Western Workshop recap

Western Workshop is Best Ever ... Again

alt text By Susan Hamilton, M.A.

Once again, Susan Hamilton and Jennifer Watson concluded that this year's workshop was the best ever! Both presenters agree that "We couldn't have done it without our awesome organizer Ellen Reuler." Reuler, a former workshopper, is the Director of Clinical Services at Portland State University and was responsible for the behind the scenes tasks that made the workshop flow seamlessly from start to finish.

Susan Hamilton and Jennifer Watson joined forces at the podium for this 5 day event where participants were chosen from across the world. This year we had attendees from Canada, Thailand and Argentina as well as across the United States. Watson and Hamilton's goals for this year's workshop were to help the attendee's to increase their comfortability, competence and confidence when treating children who stutter.

This group really impressed me in that they were positive and so supportive of each other during the learning process, commented Watson.

Both presenters agreed that the participants were willing to step out of their comfort zones and build on past experiences to learn more about providing therapy to children who stutter. It takes courage to practice newly learned skills in front of your peers, stated Hamilton. This year's group took it a step farther and took their newly acquired skills and tools out to the streets of Portland! Workshoppers agreed that it's vital to be willing to do what we ask our clients to do!

One workshopper stated that "I feel that a conference is suceessful if I take one thing away from a conference, well I've taken hundreds," another remarked that this was the best conference she had attended in her career. " I can't wait to get back to work and start practicing all of my new skills with my clients!"

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.

Bob Love

Bob Love has dreamt about being a great public speaker since his early days in Bastrop Louisiana, even though, as a young man, he could barely put two words together, let alone speak a full sentence.

In spite of his severe stuttering disability, Bob Love, the son of a sharecropper, rose to become a Chicago Bulls NBA superstar, whose records were eventually surpassed by Michael Jordan. Throughout his entire athletic career, Bob Love kept his stuttering a secret from the fans who adored him, thinking he could do his “talking” on the basketball court.

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.