Pakistan Stammering Association

1st Support Group Meeting in Islamabad

The Pakistan Stammering Association held its first support group meeting in Islamabad on the 16th of January, 2008. There were a total of 5 individuals present, 2 of them were recovering stammerers, and 2 were stammerers, including a 12 year old kid, Mustafa, who was present with his mother. As this was the first ever support group meeting in Islamabad, the emphasis was on the introduction about us, what stammering/stuttering really is, what problems do we face as being stammerers, and how support groups can help. There was also a brief explanation about the intensive courses; what they are, why they are different from regular speech therapy sessions and how we can start them in Pakistan.

We shared our experiences, our speech difficulties, the situations in which we feel more blocks in our speech, some tricks that we use to get out our challenged words and how to get rid of them, and some techniques that we use to deal with feared situations and challenged words.

I would like to thank everyone who attended the event, especially Hamza - without his help the event would not have been possible. I would also like to thank the mother of Mustafa, for taking her time to come to our support group meeting and share the problems Mustafa faces in his social life - reminded us of our childhood :)

I apologize for arranging this event on a weekday, and that too in working hours. I know that some interested people could not attend because of that. I will try my best to arrange the next support group meeting on weekend, and that too in the evening.

Thank you once again and hope to meet you all again very soon. Stay strong everyone!

Hammad