Blogs

November 30, 2018

How Accepting My Stutter Made Me More Genuine

“I want you to stand out. I want all of you, to be as different as you can possibly be, in all the best ways.”

November 13, 2018

An Open Letter to Speech Therapy

Going back to speech therapy was one of the best things I’ve ever done

October 30, 2018

To The Kids Who Picked on Me Because I Stutter

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to go to school with a group of kids who rarely picked on me because I stuttered. I know other people who stutter who were not as fortunate.

October 24, 2018

Stuttering as an Impediment to Driving?

Just when I thought I had seen all the crazy examples of how misunderstood stuttering is, something more outrageous has come along!

October 18, 2018

Why I’m Thankful That I Stutter

After all this time, I’ve come to terms with stuttering and I’ve found peace with my thoughts, with words, with writing.

October 15, 2018

What ISAD Means to Me

For most of my life, celebrate was the last word I would associate with stuttering and definitely the last thing I wanted to do in terms of my stutter.

October 9, 2018

Another Person Who Stutters Wins Stanley Cup

Nicklas Backstrom is the latest NHL player who stutters to win a Stanley Cup.

October 8, 2018

Bloomin’ Arse

I grew up watching old musicals. I memorized the song lyrics, I danced along, and I didn’t just fantasize, I visualized playing the characters some day.

October 1, 2018

An Open Letter to 20-Year-Old Me: Going Back to Speech Therapy is a Good Thing

You’ve been asked numerous times by numerous people, “What is your five year plan?” This is you at 25 giving you a sneak peek of what that those five years entail.

August 14, 2018

Philly Workshop Life-Changing for SLPs Across the Globe

I had the privilege of attending a 5-day Stuttering Foundation workshop in Philadelphia aimed at improving the clinical skills of speech-language pathologists when working with young people how stutter.

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CELEBRITY FOCUS

Bob Love

The late Bob Love dreamt about being a great public speaker since his early days in Bastrop Louisiana, even though, as a young man, he could barely put two words together, let alone speak a full sentence.

In spite of his severe stuttering disability, Bob Love, the son of a sharecropper, rose to become a Chicago Bulls NBA superstar, whose records were eventually surpassed by Michael Jordan. Throughout his entire athletic career, Bob Love kept his stuttering a secret from the fans who adored him, thinking he could do his “talking” on the basketball court.

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.

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.

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

Bill Withers

While Bill Withers has long been on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter, many people probably didn’t realize he stuttered. He passed away on March 30, 2020.

Born in 1938 in Slab Fork, W.V., Withers was the youngest of six children. When his father died when Withers was small, he was raised by his mother and grandmother, both of whom worked as domestics.