Update and PFSP Information

Wow, have I been slacking lately! ;-)

Somebody sent me an email this evening asking where he could find more information on PFSP. After I finished my ussual overly verbose reply, I realised I should actually post it on my blog.

But while I'm here, I suppose I should update you on my current status. I still don't practice as much as I should, but I do still practice. My transfers are inconsistent, but things like the drive through, have become an almost daily event ... it's not something I think about too much any more.

I had originally planned to stop the blog after a year had passed, which would have been October 17th. But I still have a few things I want to say, so I'm going to wait until I have the time to say it. Then I'll end the blog officially.

Anyway; Info on PFSP.

The program I took was at the Speech Foundation of Ontario

The program was originally created by Ronald Webster

Ross Barrett runs a similar program in the states.

Also; Judy Kuster has a lot of links and may have more detailed information. Or you can Google her site (pfsp OR "fluency shaping" OR "P.F.S.P.") site:mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/

If you still can't find anything, you might want to contact Tom Weidig, he probably knows of a link.

Good luck.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

Transfer-Wk 42,Mon-Excuse lecture & a movie link

Vikesh posted a trailer for a DVD called “Transcending Stuttering: The Inside Story”. I believe the DVD is available from the National Stuttering Association.
Also, I recently saw this advice given on Yahoo Groups. And thought it was a good lecture on fear and excuses. Enjoy ;-)

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Diva,
Consider this...How mant times in the last 10 years-- have you tried to make friends and been rejected--where they said "I don't want to be your friend because you stutter" ?-- How many jobs have you gone for and been told "sorry, we can't hire you w/ that stutter" Consider that it is FEAR of stuttering that is holding you back and not the stuttering itself. The person rejecting you.. is YOU ! You are saying "I can't be his friend,.he won’t like me because I stutter" or "I can't get that job.. I stutter.. I wont even try" Notice -- You are married. You have two kids.. you are a dental assistant.. Do you know how many fluent people never even achieve that ? I know you're thinking "yeah, but.."--but step outside yourself.. Look at yourself objectively.. Most people have a "reason"--a scapegoat-- a fault in their character they blame for not having all they want.. Ours is often stuttering..."I can blame the stutteirng-- I didn't get the job because I stutter.. I don't have friends because I stutter"- -b ut apparenty some people like you and hire you..and you're doing OK in life.. DO you honestly believe if you didn't stutter.. you'd be the most outgoing, super employed person on Earth--that you're perfect in every other way and only stuttering is holding ya back ?
Nah, Diva is holding Diva back : )
From Yahoo Groups-Stuttering Support

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PS-Sorry for the recent silence, but I’m still alive …. I’ll try to post more often.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

FYI: Rommel's 3rd Annual Charity BBQ

At the annual PFSP last December, we were informed about Rommel D'Souza and his charity BBQ. Here’s what I wrote about it at the time.

“Rommel’s Charity BBQ was discussed this morning. Basically, one of the past participants got this idea to have a charity BBQ, and took the initiative to do it. He didn’t throw it out there as an idea, but actually made the arrangements, started inviting people, and looking for sponsors. Last year he raised about $3,000.00, which covered his expenses, paid for 2 people who could not afford therapy to take the program, and there is over $500 remaining, which will go towards somebody’s therapy at next years BBQ.”

Well August 12 is the 3rd Annual Rommel's Charity BBQ.

It’s a great cause, and he’s doing it in a financially responsible way. Check out his Financial Accountability page.

If you can’t make it, you can contact him directly to make a donation.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

Transfer-Wk 37,Mon-Finally, a new post

My previous post seemed to imply that I’ve been on vacation for a heck of a long time. Strangers stumbling onto my blog, may assume I’m either so rich I can take a 6 week vacation, or that I was “detained” indefinitely in a communist country. ;-)

Fact is, I’ve just been busy. Actually, I’ve been so busy, that I’ve barely read an email that isn’t from a paying client.

Maintaining a blog is a lot of work, which is probably the reason so many bloggers fail to keep their blogs alive. Tom is doing a good job though, and Sophie seems to have kept A Secret Stutter Exposed pretty active since March, even though I’ve barely read either since before my vacation.

I did meet the doctor at the resort when I was there, so I asked about stutterers in Cuba. I was curious about how people who stutter would be treated in a communist country. Were they given therapy, or pigeon holed into meaningless occupations by some ignorant bureaucrat. The doctor told me that any child displaying a speech impediment would be given therapy (although I didn’t ask what kind).

Anyway, I will try to blog more in the future. I want to maintain the blog until October, so it’s not much longer. Also, I have a therapy follow up on Wednesday, so there should be something to say after that.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

On Vacation

Hi,

Sorry I haven´t updated my blog for a while. I´m on Vacation in Cuba for the next week. My internet connection is sllllllllllllloooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww ... so I don´t know if I´ll be able to write too much this week.

Thanks for understanding.

BTW-Airport security stopped me on my way into the plane because of my stop watch.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

Transfer-Wk 31,Thurs-Break from Toastmasters & PFSP Mini Refresher

2 things:

1. I’m taking a break from Toastmasters for a while. I seem to have forgotten my goals were originally to push my controlled fluency out of my comfort zone. But lately, I’m using spontaneous fluency more often with mixed results. Whether I’m stuttering or not, is irrelevant since speaking fluently without control is just as counter productive as stuttering.
   So, I will be taking a break from it until I get my act together again. Perhaps I’ll try the Toastmasters for People With a Stutter … if I can get downtown at that time.
   


2. I’m going to a PFSP mini-refresher tomorrow (Friday). I’m pretty excited about it, and definitely need it. I will try to post something tomorrow evening to let you know how it went.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.

FYI: Mudiaga video

I just ran across this video of Mudiaga from a documentary called Help Me To Speak.

In the video, Mudiaga's frustrations are not appearent trying to book an appointment over the telephone. Also, the person he is speaking to, is well mannered, but it is still (I assume) easy for a non-stutterer to recognize the frustration stuttering can cause. In my humble opinion, the scene was well done.

The comments are sympathetic for the most part, and a couple bloggers wrote about it, both supportive and mocking.

Update [Aug 21,2006]: The video has been taken down a couple times, if it's broken again, do a search on "stuttering" on YouTube to find it again.

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Not meant as advice, please find a qualified therapist if you are interested in similar therapy.