Flip Side of Stuttering: An Activity for Working on Negative Emotions

About the presenter: Marilee Fini, CCC/SLP is a speech-language pathologist in Cleveland, OH running her own private practice, MLF Speech Therapy (www.mlf-speech-therapy.com). She graduated from John Carroll University with a B.A. in Communications in 1991 and from Kent State University in 1993 with an M.A. in Speech Pathology. Marilee regularly speaks on the subject of stuttering throughout the U.S., shedding a unique light on the subject since she has spent most of her life dealing with her own stuttering.

Flip Side of Stuttering: An Activity for Working on Negative Emotions

by Marilee Fini
from Ohio, USA

There is a flip side of stuttering that leads us to freedom in speaking. Similar to turning pancakes on a griddle, we need to flip STUTTERING over in order to discover the truth. Often times we experience only 1 side of our stuttering which results in getting burned on 1 side and remaining stuck in negative thoughts. When we see the flip side of stuttering, we concentrate on our strengths, face our fears and uncover our true potential.

Activity:

1. Have child or teen make their own pancake
2. Make one side BURNED and have them list their negative thoughts about stuttering
   Examples:
   A. I can't do that, I stutter.
   B. I can't talk.
   C. People will think I am stupid because I stutter.
   D. It will never get better.
3. Discuss the feelings related to the burned side
   You can ask, "What do you feel when you are concentrating on the burned side?"
4. Brainstorm what they would need in order to FLIP STUTTERING OVER
   Examples:
   A. Courage
   B. Willingness to take a risk
   C. Support
5. Make a LIGHTLY BROWN side of stuttering on the opposite side of the pancake and identify thoughts that go along with that.
   A. I can do this with help.
   B. I can talk but sometimes it is bumpy.
   C. They may think I am stupid but that's their journey, not MINE.
   D. It can get better if I am open.
6. ACTION
   Now that you flipped stuttering over, what are you going to do?
   Examples:
   A. Acknowledge stuttering to someone you have not done so in the past
   B. Give a presentation
   C. Make that phone call that you always wanted to make