StutterTalk

Dr. Hector R. Perez joins Peter Reitzes to discuss being a medical doctor and researcher who stutters. Dr. Perez is asked about facing stuttering in medical school and his research looking at the healthcare experiences of people who stutter.

Hector R. Perez, MD, MS is a primary care doctor as well as a clinical researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY. Dr. Perez worked with the National Stuttering Association to conduct research about the healthcare experiences of persons who stutter, which was published in the November 2015 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. He is a member of the NSA chapter in Manhattan, NY.

Neil Rodrigues joins Peter Reitzes to discuss the “long haul” of facing stuttering and some possible limits or concerns regarding stuttering acceptance.

Mr. Rodrigues is asked about the interconnection he sees between stuttering, identify and acceptance. Mr. Rodriques describes grappling with stuttering by years of hard work which include speech therapy with a number of helpful professionals, participation in the National Stuttering Association and Toastmasters and facing stuttering in college and graduate school. Neil is asked about Scott Yaruss’ thoughtful chapter on stuttering acceptance from the StutterTalk book.

Neil Rodrigues is a Ph.D. graduate student at Purdue University in the area of laser diagnostics for combustion and liquid atomization. Mr. Rodrigues attends his local National Stuttering Association (NSA) and Toastmasters chapters. He has co-lead the NSA Chapter in Rochester, NY.

Jane Fraser and Dr. Joe Klein join Peter Reitzes to discuss ways to manage stuttering when speaking to security and border officials at screening checkpoints.

Topics discussed on air today include advertising stuttering (telling others you stutter), stuttering on purpose, using an ID card for people who stutter (published by the Stuttering Foundation) and allowing stuttering to happen. It is suggested that people who stutter and parents may consider using the Transportation Security Administration’s specific screening lines, available at some airports, for people with disabilities. Doing so may make speaking easier in the moment and is one way to impress upon security screeners that the traveler’s stutter is not indicative of deceit but is simply the way the person speaks.

Ms. Fraser is asked about the creation of the Stuttering Foundation’s new ID card for people who stutter and about Stuttering Foundation resources for people who stutter, professionals and the public.

Jane Fraser is president of The Stuttering Foundation, has run the Foundation for more than 30 years and is co-author of If Your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents now in its 8th edition.

Joe Klein, Ph.D, CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and an assistant professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Stuttering Foundation links discussed on this episode:

* Advice to Those Who Stutter 

* Self-Therapy for the Stutterer

* Therapy Referral Lists

* Workshop Applications for Professionals

* Stuttering Foundation Continuing Education Catalog

* Stuttering Foundation Catalog

Other Links:

* Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Disabilities and Medical Conditions

* TSA Disability Notification Card

* American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders

* Woman Detained at Atlanta Airport Because of Stuttering (StutterTalk Ep. 566)

* Detained for Stuttering: A Law Enforcement Perspective (

Bill Collins and Casey Kennedy join Peter Reitzes to discuss Passing Twice: A Place for LGBTQ People Who Stutter and Their Allies.

Many topics are discussed today including the past and present of Passing Twice, what the stuttering community can learn from the LGBTQ community, how the LGBTQ experience has changed for many over past decades, learning from the struggles of those who have come before us and some interesting twists on the “Would you take a pill to cure your stuttering” question. The guests are asked about from Roger Roe‘s excellent chapter on Passing Twice in the StutterTalk book.

To contact Passing Twice about their private Facebook group, email list or with any other questions click here.

Bill Collins is a person who stutters in Philadelphia, PA. He’s been a member of Passing Twice since 2010 and the National Stuttering Association since 2012.

Casey Kennedy is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist in Toronto, Canada. Mr. Kennedy is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Stuttering Association and is a regular attendee of National Stuttering Association annual conferences. Casey is also gay and is a member of Passing Twice.

Ennio Vescio joins Peter Reitzes to discuss the importance of not skeeving stuttering anymore.

Mr. Vescio is asked about becoming genuine with his stuttering, using voluntary stuttering and advertising (telling others you stutter), stuttering in different languages, dating and stuttering, speech therapy and much more.

Ennio Vescio is a 20 year old person who stutters living in Long Island, New York. Mr. Vescio is enrolled at Tulane University in New Orleans studying Business Management and Finance.

Caryn Herring, Christopher Constantino, Mark Baer and Dhruv Gupta join Reuben Schuff at the 2016 annual convention of FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. They discuss ways to change public perceptions about stuttering such as actively stuttering and grapple with issues such as moving from “stuttering is okay” to “stuttering is fun and pleasant.”

The quote of the episode goes to Mr. Constantino who observes, “I think this is a cool time to be a stutterer.”

Much of the conversation touches upon Mr. Constantino’s powerful keynote address at FRIENDS regarding tearing down walls of ignorance and discrimination. Other topics include urging others who stutter to listen to each other’s experiences with the physical pain and struggle of stuttering. While acknowledging the importance of educating others about stuttering, Caryn points out that she doesn’t want to be responsible for educating society every time she opens her mouth. The team discuss wanting to advocate for others who stutter while also wanting to live and speak with little struggle.

The FRIENDS conference took place July 28-30 in Columbus. Ohio.

