TranscendingX - Raw Conversations and Practical Tips to Break Through Stuttering, Communication Fears, and Become Who You Truly Are

Guest Bio:

Kristin Chmela, M.A. CCC-SLP BCS-F spends the majority of her time working with individuals of all ages with fluency disorders at the Chmela Fluency Center in the suburban Chicago area. She has lectured on the topic of childhood stuttering around the world. She is co-founder and co-director of Camp Shout Out, a therapeutic program for school-age children who stutter and a hands-on training opportunity for professionals and graduate students. Kristin was former Chair of the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders, has supervised graduate students from across the globe, and provides professional apprenticeships at her center. Kristin collaborated extensively with the Stuttering Foundation on training videos, conferences, and publications, and is lead author of Basic Principle Problem Solving: Working with School-Age Children Who Stutter. Kristin is also a certified yoga instructor and mindfulness teacher, and believes all can choose to continue evolving as communicators.

Resources and Links:

Kristin Chmela Website

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

Pamela Mertz hid her stuttering for close to 30 years. People closest to her did not know she stuttered because she hid it so well. "Avoidance" was her preferred way of hiding. For years, Pam intentionally chose to not speak up, get involved and let her "Real Pam" out. Then, in 2006 she was fired from a 20+ year job due to stuttering. That was her "rock bottom" moment, and she decided to reclaim herself, her voice, and her true identity as a person who stutters. She finally embraced her stuttering self and no longer engages in the exhausting practice of trying to hide. Pam's open authenticity has had a reciprocal result: when she openly stutters, she invites others to be open about their "thing" and deeper conversations happen and strong relationships are built. Pam has facilitated many workshops on covert stuttering and women who stutter, locally and around the world.

Pamela Mertz is a person who stutters and is actively involved in the global stuttering community.

She holds numerous positions of leadership including:

• Board of Directors, National Stuttering Association
• Country leader, 50 Million Voices (international employment advocacy group)
• Blogger, https://stutterrockstar.com
• Podcaster, "Women Who Stutter: Our Stories."
• Past: Board, International Stuttering Association
• Host, "Stutter Social" (for close to six years)

Resources and Links:

NSA

Pamela Mertz Website

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

I have had a stutter my entire life. I battled it many times, winning some and losing others. Ultimately I have won and it helped me achieve where I am today. I graduated with two degrees (B.S. and M.S.A) from Babson College in Accounting. I am currently an Accounting and Audit at Accenture. All of my spare time (and then some) is spent training for my next Ironman triathlon.

Links:

NSA

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

Rich Stephens is a person who stutters and is the President of SAY: Australia, the first international arm of SAY: The Stuttering Association For The Young founded in 2001 in NYC by Taro Alexander.

Rich graduated from Salford University/UK as a Psychiatric Nurse and spent 6 years supporting people of all ages with mental health difficulties in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. During his time in New Zealand, Rich worked as a Maori Child Specialist Community Psychiatric Nurse, a role which started his journey to bring him closer and more at peace with his stutter.

Rich returned to the UK to pursue a career in Speech Pathology, graduating from the University of Manchester in 2017 with a BSc in Speech and Language Therapy. During this period, Rich first volunteered as a bunk counselor at Camp SAY and has been involved ever since.

Rich continued his studies at the University of Manchester and graduated with an MSC in Neuroimaging for Clinical & Cognitive Neuroscience. He was pursuing Ph.D. studies at Vanderbilt and MSU when an opportunity presented itself to launch SAY: Australia and bring a new approach to supporting young people who stutter to Australia. Rich is passionate about providing options for young people who stutter and their families, especially those he never had when he was a child.

Rich is a father to his 16-month-old son, passionately follows his boyhood team Manchester United Football Club, is an avid fan of the NFL (Seahawks) and MLB (Bluejays), and has the ULTIMATE Star Wars Film watching-sequence guide for any newcomers to the franchise!

Resources and Links:

SAYAUSTRALIA

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

Katie Gore is the founder and principal of speech IRL, a communication consulting and speech therapy practice. She is the founder and former Chapter Leader of the City of Chicago chapter of the National Stuttering Association and formerly served on the NSA Board of Directors as Professional Relations Co-Chair. She is the co-founder and Community Outreach Chair of Shared Voices, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization focused on community support and advocacy for people who stutter. She is an adjunct faculty member at Rush University, where she teaches the graduate course in Stuttering & Fluency Disorders. She is a SIG 4 affiliate and currently serves as the Fluency Track Chair for the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

While stuttering is her first love, Katie is also passionate about equity and inclusivity. Her approach to this work is rooted in her experiences in the stuttering community, applying intersectional principles and values more broadly. As a consultant for organizations, she provides training and facilitation services centered on the topics of communication, inclusion, and leadership. She is the Chair of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.

Katie grew up in Toronto, Canada, and is a proud dual American-Canadian. She has lived in Chicago with her husband John for the past 11 years. When not engaged in work, volunteer, or advocacy activities, she enjoys yoga, reading (specifically classic literature and Marvel comics), and playing Minecraft or Sid Meier's Civilization. New pandemic hobbies include crossword puzzles, trying to become a runner, and learning Spanish.

