Combatting a prevalent worldwide condition takes raising awareness, something one of the foremost authorities on speech therapy will be doing in spades this weekend.
The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) will be holding two events this weekend to open up lines of communication for those interest in speech therapy. On Saturday, AIS will be hosting a one-day “jumpstarter” workshop at its Santa Monica clinic, located at 1250 6th Street. Sunday, the organization will be observing International Stuttering Awareness Day with an outing on the 3rd Street Promenade at the corner of Arizona Avenue, hoping to engage visitors with facts about “common misperceptions” of the condition.
Stuttering is a speech ailment that impacts 3 million people in the United States, and over 60 million people worldwide. With the cause of stuttering still being researched, AIS says that its work in therapy intervention can help successfully manage it for children and adults. This includes both physical and emotional therapy, as the affects of the condition can bring upon a range of negative emotions.
“Without proper therapy and support, people who stutter can suffer devastating emotional consequences such as shame, fear, embarrassment, anger, depression, and helplessness,” an overview for the AIS states. “That often translates to difficulties in social, emotional, and employment settings. Many children and adults who stutter are bullied and taunted. Stuttering can, in fact, come to govern every aspect of a person’s life.”
Credit: American Institute for Stuttering
To help tackle the widespread issue, AIS uses therapy methods such as Avoidance Reduction Therapy, which works to reduce fear and avoidance of speaking, as well as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy to alter negative thinking patterns. Learning how to reduce physical and emotional struggle while speaking, the AIS says, improves communication skills and confidence for things like public speaking and professional interviews.
“[The] techniques are revolutionary,” said AIS Board of Directors member and actress Emily Blunt. “They are all about emboldenment, and accepting who you are … Once you take ownership over your stuttering, it becomes your friend rather than taking over your body.”
Running the Saturday workshop will be AIS Director Dr. Heather Grossman, recognized worldwide for her work as a stuttering specialist, along with AIS Los Angeles Clinic Director Gregory Scott. Along with learning some of the therapy methods, participants can attempt “high-fearing speaking scenarios” alongside therapists such as small talk, mock job interviews and ordering menu items.
Those attending the Sunday outing on the Promenade will also be invited to an after-party at the Santa Monica office. Those interested in either the workshop or Promenade event can email Scott at gscott@stutteringtreatment.org