Meet Stutter Social host Ronan Miller

Stutter Social is happy to announce the newest member of our amazing roster of hosts, Ronan Miller! Let's get to know Ronan a little bit:

1. Tell us about yourself

My name is Ronan Miller, and I am from Nottingham in the UK. I am 32 years old and have lived in Valencia, Spain since 2008. I am a PhD student at the University of Valencia, where I am conducting research into how people who stutter experience anxiety in English foreign language learning. I enjoy music in its many forms, cooking and eating, and exercising.

2. What was it like for you to grow up stuttering?

Growing up with a stutter was very difficult at times, the two most troublesome situations for me were being asked my name at school and making phone calls to my friends (before everyone had a mobile phone!). I was lucky enough to have a good group of friends that didn't care about my stutter, and all things considered I feel very fortunate to have had the experiences I have had.

3. What made you interested in becoming a Stutter Social host?

I have benefitted enormously from speaking with other people who stutter over the years, and my attitude towards stuttering has improved a great deal thanks to those conversations. In some small way, I hope that by becoming a stutter social host I may be able to pass on some of the positivity and understanding that I have received.

4. Do you have any advice for people who stutter?

My advice would be focus on your strengths, all of us have weaknesses, whether we stutter or not. Despite the negatives, stuttering can lead to a whole host of positive experiences, and instead of holding you back, can actually make you more determined and ready to take risks. There are many people who stutter who do amazing things and continue to stutter openly, showing that attitude and self-acceptance is more important that speech fluency!

First Stutter Social Award presented to Pam Mertz for service to community

Pam Mertz, received the first Stutter Social Award for her service as Stutter Social host and to the stuttering community.

The award was presented by co-founder, Mitchell Trichon during the 41st annual Weekend Workshop for Effective Communication at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York, to an audience of clients, family, past clients, student clinicians, supervisors, faculty, and administrators.

A smiling and “so surprised” Pam walked up to the podium to receive her award presented before Mitch began his workshop showcasing Stutter Social as a useful tool for people who stutter.

“Along with being a Stutter Social host, Pam is quite active and does so much for the stuttering community that I felt it was fitting to honour her right in her hometown!”, said Mitch. "It was great to honour Pam in her hometown. She's done so much for the stuttering community. We are so happy she's a part of Stutter Social."

Also in attendance via Google+ Hangout were Pam's fellow stutter social hosts as part of Mitch's demonstration of the technology used in Stutter Social group video chats. "I was so surprised and happy that several of my good friends were there to see it via technology.", Pam later shared on her blog, Make Room For The Stuttering.

Along with being a fierce advocate and great role model for women who stutter, a few fun facts about Pam’s service to the stuttering community include:

• Getting fired from her job of 20 years because of her stuttering was a “defining and positively life transforming moment” that prompted her to never hide her stuttering and let her authentic self shine through. Pam does a lot of public speaking at her current job to high schools, universities, and gives training to colleagues at staff meetings.
  
• Pam created the Make Room For The Stuttering blog in 2009 to share her experiences with stuttering and prove that stuttering indeed has social value (you can also read Pam's post about receiving the award).
  
• In 2010, Pam launched her Women Who Stutter: Our Stories podcast to provide a forum for women to share their stories about living with stuttering – so far she has produced over 160 episodes featuring women from over 30 countries!
  
• Pam gives multiple workshops at the National Stuttering Association’s annual conference and is currently a member of the Board of Directors, Co-chair Special Projects of the National Stuttering Association
  
• In 2011, Pam was awarded the Jefferson Medal for Public Service for her efforts in raising awareness of stuttering and increasing tolerance.
  
• A member of the Board of Directors, Secretary of the International Stuttering Association
  
• Pam regularly shares her stuttering experiences to speech language pathology students
  
• One of the earliest members of the stuttering community on Twitter (she's @stutterrockstar)
  
• A Distinguished Toastmaster, Pam credits Toastmasters for being an “incredibly helpful experience” for her where she has entered speech contests, been involved in mentoring, held club leadership positions including Treasurer, President of her chapter, Area Governor and completed the Toastmasters High Performance Leadership Project.

The Stutter Social Award has been created to honour our hosts. It is in the shape of an iceberg as a tribute to the famous Iceberg Analogy of Stuttering.

Congratulations Pam and thank you again for your service!

Introducing new Stutter Social host, Douglas Scott

Let's meet Douglas Scott, new Stutter Social host! Doug will host Thursdays alternating with Chad Mannisi.

1. Tell us about yourself.

I joined the NSA when it was known as the NSP (National Stuttering Project) in 1985.  I am a native of Houston, Texas and a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.  I love college football especially the Longhorns! Hook em! Go Horns! I am married with two sons, ages 24 and 22.

Besides the NSA,  my passion is TV shows (I'm a junkie) and movies, traveling, and towels! Yes, I love new nice bath towels! My professional work career has centered around IT mnagement/application support and accounting. I was employed for almost 30 years with a French owned company call Vallourec. Paris, France based Vallourec is a global pipe and steel concern with operations worldwide. After taking a year sabbatical, currently, I am pursuing opportunities in business administration support consulting and SAP application support.

