The Irish McGuire Programme.
In October 1999 I went on my first McGuire course in Dublin. I was forty four years old. I will not go into the structure of the course, I only want to express what it meant to me personally.
Without doubt I was the most seceptical person that ever attended the McGuire Programme, this came from many years of trying to get help regarding my speech, which included spending serious time and money on trying to find some relief from the stress and anxiety which my verbal communication was casuing me. After attending some courses I felt that the people running the courses were laughing at me, they just took my money, said goodbye, no backup, no support.
The first time I ever heard stammering/stuttering being addressed from the inside out was on my first McGuire course, the fantastice people I met over the few days, all who were challenged by stammering like myself, the tools and techniques that I was taught to improve my communication have stood me well over the years, the support which I received after my first course, the friendships which have lasted over many years, the opportunities that I was given to support and empower others who were challenged the same way as myself, to be part of something that would offer a lot of people a new quality of life regarding their verbal communication was a very powerful thing for me to witness.
To see young people been given an opportunity of reaching their full potential regarding their verbal communication was also a very powerful thing for me to witness, it is one of the main reasons that I am still actively involved in the Irish McGuire Programme.
Let me be quiet clear here, there is no way that I am saying that the McGuire Programme works for everybody who attends, experience has taught me that this is not the case, but what I do know is that if you are serious about improving your verbal communication that the McGuire Programme is one of the best courses in the world for people who are challenged by stammering/stuttering. The courses address both the physical and psychological aspects of stammering/stuttering, this knowledge comes from not only people who are challenged by stammering / stuttering but from the professional speech community as well. The backup and organisational support after the courses are over is what has made the Irish McGuire Programme so unique to me.
To all whom I have had the pleasure of meeting over the years, to all who have moved on and proved how well they can now communicate, to all who helped and supported me in my recovery, I will never forget you.
A link to the McGuire Programme is available on our links page.
