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Part 3 of interesting questions asked during Pune Comm WS; click read more..
Management
How to manage stammering?
Easy. Be courageous. Confront your
fears and other negative emotions. Confront, document and catalogue
your current speech and related behaviours (with a video camera).
Modify them a little – one by one, in a supportive environment
(your SHG, physical or online). Continue learning about stammering
(not about mysterious “cure” in 7 minutes or 7 days) and
continue meeting other PWS. Focus on Communication- rather than
dazzling others with your fluency. In 6-9 months, you will be a good
communicator and a changed person. THEN, forget about stammering, if
you want to.
fears and other negative emotions. Confront, document and catalogue
your current speech and related behaviours (with a video camera).
Modify them a little – one by one, in a supportive environment
(your SHG, physical or online). Continue learning about stammering
(not about mysterious “cure” in 7 minutes or 7 days) and
continue meeting other PWS. Focus on Communication- rather than
dazzling others with your fluency. In 6-9 months, you will be a good
communicator and a changed person. THEN, forget about stammering, if
you want to.
How to counter chocking / lack of
breath?
breath?
Normally, breathing is an unconscious
behaviour. Exceptions are- people facing an acute attack of Asthma or
drowning. So, first step should be developing awareness into the act
of breathing. Vipassana, Pranayam are two of the common tools to help
you with this. They make you more aware of the act of breathing;
breathing through chest, through belly etc.
behaviour. Exceptions are- people facing an acute attack of Asthma or
drowning. So, first step should be developing awareness into the act
of breathing. Vipassana, Pranayam are two of the common tools to help
you with this. They make you more aware of the act of breathing;
breathing through chest, through belly etc.
Thereafter, you should practice Pausing
technique (check AHJ). When you consciously pause in a sentence, use
it to breathe CONSCIOUSLY and then carry on. Speak in a slightly
louder volume (10-15% higher). All this will help if you practice it
consistently for some months.
technique (check AHJ). When you consciously pause in a sentence, use
it to breathe CONSCIOUSLY and then carry on. Speak in a slightly
louder volume (10-15% higher). All this will help if you practice it
consistently for some months.
But the basic question remains, why do
pws forget to breathe? Or try to speak a long sentence in one breath
as if they were in a big hurry? If you analyse this deeply, you will
realise that most pws are “frightened” of a block, at a
subconscious level. So “frightened” are they, that they may
forget the normal practice of breathing in between sentences and they
may try to finish the whole sentence before “block” strikes. So,
unless you deal with these subconscious fears and psychological
drives effectively, chances are, other instructions may not help much
in the long run. Ask yourself: what am I frightened of? Why? If the
fear was not there, what would I do differently? Etc.
pws forget to breathe? Or try to speak a long sentence in one breath
as if they were in a big hurry? If you analyse this deeply, you will
realise that most pws are “frightened” of a block, at a
subconscious level. So “frightened” are they, that they may
forget the normal practice of breathing in between sentences and they
may try to finish the whole sentence before “block” strikes. So,
unless you deal with these subconscious fears and psychological
drives effectively, chances are, other instructions may not help much
in the long run. Ask yourself: what am I frightened of? Why? If the
fear was not there, what would I do differently? Etc.
How to talk in interview with
stammering?
stammering?
Aha- learn it from the master himself!
As you watch JP in these two videos,
where there were about 12 people looking at him- also pay attention
to the complex thoughts he is putting across successfully, the
comfortable posture and the language (words, sentences) he is using.
When you take all this in consideration, only then, you have grasped
the complete communication style of the person concerned.
where there were about 12 people looking at him- also pay attention
to the complex thoughts he is putting across successfully, the
comfortable posture and the language (words, sentences) he is using.
When you take all this in consideration, only then, you have grasped
the complete communication style of the person concerned.
How to release one self during a
tense situation where you can not talk and stammer a lot..?
tense situation where you can not talk and stammer a lot..?
Use a cancellation, pause, smile,
maintain good eye contact – give the other person a chance to say
whatever they want to say- try and understand their point of view. If
nothing works for you, excuse yourself, send them an sms or email, go
home and be quiet for sometime. What would you do, if you had a
severe headache or Diarrhoea in the middle of a meeting?
maintain good eye contact – give the other person a chance to say
whatever they want to say- try and understand their point of view. If
nothing works for you, excuse yourself, send them an sms or email, go
home and be quiet for sometime. What would you do, if you had a
severe headache or Diarrhoea in the middle of a meeting?
Is it possible to think what to talk
and how to talk at a time?
and how to talk at a time?
I may ask in return: can you drive and
listen to music at the same time?
listen to music at the same time?
