Conference 2016
2–4 September
Hulme Hall, Manchester
STAMMER BAND NEEDS YOU!
After the Saturday night gala dinner, we’re
planning entertainment from Stammer
Band. This is a band which consists only
of people who stammer, who play songs
which are either about stammering, or
which feature stammering .
However, we need your help to make
Stammer Band a reality. At the moment,
Stammer Band consists of just Max Gattie
(guitar/vocals) and Ian Hickey (drums).
We desperately need more contributors.
There are several ways you can get involved:
1. If you sing, let us know which stammer
song you’d like to perform, and we’ll
work up a backing track for it. Think of it
as karaoke on steroids.
2. If you can rap, even better! There are
several songs we’d love to feature, but
cannot convincingly attempt on our own.
3. If you play an instrument, please drop
us a line! We’d love to work up a version
of a song you could perform on. We can
practice by exchanging mp3s, and then
perform together at the conference.
4. If you can travel to Manchester, please
get in touch ASAP! We love to have more
people to rehearse with.
If you can sing or perform, please send an
email to [email protected]
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SETLIST
Songs about Stammering
Bill Murray – K-K-K-Katie
John Lee Hooker – Stuttering Blues
Willie Dixon – Nervous
Morris Minor and the Majors – Stutter Rap
The Two Ronnies – Stuttering Bum
Joe – Stutter
Scatman John – Scatman
James – Stutter
Songs mentioning Stammering
Maroon 5 – Stutter
Elastica – Stutter
Extreme – Tragic Comic
Miley Cyrus – See You Again
Songs which feature Stammering
The Who – My Generation
BTO – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
George Thorogood – Bad to the Bone
The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird
David Bowie – Changes
Mel and Kim – Respectable
Paul Hardcastle – Nineteen
Phil Collins – Sussudio
Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’
The Runaways – Cherry Bomb
Guns n’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
The Beatles – Back in the USSR
The Knack – My Sharona
Buddy Holly – Peggy Sue
Beastie Boys – Ch-Check It Out
The Fall / The Monks – Black Monk Theme
The Kinks – Lola
The Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
Black Box – Ride on Time
http://www.stammering.org/speaking-out/article/stammer-band-needs-you
Contents
Foreword
From BSA chair Tim Fell
From the Manchester organisers
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Invited Speakers
Speaking Out – Ed Balls
Community, goals, research and self-fulfilment – Grant Meredith
The Fluency in School Team Project – Peter Howell
Working with Schools – Trudy Stewart
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7
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Research theme
The Relationship between Stammering and Trauma – Paul Brocklehurst
Brain imaging of synchronised speech in people who stammer – Sophie Meekings
The Stuttering Brain – Naheem Bashir
Beyond Words: Psychological Aspects of Stammering – Triona Lanigan
Anxiety in foreign language learning in people who stammer – Ronan Miller
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy – Gareth Walkom
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Goals theme
How not to do public speaking – Bob Adams
What’s the Frequency, Gareth? – Gareth Cottrell
Best hopes from therapy – Vicky Crofts and Martha Jeffery
Making long-term and meaningful change – Rachel Everard
Moving on after intensive therapy – Mark Murphy
Being the verbal communicator that you want to be – Michael O’Shea
Positive Stammering – Mandy Taylor and Michael Turner
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Community theme
Self-help groups for adults who stammer – Bob Adams and Hilary Liddle
What can I do? – Nisar Boston, Erin Williams and Rory Sheridan
A Celebration of Stammering – Patrick Campbell, Nisar Boston,
Lesley Kodom-Baah and Ian Hickey
The Employers Stammering Network – Norbert Lieckfeldt
Changes afoot at the BSA – Norbert Lieckfeldt
Exploring Support Groups – Mhairi MacDonald and Megan Hart
Universities un-STUC – Claire Norman
Women who stutter – Christine Simpson, Ruth Cross and Gouri Laher
Self-fulfilment theme
Circus Skills – Bob Adams
Staying safe on the streets – Trevor Bradley and Bob Adams
A Journey towards self-fulfilment – Sarah Ellison
Harrison Workshop – Clive Collins and McGuire graduates
And now for something completely different – Rachel Everard and Sam Simpson
Drumming Workshop – Steve HIgnett
When I get older, start losing my ..? – Colin Marsh
The underside of the iceberg – Sophie Mitchell
My stammering and me – Michael Ryan
Mind your language! – Iain Wilkie and Sam Simpson
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Foreword
from the British Stammering Association
Improvement – anyone can do it!
One of the things we will be doing a lot of during this
Conference is talking about stammering. “No surprise
there, then!”, I hear you cry.
Tim Fell
Chairman
of the British
Stammering
Association
But talking about stammering is something that society
hasn’t been very good at. Going forward, the BSA feels
that talking about stammering is the best way to face
stammering. Head-on. Directly and openly.
Talking about stammering is how we will improve the lives
of people who stammer. And that’s why the theme of this
Conference is so exciting. Improvement. Aspiring to be
better at what we do, who we are. And improving society’s
understanding of stammering.
When my school reports said “room for improvement –
could do better” my parents were not best pleased. They’d
say “don’t settle for less than you can be!” And those
words have always stuck with me.
There’s so much within us. The potential is there, it just
needs to be given the opportunity to flourish. Our theme
says you don’t have to accept how things are now. There’s
hope. You don’t have to remain locked away in a dungeon
of dysfluency or disaffection. You don’t have to look back
in later years and regret the missed opportunities.
