Workshop organised to help overcome stammering

 The Indian Stammering Association (TISA) conducted a workshop through its dedicated facilitators for ‘People who Stammer – PwS’.

The workshop, which was conducted for the first time in Mangaluru, was attended by people from Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Indore and Dehradun.

The workshop was useful in creating better understanding of all parameters of stammering and enhancing the awareness level regarding the problem that is faced by 1 to 2% of the population of all ages and both sexes (although females are few) in India as also in most major countries. There were engineers, a senior lawyer, students and people from several walks of life among the participants.

Facilitators Dr Sachin Srivastava and his colleagues conducted the sessions, ensuring maximum benefit for each and every individual participant, while looking into the nitty-gritty needs. Interactive sessions, games, skit to understand stuttering needs better and explanation/practice of various techniques available in modern times were all put forth for the benefit of the participants.

Sreeranganathan, a software professional from Tamil Nadu, said, “I learnt a lot not just about stammering which should be accepted as part of people, but about many other things too. It became clear to me that PwS has a deep sense of humour, and are considerate and caring with uncanny understanding.

“There were many greats all through history who also stammered.”
This meet has brought a clear message to Mangalore city that stammering must be understood and accepted not as a handicap but as a normal human trait. The event was an eye opener said an elderly person.

He said, “It has been a first-of-its-kind in my over-60 years of stammering. The development of thinking, acceptance, transparency, and self-help by TISA is truly remarkable. Had this kind of motivation and training been available to me earlier, I would have in all probability overcome this speech impediment.”

If you stammer or know someone who, if an institution desires to support such a cause, Binu Gopalakrishna may be contacted at [e-mail]