One of Hollins Communications Research Institute’s early stuttering therapy clients is Annie Glenn, the accomplished wife of astronaut and Senator John Glenn. Annie has been a long-time advocate and supporter of HCRI stuttering therapy.  She serves as a role model for people who stutter across the country. She is pictured here with husband John during a visit to HCRI.

Her life, along with the lives of other astronaut wives, will be showcased in ABC’s new series, “Astronaut Wives Club,” which debuts on June 18 at 8 p.m. EST.

The show is based on the book by the same name, written by Lily Koppel. The book and series focus on seven women, including Annie, who were key players behind some of the biggest events in American history. Actress Azure Parsons plays Annie.

For more information about Astronaut Wives, visit https://abc.go.com/shows/the-astronaut-wives-club.

To learn abut HCRI stuttering therapy, click here: 12-day HCRI Stuttering Therapy Program.

Now, every purchase you make from online retailer Amazon can help support HCRI. Through the AmazonSmile Foundation, a portion of your Amazon purchases – made any time of the year – will be donated to our 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.

This program helps augment funding from annual donations and helps cover the cost of therapy scholarships, operations and research, it is another way for individuals help the Institute advance our mission to help people who stutter.

Program Overview

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support HCRI every time you shop, at no cost to you.

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, product selection and shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that AmazonSmile will donate one half of one percent of your purchase price to HCRI. While that does not sound like a lot, the amount from all purchases from alumni can add up over time and be quite meaningful to HCRI.

How Do I Shop at AmazonSmile? 

To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may want to bookmark the page to make it even easier to return and shop for any type of item you want to buy.

How Do I Ensure HCRI Receives Donations?

Step 1: Go to smile.amazon.com.

Step 2: Sign in using your normal Amazon.com login. If you don’t have an Amazon account, simply click on the “create an account” link and follow the steps.

Step 3: When you sign in at smile.amazon.com for the first time, you will have the opportunity to select your charitable organization. Search for “Hollins Communications Research Institute” and click to make the Institute your charity of choice.

Step 4: Go shopping! You have completed the process and are ready to make purchases. Please remember to go to smile.amazon.com whenever you want to buy on Amazon.

Please note that shopping through the regular Amazon.com website will not provide donations to HCRI. You need to use the smile.amazon.com link from now on.

A new book about the oratory accomplishments of members of Toastmasters International features Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI) stuttering therapy alumna Shannon Armes. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills.

The book,Voices Bold and True, written by John Steinbach and published by Beacon Publishing, highlights stories of courage, growth, and friendship in public speaking among Toastmasters International members. Following is Armes’s excerpt.

Shannon Armes, CC, ALB

“My Toastmasters experience in 2012 is very memorable. My family and friends were in the audience at the area, division and district international speech contests that spring. I also remember the standing ovation and tears in the eyes of people at the area contest following my speech. Reflecting on such an experience encourages me to continue sharing my unique story along my Toastmasters journey. By doing so, I hope to inspire fellow stutterers to face each day with courage and determination in spite of disfluency.”

Disfluency—defined as ‘interruption in the flow or rhythm of speech’—is not a word that most people may be familiar with. But for a stutterer like Shannon Armes, it’s a constant presence.

“Imagine not being able to answer your phone, introduce yourself, order a meal at your favorite restaurant or read a bed time story to your child. Imagine the need to support your family, but not getting beyond a job interview for lack of effective communication. These are simple, everyday occurrences the average individual takes for granted. But for a stutterer, such situations bring about anxiety, fear and embarrassment,and are often avoided in a variety of creative ways.”

Stuttering is hereditary in Shannon’s family: her grandmother, an uncle, and other members of her extended family have the affliction. She has had to deal with it all her life. In 2009, she took part in a unique speech therapy program that gave her specific skills to improve her fluency. “I am grateful for the intensive stuttering treatment program at HCRI (Hollins Communications Research Institute) in Roanoke, VA.

I spent over 100 hours over 12 days acquiring the ability to replace faulty speech muscle behaviors that cause stuttering with new muscle activities that generate fluent speech. HCRI’s stuttering therapy was hard work and has made a remarkable difference in my ability to communicate. But I have to be vigilant with regular practice so the skills I learned will become habitual. So I decided to join Toastmasters. It gives me the opportunity to practice those skills and improve my fluency in a supportive and encouraging environment, while also working on my communication and leadership abilities.”