2. What was it like for you to grow up stuttering?

Well, it was challenging  to say the least! As with most people who stutter, there were the deeply embarrassing situations with my speech, the hard blocks, frustration, fear of speaking, and secondaries.  My family was understanding and accepting of my stutter, because on my maternal side stuttering was prevalent. My maternal grandmother, uncle, and a cousin all stutter. So, my family actually did not pay too much attention to my stuttering. In fact, they treated it almost as normal.   Not fitting the stereotype of southerners, my family actually spoke very fast. Of course, that made it more difficult to talk or get a word in during family gatherings and discussions.

I first recognized my speech was different and I had a stutter when on first day of class in second grade, my teacher did roll call. I stood up and could not say my name. And, yes, the kids laughed at me. That was hard and for many years after that I would hear the laughter of friends and foes directed toward my stutter and sometimes the relentless teasing! However, my stutter did not destroy me.

The reason it did not destroy me is because my family never allowed me to feel sorry for myself or that I was less than anyone else. My family, mainly my mother, made sure I felt I could still do and be anything I wanted to be.

There were many critical and pivotal moments in my life with my stuttering. One major moment was in college when I was part of a team assigned the responsibility of presenting results of a fictitious/faux company we managed in an organizational management class, I stuttered severely.  I was only given 3 minutes to present my portion, it took at least 1.5 minutes just to say my name.  I was so scared, sweaty hands, silent blocks, not breathing properly, totally embarrassed and ashamed.   It was the worst day of my life. Needlessly to say, I did not receive a passing grade on the presentation part of the course.  Fortunately, I did well enough on the content and written exams that I managed to pass the course.

3. What made you interested in becoming a Stutter Social host?

I participated in stutter social sessions for a year and half and enjoyed the experience. The opportunity to speak with friends and other people from all over the world was awesome.

Stutter social sessions are like mini-NSA meetings.  In addition, it gives you an opportunity to practice your speech therapy techniques in a safe environment. I wanted to contribute to the Stutter Social group, my time and experience as a former NSA chapter leader and meeting facilitator, in the role of Stutter Social host.

4.  Do you have any advice for people who stutter?

My advice to people who stutter is to be open to looking at your Stuttering as a journey!  I feel that many things impact our stuttering but the most important factor in our stuttering is US. Join a support group for people who stutter.  In USA, join the NSA. There is no better organization for people who stutter.  If you can not attend a support group meeting then join a Stutter Social session.

Introducing new Stutter Social host, Michael Molino

Let's meet Michael Molino, new Stutter Social host! Michael hosts Wednesdays alternating with Heather Najman.

1. Tell us about yourself.

I was born a raised in San Jose, CA.  After graduating from Live Oak high school I attend Evergreen Community College in San Jose. With a couple years of getting very little accomplished I joined the Navy. My initial thoughts were to go see the world, have some fun, and maybe after few years I’d become more disciplined in the world of academia. After 24 years of naval service I settled down in Sacramento and it just so happened that California State University Sacramento has a Speech Pathology program. I graduated with a B.S. in Speech Pathology and Audiology in 2014 and am currently in my 2nd year of their Speech Pathology Graduate program.

2. What was it like for you to grow up stuttering?

I didn’t realize I stuttered until the 3rd grade. We had split up into reading groups and I then noticed I was not the same as a couple people had laughed as I was reading. From that point on I remember going to speech therapy until the 7th grade. Speech therapy at that point was shameful, which is the reason why I chose to stop going. I was pretty quiet as a child, which I find odd these days as I tend to talk a lot.

3. What made you interested in becoming a Stutter Social host?

I am currently the Sacramento chapter leader for the NSA as well as former chapter leader for Seattle. I have been on Stutter Social from time to time over the past couple years. I like the dynamic of the hangouts. I like how they are organic in nature and topics can develop into something much meaningful from hangout participants than initially intended. I like sharing and listening to stuttering journeys.

4. Do you have any advice for people who stutter?

I consider myself very open about my stuttering now as opposed to when I was younger. This doesn’t mean that I still don’t feel the struggle at times. All I can say is that when moments of struggle hit me, I usually take a moment to think about what is going on and then carry on. Talking about my struggles with somebody else who stutters helps tremendously.

Stuttering is not defining. I constantly see negative posts on social media in regards to stuttering… And until we embrace our speech, we will only see the negatives. Two negatives make a positive, right! So get out there and be positive!

Stutter Social hosts interviewed on Stuttering is Cool podcast

Hi there! Daniele Rossi here, co-founder of Stutter Social. In my spare time, I produce the Stuttering is Cool podcast and recently I've featured a seven-part series interviewing our awesome Stutter Social hosts asking them to share their go-to methods for stuttering survival and resilience.

It can be very difficult to live with stuttering every day and there's no cure. So the best thing we all collectively agree upon is building up resilience to fears of stuttering one small step at a time. Plus, hanging out with others who stutter.

Many thanks to the Stutter Social hosts for sharing their tips! Links to each of the interviews are below.

Part 1 – The phone, dating, jobs, small talk

You’re making a phone call and growing more anxious about stuttering with each ring. What do you do? Learning telephone survival tips and mastering other speaking situations in dating, job interviews, small talk, even body language and overtly stuttering your name can help! I chat with Christine Dits who share these methods which help her deal with stuttering and building resilience. We also talk about introvert and extroverts who stutter and where they get their energy in social situations.

