Customer Reviews

Understanding and Controlling Stuttering: A Comprehensive New Approach Based on the Valsalva Hypothesis

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the best book I've ever read on stuttering. It explains the physical components of stuttering in an easy-to-understand way and provides invaluable exercises, suggestions, and information. The author has really done his research and never condescends to the reader. This is not a quick fix solution, but provides tools to make a lasting change.

William Parry is a genious. Not only did this book keep me on the edge of my seat, and even made me laugh, but it also revealed the secret of stuttering. This book gave me the tools for fluency. For once, I am in control of what I say. I can talk on the phone, give presentations in class, et cetera... without even thinking about how I'm going to get certain words out. Sometimes it feels like a dream. I will continue to do my excercises (half hour a day) so I never have to wake up!I recommend this book to anyone who stutters or is in the speech pathology/communications field.

Mr. Parry has written a book that targets the specific physical act [or acts] that every stutterer performs when they block.
I am a mild stutterer, [most people don't know because of word substitution and other avoidance tactics] but can become severe depending on the situation.
The explanations and descriptions given to describe our experience are absolutely accurate; you will find yourself nodding your head in agreement.
I experimented with the relaxation techniques given on the web site and experienced immediate positive results...not "cure" or instant fluency, but the realization that my speech can be controlled. If the work is put in, it is my belief the exercises discussed in the book, as well as a change in attitude [also discussed in the book] can help a significant amount of stutterers. I highly recommend this book.

When I read about Valsalva hypothesis for the first time in an article by Mr. William Parry on the internet, I decided to buy the book "Understanding & Controlling Stuttering" to learn more about this mechanism. The book is very well written from the beginning till end. The explanation of the speech mechanism, the basics of speech, speech functions of the brain, the Valsalva mechanism and all information are written in intelligible terms. The exercises for Valsalva and speech control are very well proposed. I was always puzzled why I spoke fluently in some situations and was not able to say a single word in other ones. I knew I gave much effort to my speech. The Valsalva hypothesis is the most precise description of my stuttering I have ever encountered. I am severe stutterer and exercises described in this book improved my fluency and I hope this improvement will continue. This is the most interesting book about stuttering I have read and I recommend it to anyone who stutters.

This book changed the way I look at my stuttering. It makes riveting reading. The author has clearly spent an enormous amount of time, effort and energy in trying to get
a better understanding of his oun stutter, and in the process, formulated a hypothesis that makes a lot of sense. He offers explanations for questions like
- why do more men stutter than women?
- why do most stutters sing fluently?
- why do most stutters have a problem saying their name?

He breaks down the process of speach into it's components and deals with each one in turn. He explains why a lot of therapies enable stutters to (for a time period, at least) speak more fluently. Regardless of which therapy one is using - be it
prolonged speach, "air flow" technique, "costal breathing" etc etc - this book will help in providing a better understanding.

There are exercises at the back and a recommended daily routine program.

I've read many books on stuttering, but this one is by far the best. A very comprehensive, thought out and well-researched book.

Whether you are a speech therapist/pathologist or a stutterer, I highly recommend that you buy this book.

It demystifies several aspects of stuttering, including the speech blocks that are so often experienced. It explains the neurological confusion between speech and the valsalva mechanism and how this affects disfluency. It explains why males predominate the stuttering population by pointing out sexual differences in the valsalva mechanism.

Mr. William Parry also provides a self-therapy program called Valsalva Control, which can be effectively used to control stuttering.

After reading this book, for the first time, I was able to get non-stutterers to personally experience the closing of the larynx and other physiological symptoms of a stuttering block created by the valsalva mechanism.

This book gave me the "Ah-ha! That explains so much." feeling.

This book hits the spot. For the first time in my life (I'm 34 years old) I finally realized what is happening to me, especially when we talk about the physical aspect of stuttering. And it reveals the method I believe to be effective in coping with the stutter "beast".
Everything now fits into place, the path seems clear enough, although it won't be an easy one.

The book also deals with the psychological aspects and that is the right way too.

I don't want to bore anybody with this review anymore. Just get the book, it's worth it. 5 stars without hesitation. Congratulations to the author, he made a fantastic effort in creating this book. One must admire the man who has read, learned and experimented so much in order to know more about this problem and to get rid of it.

After spending a fortune on speech therapy this is what finally helped my 15 year old daughter stop stuttering. If you've read a lot about stuttering you might want to skip the beginning and go to the last sections of the book, they're worth their weight in gold. I highly recommend this book.

Of course, the book is titled Understanding and Controlling Stuttering. The first half of the book, the "understanding" part of it, is fantastic, and goes into deep detail.

The second half, which is supposed to reveal a "comprehensive new approach" can be summarized in one sentence: relax your butt hole. I am not making this up!! The author is convinced that relaxing your anus will also relax the same part of your body that is keeping you from breathing and making you stutter.

I don't think I have to tell you that his suggestion is bogus, although his reasoning is somewhat sound. As another reviewer implied , the author molds the entire book around his hypothesis, as if begging you to believe him.

This book is pretty good for the "understanding" aspect, but the "controlling" aspect, read Self Therapy for the Stutterer instead, which has tried-and-true methods of control. For those of you thinking of buying this book to find the miracle to cure your stuttering, this isn't it.

This is the best book on stuttering. ever ...
It has got a bit too many pages in order to cover all cases
of stuttering.. Most people will want to skim forward and
highlight the points you want to read again and again....
I read this book every 10-15 days and do exercises and
my fluency improves...