And, the thing is, anyone can improve. You can do it
in bite-sized chunks, too, over a period of time. The
awesome thing about improvement is its all-inclusiveness.
Yes, anyone can do it!
The BSA’s vision is a society where every person who
stammers has as much chance of a full and rewarding
life as anyone else. Improvement underlines this vision.
A better understanding by society of what stammering
is all about. And a heightened sense of opportunity and
responsibility by people who stammer to make the best
use of the fantastic resources available.
I hope you enjoy the Conference.
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Foreword
from the Manchester organisers
Welcome to Manchester, and the 2016 British
Stammering Association Conference. We are delighted
to have you here.
Max Gattie
PhD student in
stuttering research,
University of
Manchester
The programme over the next two days offers a
comprehensive collection of talks about stammering.
This is backed up by a large – and lively! – social and
networking opportunity.
The theme of this conference is Improvement. Speech
improvements are of course always welcome. But
improvement is possible in many more ways. For
example, communication in general can improve.
Understanding of stammering can improve. The
environment for people who stammer can improve,
and so can the experience of living with stammering.
Our speakers will cover four sub-themes: Community,
Goals, Research and Self-fulfilment. We’re delighted to
have attracted such a high calibre of speaker, including
several who have travelled internationally to be here.
But, more than anything, it is the stammering support
community which has made this possible.
Jennifer Roche
Speech and
Language Therapist
(Stockport NHS
Foundation Trust)
and BSA Trustee
We’d like to thank everyone in the British Stammering
Association who has contributed to making this event
possible. We’d like to thank the many trainee speech
and language therapists who are helping with room
arrangements and refreshments over the weekend. And
we would, of course, like to thank the many members
of the Manchester Stammering Support Group, without
whom this event couldn’t have taken place.
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Speaking Out
Ed served in the British Cabinet as Education Secretary
(2007-2010). He was previously the UK Minister for
Financial Services (2006-2007) and the Chief Economic
Adviser to the UK Treasury (1997-2004). He was UK
Shadow Chancellor from 2011 to 2015.
Ed Balls
Senior Fellow,
Harvard University
Kennedy School
Mossavar-Rahmani
Center for Business
and Government
Visiting Professor,
Policy Institute,
King’s College
London
Invited
Speaker
At the Department for Children, Schools and Families,
Ed brought together schools and children’s policy
for the first time in the Children’s Plan and pushed
through radical and progressive policies including
raising the education and training age to 18, reform of
the social work profession, establishing the support
staff negotiating body and extra investment in youth
services and short breaks for disabled children and
their families.
As Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury (1997-2004),
Ed led the design of policies including independence
of the Bank of England, the New Deal jobs programme,
the Five Tests Euro assessment, Sure Start, tax credits
and the national minimum wage.
Born in Norwich in 1967, his family moved to
Nottingham when Ed was 8. He attended Crossdale
Drive primary school and then Nottingham High School.
Ed went on to study economics and philosophy at Keble
College, Oxford, and economics and politics (MPA) at the
John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard.
Ed is married to Yvette Cooper MP. They have three
children and live in London and Castleford. His interests
include learning the piano, marathon running, cooking
and playing football with his children. He is a member
of the Privy Council.
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Community, goals, research
and self-fulfilment
Engaging the four senses
Grant Meredith
Associate Dean of
Student Retention and
Success, Federation
University,
Australia
Invited
Speaker
In this presentation, with the use of personal anecdotes
and the running of a successful crowdfunding project
as an example, I will tie up the conference’s subthemes of the community, goals, research and selffulfilment into the grand theme of Improvement.
I work in the fast paced and at times cut throat
communication-orientated world of academia, which
in turn means that I must navigate the three realms
of teaching, research and administration. I do not use
any techniques to control my fluency and am overt in
stuttering nature.
I lead the Technologies for Empowering People for
Participation in Society (TEPPS) programme which aims
to enable the lives of people the world over through
the radical design of software and hardware solutions.
In 2014 I ran a crowdfunding project through the then
University of Ballarat to extend an applied research
project that I was working on. This project was the
online social scenario simulation program called
Scenari-Aid. Originally designed for people who stutter
to practise their speech skills through and to also work
on issues of social confidence, Scenari-Aid is now being
used globally to address other personal challenges.
These challenges include the likes of recovering from
brain injuries, developmental issues, long-term
unemployment and language skills for people from
non-English speaking backgrounds. But Scenari-Aid is
only one project that we have been working on and
some others will also be outlined.
Throughout this presentation I will weave through the
life of being an academic who stutters and the ensuing
endeavours to challenge myself and be accepted simply
as Grant. Not as Grant the person who stutters.
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The Fluency in School
Team project (FIST)
Peter Howell
Professor of
Experimental
Psychology
University College,
London
Honorary Research
Professor, Beijing
Normal University,
China
Invited
Speaker
There is general agreement that treatment for
stammering and other difficulties that affect expressive
speech is most effective if intervention is received
as soon as a problem is identified. However, there
are insufficient resources for Speech and Language
Therapists (SLTs) to assess every child for intervention.
One way that children with speech difficulties could
be identified and attended to quickly would be to
give schools roles to play with respect to fluency when
children enter education. However, there are three
main obstacles to doing this:
1) There is nothing suitable for teachers to assess
children’s expressive speech;
2) There is no form of primary SLT care that schools
could give when children with speech difficulties are
identified;
3) Many languages are spoken by children entering into
UK schools. This causes some children’s speech to be
hesitant and these features in their speech can be
confused with fluency problems.
