People who suffer from stuttering are often special people with special qualities and unusual abilities. History presents us with plenty of examples proving this. (Politicians, Authors, Actors etc.). Our participants most definitely have all the reason to be confident.
We will explain the connection between breathing and speaking, especially between diaphragmatic and vocal training. As a next step, we train the function of the diaphragm through respiratory instruction. Subsequently, we use techniques taken from stress management, especially the intervention of the process of stress through guided perception. Even participants with severe stammering symptoms and severe stammering usually manage to utter several sentences without stuttering on the first day of the course. This gives everybody a confidence boost.
Simultaneously we practice very efficient relaxation techniques. These include meditation, comprehensive-relaxation and imaginary journeys i.e. trips which are adapted to match the problem of stuttering and accompany the entire training as a stabilising framework, reducing speech impediments through a natural approach.
We apply mental techniques with the purpose of deprogramming the subconsciously working behavioural stuttering structures, to slowly but surely rid ourselves of our prior vocal configurations. Hereby we also fix the subjective, realistic sensation of ? I can speak fluently at any given time? consciously and consistently.
During the course we practise, so as to further enhance the individual possibilities of perception and mental progress of stuttering structures, and to be able to use these in all given situations.
Stress reducing techniques and stress intervention instructions following the S-O-R-K model support this work. The participants are encouraged to purposely place themselves in situations where speech may be challenging, in order to practice using the techniques and gradually reduce the fear of stuttering. The discussion group then shares their experiences and indicates the significance of the continuous and consistent, however moreover playful application of the learned techniques. The participant is encouraged to understand any possible or even probable setback as an incentive to continue to work hard and not give up in their quest to conquer their stutter.
What we believe to be of great importance is the ability of the participant to discover their own deep-rooted feelings of fear, shame and hurt and to transform them to be able to act more liberated and genuine, and eventually speak fluently . Here we work selecting in accordance with age and maturity of the participants.