Defoliating The Junge of Online Stuttering Help

So, I have been doing a lot of research online, looking for stuttering resources. Maybe you’ve done the same and have found, like I have, that there are a lot of articles and websites on stuttering…but few that offer much in the way of help. Most articles are written by doctors and therapists who are peddling therapies and various devices. It’s gotten me a bit frustrated because there is something in me that somehow expects somebody to offer a cure for free. But then I think, “Gee, even cancer treatments cost money.” Good point.

Actually, I did find a couple of free tips. Did you know, for example, that stuttering never occurs when you speak in a whisper? It’s true. I tried it. Additionally, you will never stutter if you talk with your teeth clenched. To be honest, I didn’t try this for long (because I sounded so silly)…so I don’t know if it’s always true…but it did work as long as I did it. I may experiment more later. Whatever the case…one simply cannot navigate the world talking through clenched teeth or whispering. Actually, sometimes when I am angry at my young son, I speak through clenched teeth. That would account for how articulately I was able to tell him that he was about 5 seconds away from sure death.

The treatments I definitely steer clear of are the ones of non-professionals and ex-stutterers who claim to have a “Tried and True, Guaranteed 10% Cure”…but only if you buy this book or program. (and if you act NOW…we’ll throw in this Micro Hibachi and a set of Ginsu Steak Knives at NO EXTRA CHARGE!) I am skeptical.

I once read of a man who made a bunch of money years ago advertising a 100% Guaranteed Successful remedy for roaches. He was selling his “remedy” for exactly $1, advertising in the classified ads section in newspapers, magazines and in the back of comics. (This was long before the internet.)

At a mere $1, there was virtually no risk! Thousands of people sent off for this “remedy”, but were justifiably upset when what they received consisted of 2 small, square wooden blocks and brief instructions that directed, “Place roach between two blocks of wood and press firmly.”

I don’t want to send off for a “Tried and True, 100% Cure For Stuttering”, just to open the package and find a slip of paper that says, “Guaranteed Cure for Stuttering: Stop Talking.”

I did find an interesting account of a woman who claims to have overcome her stuttering. Her name is Miriam Mondlin and she claims she was cured through Aesthetic Realism. If you have no idea what that means, don’t feel bad…neither did I. In fact, after reading her online blurb…I still don’t. But, whatever it is, supposedly it’s the miracle cure. She offers this strange blurb, claiming it is the definitive explanation for stuttering…written by Eli Siegel in 1981:

“It is the embodiment of inhibition and forwardness; it
is the explosive, excessively energetic, excessively repetitious, and
excessively denying, bodily symbol of the sudden battle between the centrifugal
and centripetal selves. One self wishes to be other, to be related; and one
wishes to be a snug, perfect point, capable of dismissing anything and
everything.” - http://mmondlin.home.mindspring.com/eli-siegel/eli-siegel-on-stuttering.html

Uh…yeah. Now, I’ve read this piece about 10 times now…and I still don’t know what it says. Do you know what a centripetal self is? I don’t. Apparently, however, you can go into therapy using Aesthetic Realism…and find help with your stuttering. I’ll let you know if I find anything else on it (if I even explore it more) and feel free to leave a comment if you find anything. Stay tuned.