In response to the first obstacle, a procedure was
developed that identifies children who stammer or who
have other expressive speech difficulties for teachers
to use. It is short, simple, objective and applicable
with all children. It meets scientific standards of
performance and the results correspond with teachers’
judgments about children’s fluency. A short sample
of speech is obtained and analyzed for non-fluent
symptoms. This formalizes what teachers report that
they currently do.
It is emphasized that the procedure is not a
simplification or substitute for what SLTs do when
making a clinical assessment: SLTs would require details
like family history of speech difficulty which it is not
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practical for teachers to obtain. Teachers see their task as passing children as fluent
or not and leave detailed assessment (e.g. whether a child stammers or has some
other speech difficulty) to the SLTs. It is important that the SLTs know what teachers
are doing, its limitations and the accuracy of the identification procedure so that
procedures can interface with their own diagnostic and intervention methods (this
is not the case at present).
An important feature is that the identification procedure does not confuse children
who stammer with those who have vocabulary problems (the influence of vocabulary
on fluency is a major issue when children who do not use English as their first
language in UK schools). Availability of this procedure allows children who stammer
to be identified early and they can receive SLT intervention soon afterwards. Early
intervention, as well as being most helpful for avoiding long-term fluency problems,
can also help avoid children encountering other problems in schools.
Primary care for speech difficulties can be given in schools once a problem is
encountered as they have ready access to children. Care has been taken to design
this intervention so that it addresses general forms of expressive speech difficulty
(not just stammering) and to ensure that it does not conflict with any treatment
children might subsequently receive from SLTs for specific speech difficulties (e.g.
Lidcombe treatment for children who stammer). The intervention takes the form
of a working memory game.
Another aspect of FIST has involved developing interventions for children with poor
vocabulary but no form of speech difficulty both for children who speak English
alone or who use English as an additional language. All such children show wordfinding difficulties that lead to nonfluencies which have some similarity with the
symptoms seen when a form of speech difficulty is present. The procedures we have
developed employ sound combinations that are needed for English but that are
either acquired late in development (native English-speaking children) or where
sound combinations are absent in the native language that a child uses.
Nonsense-word repetition is used in the first phase to train the children on the
sound combinations selected according to the language they speak. Children who
use English as an additional language are then trained on word material that
activates either the same (phase two) or different (phase three) semantic forms
in English and any additional language where applicable. Children who speak
English alone only receive phase two training. Results on fluency and word-finding
improvements with this staged form of training (non-word through to lexical
material that places different semantic demands on the children) are reported.
Acknowledgement
Parts of this work were supported by the Dominic Barker Trust. Their support is
gratefully acknowledged.
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Working with schools
Trudy Stewart
Retired Consultant
Speech and
Language Therapist
Invited
Speaker
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Trudy Stewart has 37 years experience as an SLT working
with people who stammer. She helped to establish the
Stammering Support Centre in Leeds, and published
several books and research on stammering. The most
recent publication (2016) is a resource book for
teachers. Trudy has lectured on undergraduate,
graduate and specialist courses in UK and abroad, has
been a keynote speaker at international conferences on
dysfluency, and has advised the Royal College of Speech
and Language Therapists and the BSA.
In this workshop aimed at speech and language
therapists, Trudy will present a number of scenarios
depiciting some of the problems and issues facing
pupils who stammer in primary and secondary school
environments. Participants will be invited to problem
solve in small groups, sharing ideas from their own
experience and learning from each other.
The relationship between
stammering and trauma
For much of my life I had a severe stammer which I
finally managed to gain control over when I was about
40.
Paul Brocklehurst
Stammering SelfEmpowerment
Programme
PhD in stuttering
research, University
of Edinburgh
Theme:
Research
After that I went back to university, where I studied
speech therapy and psycholinguistics. I then went on to
conduct experimental research investigating potential
mechanisms behind stammering. My main area of
expertise is the relationship between stammering and
speech errors – an important topic which is widely
misunderstood.
In this talk I will argue that severe stammering is
traumatizing and that it is better to avoid it as much
as possible. I will also discuss the need for a flexible
and pragmatic approach to communication and how
some of the current approaches to stammering therapy
probably make things worse rather than better. The
talk is for people who stammer and also for speech
therapists.
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A brain imaging study of
synchronised speech in
people who stammer
Sophie Meekings
PhD researcher
University College,
London
Theme:
Research
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One theory about why people stammer is that
stammering is caused by over-reliance on auditory
feedback (the sound of your own voice). Many people
who stammer find that when they speak in unison
with another person, their fluency improves, possibly
because choral speech prevents you from hearing your
voice. I will look at the evidence for and against the
over-reliance theory, and discuss an experiment I am
conducting as part of my PhD research using functional
MRI to find out what happens in the brain when people
who stammer speak in synchrony with another person.
The stuttering brain
Naheem Bashir
PhD researcher
University College,
London
The aim of this session is to provide information which
illustrates that stuttering is a neurological issue (as
well as psychological) - stuttering is about much more
than just being nervous or not taking a deep enough
breath before speaking. I hope that as a result of
this information, people will understand more about
their stuttering and perhaps even go a bit easier on
themselves, as after all, stuttering is hard-wired into
our brains. I am to go over neuroscience research in
stuttering past and present, as well as pull together
some ideas from different fields to provide an insight
into what the future holds for the area.
