Overcoming difficulty speaking is not easy, but certain things can make the process easier for you. Here are five tips to help you overcome your difficulty speaking.
Tip #1: Practice, practice, practice….even when there is no one around to hear it. Many stutterers find that practicing in front of a mirror can be helpful because doing so gives the person an opportunity to see self-corrections and become more aware of physical tension and triggers that may not be apparent while speaking to another person. Remember, repetition makes perfect!
Tip #2: If you’ve been given a relaxation strategy such as head and neck stretches (or jaw stretches), don’t give up on them after only a few attempts. These techniques take time, patience, and consistent effort, which ultimately leads to successful outcomes. In addition, when these exercises are practiced daily, they can help calm and relax some of the muscles involved in stuttering.
Tip #3: Implementing numerous strategies is more effective than relying upon only one strategy. For example, if you normally use deep breathing as your primary coping mechanism during speech situations, try adding another technique such as stretching your neck and shoulders before you get up to speak or activating your vocal cords by humming quietly before you begin to speak. This way, if one method fails (which it often does), then other options can be used that will hopefully yield successful results and minimize feelings of anxiety and frustration. One way to do this is by using a STUTTERING ROUTINE FORMULA which combines different and complementary strategies and techniques.
Tip #4: When practicing, try to become as relaxed as possible before you begin speaking. Suppose you practice your speech while feeling tense, then trying to speak when actually under that type of stress will be much more difficult than practicing it using a relaxed state as a reference point. This is why many therapists recommend relaxation exercises such as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), deep breathing, and mindfulness meditation before implementing behavior therapy activities. This way, the person feels “warmed up,” which lessens anxiety feelings, which can make stuttering worse.
Tip #5 Allow yourself time to recover from your stutter-step or mistake during a conversation presentation by taking a breath in and then out in a controlled manner. Avoid saying things like “I’m sorry” because you’ll just draw attention to the fact that you stuttered, which can be embarrassing, defeating, and disheartening for many individuals who are trying hard to improve their fluency.
These are five tips for overcoming difficulty speaking. Practice them carefully but don’t get discouraged if they don’t work right away or make significant progress at first. Like all speech challenges, it takes time, consistency, ongoing effort, and patience with yourself before any substantial changes occur.
