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Can you share some techniques? I've found the opposite.. Come game time on the phone especially, it is difficult. I stutter frequently and block for long extend

Can you share some techniques? I've found the opposite.. Come game time on the phone especially, it is difficult. I stutter frequently and block for long extended periods.

forthelove 9y ago
For one, breathe. Before, during, after. Breathe. Settle yourself (I meditate daily as well). Personally, I think I get caught up when I try to read word for word scripts, so I always give myself a general blueprint of what I want to say but allow myself room for improv. I also tend to do my practice speeches way faster than the real ones, which I also think is the opposite of what most people experience. I pause a lot (and, again, breathe) during speeches, let things sink in for both the audience and myself. That's about it. Oh, I try to get everyone laughing early on. It settles the nerves in almost any situation.
- vigliag 9y ago
  Hi! Fellow stutterer here :) Since university, my stutter got a lot better, especially when explaining things, or when talking with friends, but I still struggle a lot at counters or in interviews. I've been seeing a psychologist lately (speech therapy didn't help) and he adviced me to practice daily reading aloud and meditating, the goal being letting the brain do the talking without thinking about it or intervening/struggling . Do you follow any similar daily routine? Any exercises to advice?
  - shanev 9y ago
    I make it a point to talk to a stranger at least once a day. The person in line in front of me, the barista, store clerk, whomever. It has helped me tremendously. Meditation is also great.
    - vigliag 9y ago
      Thanks. That's a good idea. Even getting comfortable talking to baristas would be a big accomplishment
maxxxxx 9y ago
I wonder if Toastmasters could help. I don't stutter but I am painfully shy so giving speeches was always a nightmare. After giving a few speeches at Toastmasters I simply didn't care anymore and did OK speeches without too much stress.
phugoid 9y ago
Try making a few calls before the important one to break the ice a bit. Another trick is to start the conversation in an unconventional way, so you don't have time to predict what you're going to say (and anticipate the blocking). What really worked for me was to force myself to _never_ replace words and to accept that I will stutter at times. I also have a silly trick for overcoming a prolongation. When I'm stuck, I voice the first sound of the word, then take a short silent rest, and continue with the rest of the word. For instance, "f...ailure". Knowing that I can plough through any prolongation and still be understood has reduced them tremendously and lowered my anxiety. I'm not saying this trick will work for everyone, and I haven't seen it in any of the books. Unlike the author, I think there's nothing wrong with apologizing for a stutter. That's a useful tactic because it brings the issue out in the open, instead of putting all that effort into hiding it. I'll apologize in advance, just to lower my stress level. Edit: Renamed block to prolongation.
- shanev 9y ago
  I think many of us end up reinventing the same techniques through trial and error. I too do a similar technique for blocks. Completely agree that there's nothing wrong with apologizing for it. It lays it all out instead the other party wondering why you are nervous, or think you are hiding something. Finding the appropriate time to bring it up has always been a challenge. I sometimes will do a fake stutter, and bring it up after that so I have more control of the situation.

Can you share some techniques? I've found the opposite.. Come game time on the phone especially, it is difficult. I stutter frequently and block for long extended periods.

forthelove 9y ago

For one, breathe. Before, during, after. Breathe. Settle yourself (I meditate daily as well). Personally, I think I get caught up when I try to read word for word scripts, so I always give myself a general blueprint of what I want to say but allow myself room for improv. I also tend to do my practice speeches way faster than the real ones, which I also think is the opposite of what most people experience. I pause a lot (and, again, breathe) during speeches, let things sink in for both the audience and myself. That's about it. Oh, I try to get everyone laughing early on. It settles the nerves in almost any situation.

vigliag 9y ago
Hi! Fellow stutterer here :) Since university, my stutter got a lot better, especially when explaining things, or when talking with friends, but I still struggle a lot at counters or in interviews. I've been seeing a psychologist lately (speech therapy didn't help) and he adviced me to practice daily reading aloud and meditating, the goal being letting the brain do the talking without thinking about it or intervening/struggling . Do you follow any similar daily routine? Any exercises to advice?
- shanev 9y ago
  I make it a point to talk to a stranger at least once a day. The person in line in front of me, the barista, store clerk, whomever. It has helped me tremendously. Meditation is also great.
  - vigliag 9y ago
    Thanks. That's a good idea. Even getting comfortable talking to baristas would be a big accomplishment

maxxxxx 9y ago

I wonder if Toastmasters could help. I don't stutter but I am painfully shy so giving speeches was always a nightmare. After giving a few speeches at Toastmasters I simply didn't care anymore and did OK speeches without too much stress.

phugoid 9y ago

Try making a few calls before the important one to break the ice a bit. Another trick is to start the conversation in an unconventional way, so you don't have time to predict what you're going to say (and anticipate the blocking). What really worked for me was to force myself to _never_ replace words and to accept that I will stutter at times. I also have a silly trick for overcoming a prolongation. When I'm stuck, I voice the first sound of the word, then take a short silent rest, and continue with the rest of the word. For instance, "f...ailure". Knowing that I can plough through any prolongation and still be understood has reduced them tremendously and lowered my anxiety. I'm not saying this trick will work for everyone, and I haven't seen it in any of the books. Unlike the author, I think there's nothing wrong with apologizing for a stutter. That's a useful tactic because it brings the issue out in the open, instead of putting all that effort into hiding it. I'll apologize in advance, just to lower my stress level. Edit: Renamed block to prolongation.

shanev 9y ago
I think many of us end up reinventing the same techniques through trial and error. I too do a similar technique for blocks. Completely agree that there's nothing wrong with apologizing for it. It lays it all out instead the other party wondering why you are nervous, or think you are hiding something. Finding the appropriate time to bring it up has always been a challenge. I sometimes will do a fake stutter, and bring it up after that so I have more control of the situation.