Theme:
Research
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Beyond Words –
What Lies Beneath?
A Psychological Approach
Triona Lanigan
Counselling
Psychologist,
Trinity College,
Dublin
Irish Stammering
Association
Theme:
Research
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Dr. Triona Lanigan is a board member of the Irish
Stammering Association. Triona completed her training
as a Counselling Psychologist at Trinity College Dublin
and currently works with the HSE National Counselling
Service providing psychological therapies and
interventions.
Triona conducted research focusing on the psychological
aspects of stammering as part of her doctoral degree in
counselling psychology. Triona, who has stammered
since childhood, believes that the key to coping with
stammering is self-acceptance, self-compassion and
openness about being a person who stammers rather
than chasing a goal of fluent speech.
The session will focus on psychological aspects and
the emotional impact of stammering. Research carried
out in an Irish context will be discussed. The research,
supervised by Prof. Barbara Hannigan, Trinity College
Dublin, involved the use of a life story approach to
understand the experiences of adults who stammer.
Results provide a detailed process experiential account
of speaking under the threat of stammering and
highlight the significant role of shame and anxiety in
the stammering cycle. During the workshop the use of
metaphor and imagery in enhancing understanding of
stammering will be explored. Stammering coping
strategies with an emphasis on self-compassion and
the role of psychological therapy will be discussed.
The talk is aimed at people who stammer and health
professionals.
Anxiety in foreign
language learning in
people who stammer
Ronan Miller
PhD Student
University of Valencia
Theme:
Research
Originally from Nottingham, I moved to Spain with the
objective of learning the language and overcoming
fears relating to my stammer. My experiences as an
English teacher and a Spanish language learner led
me to carry out research regarding the experiences of
people who stammer in foreign language classes.
The main focus of this research is to assess how anxiety
affects the learning process for people who stammer
and to identify ways to reduce it in the classroom.
Anxiety is an important factor in language learning
and can severely disrupt the learning process for some
students.
I will talk about my PhD research and present some
preliminary findings. I will also speak about my own
experiences of language learning and teaching as a
person who stammers.
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Virtual Reality Exposure
Therapy
Gareth Walkom, who stammers himself, has recently
completed a study at Nottingham Trent University on
using a Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) device
for stammering.
Gareth Walkom
MSc student,
Nottingham Trent
University
Theme:
Research
VRET is one of the most effective and safe methods of
exposure therapy to date, and I believe that combining
VRET with methods to benefit those who stammer and
treat those with social anxiety, presents a unique and
new effective method of therapy.
As part of my degree in Digital Media Technology, I
constructed and tested a VRET device specifically aimed
at people who stammer. It slowly introduces them into
a lecture theatre environment, where they are to give
a talk to an animated audience on a particular topic.
The talk lasts for 5 minutes and results are gathered
throughout the VRET regarding the participant’s level of
anxiety, body temperature, and electrodermal activity
(measurement of sweat). Comments related to the
participant’s speech are also noted.
The animated audience and lecture theatre have been
designed to be as realistic as possible, allowing the
participant to relate it to a real-life situation. The VRET
developed has already been proven to improve speech
and decrease the participant’s anxiety levels over
repeated sessions.
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How not to do public
speaking
Bob Adams
Chair of the
Doncaster
Stammering
Association,
public speaking &
performance coach,
and former BSA
Trustee
Does the thought of public speaking fill you with dread?
You’d rather do anything, rather than have to stand in
front an audience and present? This session is aimed at
anyone who public speaks no matter how experienced
or inexperienced they may be. Bob believes that people
who stammer can develop their communication skills
to a high level, regardless of whether they stammer or
not i.e. being fluent is not synonymous with presenting
well. This fun, interactive session explodes some of the
myths about public speaking. Come away with a new
outlook on what you can achieve.
Theme:
Goals
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What’s the Frequency,
Gareth?
I am a national radio presenter and broadcast to over
1 million people every day.
Gareth Cottrell
Radio Presenter,
UCB1
Theme:
Goals
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Many of my listeners would be unaware that I’ve only
had a voice for 15 years. Since birth I suffered from
a severer stammer which meant I was unable to say
even the shortest of sentences. I always had a dream
to work in radio and through determination and
many blessings along the way I’ve achieved that. Now
I am on a mission to help people who suffer from a
stammer. I believe anybody can overcome a stammer
if given the right support. My full story can be found at
www.Garethcottrell.co.uk
Best hopes from therapy
Using solution focused brief therapy
for goal setting
Vicky Crofts
Speech and
Language Therapist,
Michael Palin Centre
Martha Jeffery
Speech and
Language Therapist,
Michael Palin Centre
We are part of the Speech and Language Therapy team
at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London.
The Centre offers a specialist service to children and
young people who stammer from all over the UK.
The team also completes research into the nature
of stammering and the effectiveness of therapy in
addition to offering a national training programme for
other Speech and Language Therapists.
One of the approaches we use at the Centre for goalsetting with our clients is Solution Focused Brief
Therapy. This helps us to explore with the client what
their best hopes from therapy are, what their resources
already are and what their ‘preferred future’ looks like.
We believe that this approach ensures therapy is clientled, individualised and functional.
In the session we will explore the principles of this
approach and demonstrate how we use it at the Centre.
The session is aimed at anyone who is interested in the
approach, including parents of children who stammer,
young people and adults who stammer and other
Speech and Language Therapists.