Part 2 – Show your stutter who’s boss

Hanan Hurwitz explains how there’s no special secret to beating stuttering. Achieving this is unconditional self-acceptance, non-avoidance, non-judgement, and living in the moment. Shame is debilitating. Stuttering isn't your fault. Accept yourself first then others will be able to.

Part 3 – Give yourself permission not to be perfect every day

Annie Bradberry shares the methods she uses to prevent her speech from getting in the way of her life, work, and play. Annie explains how she strives to stutter more cleanly, keeps in mind all the efforts she made over the years, giving yourself permission to stutter and to not to be perfect every day. You can have success again!

Part 4 – Focusing on the positive stuttering experiences

Everything will be alright. Really! Chad Mannisi, shares his tips on how to live a full, rich life in spite of stuttering. For instance, Chad purposely chose to present about stuttering in school to raise awareness and answer questions students might have been afraid to ask; he keeps in mind that no one is truly judging him; he also noticed that fluenters didn't seem to dwell too much when they stumbled on their words so he figured why should he.

Part 5 – Don’t beat yourself up if you have a stuttery day

You’re going to stutter. It’s part of the package. So don’t beat yourself up if you have a stuttery day. That’s the advice from Pamela Mertz. Pamela hid her stuttering for 30 years until one day she had enough. “You’ll lessen the load and anxiety but just being yourself and stuttering openly. And it makes you a more interesting person, more unique”.

Part 6 – Life isn't perfect. Be the best person you can be

Part time host, Elaine Robin, reminds us that nobody is perfect and everyone’s life journey is different. We need to be gentle on ourselves when stuttering happens or when we miss opportunities to advocate or educate. After all, we're only human. Elaine and I also chat about the benefits of facing your fears, positive self-talk, and talking to others who stutter.

Part 7 – You are so much more than your stutter

Nicely completing my Stutter Social interview series, former host, Anita Blom, shares her stuttering survival and resilience tips which includes, talking about your stutter, meeting other stutterers, not comparing yourself to others, and everything is a life lesson.

Stutter Social Q+A with the Broca Brothers

On Thursday, September 17, we had the pleasure of chatting with Stuart and Hille of the Broca Brothers in our latest YouTube live broadcast. Hailing from the Netherlands, the duo has been producing videos – which have earned a lot of views shortly after being posted – featuring pep talks on keeping up with speaking goals and tips on maintaining a positive outlook towards stuttering.

Hosted by co-founders David Resnick and Daniele Rossi and the community manager for the Stutter Social mobile app, Christine Dits, we delved a little further into the personalities behind Stuart and Hille, their motivations for producing their videos, and tips on coping with stuttering.

During our hour long conversation, topics covered include how they got started with their videos, the impact making their videos had on themselves and their family and friends, the power of daily affirmations, acceptance versus fluency, and the ups and downs of stuttering.

You can watch the broadcast directly above or on YouTube. Please feel free to continue posting questions or comments. The broadcast may have ended, but the conversation can certainly continue. Happy watching!

Save the date! Stutter Social YouTube broadcast with the Broca Brothers

Broca Brothers, Hille (left) and Stuart (right).

As countless of us head back to school and work, the end of summer and beginning of fall brings in a new era of successes, challenges and venturing out of our comfort zones. Stutter Social is hosting a Q+A Hangout on Air, to be live streamed on YouTube, with the Broca Brothers on September 17 at 7:00pm EDT (Toronto, New York) about not letting your stuttering get you down.

Hailing from The Netherlands, Broca Brothers Hille, 26, and Stuart, 21, have recently gone viral with videos featuring pep talks on keeping up with speaking goals and tips on maintaining a positive outlook.

Both brothers stuttered severely when they were growing up. However, they took matters into their own hands and became proactive in doing something about their speech, not letting it hold them back.

We’ll be chatting with the Broca Brothers about their experiences with stuttering as they share their tips for others. While the Hangout will only be available to panelists, we invite anyone watching on YouTube to share their questions – which we’ll ask the Hangout – and comments on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter (with the #pwschat hashtag). The link to the broadcast will be posted on our Facebook event page, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

In the meantime, please RSVP on our Facebook event page and check out some of the Broca Brothers’ videos for your viewing pleasure. We hope to see you watching the broadcast on YouTube!

Stutter Social Stories: Rahul Hirani

We continue our Stutter Social Stories series with an interview with regular hangout participant, Rahul Hirani, from Gwalior, India. As someone who accepts what life throws at him, Rahul shares how he made sure his stuttering didn't prevent him from achieving great marks in school.

1. Tell us about yourself.

I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor of Technology degree in computer science. Honestly, I look at myself as a 10 year old trapped in a 19 year old body. Programming, reading novels and writing diaries are my first love. I've been stuttering since I was 4 but it never really mattered to me until I entered into my teenage years.

2. What are your hobbies? 

I like to explore things. If I'm interested in a particular subject, I'd dive deep in it and if not, I'd not even care reading about it. These are some things I've always loved to do:

• Reading books, as they help me to dream the farthest reaches of the my brain. 
• Writing. It slows down my brain and helps me to think better.  
• Playing cricket. Sports have played a great role in my life. It has taught me the value of team work and has helped me to evolve as a leader.
• Last but not the least, speaking. I love to make my friends laugh at my jokes. Yes I stammer when I speak to them, but the delight of making them smile makes my day. 

