People’s reactions to stuttering have shaped more of my life than I usually admit. I can describe the bad ones in high definition. The eyes that shift sideways. The glance at a watch. The slow turn toward something more interesting on the wall behind me. The person behind the face who has already moved on
Why People’s Reactions to Stuttering Burn In (and Kindness Doesn’t) Read More »
Nobody handed me a pep talk before that interview. There was no moment where someone looked me in the eyes and said you’ve got this. I was unemployed, living back at my parents’ place because without them I honestly don’t know where I would have been, and I was standing in my bedroom pacing circles
The Job Interview I Nearly Didn’t Walk Into Read More »
There is a kid in Grade 5 standing at the front of an English class. The block is already coming and he knows it, the way you know a storm before the sky changes. Sensitive, introverted, overweight, already carrying a label nobody put on him honestly, his body has gone rigid, stiff like a fresh
What Happens In Your Brain Before You Block Read More »
There is a version of hiding that looks a lot like just staying home. No dramatic exit. No slammed door. No announcement that you are done with the world. You just stop showing up. The invitations dry up because you stopped accepting them. The phone goes unanswered because you told yourself you were just not
The Weight of Two Battles Read More »
Photo by Leroy Skalstad on Unsplash A letter to every kid who moved to the back row, bought sweets to belong, and sang alone in their room because it was the only place their voice felt free. Read time: 5 minutes Dear 13-year-old me, I know you’re excited. You’ve got your new bag, your new
Dear Kid Starting High School With a Stutter Read More »
Louise Brooks surrounded by telephones, 1936 — Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Public Domain.View source → Hey everyone! So after my last post about managing stuttering when you’re nervous, I decided to share more specific stories. This one is all about my long history of avoiding phone calls. Well, buckle up because this