Vicky Crofts and Martha Jeffery have been Speech and
Language Therapists for over 6 years, and have both
been working at the Michael Palin Centre since 2013.
Theme:
Goals
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Making long-term and
meaningful change
Rachel Everard
Speech and
Language Therapist,
City Lit, London
Theme:
Goals
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Rachel, who stammers, had life-changing group
therapy at City Lit after which she retrained to become a
speech therapist. She was a trustee of the BSA for many
years. Since 2001 she has been based at City Lit, working
with adults who stammer and offering professional
development training to qualified speech and language
therapists
What changes are adults who stammer expecting from
therapy? What changes are realistic? What do we mean
by meaningful changes? What are the factors that play
a part in maintaining changes over the long term? I
will give an overview of the factors which influence
the outcomes of therapy, based on our work at City Lit
and current research, as well as seek out views from
the audience. I will discuss what adults who stammer
can do, before, during and after therapy, so that they
gain maximum benefit from therapy long after it has
finished.
Moving on after intensive
therapy
Life after the Starfish Project
Recovering Stammerer Mark and a group of recovering
stammerers from the Starfish Project will talk
about how they have reached personal goals and
achievements.
Mark Murphy
The Starfish Project
Theme:
Goals
Some of those achievements have been large, whilst
others though very simple are nonetheless just as
meaningful. They will talk about how the techniques
and strategies learned from the Starfish Project, and the
free lifetime support offered, has worked for them, the
group will also answer questions from the audience.
Starfish is in its eighteenth successful year of helping
people to gain control over stammering. We are not
trying to achieve the impossibility of ‘fluency’ or
‘eloquence’ - when no one in life is truly fluent or
eloquent. It’s not about striving for perfection in an
imperfect world.
Our mission is to provide effective and maintainable
control techniques, to give you effortless speech. With
one to one training, from recovering stammerers,
always respecting you as an individual and free lifetime
support.
We believe that it is wrong to take advantage,
particularly financial advantage, of the misfortune of
other people. We keep the one off lifetime fee of the
STARFISH courses to the minimum that enables us to
cover the costs of running the project. This fee has
been the same since we started and it is our intention
to keep it that way.
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Being the verbal
communicator that you
want to be
Michael O’Shea
McGuire Programme
Theme:
Goals
I started stuttering at the age of four, the trigger being
a severe beating by a teacher in school. Attended
speech therapy, courses and workshops for many
years. Author of “Why I Called My Sister Harry” in 2007.
Keynote speaker and workshop presenter on the subject
of stuttering on four continents. Member and former
board member of the Irish Stammering Association,
cofounder of the Irish National Stuttering Awareness
Day in 2007. Speech coach, course instructor, and staff
trainer with the Irish McGuire Programme. Owner of
“Speak Soon Communications”.
How you learned your way into stuttering, how you
developed your personal blueprint of stuttering and
how through education, motivation and support you
can learn your way out of stuttering and develop a
new verbal communication blueprint if that is your
desire. A cure? Definitely not. A good quality of life
regarding your verbal communication? Yes. Create a
better verbal communication action plan? Yes. Focus
on your ability rather than feelings of disability –
positive self-development, letting go the need to be
perfect, managing internal shame, anxiety, stress and
sensitivity.
http://www.michaeloshea.ie
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Positive stammering
Mandy, who stammers, actively promotes positive
stammering role models. She has always worked in
public facing roles, was a BSA trustee, and is currently
working and pitching with an integrated marketing
agency. Michael, who stammers, is well known for
his work in raising awareness of stammering among
customer facing employees.
Mandy Taylor
Former BSA trustee
The session is about turning what is commonly seen
as a negative trait into a positive one. How can
stammering actually have a positive impact on our lives
and how can we turn it around? Aimed at both young
adults who are just starting to try and put their mark
on the world and also older people who are finding
they need a new direction due to circumstances or
new-found self- awareness.
Michael Turner
Theme:
Goals
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Self-help groups for
adults who stammer
Bob Adams
Chair of the
Doncaster
Stammering
Association, and
former BSA Trustee
Hilary Liddle
NHS Speech and
Language Therapist
Theme:
Community
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The session will be facilitated by Bob, in collaboration
with Hilary and other Doncaster Stammering Association
self help group members. Ever wondered what makes a
self help group a successful group? Ever been to a group
and thought “That’s not much use!” This session will
focus on how to successfully run a self-help group for
adults (in collaboration with NHS SLT services).
How can a group keep active, relevant and fun!?!
What’s the secret? Find out from the only group to
have hosted three BSA National Conferences. Whose
members have appeared on television, on radio and
in the press. Who have hosted a “Talk and Trot” on a
national racecourse. Had a ”Stammering Santa” meet
children who stammered. Created the first stammering
awareness CD in the world (funded by the Prince’s
Trust). Hosted a highly successful gallery exhibition of
stammering related art work (funded by Arts Council
England)…and lots more!
What can I do?
A workshop exploring opportunities for
stammering awareness in local communities
Nisar Boston
BSA Education
Volunteer
Nisar is an education volunteer for the BSA and is
studying for a degree in accounting and finance. His
passion for spreading stammering awareness has led
him into schools, colleges and universities and onto
media platforms ranging from BBC radio to newsprint.
Rory is the co-founder of the London Stammering
Association Support Group and has supported many
of the BSA endeavours, including the organising of
the 2016 Open Day and Youth Weekend. He is studying
photography at university. Erin found her way from Los
Angeles to the BSA through the power of social media.
