The observation about stuttering being a lack of physical control is interesting to me. As a lifelong stutterer myself, this depiction is right on. I believe that looking at the absence of physical control as a problem domain can provide some insight on the topic of stuttering.

Let’s use sports as an example, since it might be more relatable. How does an athlete approach this same problem? They were born with an inability to control their physical body; that is, relative to their current ability. In other words, at some point they were horrible at moving their bodies (when they were just learning the sport), but now they are better at it. How did they achieve this improvement?

They practiced. Like Malcolm Gladwell would say: they put in their 10,000 hours and now they are masters of their craft. Their is, certainly, a level of skill that is involved in determining winners and losers. But in general, more time practicing meant more ability to control their physical body.

I am not an expert in how the human brain works, but I think that by repeating the same task over and over again, the mind establishes a memory of the repeated movements. This occurs until the movements no longer require (as much) conscious thought; they are performed automatically by the body-to-brain connection.

Using a fluency shaping approach to therapy, I’ve come to learn that it is possible to improve my stutter. It, too, requires dedication in the form of daily vocal exercises and practicing the physio-muscular movements of speaking. For example, the physical act of activating your vocal chords in order for your voice to be heard allows you to be confident in saying some words that maybe gave you trouble. I don’t have the patience or dedication to maintain this level of practice for long periods of time. But like a boxer training for a fight, I feel like if I put in the time I will see results in the ring.

It was also helpful for me to realize that my stutter might never completely go away. Your mileage may vary. But approaching the therapy with the goal of trying to be 100% fluent caused me anxiety because the pressure to perform was too great. Imagine an athlete that is pressured to win every game of their life. It was just not realistic.

Acceptance of my speaking ability coupled with knowing that I can (temporarily) improve it (if I put in the effort) has helped me. I hope this can inspire you to think differently about your speech. We are all just musicians; our instruments are our vocal chords and mouths, and we have to perform every day.