We had a wonderful September meeting last month, with around 18 people who stutter, along with three first timers, and one SLP student. We shared laughs, stories, and connections. We opened up about the troubles we are having with our jobs and how it relates to our identity and perception of self-worth. We talked about advertising and fleshed through different scenarios and, of course, the emotions involved. We laughed about the tactics we used to do to avoid stuttering.
We always enjoy connecting on this shared experience and relating to one each other in a way that most people can not. It really is something special, and we already can’t wait until our next meeting!
Next meeting: Monday, October 21st, 2019
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Address: 520 Eighth Avenue, (between 36th and 37th Streets), New York, NY 10018
Venue: 3rd Floor, A.R.T./New York
Tell security in the lobby you are going to the 3rd floor, or to A.R.T./New York. They will look at your ID and take a picture. Take the elevators on the left to the 3rd floor, where you will find a whiteboard saying which room our meeting will be in.
Afternoon at the Beer Garden this Sunday!
Plans this weekend? For the third (or fourth?) year in a row, we’re having a fall get-together at Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria. It has a big backyard and lots of pretzels and beer (and fried cheese). Family and friends are welcome! See you there!
29-19 24th Avenue Astoria, New York 11102, off the N and W trains at Ditmars Boulevard. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Text 484-356-6154 if you need to get in touch that day.
We had a
wonderful meeting this August! It was a small and vibrant group filled with
great ideas and conversation. As usual, we split into three groups. Here are
some of the conversations had and topics discussed:
One group
spoke about self-advertising and how and why it might differ when it’s
voluntary vs involuntary. For example, introducing yourself as a person who
stutters might be easier than “admitting” you are a person who stutters after a
prolonged block or a tough dysfluency. The implications of hiding one’s true
self was explored, and we discussed strategies to try voluntary advertising,
such as working on a script for what to say when advertising.
A second group discussed
topics related to stuttering in the workplace. A few members spoke about
frustration and anxiety regarding unemployment and the interview process. Some
members shared strategies that were helpful to them during their job search
such as advertising their stuttering during job interviews, voluntary
stuttering to get stuttering “out in the open,” seeking out volunteer
opportunities to get experience in their field of choice, as well as
attending NSA mock interviews! Additionally, many ideas
were shared on how to successfully navigate stuttering in the workplace,
including speaking to an immediate boss, speaking to Human Resources,
independently advertising, and creating allies at work. Most importantly, our members learned that they were not alone
with these employment struggles and were able to bounce off ideas and candidly
share their thoughts with the rest of the group.
Another topic
introduced at the meeting was celebrating personal successes. One member
expressed that he began challenging himself to enter more speaking situations
and wants to celebrate his successes, no mater how minor they may seem to
others. However, he shared that he felt uncomfortable embracing these positive
moments of communication because these interactions do not need to be
celebrated by people who don’t stutter because they usually come easily to them.
This led into a heated discussion about the importance of celebrating personal
successes and not comparing ourselves to others- whether that means other PWS
or fluent individuals. We also discussed how even people who don’t stutter have
their own struggles and everyone has a right to praise and reward themselves
for stepping out of their comfort zones and doing things that are challenging.
Our overall sentiment was that our self-perception should not be based on their
opinions of others and self-love is vital when challenging oneself to
tackle feared communication situations.
It’s time for our monthly Manhattan meeting again! Come join us talk about all things stuttering this Monday.
Next meeting: Monday, September 16th, 2019
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Address: 520 Eighth Avenue, (between 36th and 37th Streets), New York, NY 10018
Venue: 3rd Floor, A.R.T./New York
Tell security in the lobby you are going to the 3rd floor, or to A.R.T./New York. They will look at your ID and take a picture. Take the elevators on the left to the 3rd floor, where you will find a whiteboard saying which room our meeting will be in.
A reminder that our women’s group will be meeting this Wednesday, August 14 at our regular Manhattan meeting space – 520 Eighth Avenue. All women are welcome!
• DATE: Wednesday, August 14 • TIME: 7:30–9pm • LOCATION: 520 Eighth Avenue, between 36th and 37th Streets – 3rd Floor
Please arrive a little early is possible. There may be a short line to get past security. At the security desk, say you are going to A.R.T./New York on the 3rd floor. (This is the Alliance of Resident Theatres.) For security purposes, you will need to present a photo ID and have your picture taken. Take the left side elevators to get to the 3rd floor.
Manhattan Meeting – August 19
Our regular meeting will be the following Monday, August 19 at the same time and place. We hope you can make it!
• DATE: Monday, August 19 • TIME: 7:30–9pm • LOCATION: 520 Eighth Avenue, between 36th and 37th Streets – 3rd Floor
For our monthly July meeting, we had around 18 people who stutter join us. We started the night off with opening words and introductions, then split into 3 smaller intimate groups to further connect with one another.
In one of the the groups, we had an interesting conversation about the language that we use when talking about our stuttering, and how it effects our lives. A few of us expressed that it was important to make a distinction with what many people who stutter feel ‘holds us back’ – is it the actual act of stuttering that occurs throughout the day that can hold us back, or is it the avoidance that can come with being a person who stutters, and the opportunities we can avoid from that. It can be both, but we agreed that making this distinction is something that isn’t so apparent to many people who stutter, especially some people who first join the community. And these two subsets can be broken down further, and they often are during our conversations, as we process and make sense of what is real and what isn’t.
In another group, we discussed some of the possible advantages and disadvantages of pursuing fluency in speech therapy. And we discussed the life-changing shift that some of us have experienced from asking ourselves the question, “Is stuttering something I can just live with?” and then surprising ourselves by answering “maybe”, and then “yes”. This shift in mentality can be very powerful, but many of us also agree that sharing this shift in mentality with a room full of people who understand may sometimes be even more powerful. Members shared that it is that feeling that makes our group so special.
Announcements
Women’s Group We’re hosting another women’s group on Wednesday, August 14 at our regular Manhattan meeting space – 520 Eighth Avenue. All women are welcome! For any questions, please feel free to email us at manhattanstutters@gmail.com. N
NYC NSA Chapters Brooklyn Meeting: Their meetings are on the 2nd Monday of the month. Bronx Chapter: Their meetings are on the 4th Tuesday of the month. Queens Chapter: Their meetings are usually on the 1st Monday of the month.
