(Stranger talk during workshop)
I am Arun a software engineer by profession am from District Purulia of west bengal currently in TCS and obviously a PWS. Have been a member of TISA for last 1.5- 2 yrs with out being a active member or get involved myself with it activity until very recently. I will share my story of how my journey with TISA started and how Siliguri communication workshop changed my mindset.
I cam to know about TISA while i was searching about stammering in google. Found a contact of one of theTISA member – Sashikant from Kolkata. My perception about TISA -as a PWS was totally different. My initial belief was, since I get in touch with this group, there are the people who cured their stammering and I will also be able to overcome that with their help. But i found here all people are stammerer and almost all are struggling here with their speech problems. With broken heart I joined one SHG in Kolkata to kick off my journey. Host had put the agenda of introducing themselves using Bouncing and prolongation technique. That was the first time I came to know about these. I thought what are these? Why are these needed? Do I need it? How can I do it? is it the way of cure of my stammering or pushing myself into more bad way of speaking. I did not taken these seriously. Though sporadically was in touch with few members of TISA. And my new hope of curing my speech problem buried very quickly.
After few months i have started attending TISAs Saturday hangout. After attending 2-3 hangouts, got a chance to host a hangout and as per agenda asked the member to introducing themselves with bouncing and prolongation. But I was myself had on faith on these. Did not have idea of doing it properly.
Months are passes by and two NC one in Bangalore and Bhopal was organised,and I did not show any interest to attend those.
The announcement for TISA Siliguri workshop(14 Feb to 16feb 2010) when came to the Bengal TISA group, my inner heart told me to attend that. It said let’s attend it see what happens there. This time I planned for it very early, booked my ticket for Siliguri , applied leave in my office. Everything was perfect till 13 the February when I missed my train from Sealdah. Could not attend the first day workshop. Without much delay booked a bus ticket very next day and able to reach Siliguri on 15th Feb, the 2nd day of the workshop.
I met there 17 member from different parts of India along with other facilators and co-ordinators. Interestingly out of those 17 participant one was neither the member of TISA or nor he was a PWS. He just came there with his brother to attend the workshop.
Any way coming to the activity of the 2nd day. The day starts with meditation and belly breathing exercises. Along with some positive motivational speech followed by Question answers from different participants and other activities. Then I learnt the most frequently talked in TISA, the “Bouncing and Prolongation” technique – the effectiveness about which I had always doubt ,as I stated earlier. This is the first time I did it properly and found myself a better speaker. It sounds better than my fumbling, eye blinking and improper gestures and other secondary behaviour .The third day passed with other activities like stranger talk and role play. I liked those most the effective technique which I had doubt about earlier- Bouncing and Prolongation technique. My mindset about those took 180 degree turn . Started believing ” Stammering can be controlled by doing purposefully stammering” or doing volunteer Stammering.
At the end, this workshop added a feeling a mixture of joy , positive attitude and emotion of leaving a group of energetic people about whom only I get to know from what’s app or hangouts till now. My perception about ” Bouncing and prolongation “have changed. Now I am ardent advocate of these techniques and encourage other PWS to follow it, while I have conversation with them. Following it full heartedly while talking , started practicing it with my family members and other PWS and I have farm belief that I can control my speech to some extent with greater acceptance. Though a long mile to go before I sleep. 🙂
~ Arun Gorain,
Purulia, West Bengal.