3. What was your "stuttering history" like? What was it like growing up as a person who stutters?

Growing up as a stammerer was never easy. I was 4 when my parents first noticed that I found it hard to speak a word. I used to repeat the first syllable of the word. People said it's normal and kids often do that during the early ages. Some of them even gave references of some Baba (persons who are believed to possess magical powers but are actually fake). But the most hilarious moment came when a doctor told my parents that I do it for fun and even my parents should talk to me like that. I was 7 that time. Everyone in my family started stammering every time they talked to me for some days, but even that didn't help.

As my age was increasing, my stutter was becoming a major concern for me and my parents. During my early teenage years my stammering rose severely and I struggled a lot at my school.

Sometimes, I even used my stutter to its advantage. During my oral exams if I didn't know the answer to some question, I just used to bounce on some letter so that it appears to the teacher that I know the answer but I'm unable to speak it. I fetched a lot of marks during my school time by using this trick.

But soon friends started disappearing and I found myself living alone. Life in this aspect was very hard. I was teased by my mates. It was fun for them but it had very negative effect on a 15 year old, who just needed their attention. And therefore I never had a so called "best friend" in my life. I learned to live alone and enjoy myself. Books and diaries became my best friend. I had a imaginary world of my own.

4. How did You find about Stutter Social and what made you give it a try?

A year ago, I was randomly searching on the Internet for some people like me whom I can connect to
and the almighty didn't disappoint me. I found Stutter Social, logged in to Facebook and became a fan of the page. A random post in the group mentioned about the Google+ hangout. In excitement, I clicked the link and went into the hangout but sadly "the party was over". I reviewed its time on the website and found only Wednesday hangouts to be compatible with my schedule, as the other ones are held at 5:00 a.m. Indian Standard time. I was super exited about the following Wednesday.

The day arrived and I logged in. Eight persons were already in and I was the ninth. Hanan Hurwitz, the host, welcomed me and asked me to introduce myself. My heart started beating fast. I started and stuttered on almost every word I spoke. It was my first experience on hangouts and it didn't turn out to be good. But slowly and steadily I improved.

One thing that I personally like about Stutter Social hangouts is that you get a chance to introduce yourself every time someone joins the hangout.

5. How did Stutter Social help you?

Stutter Social has helped me a lot. Not only through the hangout but also by the people who run it. I made a lot of friends who I communicate with every time I feel down. The hosts, Hanan and Pamela are one of the best people I have met. We often chat on Facebook and share a lot of useful information, and that certainly helps us to know more about each other's lives.

6. What tips would you give other PWS?

• Your stammering doesn't define your personality. We all are different in some aspect or the other. Just accept yourself the way you are and start enjoying what life throws at you.
• Always speak when needed. Remember, you are for yourself. People may help you sometimes but in the longer run it's you who has to decide your destiny.
• Never speak unnecessarily. People may advise you to speak as much as you can, but never do that unless what you are speaking has a positive effect on your mind. We can speak negative things far more fluently than the positive ones. But that isn't healthy for our brain, and brain is everything.
• This one is my favourite – to achieve something you've never had before, you must do something you have never done before. 

Introducing our new host: Chad Mannisi

Chad Mannisi is the newest addition to our roster of awesome Stutter Social hosts!

Hailing from the United States, Chad works in IT, loves sci-fi, and kept himself active throughout school in spite of his stuttering. Including becoming senior class president!

Chad will be hosting our hangouts on Thursdays alternating with Douglas Scott. Check the Stutter Social website for schedule details.

Let's get to know a little bit more about Chad...

1. Tell us about yourself
My name is Chad Mannisi and I have been stuttering for most of my life.  I work in the IT department of a major communications company as their Executive Technical Support.   I have the stress free job of fixing the computer equipment for the executives of my company, including the CEO.  I have been doing this job for the last 8 years.  I am an avid Sci-Fi nerd and love watching movies of almost all genres; except movies with subtitles.  If I wanted to read, I’d pick up a book…

2. What was it like for you to grow up stuttering?
Stuttering went from something I just did and was unphased by it, to something that controlled my life and choices, to now just a part of me, like the color of my hair or eyes, not the only thing to define me.  I went to speech therapy for many years, and it had little effect.  I did my best growing up to not let my stuttering get in my way or define who I was, while still looking and hoping for that miracle pill to cure me.  I was school treasurer in grade school, participated in talent shows, and was the Senior Class President in high school.

Stuttering only got in the way when I let it get in my way, which I did, from time to time.  I did let stuttering stop me from doing things in high school and college that I wish I had done, but try to look back on those times as lessons from which to learn.

3. What made you interested in becoming a Stutter Social host?
I had heard about Stutter Social at one of the NSA conventions and thought it was a neat idea.  A few years later, I became aware of an opening for a host position, and gave it some thought before going for it.  I wanted to make sure I’d be able to give it the attention and time hosting deserves.

4. Do you have any advice for people who stutter?
My advice for people who stutter is to not worry about what you think others are thinking. For years, I would attach so much emotion to every block and repetition of conversations. I just knew that the world was going to end if I stuttered while ordering food, asking for help in a store, or talking with someone I found attractive. That, whoever I talked to would laugh or tell the story of ‘that guy who couldn’t talk’ for weeks afterwards.  Over the years, I’ve found 99% of people are more worried about themselves and what’s going on in their lives, to care about your stuttering.  In fact, most are supportive, and usually knows someone themselves who stutter.

