Um..Just Say It!!
When I think about stuttering, the movie "The King's Speech", comes to mind. This movie is the story of British King George VI and his struggle to control his stuttering. For the King dealing with stuttering became a constant struggle to control it, physically, psychologically and socially. This movie is about Albert's ability to convince a nation to take it to war. His first major test of leadership rests on his speech via radio telling the nation why England must go to war. Due to past experiences, he developed a fear about speaking. He feared that no one would listen because his stuttering was so severe. This movie won universal praise for it's portrayal of the monarch's stuttering. Another great example is George Springer, a rookie Major League Baseball outfielder with the Houston Astros, Springer shared that once he accepted stuttering, it changed his outlook on everything and made him a lot happier within himself. I look up to many role models in my life, but I am mostly inspired by Bob Love, an NBA player who took a job as a bus boy at $4.45 an hour, significantly less than his salary of $105,000 a year. Love dreamt about being a public speaker since his early days, but couldn't because he couldn't get a word out. Through speech therapy, he was able to overcome his fear and now he is running for Alderman of the 15th Ward in Chicago.
It's ironic that I always wanted to be a Counselor, a communicator, I love people and I love to socialize. The very thing I most love to do is the very thing I always feared. However, that did not stop me, my passion is to help people in need. People who stutter are most often portrayed as cognitively challenged or mentally unhealthy. There is a real mental battle that happens on a daily basis, hoping to get a word right. Trying not to face the embarrassment, or hoping to avoid the strange stare, can be a huge challenge. I would never allow this to dominate my life, on the contrary, I always use myself as an example to my clients and family, that you can achieve everything you want in life. It's very rewarding to hear from clients months after terminating therapy, who were encouraged by my experience. They often express how much the therapeutic experience helped them and wish they could come back.
I started this blog with this vulnerable topic because I love the power of words. Words have a special meaning in my life. I will use the words in this blog to encourage, promote well being and empower those who are willing to listen and learn from the stories shared on this platform.
"Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you overcome" - unknown