10.30am and this week’s News Group is about to start on the neuro-rehabilitation unit where I work as a speech and language therapist. As I arrange chairs and sort through the newspapers, John arrives without any prompting, having remembered to consult his diary for his programme for the day. John is working on strategies to … Read more
‘Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced’ John Keats One of the greatest challenges in acquiring any new skill is taking the knowledge you have gained and applying it to the real world in a meaningful and positive way. Bridging the gap between theory and experience is something I, as a student speech and language … Read more
In My Garden I don’t go into my garden. I look at it from my window. In my garden there are birds, animals, trees and flowers. Wood pigeons strut and coo right next to the squirrels. There is a special pigeon who maybe nesting in a tree. Taking a twig from one tree to another. … Read more
Behind most books lies a tangle of anxiety about perception, rejection and word-choice. So the laden shelves of Waterstones in Teddington seemed a perfect backdrop for the local launch of ‘Stammering Therapy from the Inside – New Perspectives on Working with Young People and Adults’. Like publishing, the event pulled together an array of knowledge, … Read more
The last Stammering Open Space in May saw a great exchange of ideas and experiences among the people in the group. Of the many interesting discussions that came up during the session, one in particular resonated with me: the idea that acceptance can be a useful way of dealing with your stammer. I’ll be the … Read more
‘Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet’ – Aristotle As some of you will know, I have been involved in editing a book on co-authoring stammering therapy knowledge with Carolyn Cheasman and Rachel Everard at City Lit over the past few years. My first foray into the world of publishing books, it has been … Read more
I’d been to see Sam a few times before she introduced the idea of a group session. At first I was sceptical, after all I’d been trying to hide my stammer from everyone: family, friends, colleagues etc. so why would I want to be in a situation with people I didn’t know and be open … Read more
………… (written with a dodgy memory) On Tuesday, 5th of March, 4 of your fellow brain injury survivors assembled at the Park Hotel in Teddington for the first meeting of a ‘culture club’. The surroundings were ideal; a roomy venue with no significant background noise. To boot the Park Hotel is easily accessible and serves great … Read more