Introducing our new host: Derek Johnson

We are excited to introduce Derek Johnson, the newest member to our line up of Hangout hosts!

Derek will be hosting Thursday evenings (Toronto/New York/Peru time) alternating with Chad Mannisi. Check the Stutter Social website for schedule information.

Derek enjoys listening to music, getting out into nature, and traveling the world.

Let's get to know Derek a little more...

1. Tell us about yourself

My name is Derek Johnson and I've been a stutterer all of my life. I am an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, USA. My childhood and adulthood interests in nature led me to my current profession.  

2. What was it like for you to grow up stuttering?

As a child, I always had a good group of friends, and I think that they largely protected me from a lot of the teasing and bullying that other persons who stutter experienced. The teasing and bullying was there, but it wasn't severe. I still found it very frustrating to not be able to express myself as I wanted. I would often know the answer to a question in class, but would rarely speak up. I would think of a witty response when joking with friends, but by the time I was able to get it out, the subject had already changed. I went to speech therapy several times through my childhood, and while I think it was helpful to varying degrees, the benefits never seemed to stick. 

3. What made you interested in becoming a Stutter Social host?

I find Stutter Social to be a very intriguing way to connect with others who stutter. I was very fortunate to live in Lafayette, Louisiana for a few years, which has a very active National Stuttering Association (NSA) Chapter. Through this and the NSA national meetings, I have been fortunate to build a strong support network of others who stutter. I am well aware, however, that many persons who stutter, in the US and in other parts of the world, lack the opportunity to communicate with others who stutter. I'm very happy for the opportunity to be a part of the Stutter Social platform, to assist allowing more persons who stutter to get the support they need. 

4. Do you have any advice for people who stutter?

In my opinion, the best thing a person who stutters could do is to not be hard on themselves. Stop judging yourself and accept your stutter. Note that I am saying 'acceptance' not 'resignation'. Accepting yourself and your stutter now is the first step toward the improvements you would like to make in the future. 

I am also a strong believer that networking with others who stutter, in support groups and/or social groups, provides a beneficial sense of community. I strongly encourage involvement in such groups as they gave me more confidence to put myself out there into talking situations in 'the real world'. 

Lastly, remember that self improvement is a process that takes a long time. The same goes for stuttering, so don't expect quick results, don't be discouraged by 'bad days', and be wary of so-called cures that promise fluency in a short period of time. Remember the saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." 

Announcing the Stutter Social App!

We're proud to announce that we're complementing our Hangouts with our very own Stutter Social mobile app!

The app is a standalone private social network. You can share what's on your mind, post photos, and participate in monthly and weekly themed conversations. There's also a calendar feature that notifies you whenever we have a special Hangout. And it's free!

The app is available for iOS and Android devices (running at least iOs 6 or Android 4) and is exclusively available to the Stutter Social community.

Fill out our access request form bit.ly/getstuttersocial to gain access to the Stutter Social app. We will reply to you by email within 2 days with a link where you can download the app.

Below is a taste of what the app offers.

So whatcha waitin' for? Join us! – bit.ly/getstuttersocial

The loading screen

Conversations in the app by some of the Stutter Social crew

Stutter Social Stories: Vishal Gupta

In another Stutter Social Stories post, this time we spoke with Vishal Gupta, a Stutter Social regular and web developer from India.

1. Tell us about yourself.

My name is V-V-V-ishal G-G-G-Gupta. I am from the north state of India and from the city of Allahabad. It's famous for Kumbh Mela (three rivers which flow together attracting people from around the world to come to bathe and also for spiritual reasons).

I am a person who stammers and I remember starting stammering at the age of 4. As I was excellent in mathematics, I decided to go into engineering. I graduated in 2012, and since then I have been working in IT company as a UI and web designer/developer and leading my five-member team.

Apart from that, I am the Delhi Coordinator of TISA (the Indian Stammering Association). I have been running the Stammer Freely Google Hangout for Indian People Who Stammer for 2 years and I am also a regular participant of the Wednesday Stutter Social Hangouts for 3 years.

2. What are your hobbies?

I have a long list of my hobbies which includes cricket, singing, blogging, illustration, business planning, app design, and hosting groups of people.

3. What was it like growing up as a person who stutters?

It was bit strange for me when have got to know that why i am having so much blocks, repetition and force while speaking. It was very difficult for me to pass msg , to give answer to other person or to take initiative of sharing anything among the people and even one on one. It was really bad but I sang song really well everyone knows me as a good singer. But after few months of stammering, my parents also observed the same thing and then they took me in a doctor clinic where doctor prescribed me a mind-full TONIC which was completely pathetic, he said its a mind weeknesss "once he start to take tonic automaticallly his stuttering will get vanish"

My school days were okay. I was kind of introvert but enjoyed every moment with friends and family. Sometimes I got bullied at school and, gradually, I started to become a real introvert and great thinker about future and all. Everytime when I wished to say something, I didn't know why words didn't come out from my mouth. I had blocks and problem in particular letters like A, K, E, P, CH, J, D, H and a few more.