The workshop is aimed at all ages, with a Q&A at
the end. What can we do, as responsible citizens, to
contribute towards the shared BSA goal and ethos
“A world that understands stammering”? We aim to
highlight the self-fulfilment and sense of community
that comes from engaging with society. Heck, it is so
empowering!
Erin Williams
Rory Sheridan
Founder of the London
Stammering Group and
BSA Volunteer
Theme:
Community
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A Celebration of Stammering
Stammering can be a difficult problem to deal with but, occasionally, it can have its
positives. Having held a workshop at the London open day focusing on stammering
humour, we feel there is more to come by broadening the concept to the positives
of stammering in life, whilst (hopefully) keeping the humour. We’re going to present
some of our own examples of the benefits of stammering and also some gathered
from around the globe. We then plan to discuss this topic with the audience and
invite people to share their own positive experiences of stammering. The workshop
is for everyone who stammers, parents of children who stammer and speech and
language therapists to encourage new positive perspectives on stammering.
Theme:
Community
Patrick Campbell
BSA Trustee
Nisar Boston
BSA Education
Volunteer
Lesley Kodom-Baah
Educator
Ian Hickey
Director of the Irish
Stammering Association
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The Employers
Stammering Network
Norbert Lieckfeldt
CEO of the British
Stammering
Association
Theme:
Community
The Employers Stammering Network is a network of
private and public sector employers, hosted by the
BSA. Its aim is to ensure that stammering is no longer a
barrier to career choice, recruitment and promotion.
Founded by ESN co-Chair Iain Wilkie, the Network
currently consists of 12 members, global firms like Shell,
EY and Citigroup, but also public employers like the Civil
Service and Warrington Borough Council:
1.Brighthouse
2.Citigroup
3. Civil Service
4. Defence Stammering Network
5. Deutsche Bank
6.DHL
7.EY
8.KPMG
9. M&G Investments
10.RBS
11.Shell
12. Warrington Borough Council
The Network is active in setting up stammering
champions in each employer, and supporting their
activities through information sessions, publicity
materials, advice and information, networking events
and delivering specialist training.
In this session, Norbert will give an overview over
the activities of the Network in raising awareness of
stammering in the workplace and there will be time for
Questions and Answers.
27
Changes afoot at the BSA
Norbert Lieckfeldt
CEO of the British
Stammering
Association
Theme:
Community
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Trustees are deciding on a new strategy for the BSA
which will essentially remove subscription payments
in the expectation this will significantly increase
our membership. However, any changes that will
be put forward will ensure that BSA will remain an
organisation where our members play an important
role and that your current rights like voting for
Trustees, requiring your agreement for a change in
our Constitution or for people who stammer to be a
majority on the General Committee will remain as they
are.
If you would like to find out more about these
proposed changes and/or have any comments or
suggestions, do come along to this workshop.
Party for Support Groups
We are speech and language therapists who are
passionate about working with adults and children
who stammer.
Mhairi MacDonald
Speech and
Language Therapist,
NHS Scotland
Therapy for people who stammer can have fantastic
outcomes but no matter how holistic, for many,
support group membership provides an injection of
enrichment, positivity, and sense of community
that therapy in clinic simply cannot emulate. Support
groups have that extra sparkle!
As keen volunteers for the Scottish Stammering
Network, we have been privileged and excited to
see many people who stammer flourish through
support group attendance.
We love the positive impact that stammering support
groups can have and we want people to come
along and freely share their experiences and opinionspositive or less so. Our workshop will be fun
and interactive with therapeutic tasks and activities to
accompany discussions. We will be dipping
Megan Hart
Speech and
Language Therapist,
NHS Scotland
into: types of support group; online forums; what
research tells us; views on and suggestions for
support groups; and partnerships between support
groups and speech and language therapists.
Come along, we can’t wait to meet you!
Theme:
Community
29
Universities un-STUC
Hello everyone! I’m a twenty-four year old University of
Warwick graduate; I have had a stammer since the age
of five.
Claire Norman
Founder of STUC
(Stammerers Through
University Campaign)
Theme:
Community
I read French Studies BA (Hons) at the University of
Warwick from 2010 to 2014 with an integrated year
abroad. Since graduating two years ago I have worked
in the fraud prevention sector.
It was at the start of the second term of my final year,
in January 2014, that I noticed a gap in the ‘market’ of
support for university-based stammerers. I decided to
fill this gap by creating a support campaign that would
help university students/ staff who stammer, naming it
‘STUC’ (Stammerers Through University Campaign), with
the acronym reinforcing a block and struggle whilst
stammering.
My presentation will outline STUC’s journey so far; its
successes, setbacks and where it is heading next. I
really hope to see you there!
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Women who stammer
A workshop
Christine Simpson
All three presenters are enthusiastic members of the
Women who Stammer Facebook closed group. a is a
retired teacher and says she is a covert stammerer.
Gouri stammers and works as a hypnotherapist, part of
which involves helping people who stammer. Christine
describes her stammer as severe but that hasn’t
stopped her working as a librarian, both on the front
desk and as a manager.
This workshop is for women only – women who
stammer, SLTs and female parents. Women’s issues
often get overlooked since women are a “minority
within a minority”. We will cover serious issues but we
intend the workshop will be stimulating and fun!
Ruth Cross
Gouri Laher
Theme:
Community
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Circus Skills
Participants will learn new skills, improve hand/
eye coordination, develop communication skills,
understand different ways of responding to situations,
work as part of a team – oh, and have fun! P.S. The
“fun” bit is compulsory.
