Year after year, one of the most frequently asked questions we receive, usually from parents of a child who stutters, is a simple one to answer. Do I need to do anything special when talking with a child who stutters?

It takes vulnerability to put yourself out there, especially when there’s a risk of being turned down. Open yourself up and take the chance; you never know what could happen.

For as long as I can remember, I have coped with a “speech block,” a type of stuttering that momentarily causes unexpected breaks in my speech.

For years, my stutter was the thing that caused a lot of self-doubt, negativity, and held me back. My stutter would cause me to talk negatively to and be mad at myself. Through years of self-growth and introspection, I no longer allow myself to talk ill about myself or be mad at myself because of my stutter.