Recovery From Stuttering

This book is a comprehensive guide to the evidence, theories, and practical issues associated with recovery from stuttering in early childhood and into adolescence. It examines evidence that stuttering is associated with a range of biological factors — such as genetics — and psychological factors — such as anxiety — and it critically assesses theoretical accounts that attempt to integrate these findings. Written so that it can be used flexibly to meet the demands of courses about stuttering, the book may be used as a text at the undergraduate or graduate level in psychology or speech-language science.

Stuttering Recovery: Personal and Empirical Perspectives is a highly original and engaging book serving to not only educate readers on topics related to stuttering, but also to stimulate discussion. The author interweaves personal accounts of people who stutter with informational chapters highlighting up-to-date research on recovery-related issues such as therapy, support groups, listener reactions, risk-taking, and dealing with family members and significant others. Reader-friendly and understandable, this book incorporates various perspectives to teach and illustrate the different aspects of recovery. Chapters are paired with stories presenting all sides of the recovery process -- the humorous and serious, the uplifting and frustrating, the thoughtful and emotional, and everything in-between. The result is a text that is entertaining and instructive. Stuttering Recovery: Personal and Empirical Perspectives is intended for undergraduate and graduate students, clinicians, speech-language professionals, people who stutter, significant others, and anyone else who has an interest in fluency disorders.

This book is a comprehensive guide to the evidence, theories, and practical issues associated with recovery from stuttering in early childhood and into adolescence. It examines evidence that stuttering is associated with a range of biological factors — such as genetics — and psychological factors — such as anxiety — and it critically assesses theoretical accounts that attempt to integrate these findings. Written so that it can be used flexibly to meet the demands of courses about stuttering, the book may be used as a text at the undergraduate or graduate level in psychology or speech-language science.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy of Stuttering (REBTS) delivers permanent recovery from stuttering by addressing stuttering from a wholistic point of view. Not only does it target the mechanical speech aspects of stuttering by constantly reducing the severity and frequency of speech disfluencies, but it also works on the conscious and subconscious cognitions about self and stuttering that propagate struggled, forced speech, concomitant extraneous motions called secondary stuttering, and the negative emotions associated with stuttering. The REBTS process results in thinking clearly, speaking freely, and living fully.By following the suggestions in this book, we can practically guarantee operational fluency because REBTS:Enhances motivation by encouraging the use of a written journal and weekly smart phone generated video clips to show progress. Can eliminate or at least greatly reduce anxiety and other negative emotions that exacerbate stuttering. Teaches you how to unconditionally accept yourself and your stuttering as you begin to stutter less and less frequently and severely.This book teaches you to substitute easy bounces for forced, struggled stutters. The easy bounces, which are simple repetitions of the first syllable of a word, become less and less frequent and severe until they practically disappear. The occasional times when you encounter them do not interfere with your communication and do not call extra attention from the listener.

Malcolm Fraser knew from personal experience what the person who stutters is up against. His introduction to stuttering corrective procedures first came at the age of fifteen under the direction of Frederick Martin, M.D., who at that time was Superintendent of Speech Correction for the New York City schools. A few years later, he worked with J. Stanley Smith, L.L.D., a stutterer and philanthropist, who, for altruistic reasons, founded the Kingsley Clubs in Philadelphia and New York that were named after the English author, Charles Kingsley, who also stuttered. The Kingsley Clubs were small groups of adult stutterers who met one night a week to try out treatment ideas then in effect. In fact, they were actually practicing group therapy as they talked about their experiences and exchanged ideas. This exchange gave each of the members a better understanding of the problem. The founder often led the discussions at both clubs. In 1928 Malcolm Fraser joined his older brother Carlyle who founded the NAPA-Genuine Parts Company that year in Atlanta, Georgia. He became an important leader in the company and was particularly outstanding in training others for leadership roles. In 1947, with a successful career under way, he founded the Stuttering Foundation of America. In subsequent years, he added generously to the endowment so that at the present time, endowment income covers over fifty percent of the operating budget. In 1984, Malcolm Fraser received the fourth annual National Council on Communicative Disorders' Distinguished Service Award. The NCCD, a council of 32 national organizations, recognized the Foundation's efforts in "adding to stutterers', parents', clinicians', and the public's awareness and ability to deal constructively with stuttering." Book jacket.