Bob Adams
Chair of the
Doncaster
Stammering
Association,
Performance Artist,
and former BSA
Trustee
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
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Staying safe on the streets
Trevor Bradley
Doncaster
Stammering
Association
Bob is Chair of the Doncaster Stammering Association,
and a former BSA trustee. He is a performance and
public speaking coach. Trev is a long term member
of the DSA. He was studying for his karate black belt,
when he moved over to “the dark side”, and joined
Bob in a realistic street based self-defence method
based on the Israeli self defence system “Krav Maga”
(think Jason Bourne) and Keysi Fighting Method (think
Batman/Dark Knight). Together, the pair has over 30
years’ experience of martial arts.
Adults (16 yrs +). Everyone needs to stay safe. This
interactive, fun workshop does NOT involve high kicking
or MMA arm bars. Instead, it explores the difference in
“sports martial arts” and reality based styles, and looks
at simple ways we can all stay safe. NB This workshop is
applicable to all, regardless of age/gender/experience/
mobility, etc.
Bob Adams
Chair of the
Doncaster
Stammering
Association,
Performance Coach,
and former BSA
Trustee
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
33
Harrison Workshop
(DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED)
John Harrison has long been known for the “Stuttering
Hexagon”, and his contribution to the National
Stuttering Association in the USA. John was a keynote
speaker at the 2002 BSA conference.
Clive Collins
Manchester
Stammering
Support Group
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
34
Although international flights are now difficult for John,
his ideas have recently gained widespread recognition
by being used as part of the McGuire Programme.
In this sessions, trainers from the McGuire Programme
will deliver a version of the Harrison workship to BSA
attendees. Through the magic of the internet, we hope
to have John joining us from North America for some of
the fun.
A journey towards
self-fulfilment
An introduction to NLP
Sarah Ellison
Speech and
Language Therapist
and former BSA
Trustee
This session is aimed at any adult.
In this fun and interactive workshop you will be
introduced to the wonderful world of NLP (Neuro
Linguistic Programming). We will look at how we, as
individuals, interpret and make sense of the world
and how this can then help our communication with
others. We will also look at how closely linked our
thoughts, feelings and actions are and how we can
make small yet effective changes to enable us to lead
to an improvement in our well-being as we begin a
journey towards self-fulfilment…
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
35
And now for something
completely different
A fresh look at stammering and stammering
therapy.
Rachel Everard
Speech and
Language Therapist,
City Lit
Rachel Everard is a specialist speech and language
therapist at City Lit. She believes in empowering people
who stammer, in the benefits of group therapy, and
in the value of self-help. She played a key role in
developing the ‘Opening Doors’ course on behalf of
the BSA, aimed at helping people who stammer gain
employment and/or promotion within their existing
job.
Sam Simpson is a speech and language therapist
working in stammering and neurorehabilitation. She
co-founded intandem (www.intandem.co.uk) in
2004, an independent speech and language therapy
and counselling partnership. She is a part-time
lecturer and visiting clinical tutor at University College
London. Sam has a particular interest in the disability
rights movement, the social model of disability and
stammering activism.
Sam Simpson
Speech and
Language Therapist,
Intandem
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
36
We live in a time when we are being encouraged to
be in a permanent state of upgrade - at school, at
work and in our personal lives. Within this culture of
constant self-improvement many people who stammer
turn to speech and language therapy with the aim
of developing their fluency and/or communicative
confidence. This workshop aims to open your eyes and
explore what is often not examined and questioned
in stammering therapy - that is the fundamental
principles upon which therapy is based. There are
different ways of looking at stammering which in turn
shape different approaches to stammering therapy.
Without advocating one approach over another, this
workshop will help you understand the different
therapies currently available and what they can offer
you in order for you to make an informed choice as to
what therapy, if any, would be helpful at different in
points in time
Drumming Workshop
Steve’s passion for making music has developed over
30 years: he has performed in bands playing funk,
samba, salsa, reggae, rock and African music. He loves
drumming and song because of its special ability to
engage people of any age or ability in expressing
themselves in this joyful, life-enhancing form of
making music.
Steve Hignett
Rhythmweave
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
Rhythmweave run interactive, hands-on team-building
and music events.
Making music together is a fantastic experience.
It is great for team-building: by its very nature it
encourages listening, co-operation and sharing.
And it’s good for you! It boosts confidence and
self-esteem, helps with co-ordination and can aid
rehabilitation and recovery.
We will bring drumming, percussion, singing and even
story-telling workshops to you, each one tailored to
meet the needs of your group whatever their age or
ability.
37
When I get older, start
losing my ..?
Colin Marsh
Former BSA Trustee
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
Colin stood down as a BSA Trustee after 12 years in the
role, and has recently retired from his “day - job” as
a Careers Adviser. In his working life, not only did he
have to develop coping strategies to ensure that his
stammer did not affect his own career prospects, he
had to be aware that his stammer could affect his
clients perceptions of him.
This workshop is aimed at those PWS, and their
partners, who may be facing retirement, have already
retired, or are facing other life changes which are the
inevitable result of getting older. Are there issues of
isolation and loneliness, for example, which may be
more acute for people who stammer?
Do we need new mechanisms to help us deal with this
stage of our lives? Do we need to devise new strategies
to compensate for the loss of the support mechanism of
work? I hope that workshop participants will be able to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and point the way to
future research into the issues.
