Communication Workshop Report of The Indian Stammering Association (http://stammer.

in) 9,10-15,16,17 oct 2010 TISA Pune Chapter Introduction This is a brief report sharing the objectives, processes and some early outputs of a communication workshop, run by people who stammer (PWS) for PWS. This self help model has been evolved by The Indian Stammering Association (TISA) and is based on modern approaches to stammering and eastern values of Acceptance and Altruism. Objectives 1. To help the participants understand and start practicing acceptance for oneself with stammering, instead of fighting it, hiding it and chasing fluency recklessly. 2. To share and practice some basic speech techniques: bouncing, prolongation, pausing, voluntray stuttering, eye contact etc. 3. To discuss cognitive (beliefs) and affective (emotional) aspects of stammering and how to work on these. 4. Explore other issues (interviews, GD, relationships etc.) collectively and brainstorm how the SHG can help. 5. Building genuine relationships and networks for self help. Process & Content The two facilitators (JP, Sachin) used various interactive exercises and tools to initiate a discussion on the topic for the day, followed it up with some participatory exercise and summed it up with lessons learnt. Attempt was made to connect various sessions thematically and strengthen these linkages in a recap session every morning. For example, after introductory sessions on acceptance (stammering is not a crime; nothing to be ashamed of..) and couple of videos on graceful stuttering, the group was given a list of questions on stammering (attitude survey) and taken to some tea shops, outside Cognizant; Old students in each sub-group first demonstrated how the interview was to be conducted with a stranger. Then, the participants were encouraged to go ahead and interview strangers. Next day, Cognitive distortions were taken up. During this session, participants recalled the stuttering interveiws, conducted by them on the previous evening and realized that their belief that strangers will not want to talk to them was a fallacy, which got questioned during the exercise. This was an example of how conscious behavior can change cognitive behaviour. But this was just a beginning. Later, we used simulations (for heated group discussion) and role plays to practice assertive behavior. Role plays helped to explore alternative ways of reacting to sometime rude reactions to our stammering: Oh- you stammer? Another session on affective issues asked participants to list out all terms associated with emotions (lexicon of emotions). They further brainstormed about complex nature of these words: Contempt may have shades of pity and anger at times. Sadness may not always represent loneliness etc. The discussion moved to are we always aware of our emotions? Do we always know why we are feeling low? What can we do to be more in touch with our emotional being? Later, the two subgroups presented a long list of situations from workplace and outside, which though perfectly normal, pose lot of emotional problems for PWS. Example: If the manager asks a young PWS to stay late in office, he finds it extremely hard to say

no, even when he has a perfectly logical and ethical reason to do so. May be he just keeps quiet. But he feels rotten inside and may have additional difficulties while communicating with this particular manager. He may not even understand why his dis-fluencies increase dramatically, whenever he talks to the boss! Coming to moral side of stammering, we discussed the need to travel light in life, by giving up all un-necessary emotional baggage. Forgiveness is the tool for this. Every participant thought about one person, whom he could and would forgive, for injuries / insult caused knowingly or unknowingly. We discussed how our teachers, parents and class mates were only the product of their times and culture. Many of them were acting in our best interest as it was understood in that context. On a humorous note, relationships came up for much discussion. Do girls find stutterers cute? Mysterious? Easy to manipulate? Do they like them because they keep quite and let them talk? Or do they get totally turned off by our stammering? Participants already in relationship had much advice to offer! Upshot of the discussion was: 1. If you are comfortable with your stammering, chances are, she too will be okay with it. 2. Relationships are based on much more than verbal fluency and appearances. For many women important considerations would be - steadiness in relationship and capacity (emotional, economic) to raise and support a family. 3. Even in arranged marriage, telling the would be in-laws, upfront that you stammer may not be such a big disqualification as you may think. 4. As to just flirting, like others, you too have to take your chances and stop complaining! The guest faculty, Mr Raja Poladi helped the participants to explore deeper attitudinal issues. Why do we measure our achievements in comparison to others constantly? We feel threatened by and want to be like the very articulate TV anchor. On the other hand, we feel happy and lucky, if we meet another PWS with more severe symptoms than ours. Can we bypass this constant comparison and find a way of competing with our own selves? The potential self? The person we could be, want to be? A role play on a typical self help group meeting was enjoyed much by the participants and it threw up some important issues. In the subsequent debriefing, the group discussed these and brainstormed about possible solutions. We also discussed and concluded that TISA SHG is a good practicing ground for people aspiring for Toastmaster and beyond. Unless we have learned to deal with a block, emotionally and speech wise, Toastmaster may not be a good choice for many PWS. Secondly, TISA SHG offers access to a wide variety of skills and knowledge, from the field of stammering. Participants filled a feedback form and were presneted a wall display (Transfluency) as the parting gift and reminder to their goal of acceptance. Early Outputs Analysis of feedback form indicates that almost all participants have benefited to some extent. Most have learned something new: techniques, new beliefs, new comfort level while talking in a group, making presentations, and acting out a mimicry or role play. Everyone appreciated the hospitality and conference facility offered by an IT company in Pune, so kindly. Some participants missed some sessions due to distances, work, family needs and Dusshera festival. TISA should consider residential workshops. The facilitators too have learned about stammering and how PWS cope with it. They have also used the feedback to further hone their skills and content for the future workshops. One participant demonstrated a costly DAF device to all of us and

recorded a review for sharing on web.