As I was growing towards a college student, my social weakness was also running and growing very badly things were going to be very worst enough but something was very strange because there was a time I thought my stammering is seasonal. I used to stutter less in summer and severly in winter and there so much myth also I had in those days. Finally I got admission in engineering collee, life was bit changed and matured as that was new phase of my life but there are lot of situation where I had opportunity  to come in limelight and give my opinion or answer but I always choose the close door i.e avoidance and ignorance.

In my third-year, I decided to go to speech therapyand learn technique to cure my stammering and during my speech therapy sessions, i looked very fluent without a single block or repetition but when I came to real world that means when I started to talk with normal people again my stammering level became high then one day I found myself that somehow I need something else because inside the mind and heart I am very fear-full and scared person why not try to do acceptance and all then finally I have got info about TISA and then got to know about acceptance since then my jounrney became and now I am priety much comfortable with my stammering and also I am on recovery stage so I have learned many things frm the people who stammer and also from the people who are no stammerer.

4. How did you find out about Stutter Social?

It was in June 2012. I was searching for forums and websites related to stammering as I was very much tensed that time as I was in my final year so had lot of  stress of upcoming campus placement and all. Finally with the help of Google and the Stuttering Arena group on Facebook, Krishna Srinivasan, one of the Stutter Social hosts shared a link to his Hangout. I clicked on the link and saw 5-6 people were talking about stuttering. I was little stressed as there were 5 people and first time ever in my life I was going to speak in English. I started to talk and gave my intro with so many hard blocks and so much fear but finally, I did it :)

5. What made you give Stutter Social a try?

Of course my stammering :) I thought it was the best platform to start a journey of sharing things and learning from others.

6. How did Stutter Social help you?

I would say AMAZINGLY it has been helping me a lot. I know my first hangout in which I had practically blocks in each and every 3rd and 4th word and was very much tensed and stressed but after joining regular the hangout automatically, I started to speak very nicely. I know it took long time but it gave me confidence and believe that you can speak. Even you can pass your message, you can initiate and ask any question and  I have got so much knowledge from the other participants which I never knew before.

It made me socialize because Stutter Social is an international hangout platform for PWS so it taught me how one can understand accents from different countries. Stutter social has been very nice for me to improve my communication, english, confidence, and yes stammering.

7. What tips would you give other PWS?

• I have spent many years trying to cure my stammering but the bitter truth is there is no cure. The only thing is you can manage your stammering up to 90-95%.
• Just accept who you are but remember that doesn't mean your journey is finished. Acceptance is a beginning. Acceptance is not a target, it's a continuous process in each and every situation.
• Speech is like a river, it finds its own way. Remember that letting go is very important to recover yourself from a bad day of stammering.
• On the other hand, practice is also very important after acceptance, you can start with the techniques easy repetition, bouncing, voluntary stuttering and slow rate of speech.
• My recommended books include "Speech is Like a River" by Ruth Mead,  "Operational Fluency" by Dr. Gunars and "Redefining Stuttering" by John C. Harrison.

Stutter Social Stories: Ari Gershenovitz

In continuing with getting to know our members, we spoke with another Stutter Social regular about his experiences with stuttering and his involvement in Stutter Social. Please meet Ari Gershenovitz!

1. Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I am living in Petach Tikva in Israel. I am 39 years old. I am working in the computer software area. I have stuttered from a very young age. My stuttering became so severe that I was afraid to talk with people. Just several years ago, I started to face my fears and speak with people.

2. What are your hobbies? 
I love to watch European basketball, and I always love to hear about stuttering therapy (in order to learn more about stuttering – I have more than 20 DVD's about stuttering therapy).

3. What's your "stuttering history" like? What was it like growing up as a PWS?
When I grew up, my stuttering changed from regular stuttering to very hard silent blocks. So it was impossible for me to [control my stuttering], and I avoided stuttering in any way. With my friends, I switched words, sentences,with other people. I just didn't speak.

In my head it was obvious that I just can't speak with people. I passed two"fluency shaping" treatments...it helped me to avoid my stuttering better. But still when I felt I am going to stutter, I didn't know what to do. Only several years ago, after discovering StutterTalk, I started to face my stuttering even if it is very hard.

Today, I can communicate with people, not always easily but still I can talk and stutter.

4. How did you find out about Stutter Social?
I am a friend of the great Hanan Hurwitz, who is one of the hosts of Stutter Social. So I knew about it, but it took me a while until I dared to try it.

5. What made you give Stutter Social a try?
I will start and say why I didn't try it before. My stuttering is very unstable. In some situations, it is not so hard. But in other situations it is very hard. Talking in English was always one of my hardest situations. It drive from several reasons like being unable to switch words, thinking about the sounds, forgetting words, and other reasons. So I had a big fear to talk in English. In the last few years I improved my confidence to speak in English, but still the fear was there.

Also I didn't know who would participate…and if my English will be good enough. So I was thinking about it, but I didn't dare participate.

My first Stutter Social try was on International Stuttering Awareness Day. I decided that it is a special event and maybe special guests will appear. I knew that I needed  to face my fear and to participate in this group, and this was a good time to start. When I tried it for the first time, I figured out that it is not so frightening, so I continued with  it.

6. How did Stutter Social help you?
First of all, I gained confidence to speak in English which was an impossible mission for me in the past. And now it is still hard, but possible.

Second, I have met wonderful people from all over the world. And also I hear about other people who stutter, how they cope with the day to day life with stuttering, and it has helped me to feel that I am not alone.

