How To Become Your Own Speech Coach

All the resources available at the World Stop Stuttering Association, including Lee Lovett’s Stuttering & Anxiety Self-Cures, are designed to help you stop stuttering and reach fluency without needing one-on-one guidance from a coach. The extensive video library of stuttering therapy sessions is incredibly valuable because the advice given to another person who stutters may also apply directly to you. It’s almost like being personally coached. That said, some people who stutter still need additional guidance through personal coaching. I was one of them. Most of the people who have posted a Success Story reached fluency with the help of a coach. Of course, there are also many who have stopped stuttering by following the book and video lessons on their own.

If you’ve read my Success Story, you’ll know that I was once a severe stutterer. While the book alone helped me reduce my stuttering significantly, it wasn’t enough to stop completely. I worked with Lee Lovett as my speech coach for eight months — the time it took for me to become a person who has stopped stuttering (PWSS). Even after reaching that stage, I still had lingering fears and speech anxiety, so Lee continued coaching me for a bit longer. This helped me learn and understand my new goals as a PWSS (see Section 16 of the Stuttering & Anxiety Self-Cures book for details), and I began working toward them. Since then, I’ve progressed more than I could have ever imagined — though there’s always room to grow. When Lee finished coaching me, I had to become my own coach. That meant continuing to find ways to improve my speech and mindset, just as my coach had helped me do. I started paying close attention to my speech patterns, anxiety levels, and thoughts — constantly looking for improvement. I often compare speech to driving a car on a highway. When you drive at a comfortable speed (your natural speaking pace), you feel in control. Speaking too fast is like speeding — the faster you go, the greater the risk of losing control and having an “accident.” Similarly, rising anxiety levels feel like driving on a slippery or bumpy road. It becomes risky, and we must slow down or adjust our approach to regain control.

Thanks to consistent mind training and the resources available through WSSA — including attending the Saturday SAM meetings where I’ve met many supportive people — my anxiety has decreased, and my speech is stronger than ever. Still, improvement never stops. One thing that must be clearly understood is this: coaches do not stop your stuttering or erase your fears and anxieties — you do. Coaches, Certified Stuttering Specialists, or speech therapists can only guide, advise, and share their experience. Ultimately, the work happens inside you. And the truth is, we can all become our own coaches. No one understands what’s going on inside our minds better than we do. While working with a speech therapist or Certified Stuttering Specialist can be extremely helpful, once you truly understand The Neuroscience Method and have watched enough stuttering therapy videos, you can effectively guide yourself. With persistence and the right tools, you can stop stuttering and overcome your speech anxieties.