Speech blocks and stammering: what they are, why they happen and how to overcome them
A speech block is the moment you know what you want to say and the sound will not come. It is not a pronunciation problem. It is a reaction of tension in the body, usually triggered by emotion, and it can be unlearned. New Speech is a method for adults with stammering (stuttering) and severe blocks: not breathing exercises, but work on tension and the body, created by a man who had blocks for almost 20 years. No miracle cures, no pressure.
I stammered and had speech blocks for almost 20 years, which made life very difficult. I couldn’t say what I wanted to.
For over 20 years since, I have worked with people who stammer or block, often in the most difficult cases, where conventional methods have not been enough. New Speech is the method that came out of my own journey to fluency.
Stammering and speech blocks both affect fluency, but they are not the same. With stammering, sounds and syllables repeat or stretch; it takes longer, but the message usually gets across. With a block, the thought is there and the sound isn’t. Intense tension in the body stops speech entirely, and people swap words, withdraw, or camouflage to keep the conversation going.
That is why blocks need a holistic approach. New Speech connects relaxation with producing sound, so you can speak with confidence in any situation. Every course is tailored to the trainee and their family, and trainees who already use the method take part in the training.