7. What tips would you give other PWS?
The tips I can give is: try to learn how to stutter, try to stop all the things you do in order to hide your stutter. It is OK to try to speak better, but when you feel the stuttering come, the best solution you can pick is to just stutter.

Recap of 2014 International Women's Day broadcasts

Last Saturday, March 8, Stutter Social celebrated International Women's Day 2014 with a series of broadcasts about stuttering experiences among women in partnership with the International Stuttering Association.

Many great conversations took place, thanks to our moderators - Anita "Scatsis" Blom, Pamela Mertz and Annie Bradberry - as well as our panelists and viewers. Topics ranged from how women who stutter deal with being respected in the workplace (given the rise of women in increasingly visible leadership roles), to romance and how perceptions of stuttering may differ among men and women.

All three broadcasts are embedded below and available on our YouTube channel. Please feel free to post any questions or comments you may have. International Women's Day 2014 may be behind us, but the conversations can continue!

Celebrating International Women's Day with discussion about women and stuttering

In partnership with the International Stuttering Association, Stutter Social will be celebrating International Women's Day with three special Hangouts on Air to be live streamed on YouTube on Saturday, March 8, 2014. In honour of the special day, topics will cover the woman's experiences with stuttering.

It is said that 1% of the world's population stutters and 1 in 5 people who stutter are women. The three Hangouts, which will feature a panel of participants, will be facilitated by Stutter Social hosts, Annie Bradberry, Pamela Mertz and Anita Blom. Each of them are prominent leaders in the worldwide stuttering community and have overcome their personal challenges with growing up stuttering.

The Hangouts on Air will be an hour long and will take place at various times throughout the day at the following times:

• 3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco) hosted by Annie Bradberry
• 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (New York) hosted by Pamela Mertz
• 3 p.m. Central European Time (Stockholm, Sweden) hosted by Anita Blom

We’ll be chatting about stuttering experiences among women and fielding questions from viewers. While the Hangouts will only be available to panelists, we invite anyone watching on YouTube to share their questions and comments on the YouTube page, Facebook or Twitter (with the #pwschat hashtag). We hope you can celebrate International Women’s Day with us!

Being A Stutter Social Host

Stutter Social host, Pam Mertz, originally published this post on her blog, Make Room For The Stuttering.

When I was asked to be a Stutter Social Hangout host last July, I figured it would be something I’d try and do for about three months. I wasn’t sure I would like it and I also wasn’t sure if I could make the commitment to host every other week.

I’ve been hosting since August and find that I really like it. In fact, I find myself looking forward to it when my turn to host rolls around.

For those of you unsure what a Hangout is, here’s a quick description.

The Hangouts run through Google + Hangout software, which is free and easy to download. Using a computer or mobile device equipped with a microphone and some type of camera device, up to 10 people can meet up in a video conference and have a conversation about anything and everything.

It’s like having a support group that you don’t have to drive to. You can “hangout” from the comfort of your own home, car, office or where ever you are, and dress casually too. You can even wear your pajamas!

I like the diversity of people that come into the hangout sessions. In some of my hangouts, I’ve had people from as many as 6 different countries hanging out and talking at one time. We talk about stuttering, and lots of other things. Sometimes we don’t talk about stuttering at all.

But everybody stutters and everybody feels comfortable stuttering. It’s a safe and supportive environment to talk with other people. And you can come in to the group when you can, and leave when you have to. It’s a wonderful sense of support and camaraderie, among people who “get it.”

If you’re interested, visit the Stutter Social website for a calendar of when hangouts are held during the week.

I host every other Sunday, from 7:30-9:00pm, EDT. I host this Sunday. I’d love to see you there. It’s a great experience.

Stutter Social, ISA to host three Hangouts on Air for International Stuttering Awareness Day on October 22

Photo credit: International Stuttering Association (ISA)

International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) 2013 is around the corner on October 22! In recognition of ISAD and to raise awareness of stuttering, Stutter Social is teaming up with the International Stuttering Association (ISA) to host three Hangouts on Air -- in other words, they will be streamed live on YouTube.

In three separate Hangouts, participants from around the world will be chatting for an hour about all things related to stuttering. For those interested in learning more about stuttering, they will also be fielding questions from anyone watching on YouTube.

The Hangouts will all take place on October 22 at 8pm in three different time zones -- Eastern Daylight Time (U.S), British Summer Time and Eastern Daylight Time (Australia), respectively.

Stay tuned for updates via the Twitter, Facebook and Google+ pages, as we will be circulating the links to the Hangouts and YouTube broadcasts there. Those watching who want to submit questions to the participants can do so via YouTube, Facebook, Google+ or Twitter with the #pwschat hashtag.

Whether it's in the Hangouts or watching on YouTube, we would love to have you celebrate ISAD with us and the ISA!

Introducing two new hosts: Anita "Scatsis" Blom and Hanan Hurwitz

Left: Anita "Scartcis" Blom (photo credit: Blom); 
right: Hanan Hurwitz (photo credit: Hurwitz)

Stutter Social is pleased to announce two new additions to its lineup of hosts: Anita "Scatsis" Blom from Sweden and Hanan Hurwitz from Israel.

