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 out
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
You can usually find contact details for your local service online. Search for 'Adult NHS stammering therapy + your local town/city'.
Or, contact us and we can help you find details. Start a webchat or phone our free helpline on 0808 802 0002. Or email help@stamma.org
Or you could ask your GP or health visitor to refer you, if you prefer. If you do, you can download our supporting letter below to fill out and give to your GP, if it helps.
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 alternative options below. You could also see if there's a stammering support/self-help group near you. These are great ways to get peer support from others who stammer.
Airedale NHS online therapy
The Airedale NHS Stammering Service offers therapy via videocall to anyone in the UK. However, you can only access it with funding via your GP. This is a long shot though as GPs are only occasionally able to help with funding. But Airedale NHS can help with the paperwork. Visit their website for details.
City St George's University (ages 18-25, UK-wide)
Are you aged 18 to 25? You can get free therapy from The Roberta Williams Centre at City St George's University. If you live in or near London you can attend the sessions in-person at the university. It's also available online if you live elsewhere in the UK.
Sessions are delivered by speech & language therapy students studying at the university. They'll be closely supervised by an experienced speech & language therapist.
Their free therapy includes:
- Looking at stammering acceptance. They'll focus on challenges you might be facing such as uni studies, job interviews and identity.
- Block Modification, to reduce the struggle to speak.
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness, to help with negative thoughts.
(See Adult Stammering Options Explained to find out more about these types of therapy.)
Contact: for more information, email rwcstammering@city.ac.uk
Read more about therapy sessions at City St George's University.
Private therapy
Private speech & language therapy is another option, but 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.
You might be able to get funding for private therapy — see Getting Funding below for details.
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 & 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 other courses too. These include public speaking and learning self-compassion.
Do I have to pay? Yes, although concessions and bursaries are available. Visit the City Lit website for course details and costs.
Upcoming courses:
- 7-day intensive course (starting 11th Nov)
- Refresh, revise stammering therapy (starting 23rd Oct)
- Embodied voice for people who stammer (starting 24th Oct)
- Self-compassion for people who stammer (online, 12th Nov)
Visit the City Lit website for details.
Contact: email speechtherapy@citylit.ac.uk or phone 020 7492 2578.
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. See Adult Options Explained for details about techniques taught on these courses. (Look under the 'Non-therapy courses' header).
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'.
Empowering Voices
Empowering Voices runs 3-day residential courses throughout the UK. It teaches a breathing technique and desensitisation exercises, aiming to control stammering.
Do I have to pay? Yes, the cost includes free lifetime support and refresher courses. Visit the Empowering Voices website for course details and costs.
Upcoming course:
- 28th-30th October in Peterborough *This course is free, to coincide with Int. Stammering Awareness Day
Visit the Empowering Voices website for details.
Contact: via their website or email hello@empoweringvoices.co.uk
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.
Do I have to pay? Yes. Paying once entitles you to attend as many courses as you want. Email them for details (see below)
Upcoming courses:
- Free information session: 19th October, 2:30pm-4pm, The Grand Hotel Birmingham, Birmingham, B3 2FE.
- Full course: 27th-30th November in Newcastle.
Visit the McGuire Programme website for full details.
Contact: via their website or email web@mcguireprogramme.com
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.
Do I have to pay? Yes. The cost includes free lifetime support and refresher courses. See The Starfish Project website for costs.
Upcoming course:
- Adult course: 21st-23rd January January to 23rd January. See The Starfish Project website for details.
Contact: email mail@starfishproject.co.uk or phone 01825 872038.
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 out
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 Therapy Isn't Working Out 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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