Empowering Voices is a new course that teaches a breathing technique for stammering.
What ages is it for?
Adults 18+
What does it do?
Established in 2024, Empowering Voices teaches a breathing technique to help people who stammer control their speech. This technique is called 'costal breathing' and you can read more about it on our Adult Stammering Options Explained page.
It also practises desensitisation exercises to reduce the fear of speaking. Empowering Voices is a charitable organisation.
What happens on a course?
Empowering Voices is a three-day residential course. New participants are paired up with various mentors who have attended previously to learn and practise the technique one-to-one. They build up new skills via a series of sessions over the span of the course. Theory is accompanied by role-play exercises dealing with real-life speaking situations and desensitisation strategies. The course coordinators tell us they put a lot of effort into trying to make the exercises relevant, engaging and fun.
Days one and two start at 9am and finish at 5pm, with day three starting at 9am and finishing mid-afternoon. Participants eat together in the evenings to practise their new technique and socialise. These evening functions function as a practical extension of the course room and aim to build bonds within the group.
Who delivers the course?
The course is taught by stammerers who have benefitted from learning a breathing technique to control their speech. Course leaders and mentors have different levels of experience. Some of them have been training people who stammer for over 20 years, while others have only recently learnt the technique.
Where & when are courses held?
Courses are held throughout the UK. Further details are available on the Empowering Voices website.
How much does it cost?
There is a one-off fee of £250 for the initial three-day course. Hotel costs vary depending on location, but nearby Premier Inn or Travelodge options are typically recommended to reduce costs for participants. Course venues are chosen so that such hotels are close and cost-effective, and good transport links are also factored into the equation.
Follow-up courses are free, with mentors then only paying for their accommodation costs. Ongoing lifetime support is free (see below).
What else is included?
After the course, Empowering Voices' support includes:
- Ongoing support group chats on WhatsApp and Facebook, which feature a mixture of voice notes, videos and texts.
- One-to-one phone and video calls with mentors.
- Regular online support group meetings using Microsoft Teams.
- Regional workshops.
Where can I find out more?
Visit the Empowering Voices website.
If you have any questions, email hello@empoweringvoices.co.uk or contact them through the website.
Empowering Voices is one of the courses available for stammering. For the full list of options, see One-to-one Adult Speech & Language Therapy or Adult Group Courses.
Articles from Empowering Voices grads
Read about the course from our members. Click on the link(s) below to read their article(s):
You might also like to read an article by Naheem, Laura and Patrick called 'Reflections on costal breathing a decade later'.