When we began to learn driving, it was
difficult even to press the clutch, change the gear and keep steering
straight. I used to swerve to left, whenever I changed the gear! But
we persisted (in an intelligent way) – and today some of us can do
much much more than that: they can drive, hold a conversation on
mobile (-no, we are not recommending it btw-), keep an eye on the
child in the back seat, navigate etc etc.
difficult even to press the clutch, change the gear and keep steering
straight. I used to swerve to left, whenever I changed the gear! But
we persisted (in an intelligent way) – and today some of us can do
much much more than that: they can drive, hold a conversation on
mobile (-no, we are not recommending it btw-), keep an eye on the
child in the back seat, navigate etc etc.
So, in answer to your question- yes, it
can be done with consistent practice. But a beginner, and even an
expert planning a formal presentation, will do well to prepare the
content BEFOREHAND and rehearse much. We can do a lot of
multi-tasking but there are recent studies which shows that we as a
race are paying the price of too much multi-tasking, in terms of
rising levels of stress and anxiety disorders.
can be done with consistent practice. But a beginner, and even an
expert planning a formal presentation, will do well to prepare the
content BEFOREHAND and rehearse much. We can do a lot of
multi-tasking but there are recent studies which shows that we as a
race are paying the price of too much multi-tasking, in terms of
rising levels of stress and anxiety disorders.
So, develop your multi-tasking skills,
but dont over use them. Prepare well and rehearse a lot of times in
your SHG – physical or online.
but dont over use them. Prepare well and rehearse a lot of times in
your SHG – physical or online.
How to implement the techniques like
bouncing in real world? How much do we have to practice bouncing,
prolongation?
bouncing in real world? How much do we have to practice bouncing,
prolongation?
Detailed suggestion are given in AHJ.
More than that, talk to people in your group. Adopt the whole package
( life style change), rather than just one or two techniques. A
consistent holistic practice for 6-9 months has been found helpful by
many of us.
More than that, talk to people in your group. Adopt the whole package
( life style change), rather than just one or two techniques. A
consistent holistic practice for 6-9 months has been found helpful by
many of us.
Is there anyway stammering can be
cured without doing voluntary stuttering?
cured without doing voluntary stuttering?
Vol. Stuttering is not a creed or dogma
or ritual or magic. It is just a method, one method, to help pws
REALISE what they are doing with their speech mechanism; what of it
is unhelpful and how to step away from doing those things..
or ritual or magic. It is just a method, one method, to help pws
REALISE what they are doing with their speech mechanism; what of it
is unhelpful and how to step away from doing those things..
The fact is- if you do nothing, even
then, you will stammer once in a while- whether you want it or not.
That is the TRUTH of stammering unfortunately. Suppose this frequency
of blocking is 4 times a week. Now let us say- you convert two of
these to voluntary stuttering ie. you give yourself permission to do
it purposely in your SHG – how does it hurt you? How does it make
things worse for you?
then, you will stammer once in a while- whether you want it or not.
That is the TRUTH of stammering unfortunately. Suppose this frequency
of blocking is 4 times a week. Now let us say- you convert two of
these to voluntary stuttering ie. you give yourself permission to do
it purposely in your SHG – how does it hurt you? How does it make
things worse for you?
If a bunch of friends are going to
throw you in a pool, wont it be nice to pre-empt them, take your
wallet and phone out and then dive in to the pool and come out
the other side, smiling?
throw you in a pool, wont it be nice to pre-empt them, take your
wallet and phone out and then dive in to the pool and come out
the other side, smiling?
What do you gain by Vol. Stuttering?
You become free of the fear etc. You develop deep insights into your
thoughts and behaviors during the block. You get the courage to drop
useless behaviors and move on to communication.
You become free of the fear etc. You develop deep insights into your
thoughts and behaviors during the block. You get the courage to drop
useless behaviors and move on to communication.
(As to possibilities, I am sure
everything is possible in some parallel universe! Just joking!!)
everything is possible in some parallel universe! Just joking!!)
How can a pws have good
communication skills?
communication skills?
By communicating in different
situations with different people- all the time, everywhere. By
inviting frank feedback. Analyzing it. Then again, communicating,
communicating, communicating.. Reading, writing also helps by
teaching us clear thinking. Volunteering, social engagements, Theater
also help- by creating meaningful opportunities for communication.
situations with different people- all the time, everywhere. By
inviting frank feedback. Analyzing it. Then again, communicating,
communicating, communicating.. Reading, writing also helps by
teaching us clear thinking. Volunteering, social engagements, Theater
also help- by creating meaningful opportunities for communication.
As to why one may fail, here is a list of ten mistakes we often make (we are not endorsing their products or services btw; just this video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJTDXkPncMU
Also, look at this great online resource; most of the experts participating are recovered pws:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBrRnNtTiT0
Here is the bonus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V_4chECIos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKsyzj6mp-0
