My name is Phil. I’m 40, and I reside in Ireland. I have a Masters in Engineering, and I work as Renewable Energy Engineer. I began stuttering at age, and, under pressure, I stuttered more than half my words.
I believe, as Lee does, that stuttering is in the mind and can be cured by the mind. I have studied a number of books related to neuroplasticity, such as Norman Doidge’s best seller, “The Brain That Can Change Itself”. Even before I found Lee’s book, I was able to stop my own stuttering for various periods of time, but I relapsed frequently, because I didn’t have a complete system, such as the methods that Lee outlines in his book. I found Lee and his book online when researching neuroplasticity and speech.
After I read Lee’s book, I Skyped with him a handful of times and with another one of Lee’s coaches, Stu, who is also Irish. I also studied Melvin Powers’ book on self-hypnosis, which Lee recommends in his book. This helped a great deal. I began giving myself mind treatments twice a day.
I joined World Stop Stuttering Association (WSSA) and found its program very helpful. The video-lectures by Lee, the vast library of coaching vides (all searchable by topic, etc.) made Lee’s methods easier to understand and apply.
I found Lee’s crutches very helpful, especially No. 1, dropping the first letter or syullable, and 4, inserting a word or sound in front of the feared word and connecting the two.
I haven’t had a bad incident, as Lee defines it (appearing speech disabled) in many months now. I’m still working on getting rid of speech-fears and teaching myself to love to speak in all situations. Regardless, my advice to PWS is: Get Lee’s book, join WSSA and do the entire program, and, if you need it, get some coaching from Lee or one of WSSA’s other speech coaches. The point is that these methods work, and it makes no sense to go through life stuttering. Not anymore.
PHIL, Ireland, October 2020
