Adult Stammering Courses

Find out about the different courses for adults who stammer.

If you're looking for help with stammering, one option is to go on a course. There are several to choose from and you can read about them all below.

On this page:

Is going on a course the 'right' thing to do?
Why choose a stammering course?
Types of courses
List of therapy courses
List of other stammering courses
Getting funding
Things to watch out for
Other options
Course not working out?

Chat with us if you have any questions. Call our free helpline on 0808 802 0002 or start a webchat.

Before we list the options, here's an introduction and overview of the different types.

Is going on a course the 'right' thing to do?

Some people feel comfortable with their stammer. Some feel proud of their difference. They might view the problem as being the way society doesn't make space for them. Others might not feel so positive, and some might have a mixture of feelings. 

There's no right or wrong way for dealing with stammering. It's about what feels right for you.

Why choose a stammering course?

If you'd like support, a course might be an option for you. Particularly if NHS one-to-one therapy isn't available where you live. The shorter timescale might be more suitable for you than having ongoing therapy. They're also mostly group courses, which are good opportunities to meet other people who stammer. 

Unlike NHS therapy, though, stammering courses are not usually free.

Types of courses

There are several different types of courses, which we've listed below. Some are stammering therapy courses, which are run by qualified speech & language therapists. 

Then there are other courses like Empowering Voices, The McGuire Programme and The Starfish Project. The things they teach, like 'costal breathing' (more on that below), are different to what's taught on therapy courses. Rather than therapists, these courses are run by people who have been on them and found them helpful.

Which course is best?

There isn't one course that suits or 'works' for everyone. What one person finds helpful might not suit another, so you might need to try different things. Remember that none of them are a 'cure' or a 'fix' for stammering. They all need constant work and effort to get the full benefit.

List of therapy courses

There is one main option for adult courses run by speech & language therapists, called City Lit.

City Lit

City Lit is an adult education centre offering group stammering therapy courses. It's based in London but they also do online courses if you live elsewhere. They have a range of courses, some intensive over seven days, or evening and one-day courses. These include:

• Block Modification, which teaches techniques to reduce the struggle to speak.
• Interiorised stammering course, if you have a covert stammer.
• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, to help with negative thoughts. 

See Adult Options Explained to find out more about these. City Lit also runs non-therapy courses like 'speaking circles' for people who stammer.

Cost: Course costs vary. Concessions and bursaries are available. Visit the City Lit website for details.  

See also our City Lit page for more about the courses. There you can read articles from STAMMA members who have been on them.

List of other courses

Below we've set out a list of alternative options to therapy courses. The first three on the list teach a technique called 'costal breathing'. Read more about costal breathing on our Adult Options Explained page. It's a technique that isn't taught on therapy courses. 

Please note: courses listed below might use language that some people may object to. For instance "We can help overcome stammering". Depending on your viewpoint, discretion is advised. See 'Things to watch out for'.

Empowering Voices

Empowering Voices runs 3-day residential courses throughout the UK. It teaches the costal breathing technique together with desensitisation exercises.

Cost: Courses cost £250. This includes free lifetime support and refresher courses. Accommodation is extra. Visit the Empowering Voices website for details. 

See also our Empowering Voices page for more about the course. There you can read articles from STAMMA members who have been on it.

The McGuire Programme

The McGuire Programme runs 3- or 4-day residential courses across the UK. It supports adults who stammer by teaching and practising the costal breathing technique. They combine this with: 

• relaxation exercises
• mental strategies.

Its website says it aims to help deal with the fear of stammering and develop an assertive attitude to it. And that its goal is eloquence rather than fluency. 

Cost: Courses cost £1,000+. Paying once entitles you to attend as many courses as you want. Accommodation is extra.

Visit the McGuire Programme website for details. See also our McGuire Programme page for more about the course. There you can read articles from STAMMA members who have been on it.

The Starfish Project

The Starfish Project runs 3-day courses in Eastbourne. It supports adults who stammer by teaching and practising the costal breathing technique. They combine this with: 

• reducing avoidance
• increasing confidence
• developing a positive attitude.

Cost: Courses cost £250. This includes free lifetime support and refresher courses. Accommodation is extra. 

Visit The Starfish Project website for details. See also our Starfish Project page for more about the course. There you can read articles from STAMMA members who have been on it.

The Stammering Self-empowerment Programme

This is a free online course that teaches two fluency enhancing methods. It's designed to help develop a deeper understanding of stammering and what affects it. Paul Brocklehurst, its founder, is an academic who has carried out extensive research into stammering.

Cost: Free. 

Visit The Stammering Self-empowerment Programme website to find out more.

Getting funding for courses

There are a couple of ways you might be able to get funding for a stammering course.

GP funding

You could try asking your GP to fund a stammering course. This is only occasionally successful, however, but it might be worth a try.  

Asking your employer

You could try asking your employer to pay for you to go on a stammering course. They might be happy to support you, particularly if it can help your professional development. 

If you're unsure about how to ask for it, contact our Employment Support Service. We can discuss with you how to approach your employer.

Things to watch out for

Above are the main stammering courses for adults in the UK. Some might use language that could be seen as biased and non-neutral. For example, they might refer to stammering as an affliction or misfortune. Some people argue that describing stammering in this way adds to the stigma, while others don't.

You might come across other approaches online that aren't on our list. To safeguard against untested or unqualified providers, we recommend choosing one which:

• offers realistic expectations of change and NOT an offer of a cure or a way of 'stopping' stammering
• provides clear and unambiguous information about what it does and how much it costs. Also, how long it is and the commitment needed
• recognises the need to accept one's stammer at some level, to help speech and/or a change in attitude
• is nationally recognised as supporting people who stammer to communicate confidently. We judge this based on an organisation's track record, a considerable body of independent user reviews and good feedback. 

Other options

Stammering courses are one option for adults who stammer. For other options, see:

• One-to-one Adult Speech & Language Therapy
• Mental Health Support, with details of how to access talking therapies
• See if there's a stammering support/self-help group near you. These are great places to get peer support.

Course not working out?

Are you having doubts about the course you are having? Doesn't feel like the right fit for you? See What To Do If Your Adult Therapy/Course Isn't Working Out.

Disclaimer

Courses, therapy providers and tools listed here are reviewed intermittently by the STAMMA Service Panel.

Inclusion on the website does not indicate endorsement by STAMMA. It simply indicates that those listed have met the basic criteria for inclusion. Details of courses and therapy is for information purposes only. This information is not advice and should not be treated as such.

Through this page you can link to other websites that are not controlled by STAMMA. We bear no responsibility for the accuracy, content or nature of these sites. This includes any language used to describe or refer to stammering.

Getting your service listed

If you have a service or course you'd like us to include here, see How To Get Your Service Listed.

What next?

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