She found out about Toastmasters from a fellow stutterer who was a member. “He shared with me how helpful it was for him and encouraged me to find out more about it. So I went online and looked up Toastmasters. I found a club in my area, visited a few times, and loved it. I’ve been a member of Motivators Toastmasters now for 5 years.”

Shannon may have her challenges on the Toastmasters communication track, but that has not deterred her from taking an active part in the leadership track. She has served as her club’s sergeant at arms, secretary, and VP of education. She is currently club president, as well as an area governor. She enjoyed her term as sergeant at arms, “because you’re often the first point of contact for guests at club meetings. Introducing myself was always difficult for me, so sergeant at arms was the first officer position I volunteered for.”

She also valued her role as VPE: “I enjoyed working closely with club members to help them achieve their specific goals while also striving to achieve the club’s Distinguished Club Plan.” She sees the role of VPE extending beyond the club. “I encourage individuals to take on leadership and speaking opportunities outside of the club. Doing so is a great way to learn more about Toastmasters and network with others who have valuable experience and knowledge from which to learn. It is important not only to the success of your club, but to the Toastmasters organization overall. One club’s success has a direct impact on the area, the division, and the district in which it is in.”

Shannon has a special appreciation for two aspects of Toastmasters. “…I am very enthusiastic and passionate about Toastmasters and what the organization has to offer. No matter your age or where you are in your career or your personal life, everyone has something to gain from Toastmasters. I take every opportunity I have to share my unique story and what Toastmasters has done for me.”

“It’s a very emotional subject for me. As a stutterer, I face daily challenges the average individual can never understand. Toastmasters is the perfect environment I need to step outside of my comfort zone and practice the skills I learned at HCRI. The simplest way I can put it: The Toastmasters organization has given me my voice again, both personally and professionally. That’s the biggest takeaway I can share with someone else.”

Shannon is looking forward to continuing her progress and someday achieving the highest educational designation, the Distinguished Toastmaster, or DTM. “Of course, I’m looking forward to becoming a DTM, but that will come in time. I’m taking my Toastmasters journey to fluency one speech and one leadership role at a time. I’m taking it all in and loving it as I go.”

To contact author John Steinbach and/or purchase his book, send an email tovoicesboldandtrue@gmail.com.

The July/August 2014 issue of Monitor on Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA), features coverage on the inhibiting condition of stuttering, which is one of mankind’s most challenging disorders to treat.

There are three million people in the U.S. and 66 million people worldwide who stutter. The condition is characterized by involuntary sound repetitions, difficulty speaking initial sounds of words, prolongation of syllables and words, and/or facial contortions during attempts to speak. Symptoms range from mild-to-severe and may not be present all the time.  Constraining the free flow of daily communication, stuttering serves as a barrier to people reaching their full potential in life. The disorder can erode self confidence, hinder social interaction, and limit people educationally and professionally.

The APA article focuses on the latest approaches that help people who stutter gain mastery over their symptoms and associated anxiety. Highlighted is the scientifically based, behavioral stuttering therapy program at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – https://www.stuttering.org).  HCRI was founded by Dr. Ron Webster in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Since that time, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become a leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative therapy approaches.

“Our early research demonstrated that stuttering is a physical condition caused by abnormal speech-muscle contractions that occur when people try to speak,” Webster aid. “By teaching people who stutter how to systematically retrain the way their speech muscles behave, they gain control over the way they talk and fluency happens.”

HCRI’s intensive, 12-day behavioral treatment involves helping participants learn how to replace faulty speech muscle movements that cause their stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech. Precise, tested therapy protocols, advanced technology, quantitative speech measurement, and computerized feedback make fluency skills easier to learn and sustain over time.

Ninety-three percent of HCRI therapy participants achieve fluency in 12 days. Follow-up studies reveal that 70-75 percent maintain fluent speech for the long term. The nonprofit center provides all clients with post-therapy support and practice tools that further solidify their fluency training.

HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,300 people from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty.

For more information, visit https://www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at (540) 265-5650 or info@stuttering.org.

Katie: The Little Girl Who Stuttered and Then Learned to Talk Fluently

A new children’s book penned by Dr. Ron Webster, founder and president of Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI), addresses universal themes of acceptance and overcoming challenges through the telling of a heartwarming, true story about a little girl who stutters.

The author of this endearing story has dedicated his life to treating the debilitating and misunderstood disorder of stuttering. Webster pioneered comprehensive behavioral stuttering therapy and founded HCRI, a nonprofit stuttering research and treatment center. More than 6,100 people who stutter have come to HCRI for stuttering treatment.