Blom works as the operations manager at the Workers' Educational Association and has stuttered since she was nine years old. She was 27 years old when she first met another person who stutters. "From that moment on, I no longer let stuttering control my life, but to take charge of myself," Blom explains. "I got rid of a huge backpack with bullying, guilt and shame, and became active on local, national and international boards." As she says, she recycled "all that luggage to support other people who stutter, and to give stuttering a face and passionate voice with young people being closest to my heart."

She heard about Stutter Social through the grapevine on social media and wanted to get involved. "I love to be where people who stutter meet, most of all at international gatherings," she says. "This was the perfect opportunity to meet people from all over the world, but this time in my very own living room."

When hosting Stutter Social hangouts, Blom says she hopes to "talk about stuttering and therapy, but also about cultures, experiences, fears and joys, as we need not to forget how to enjoy life with stuttering and all. I hope to bring people together, share stories, learn from and support each other."

When not hosting Stutter Social, Blom can be seen either working or engaged in one of her many stuttering-related endeavours. She is the international contact and former chairperson of the Swedish Stuttering Association, vice-chair of the European League of Stuttering Associations, and member of the advisory board of the International Stuttering Association. "But I try to find time for my family, my dog, my saxophone, my books and social media," she adds.

And in case you're wondering, her nickname, "Scatsis," is dedicated to the late Scatman John of the 1995 hit "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)."

Meanwhile, Hurwitz is a product and account manger at an electronics manufacturing company, and has also stuttered since his childhood. "I am at a point in my stuttering journey where I can give back to the stuttering community and try to support other PWS [people who stutter]," he says. After hearing about Stutter Social from his friends at the National Stuttering Association, he became inspired to become a host.

In terms of what he looks forward to about hosting, he says it's the opportunity to "enable other PWS to feel that we are not alone and that we can survive in spite of our disability."

When not working or hosting Stutter Social, Hurwitz enjoys reading, playing his Fender Stratocaster guitar, and meeting PWS worldwide. "I [also] am interested in business and engineering, and mentoring start-up or small companies in order to build organizational excellence into the company from the start," he adds.

Blom and Hurwitz will be hosting Wednesday's international hangout at 2pm Eastern Standard Time/8pm Central European Time. Starting an hour earlier than the previous Wednesday hangouts, they are taking over from Kenyatta Butler and Krishna Srinivasan, who are stepping down temporarily to pursue new educational and professional endeavors. While we're sad to see them ago, we wish them the best of luck, and we're excited to have Blom and Hurwitz on the Stutter Social team.

Introducing two more new hosts: Annie Bradberry and Pamela Mertz

Left: Annie Bradberry (photo credit: Bradberry);
right: Pamela Mertz (photo credit: Ali Salem)

Stutter Social is also proud to announce two more additions to its lineup of hosts: Annie Bradberry from California and Pamela Mertz from New York.

Bradberry is a person who stutters from Tustin, California and former executive director of the National Stuttering Association (NSA), which she first heard about as a teenager. "At that time, I was not ready to face [my stuttering] or let alone call someone, so I did nothing for two years," she says. "We didn't have Stutter Social, Facebook, or even texting back then. When I finally did pick up the phone, my entire world changed. I am blessed to say that I have been involved in the stuttering community for my entire adult life."

It was on Facebook at the NSA conference that she first heard about Stutter Social. "I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of," she says. "I thought back to the beginning of my stuttering journey when there were no social media outlets. I remembered feeling alone and isolated, as well as remembering how it felt the first time I spoke to and met another stutterer. [It's] amazing to connect with people from all over the world."

In her spare time, Bradberry says she has taken up painting "as a way to de-stress from [her] crazy lifestyle." An avid traveller, she has also been "fortunate to meet people from all over the world, traveling to stuttering conferences in Iceland, Norway, Belgium and a few other places."

Meanwhile, Mertz, a person who stutters and program manager in adult education from Albany, New York, also learned about Stutter Social through social media. Since then, she has participated in many hangouts. "I enjoy having the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life who share the experience of stuttering," she says. "I like having an option for a virtual support group, as we all need an opportunity to be open, share, and learn from each other."

When not working, hosting, or participating in Stutter Social, Mertz, a self-professed theatre geek and writer, can be seen taking in a show or writing for her local newspaper. She also manages the blog Make Room for the Stuttering and hosts the podcast Women Who Stutter: Our Stories. "I enjoy hearing people's stories and helping people find a way to tell their stories," she says.

Bradberry and Mertz will be hosting the Sunday evening hangout, alternating every week at a new time: 7:30 PM Eastern Standard Time (Toronto, New York).

Introducing one of our new hosts: John Robinson

Photo credit: John Robinson

Stutter Social is happy to announce the first recent addition in its latest lineup of hosts: John Robinson from Oklahoma.

Robinson is a person who stutters and speech therapist, who works with the geriatric population of a nursing home in Oklahoma City. He first heard about Stutter Social last year after a Google search of self-help for people who stutter, and has participated in many hangouts since. He says he "really likes talking about stuttering and listening to what other people's views on stuttering are."

After several months of participating, he decided to step up to become a Stutter Social host. For the last few months, he has been hosting every other Tuesday at 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time (Toronto, New York), alternating with Matt Schreifels.

He says he took up hosting because he "wanted to challenge his speech" and meet other folks who stutter.

When not hosting or participating in Stutter Social, Robinson, who enjoys all things fitness-related, can be seen working out. He is also the former leader of the National Stuttering Association chapter in Wichita, Kansas.