Reflections on 2014

A blog by Voon Pang
Dec. 26, 2014

As we approach the end of 2014, I thought I’d share with you the best bits of what I’ve learnt from the people I have worked with and the books I have read over the year.

Top 5 Quotes from Children and Adults Who Stutter

I was fortunate enough to work with amazing families this year. Here are some words of advice from the ‘experts’ (children and people who stutter!).

1) “Stuttering makes you stronger. It gives you tenacity.” – An adult who stutters reflecting on how stuttering has been a positive influence on his life.

2) “Stuttering is not so much of a big deal if you can talk openly about it.” – A teenager coming to the realisation that openness about stuttering frees you from trying to hide all the time.

3) “I’ve learnt that it’s OK to have a stammer and that I’m not alone in the world.” – A 10 year old reflecting on his experience from one of the groups I ran.

4) “It’s really huge that you have confidence in my son. That stuttering is not a negative thing. It’s just part of who they are and that that’s great.” – A parent of a 7 year old who stutters, reflecting on her group therapy experience.

5) “You can still communicate even if you stutter.” – A teenager coming to terms with the idea that you don’t have to be 100% fluent to be a good communicator.

I think I will continue this tradition from here on in and make a note of the wise things people say in our therapy sessions. The only thing I’ll say is that I wish I had a video or audio recorder turned on at all times as it is impossible to note down everything.

Top 5 Books I’ve read

A lot of my friends tease me about the books I read. Most people pick up the next fictional best seller to get away from work. For me, I like to read new (and old) books about stuttering, as there is so much to learn. I can tell when I like a book if a) there are multiple tabs/page markers and b) I find myself quoting the author repeatedly when talking to my colleagues. There are a couple in this list that are fictional and appropriate for parents to share with children who stutter.

1) A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz. An inspiring autobiographical story with beautiful illustrations to captivate young readers. If you haven’t heard of Alan Rabinowitz then it is worth checking this book out! The story is a great addition to any library and will help children empathise with their peers who stutter.

2) Steggie’s Stammer by Jack Hughes. A simple story about a dinosaur who has a stutter. Whilst exploring a deep, dark and scary forest with her friends, she has to speak up and rescue them. A wonderful story for younger children as it teaches them the power of listening and speaking up even though they sometimes might stutter.

3) Understanding Stammering or Stuttering: A Guide for Parents, Teachers and Other Professionals by Elaine Kelman and Alison Whyte. I find myself referring back to this book time and time again when parents ask for a book, which provides comprehensive information in an easy-to-read format.

4) Out With It: How Stuttering Helped Me Find My Voice by Katherine Preston. A great read for older teens, adults and parents of people who stutter. Katherine’s ability to share her story and intertwine the stories of others provides food for thought on how stuttering has the ability to help you understand yourself and embrace the voice you were given.

5) Clinical Decision Making in Fluency Disorders (3^rd ed.) by Walter Manning. A fantastic text for Speech Language Pathologists who want to gain a deeper understanding of stuttering. Dr Manning’s book does what it says by helping the clinician understand what to consider when making clinical decisions in assessment and treatment of stuttering.

I hope you find my reflection of 2014 useful and I look forward to sharing more with you next year. Until then, “Happy holidays”!

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.

Winston Churchill

Seeking to "remove Winston Churchill's stutter by second guessing the diagnosis" indicates neither a truthful retelling of history nor an informed opinion about a complex speech disorder, say experts in the field of speech-language pathology.

Recent news reports that quote Dr. John Mather, a Washington physician, as saying that Churchill's stutter "is a lie" brought adamant critical response from specialists in the field of stuttering and fluency disorders.

Bruce Willis

While the world knows Bruce Willis as an A-list actor, few know that he struggled with stuttering throughout his first 20 years.

Walter Bruce Willis was born in 1955 in West Germany to his German mother, Marlene, and his American GI father, David Willis. The family settled in David’s hometown of Penns Grove, New Jersey in 1957, and the couple has three other children.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.