Caryn Herring is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist, currently pursuing her PhD at The University of Pittsburgh. Caryn is also an adjunct clinical instructor at Duquesne University, supervising graduate students and teaching the Stuttering Course. She is an active member of numerous stuttering organizations.

Christopher Constantino is a person who stutters, a StutterTalk host and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Chris is doing his clinical fellowship in the Shelby County Schools in Memphis and is conducting a research study to understand and contextualize the experiences of passing as fluent for people who covertly stutter.

Reuben Schuff is an author and roving host for StutterTalk. By profession and passion he is an aerospace engineer, and also, a traveler, a juggler, a Toastmaster, and a person who stutters. He is a workshop presenter for the National Stuttering Association (NSA) annual conference and is the co-founder of the Raleigh Teens Who Stutter (TWST) chapter of the NSA. Reuben also facilitates and presents with FRIENDS (the National Organization for Young People who Stutter). Reuben is author of the chapter Fluency: My Untrustworthy Friend in the StutterTalk book: Stuttering: Inspiring Stories and Professional Wisdom.

Dhruv Gupta is a sustainability advisor at cBalance, a volunteer with The Indian Stammering Association, and the founder of Speak: Stammering Foundation. In 2015, Dhruv facilitated a two day FRIENDS workshop in India and has appeared a number of times on StutterTalk.

Mark Baer is a speech-language pathologist at Sisskin Stuttering Center and for the District of Columbia Public Schools. He earned his M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Memphis. Mark is a person who stutters and an active member of the

Brad Mills joins Chris Constantino at the 2016 annual convention of FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. Mr. Mills shares that he is attending the 2016 FRIENDS Convention for his daughter who stutters and ended up finding support for his own stuttering as well.

Other topics include watching children have fun while learning to accept stuttering and observing attendees embracing their stuttering at FRIENDS. Mr. Mills discusses going back to school to become a teacher despite his stuttering and shares with Chris that this StutterTalk interview is the most he has ever spoken openly about stuttering. Brad shares, “When you’ve been closed for 39 years it is hard to just open up” and goes on to discuss the relief of acknowledging your stutter for the first time.

The FRIENDS conference takes place July 28-30 in Columbus. Ohio.

Brad Mills is a high school science teacher from Somerville, Ohio attending FRIENDS for the first time with his family because his daughter is stuttering. Brad also stutters.

Christopher Constantino is a person who stutters, a StutterTalk host and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis. Chris is doing his clinical fellowship in the Shelby County Schools in Memphis and is conducting a research study to understand and contextualize the experiences of passing as fluent for people who covertly stutter.

Nick and David, both 17 years old, join Caryn Herring at the 2016 annual convention of FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. They discuss the pressure to be like other people and how FRIENDS supports people who stutter and their families in facing such challenges.

Other topics include occupations for people who stutter, the role of siblings and parents in stuttering support and working on doing a better job of not hiding stuttering.

The FRIENDS conference takes place July 28-30 in Columbus. Ohio.

Caryn Herring is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist, currently pursuing her PhD at The University of Pittsburgh. Caryn is also an adjunct clinical instructor at Duquesne University, supervising graduate students and teaching the Stuttering Course. She is an active member of numerous stuttering organizations.

Josette Tugander, a young woman who stutters, and her mother Juliette Tugander join Caryn Herring at the 2016 annual convention of FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. They discuss taking down stuttering walls and being aware of the walls we build.

Other topics include the power of stuttering support, how people who stutter inspire each other at FRIENDS to be brave with stuttering and the important stuttering moments which happen outside of the workshops at FRIENDS. Josette and Caryn share how helpful it has been seeing peers and role models who stutter face stuttering challenges.

Josette shares the experience of attending a FRIENDS convention when she was in high school and being inspired by a college student who discussed the importance of telling your roommate about stuttering. Now in college herself, Josette shares how open she is about her own stuttering in college and that her friends and roommates are even in the room sometimes during her Skype speech therapy sessions.

The FRIENDS conference takes place July 28-30 in Columbus. Ohio.

Caryn Herring is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist, currently pursuing her PhD at The University of Pittsburgh. Caryn is also an adjunct clinical instructor at Duquesne University, supervising graduate students and teaching the Stuttering Course. She is an active member of numerous stuttering organizations.

Eddie Samp joins Reuben Schuff at the 2016 annual convention of FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. Mr. Samp discusses his lifelong struggle with “being okay with the way I speak” and how FRIENDS has become a second family.

The FRIENDS conference takes place July 28-30 in Columbus. Ohio.

Eddie Samp is a 26 year old person who stutters, lives in Boston, and works in investment management. Eddie has been involved with FRIENDS since he was 7 years old. Mr. Samp returned this year to the FRIENDS convention to reconnect with friends and to give back support to the stuttering community.

Reuben Schuff is an author and roving host for StutterTalk. By profession and passion he is an aerospace engineer, and also, a traveler, a juggler, a Toastmaster, and a person who stutters. He is a workshop presenter for the National Stuttering Association (NSA) annual conference and is the co-founder of the Raleigh Teens Who Stutter (TWST) chapter of the NSA. Reuben also facilitates and presents with FRIENDS (the National Organization for Young People who Stutter). Reuben is author of the chapter Fluency: My Untrustworthy Friend in the StutterTalk book: Stuttering: Inspiring Stories and Professional Wisdom.