Stuttering: Inspiring Stories and Professional Wisdom

by Taro Alexander, Stuttertalk Publications, Joel Korte

This book reflects a wide range of experiences and knowledge found in the stuttering community and includes 25 chapters written by people who stutter and leading professionals. In the first section of the book (16 chapters), people who stutter share their inspiring stuttering stories. Topics include growing up stuttering, chasing fluency, facing fears, covert stuttering, voluntary stuttering and other speech tools, avoiding stuttering, making productive changes, advertising stuttering (telling others that you stutter), meeting others who stutter, passing as fluent, the importance of being a good listener, substance abuse and stuttering, LGBT issues in the stuttering community, using acting to help cope with stuttering, a letter to "fluency," learning from children who stutter, stuttering paradoxes and much more. The second section of the book (9 chapters) delves into some current and exciting issues in stuttering and treatment. These chapters reflect the deep knowledge of well respected speech-language pathologists and researchers and a disabilities rights lawyer. Authors include Walter H. Manning, Phil Schneider, J. Scott Yaruss, Bob Quesal, John A. Tetnowski and others. Topics covered are the acceptance of stuttering, the therapeutic alliance (the relationship between client and therapist), considerations in choosing a speech-language pathologist, the body and soul of speech therapy, mindfulness in stuttering treatment, the biggest mistakes made in stuttering treatment, people who stutter becoming speech therapists, disability issues and stuttering, a conversation about "fluency" and much more.

310 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 2012

Reviews

[John Vonhof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuttering was an excellent read, especially for someone who stutters. I believe it would be an informative read for spouses, children, and other family members of someone who stutters. The book is made up of 25 chapters that are written by people knowledgeable about stuttering. The book is readable, but if some chapters are too deep or not applicable for you, just skip them. The information shared is valuable and quite helpful. The average person, who does not stutter, has little knowledge about what it means to stutter. I know reading this would provide insights into the challenges and stressors of someone who stutters. As someone who stutters, I learned a lot that can help anyone who stutters. I highly recommend this book.