Practical Thoughts Blog
Jul 20, 2026
Why can stuttering be so confusing to listeners? Part 2: They're disfluent too!
Stuttering is often confused with disfluency because everyone experiences disruptions in speech. However, stuttering is characterized by a unique sensation of “loss of control” while speaking, unlike non-stuttered disfluencies. This distinction helps clarify the difference between stuttering and disfluency emphasizing the importance of understanding the speaker’s experience rather than just observable behaviors.
Feb 19, 2026
Why can stuttering be so confusing to listeners? Part 1: Variability
Stuttering varies. Everyone knows that. The amount of stuttering that people experience on the inside or show on the outside changes depending upon the situation in which they are speaking, the specific speaking task in which they are engaged, the conversational partner or listener to whom they are speaking, and more; it also varies at different points in time, within the same day or across...
Jan 04, 2026
Understanding Stuttering Through A Wide-Angle Lens: Information for Parents and Caregivers
As a parent or caregiver of a child who stutters, it is natural to be concerned about your child's speech and curious about how to help them. We hope this blog is one of many resources that can build your knowledge and understanding of your child’s experience of stuttering. Because stuttering is a neurologically based speech difference, there are no easy ways to help children...
Apr 21, 2025
Counting Stutters Is a Waste of Time!
When assessing stuttering, counting stutters does not reflect the overall experience of the person who stutters. Speech pathologists can stop counting stutters because listeners cannot observe stutters that a person experiences, the nature of stuttering is that it is always variable, some people who stutter can appear fluent by altering their communication in unhelpful ways, and stuttering is a complex communication difference, and cannot be...