Resources and Links:

speech IRL

National Stuttering Association

Shared Voices

Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

Nathan Mallipeddi graduated summa cum laude with honors from UCLA in June, where he received a B.S in Biology and B.A in Political Science. He is a Junior-elect to Phi Beta Kappa and a Fulbright Scholar. Nathan is founder and CEO of Southern California Stuttering Service, a non-profit organization that tackles a critical issue in the field of speech therapy regarding its lack of access to low income communities. He also serves on leadership teams for several international speech disability awareness organizations. Nathan has conducted both cell biology and public policy research at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and the Luskin School of Public Affairs, where he published his work in top journals. As the senior policy intern for the City of Los Angeles Department on Disability, Nathan developed transformative public policy initiatives that created jobs for the thousands of unemployed or homeless persons with disabilities in Los Angeles. Nathan aspires to a career as a physician-researcher-policymaker focusing on improving the quality of care and reducing the disparities for disabled persons in healthcare systems. He will attend medical school next year to pursue a medical degree combined with a Master's in Business Administration from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Resources and Links:

NSA

Southern California Stuttering Service

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

WHO IS CARL?

- A leader - board member at the NATIONAL STUTTERING ASSOCIATION

- A consummate professional - Six Sigma Consultant at UnitedHealth.

- A spokesman on national television alongside Brayden Harrington.

- Innovative and forward-thinking advocate for parents, kids, teens and adults who stutter

- A sharp-dressing, fun-loving, all-around great guy (sometimes sporting the bowtie and always rocking the electric smile.)

In this episode Carl and Uri discuss:

- Carl's journey and dreams for the future

- Breakthrough experiences and pivotal people in his life

- Most memorable moments and achievements

- Intersectionality - being a "Black man" and a "person who stutters"

Resources and Links:

NATIONAL STUTTERING ASSOCIATION

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

J. Scott Yaruss is a professor of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, a practicing speech-language pathologist with more than 25 years of clinical experience, and a board-certified specialist in fluency disorders. He joined the faculty of MSU in 2017, with the overarching goal helping speech-language pathologists improve their ability to provide meaningful and lasting support for people who live with stuttering.

Yaruss has published more than 85 peer-reviewed articles, as well as more than 110 other articles, chapters, and books about stuttering. He has given hundreds of continuing education workshops, seminars, and other presentations at local, national, and international conferences. He has also served in various posts for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Special Interest Group for Fluency Disorders and on the Board of Directors of the National Stuttering Association. He has been active in the stuttering self-help community for more 20 years.

Prior to coming to MSU, Yaruss was at the University of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he led the Stuttering Center of Western Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor's degree in linguistics and psychology from the University of California Berkeley, and a master's and doctorate in speech-language pathology from Syracuse University. While at the University of Pittsburgh, he was recognized with the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award.

In 2011, he co-founded Stuttering Therapy Resources (https://www.StutteringTherapyResources.com), a specialty publishing company focused on providing practical materials for helping speech-language pathologists help those who stutter. Key publications include: School-Age Stuttering Therapy: A Practical Guide, Early Childhood Stuttering Therapy: A Practical Guide, Minimizing Bullying for Children Who Stutter, and the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), a comprehensive instrument used around the world to measure the adverse impact of stuttering on people's lives.

In this episode Scott and Uri discuss:

- Latest research findings in neuroscience, genetics, pharmacology and more.

- Future directions, in research and clinical care for people who stutter

- Advice for students and up-and-coming speech-language pathologists

- Hopes for what we can do in the coming years

Links:

https://www.StutteringTherapyResources.com

School-Age Stuttering Therapy: A Practical Guide,

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio:

Rabbi Yakov Horowitz is a global leader; a courageous voice of light and leadership, as an orthodox rabbi grounded in Jewish Torah wisdom. And like biblical Moses, he too shares the attribute of stuttering and being a leader and teacher.

In our conversation, Rabbi Horowitz will share insights for people who stutter, and explore ways to en-courage individuals and educate/advocate for institutional and communal shifts to help all young people thrive.

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Rabbi Horowitz is an award-winning educator (Covenant Award 2008); child safety advocate; author, columnist, speaker and publisher of books on child-safety and beginner gemara/chumash books.

Rabbi Horowitz is the founding dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam, in Monsey, NY, and he conducts parenting workshops in Jewish communities around the world. He also a person who grew up with a stutter.

In this episode Rabbi and Uri discuss:

• growing up Jewish
• Growing up with a stutter
• Bar mitzvahs
• Classrooms
• Matchmakers and shidduchim
• Weddings
• Leadership
• So much more…

Links:

Rabbi Yakov Horowitz Website

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com

Guest Bio: Tom Scharstein is a stutterer from South Florida. After serving on the NSA Board of Directors, Tom co-founded the World Stuttering Network (WSN). His vision is to bring together all stuttering support group leaders from around the globe to share beneficial information. The WSN will also assist organizations create their own network of stuttering support groups. Tom has been involved in the stuttering community since 1997. His life motto is, "The more you help, the more you heal."

In this episode Tom and Uri discuss:

- The concept of "covert stuttering"

-The power of giving confidence to young people

- The more we give the more we heal

- Kayaking and alligators

- Business, leadership and entrepreneurship

- His new project: The World Stuttering Network

Links:

NSA

Host Bio:

Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP passionately explores and develops practical ways for us to create our own success story. Delivering personalized experiences of communication care informed by leading professionals and influencers, Uri is re-imagining the next-level of speech-language therapy for people to benefit in real life. Uri Schneider, M.A. CCC -SLP is co-founder and leader at Schneider Speech Pathology and faculty at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

For more, visit www.schneiderspeech.com