38
The underside of the
iceberg
Looking after your wellbeing in stammering
Sophie Mitchell
Trainee Clinical
Psychologist
University of Essex/
NHS
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
I have been involved as a member of the BSA for a
number of years and I’ve noticed that we benefit
immensely from learning from each other. On a
professional level, I am a Trainee Clinical Psychologist
and I have worked in mental and physical health
settings across the NHS.
We know that stammering can create an impact which
lies “under the surface”, i.e. on the underside of the
iceberg. It has been established that in the general
population, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental
health condition and that this risk may be increased for
individuals who stammer. Anxiety or depression may
be linked with the experience of stammering, or may
simply be another challenge faced in daily life.
This session will be a relaxed, supportive and
interactive session where we can continue to learn from
each other. It will explore these ideas and introduce
the various strategies that can be helpful in looking
after your wellbeing. It will also touch upon the various
forms of support and therapy that are available around
the UK. This aims to be a session focused on the idea
of enhancing positive mental health and battling the
stigma which surrounds mental health conditions. This
session will be suitable for anyone who experiences
anxiety, low mood, stress or worry; or who would like
to provide support for someone who does.
39
Me and my stammer
My work with the media to raise awareness of
stammering, and my journey in changing my life.
Michael Ryan
Chair of Irish
Stammering
Association
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
40
Michael C Ryan from Templemore Tipperary Ireland.
54 yrs old. Married to Frances with two boys Shane
and Edward. I work in Centenary Thurles stores selling
hardware. I’m a former town councillor and Former
Mayor of Templemore. I’m a member of the board of
the Irish Stammering Association since 2009. I joined
the McGuire Program in 2004. As a graduate I became
a coach and instructor intern. As a result and I new
found confidence and control.. I’ve done alot of media
in Ireland and abroad to create awareness around
stammering. Appearing on lots of radio in Ireland.
All local radio stations in Ireland as part of a charity
event traveling to them by car in 24 hrs and some more
since then. I’ve appeared on national radio with Ryan
Tubridy,John Murray Joe Duffy. George Hook. Radio
stations in Australia and USA.. on TV with Ryan Tubridy
and spoke at political conferences Newspaper articles in
daily star,Irish independent. Magazine s also. Women’s
Way . Farmers Journal. Hardware Ireland. . I’ve spoken
at many Stammering Awareness Day conferences in
Ireland. Spoken in Schools and many public occasions.
Met with most politicians in Ireland and party leaders
in relation to funding with a result of securing
sustainable funding. Also spoke to our national
parliament with a presentation. Had various meetings
with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny. A delegation of board
members were guests of president of Ireland Michael
D Higgins at his residence last December. I’ve just met
Vice president of the United States Joe Biden in Dublin.
Mind your language!
Iain Wilkie
Partner at EY
Sam Simpson
Speech and
Language Therapist
Theme:
Self-fulfilment
Iain Wilkie, who stammers, is a Partner at EY. In 2013
he founded the Employers Stammering Network having
launched the EY Stammering Network two years earlier.
He is passionate about changing employment culture
so that people who stammer will achieve their full
career potential. In 2014, he was presented with the
ÔExecutive Champion’ award by the Business Disability
Forum for his achievements with stammering in the
workplace. Sam Simpson is a speech and language
therapist. She cofounded intandem (www.intandem.
co.uk) in 2004, an independent speech and language
therapy and counselling partnership. Sam has a
particular interest in the disability rights movement,
the social model of disability and stammering activism
This workshop will explore the language often used
around stammering and the assumptions that either
explicitly or implicitly informs this. We will invite
participants to consider the implications of these
language choices for how they may present themselves
in the work place. The Employers Stammering Network’s
philosophy around language and stammering will be
shared, along with examples of how this is successfully
influencing changes in both employer attitudes
and practices and in supporting us as employees in
developing healthier relationships with our stammering
at work.
41
LET US KNOW
WHAT YOU THINK!
You can make the conference even better by
filling out our survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/J5KRYMY
This will help us to schedule talks so that
more people can attend the sessions they are
interested in.
ADVERTISE
HERE!
SPONSOR THE
CONFERENCE
Reach people who stammer, and speech
and language therapists.
Help the BSA to help
people who stammer.
For more details of advertising packages,
contact [email protected]
For details of sponsorship
packages, contact
[email protected]
Advertisements are available from £50 for
commercial outfits, and we will consider
free adverts for not-for-profits.
42
For enquiries related to the Employer’s
Stammering Network, contact
[email protected]
Walk and Talk week in the French
Pyrenees for people who stammer
If you enjoy walking, eating good food, and sharing experiences with other like-minded
people, this is for you!
Based in the village of Etsaut, bordering on the Pyrenees National Park in the Aspe Valley,
about 15km from the Spanish border, this event is for a small group of (up to 10) people who
stammer and their partners. Each day we will spend between 4 and 6 hours walking, through
mountains, forests, gorges and around lakes, in the midst of one of the most spectacular and
beautiful natural environments that Europe has to offer.
26th September – 3rd October 2016
The cost for the week, including accommodation and all meals is £250 per person.
For full details visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pyreneeswalkandtalk
This event is hosted by The Stammering Self-Empowerment Programme. C.I.C
a Community Interest Company, Registered in England and Limited by guarantee. Company Number: 8203292
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168 Wythenshawe Road, Manchester M23 0PF UK mobile +44 7986 153425. French mobile +33 632 91 55 23