Adult Stammering Therapy & Courses

Find out about therapies and courses available for adults who stammer.

Are you looking for help with stammering (also known as stuttering)? Before reading on, take a look at Self-help For Stammering. It has tips for things you can do to support yourself.

If you'd like extra help, there's a list of options below. There isn't 'one' solution that's a perfect fit for everyone. For many it's a journey, which might include trying different approaches along the way.

If you want to talk through the options, chat with us — call our free helpline on 0808 802 0002 or start a webchat.

On this page:

One-to-one speech & language therapy
Speech & language therapy group courses
Other courses
Getting funding for courses or private therapy
Things to watch out for
If therapy isn't working

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One-to-one speech & language therapy

NHS therapy

You can get stammering therapy for free through the NHS. This is usually one-to-one therapy with a qualified speech & language therapist. In most cases you can refer yourself without going to your GP first.

Finding a therapist

Contact us and we can help you find contact details of your local NHS stammering service. Start a webchat or phone our helpline for free on 0808 802 0002. Or, email help@stamma.org

Alternatively, you could search online for 'Adult NHS stammering therapy + your local town/city'.

Or you could ask your GP or health visitor to refer you if you prefer.

Note: levels of service and waiting times can vary.

How can a therapist help?

A speech & language therapist can help you find ways to make speaking easier. They can also help you deal with any negative thoughts you might have about stammering.

See Adult Stammering Options Explained for a more detailed look at how therapy can help.

No local NHS service?

Sadly, not everywhere has an NHS adult service so you might find that there isn't one where you live. If this is the case, we've listed the alternative options below. But you have to pay for these. You might be able to get funding, however — see the Getting Funding header for details.

You could also see if there's a stammering support/self-help group near you. These are great ways to get support from other people who stammer.

Airedale NHS video-therapy

You could ask your GP to fund therapy via videocall with the Airedale NHS Stammering Service. This is a service open to people across the UK. However, GPs are only occasionally able to help with funding so it's a long shot. But Airedale NHS can help with the paperwork. Click the link above for details.

Private therapy

Private speech & language therapy is another option, but again, it's not free.

Find a qualified private therapist near you. Search on the Association for Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice website. Or email office@asltip.com

Make sure to ask therapists if they have worked with adults who stammer before.

Sessions with a private therapist vary but may range between £70 and £125. This depends on the therapist's experience, what's included, or on regional variation.

The first session is likely to be more expensive. This is because they'll spend extra time gathering information.

Speech & language therapy group courses

Or, there are group courses run by qualified speech & language therapists. These can be intensive, with sessions lasting four or five days, or non-intensive, eg 2 hours a week.

City Lit

City Lit is an adult education centre in London that offers group therapy courses. Some of the courses include:

Block Modification, to reduce the struggle to speak.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, to help with negative thoughts.

See Adult Stammering Options Explained to find out more about these types of therapy.

City Lit also runs courses on public speaking and speaking circles for adults who stammer.

Do I have to pay? Yes, although concessions and bursaries are available. Visit the City Lit website for course details and costs.

Contact: email speechtherapy@citylit.ac.uk or phone 020 7492 2578.
Read more about City Lit courses.

Other Courses

Below are some alternative options to speech & language therapy. These are courses run by people who have been on them and found them helpful, rather than therapists.

Please note: approaches 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'.

The McGuire Programme

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

relaxation exercises
mental strategies.

It says its aims are to help deal with the fear of stammering and develop an assertive attitude to it. Also that its goal is eloquence rather than fluency. See Adult Stammering Options Explained for details about techniques taught on this course.

Do I have to pay? Yes. Paying once entitles you to attend as many courses as you want. Visit The McGuire Programme website for course details and costs.

Contact: via their website or email web@mcguireprogramme.com
Read more about The McGuire Programme.

The Starfish Project

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

reducing avoidance
increasing confidence
developing a positive attitude.

See Adult Stammering Options Explained for details about techniques taught on this course.

Do I have to pay? Yes. The cost includes free lifetime support and refresher courses. Visit The Starfish Project website for course details and costs.

Contact: email mail@starfishproject.co.uk or phone 01825 872038.
Read more about The Starfish Project.

The Stammering Self-empowerment Programme

This is a free module-based online course that teaches two fluency enhancing methods. It's designed to help develop a deeper understanding of stammering and what affects it.

Do I have to pay? No, it's free. Visit The Stammering Self-empowerment Programme website to find out more.

Academic Paul Brocklehurst, its founder, has carried out extensive research into stammering.

Getting funding for courses or private therapy

There are a couple of ways you might be able to get funding for one of the options above.

GP funding

You could try asking your GP to fund a stammering course or the Airedale's video-therapy (mentioned above). This is only occasionally successful, however, but it's 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, why not 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 therapies and 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.

If therapy isn't working

Are you having doubts about the therapy or course you are having? Not quite sure where it's going? Doesn't feel like the right fit for you? See What To Do If Adult Therapy Isn't Working for tips on what you could do.

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.

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.

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