Episode #241: If you are a parent of a child or teen who stutters, you’ll definitely want to listen! On this episode, I’ll be chatting with Dori Holte, mother of a young adult who has stuttered since he was a toddler. She is also the author of the book “Voice Unearthed — Hope, Help, and a Wake-Up-Call for the Parents of Children Who Stutter”. That title pretty much sums up this episode!

Dori’s son, Eli, was a chatty toddler who soon grew silent not because he stuttered, but because of the overwhelming shame he felt around his stutter. The shame came from the constant judgement towards his speech even when others were not intending to judge. Dori noticed that despite Eli successfully using speech tools during therapy sessions, this only increased expectations of fluency and her son’s anxiety around talking outside of therapy.

One of Dori’s key learnings is the importance of speech therapy focusing on educating the parent and not to drop everything and zero-in with eye contact every time their child speaks. Instead, Dori recommends to create opportunities for the child where they are in charge, can pursue their passions, and most importantly, speak without fear of judgement.

If you are a parent who has been struggling with knowing what to do about your child’s speech, this episode is for you!

Links mentioned on today’s episode:

• Dori’s book, Voice Unearthed — Hope, Help, and a Wake-Up-Call for the Parents of Children Who Stutter
• Dori’s website Voice Unearthed
• Voice Unearthed Facebook group for parents
• The book, Stammering Pride and Prejudice: Difference Not Defect

This episode is brought to you by my book, Stuttering is Cool: A Guide to Stuttering in a Fast-Talking World. Packed with tips, stories, encouragement and comics for fearless stuttering and joy.

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