Why Stuttering Therapy is Optional — Not Necessary

The more I concentrated on speaking “properly,” the more labored it became.

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When I was young, I mostly felt like my stutter lived with me and could never be eliminated. Speaking up in class, ordering at a restaurant, and even saying my name aloud was monumental. People around me—teachers, family, and friends—urged me to try stuttering therapy, insisting that it would “help me speak better.”

At the time, I thought they were right. I was under the impression that the therapy sessions would fix me. However, I soon learned something entirely different while venturing into speech therapy: it did not solve my struggles but amplified my nervousness.

My First Steps into Therapy

I remember my first session with a therapist rather well. I felt both hopeful and fearful. He was kind and patient, saying we would be working to practice techniques to “manage” my stutter. We began the slow speech exercises, practicing those long, drawn-out words to avoid tension. At least, that was how it sounded on paper, but as I tried to stretch my words, I felt far from calm.

But the more I concentrated on speaking “properly,” the more labored it became. My stutter, at times constant, yet at other times arriving and…