In “Katie: The Little Girl Who Stuttered and Then Learned to Talk Fluently” (ISBN 1468004905), Webster shares the true story of how one young girl overcame her stuttering. Designed for children between the ages of three and seven to read with their parents, the narrative introduces a vivacious young girl named Katie who is bright and loving, just like the children around her.

Yet, when Katie tries to verbalize her thoughts and feelings, her stuttering always gets in the way. No matter how smooth and clear the thoughts are in her head, they never come out that way when she tries to speak.

Other children constantly tease Katie for the way she talks, and she only seems to find comfort from their torment when she goes to a park after school and plays hide-and-seek. Yet, that all changes. Her wish to free her voice from stuttering comes true when she and her mother learn about a special kind of stuttering therapy, which is based on science.With this specialized approach to stuttering therapy, Katie learns new speaking skills that make her words flow freely and spontaneously.

In addition to a happy outcome, the unforgettable, nonfiction narrative offers an unexpected, heartwarming ending.

“This book gives hope to children who stutter by showing there may be an answer to their speech problem through hard work, determination, and the right type of treatment,” Webster says. “In addition, the storyline will benefit all children because it teaches lessons in understanding and respect for the challenge others face.”

“Katie: The Little Girl Who Stuttered and then Learned to Talk Fluently” includes colorful illustrations that help tell Katie’s journey to fluency. The childlren’s book is available for sale at Amazon.com. Click here to buy the book>>

For more information about HCRI stuttering therapy, visit www.stuttering.org, call (540) 265-5650, or send an email to info@stuttering.org. 

Institute’s Stuttering Treatment Delivers Leading Fluency Results

Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – https://www.stuttering.org) is recognized in the June 2012 issue of Virginia Business magazine as one of the most innovative nonprofit organizations in the commonwealth. This recognition reaffirms a 40-year history of “firsts” for the Roanoke, Virginia center, which is among few organizations in the world that specialize in both research on stuttering and effective treatment of this unique disorder.

For the past 40 years, HCRI’s focus on innovation has brought fluency skills to thousands who stutter around the globe. People from every state in the U.S. and 47 other countries have come to HCRI for the center’s one-of-a-kind, scientifically based stuttering treatment.

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 66 million people stutter, with three million living in the U.S. Impairing the ability to speak smoothly and spontaneously, the condition can limit educational and career aspirations, hinder social growth, and produce emotional scars that may last a lifetime. Through the years, traditional stuttering and speech therapies have done little to help people manage their stuttering and speak fluently over a sustained period of time.

Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. recognized this issue and founded HCRI in 1972 to investigate stuttering and develop new, scientifically based treatment options that improve fluency outcomes. Webster and the HCRI team began by conducting extensive research and discovered that stuttering has a physical basis, dispelling long-standing notions that stuttering is caused by emotional or mental issues.

This discovery led to the definition of specific speech muscle behaviors called “targets,” which replace distorted muscle activities that produce stuttering. With these target definitions, HCRI research scientists developed the first comprehensive behavioral therapy for stuttering, representing a marked departure from other forms of stuttering treatment.

Now in its third generation, HCRI’s 12-day behavioral stuttering treatment program works with all major stuttering types and severities, and delivers excellent results. Research shows 93 percent of HCRI clients acquire fluent speech by the end of their 12-day treatment. Follow-up studies show 70-75 percent maintain long-term fluency. The therapy dropout rate is less than one percent.

“Ongoing innovation drives our work. We continually refine our therapy program and create new stuttering treatment tools, such as our ‘clinician in your pocket’ iPhone app and FluencyNet home-practice system, that make fluency-skill learning easier and longer lasting,” Webster said.

HCRI’s contributions continue to change how stuttering is viewed and treated today. Highlights of the Institute’s ongoing list of industry “firsts” include:

– Creating comprehensive behavioral stuttering therapy;

– Incorporating systematic, quality-controlled procedures into the stuttering therapy process;

– Inventing the Voice Monitor, a real-time electronic measurement and feedback system that enhances fluency learning and clinical efficiency;

– Using computers in therapy to make fluency acquisition easier and more precise;

– Creating a sophisticated home practice program, FluencyNet, to help clients reinforce fluency skills learned during treatment;

– Developing an iPhone app that serves as a “clinician in your pocket,” providing real-time speech feedback to help clients practice and stabilize newly acquired fluency skills; and

– Building a stuttering therapy system on a web-based platform, which offers the capability to expand access to quality-controlled stuttering therapy worldwide via the Internet.

