining the military, I experienced how hard it was for a PWS to manage in a fluent world, but I did manage. I worked hard and excelled in every aspect of my life, except in my speech.
I did a few therapy sessions when I was young, but nothing seemed to improve my stuttering. I spent a long time believing that stuttering was just there, and it could not be cured. I believed I had to deal with it for the rest of my life even though I have always realized I did not stutter when alone. How bizarre is that?
One day stuttering threatened my career, I decided I had enough. I researched the internet and found Lee Lovett’s book. I started hearing the audible version of the 2nd Edition until I waited to receive my hard copy of the 3rd. By the time I was done reading the book, my stuttering started to abate. I was gaining fluency in casual conversations with friends, strangers, family, and over the phone! I diligently followed the methods and techniques outlined in the book while reading aloud. I started practicing the crutches and applying mind training.
After reading the book, I started receiving coaching by Lee and then Javier, a certified speech coach for World Stop Stuttering Association and Speech Anxiety Anonymous. I have had a total of five sessions between the two and counting. My speech continues to improve every day and my fear and anxiety is diminishing in direct proportion with my stutter.
My family, friends, and coworkers have commented on how my speech has improved. I have not had an event where my speech has been disabled since I started applying the methods. Even though I still have speech bumps, I am determined to continue working the methods and become an excellent speaker and love to speak.
They say the hardest part of the race,
is the last stride to the finish line.
I have learned that stuttering CAN be cured and reversed. It is hard work, but not because of the nature of stuttering, but because you must believe that you can improve, and you must diligently and religiously continue the methods and techniques to strive for that 99.9% of fluency. This takes time and dedication, but it is ever so worth it! Never give up trying and continue to be consistent with yourself! I urge any stutterer to join WSSA and get all of Lee’s speech-books and read them and take the video courses that he did on each. At WSSA, you’ll also find a video library containing around 1,000 coaching videos; watching them is much like private coaching. If you want private coaching, it’s available on WSSA as well. If you want to hear me talk, go here: https://youtu.be/0Tr3W7DJvxE. In conclusion, you don’t have stutter, not anymore. Life is ever so much better. Join us and start your new life. I did.
ESAI, Puerto Rico, June 2020