“Each day we continue to push the envelope to discover new information, new therapy tools, and new ways to make fluency learning more effective. There is nothing more rewarding than to see someone who stutters experience the joy and personal growth that comes with fluent speech,” Webster said.

About HCRI

Virginia-based Hollins Communications Research Institute is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that has become an international leader in stuttering research and treatment innovation. More than 6,000 clients have come to HCRI for stuttering therapy. They represent all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Va. 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at call (540) 265-5650 (toll-free), 540-265-5650 or info@stuttering.org.

The following opinion editorial written by HCRI President Dr. Ronald L. Webster ran in the “Richmond Times Dispatch”  on Saturday, January 29, 2011.

ROANOKE — Stuttering is the invisible problem; however, now and again something happens that brings this unusual disorder to public attention. The release of “The King’s Speech” is heightening awareness of this hampering condition. The movie delivers a powerful storyline about Britain’s King George VI, the man afflicted with stuttering who reluctantly assumed the throne. Colin Firth just won a Golden Globe for best actor for his performance as the monarch. The film garnered a total of seven Golden Globe nominations, has four Screen Actors Guild nominations and leads all Academy Award contenders with 12 Oscar nominations.

The King’s Speech” presents a revealing study of the personal stresses, limitations and daily challenges experienced by a person who stutters. In particular, we see the duke of York struggling to speak in a variety of situations. After failed attempts at treatment, through the guidance of his wife, he seeks help from an unconventional speech elocutionist, Lionel Logue, who undertakes the task of helping him speak more fluently.

While a dramatic, captivating film, “The King’s Speech” creates some misconceptions about stuttering. The story leads people to believe that there is an emotional element that causes the condition. Although the film reveals the duke of York was insecure in his family relationships and fearful of social interactions, these did not cause his stuttering. This portrayal of the stutterer incorrectly emphasizes the role of negative emotions in creating the problem.

We also learn, wrongly, that the therapist says he can “cure” the man of his stuttering. Unfortunately, there is no cure. This message exacerbates misconceptions that still exist and serves as a barrier to treatment and acceptance for those who stutter.

The beneficial aspects of Logue’s treatment dealt with improving speech-related breathing, muscle relaxation, clarity of diction and vocal projection. These address the physical components of the condition — not the emotional. In addition, the task of speech-reading practice with many, many instances of rehearsal facilitated the king’s fluency, as did the presence of the speech teacher. After 11 years of work, Logue’s teachings were manifested in the king’s powerful and fluent radio address to the nation dealing with the coming war in Germany.

The duke of York’s treatment yielded what we now refer to as “fragile fluency” — an unreliable form of fluent speech based on incomplete knowledge of what must be accomplished in order to generate stable, sustainable fluency.

Stuttering therapy has come a long way since Logue’s time. Yet, perceptions of stuttering are not all that different. The public still misunderstands that stutterers are normal people who have involuntary muscle control problems when they attempt to talk. And, many therapies are often still unfocused and produce poor results, leaving people who stutter with greater frustrations. Yet, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Here at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI), we have researched thousands of stuttering cases and demonstrated that stuttering is a physically derived condition. We pioneered the concept of behavioral stuttering therapy, which helps people replace faulty speech muscle movements of stuttering with those that generate fluent speech. Through this approach, we have treated nearly 6,000 individuals with all levels of stuttering severity. And yes, we have successfully treated royalty.

One of our therapy program graduates, John Stossel, was co-host of ABC’s 20/20 and is now host of his own show on the Fox Business Channel. Stossel went from being a stuttering reporter whose interviews had to be heavily edited to capture only his fluent questions, to a nationally respected journalist with eloquent speaking skills. His fluency represents the result of a modern, objective approach to the treatment of stuttering. Direct focus on retraining speech muscles through a disciplined process makes fluency achievable and sustainable over time.

I share this information to make the point that through public awareness and appropriate, physically based treatment, people who stutter can receive the help they need — and enjoy all the benefits that fluent speakers take for granted every day.

“The King’s Speech” tells a tale of long ago regarding stuttering. It’s a great story — and one worthy of telling. Yet, the greater story is that stuttering is an important problem in its own right and now can be treated efficiently and successfully. This message is important in today’s world. Stuttering is not an invisible problem to the 3 million people in the U.S. and the 65 million worldwide who are afflicted with this unique human disorder.

Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., is the founder of Hollins Communications Research Institute (www.stuttering.org ) and a professor of psychology (emeritus) at Hollins University. Contact HCRI at (540) 265-5650.