In addition, webcast participants will learn the important questions to ask when evaluating different providers and approaches that range from intensive programs to fluency devices.

“Stuttering is a disorder that involves numerous confusing theories and opinions about its nature and possible causes.  As a result, there are a wide variety of treatment options – all of which have varying levels of success,” said Webster. “Having a set of questions to evaluate different therapies helps people who stutter make informed decisions about which course of treatment is most relevant to solving their problem.”

Registered participants will have the opportunity to submit questions about stuttering and HCRI therapy before and during the webcast, which will be addressed during the live discussion.

Those interested in participating, may register online between now and January 19, 2012 at http://www.stuttering.org/register.php . For more information about the free webcast or Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, send an email to admin@stuttering,org , call 855-236-7032 (toll-free) or 540-265-5650.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.  

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. Treatment involves teaching people how to replace faulty speech muscle movements that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluency.  HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,000 people, aged 9 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. 

Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Va. 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at call 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650 or admin@stuttering.org.

An estimated 66 million people stutter worldwide, with three million living in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health.  Left untreated, the condition can impair social growth, hinder education and career aspirations, and produce life-long emotional scars. HCRI’s research consistently shows that stuttering is a physically based disorder. It is not caused by underlying personality deficiencies, persistent anxieties, or mental dysfunctions, all of which are common misconceptions.  

As a result, in most cases, the condition can be treated successfully through comprehensive, behavioral stuttering therapy, which HCRI researchers invented in 1972 and continually refine over the years.  According to the Institute’s data, 93% of HCRI program participants master fluent speech by the end of therapy.  Follow-up studies confirm 70 to 75 percent maintain fluency for the long-term.

“During this challenging economy, it’s unfortunate to see people postpone all types of treatment and procedures because of cost concerns.  At HCRI, we don’t want anyone to wait to get life-changing stuttering therapy, which is why we instituted our new tuition waivers,” said HCRI President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., president.

HCRI’s tuition waivers reduce the cost of attending the Institute’s 12-day therapy from $4,500 to $2,500 or $2,750, based on the selected session date.  The Institute’s stuttering treatment program includes 100 hours of clinical therapy and evaluation, along with an extensive package of post-therapy support.

The waivers are made possible through a coordinated effort by Webster and the Institute’s Board of Directors, along with tax-deductible donations by former stuttering therapy participants.

“We are so thankful for the generosity of HCRI therapy program alumni who are making these waivers possible,” said Webster. “While therapy fees are priced to meet our actual costs as a non-profit organization, donor contributions enable us to reduce the tuition and make stuttering treatment a reality for people who are financially burdened,” he added.

HCRI’s stuttering therapy program , Hollins Fluency System II: Advanced Speech Reconstruction for StutteringTM, helps people who stutter learn how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech.  Since 1972, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI has treated more than 6.000 people who stutter, ranging in age from 11 to 73 years old. According to the Institute’s data, 93% of HCRI clients master fluent speech by the end of therapy.  Follow-up studies confirm 70 to 75 percent maintain fluency for the long-term.

To receive HCRI’s tuition waiver, individuals must first complete an application to attend a therapy program that starts before the end of March 2012. A program application is available online at http://www.stuttering.org or by calling 540-265-5650.  There are six programs eligible for the waiver, beginning with the next session that runs from December 5-16, 2011.  Eligible 2012 therapy session dates are January 16-27, February 5-17, February 20-March 2, March 12-12, and March 26-April 6.

For more information about HCRI’s tuition waivers and stuttering therapy program, send an email to admin@stuttering.org or call 540-265-5650.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.  

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually and has treated people from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Va. 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 540-265-5650 or admin@stuttering.org.

According to nationally recognized stuttering research and treatment expert Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., president of Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – www.stuttering.org ), a physically based speech reconstruction program represents the most powerful method for enhancing fluency and for simultaneously reducing the psychological burdens of stuttering.

Webster pioneered comprehensive behavioral stuttering therapy nearly forty years ago and founded HCRI to continue researching stuttering and enhancing treatment results. Through the years, HCRI's therapy program has been continually refined with new treatment innovations and technological components that enhance the ease of fluency-skill learning and long-term fluency retention.  

While people who stutter have many treatment options, HCRI stuttering therapy delivers among the highest fluency outcomes available. Research shows 93 percent of HCRI program participants achieve fluent speech within 12 days and 70-75 percent maintain fluency for the long-term. 

In addition to leading therapy results, Webster offers these Top 10 Reasons to Choose HCRI.

10. You make a great personal investment.

  9. You work with the inventors of modern, effective behavior therapy for stuttering.

  8. Your clinicians are friendly, personable and highly competent professionals.

  7. You participate in the original 12-day, intensive therapy for stuttering.

  6. You have us as your fluency partners for life.

  5. You benefit from our treatment of more than 6,000 individuals who stutter.

  4. You master fluency, one achievable step after another.

  3. You experience emotional growth and fear reduction as part of the therapy.

  2. Your self-confidence goes up as you master fluency skills.

  1. Fluent speech—it’s real and it works!!!

Webster encourages any one who is considering stuttering treatment to thoughtfully review and compare different therapy programs before making a decision. To learn more about HCRI stuttering therapy and the Institute's approach to fluency training, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

Asking for support is a responsibility that Major C. Mark Brown is proud to do. He serves as The Salvation Army’s chief development officer for the Atlanta-based Southern Region, which is comprised of 15 states. After more than 30 years with The Salvation Army, Brown has seen first-hand the results of the organization’s charitable work that extends across the U.S. and to 123 other countries.

Yet, even with his tenure and commitment to The Salvation Army, Brown finds it a challenge to make presentations and ask for financial assistance. It’s not because he is shy or hesitant  to request money for his worthy cause. It’s because Brown stutters when he talks and has endured this limiting condition for all of his life.

Brown is not alone. According the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 66 million people worldwide suffer from the effects of stuttering, with three million living in the U.S. The condition can impair social growth, hinder educational and career aspirations, and produce emotional scars that may last a lifetime. For someone who is required to do public speaking, meet with donors and the media, and manage a large team, Brown knows all too well stuttering’s pervasive impact.

“Stuttering is always on my mind. At the same time, I’ve always been determined never to allow the way I talk to stop me from doing what I want to do in life,” Brown said. “Most important, I never want the way I speak to reflect negatively on The Salvation Army and the great work we do,” he explained.

Brown’s motivation and commitment to The Salvation Army drove him to seek treatment about 15 years ago at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – http://www.stuttering.org) , a non-profit stuttering research and treatment center. Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI is a pioneer in behavioral stuttering therapy with experience in a wide range of stuttering types and severities. During his intensive treatment, Brown learned how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle movements that enable fluent speech.

“HCRI really understands what goes wrong with speech when people stutter – and how to fix it. This puts people in control when they talk without resorting to a mechanical or electronic crutch,” Brown explained. “It was the first therapy that worked for me. It was a true gift.”

According to HCRI President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., there is no cure for stuttering. “Yet, after researching thousands of stuttering cases, we developed and continually refine a physically based treatment system that helps clients like Mark reconstruct muscle actions that drive movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, and vocal folds to enable fluent speech.”

To help clients maintain long-term fluency, HCRI provides ongoing clinician support, refresher courses, annual reunions, and a range of fluency practice tools, including the center’s web-based software program and a proprietary app that runs on iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. Brown uses these tools and returns to HCRI every 3 to 5 years to keep his stuttering in check.

With HCRI stuttering therapy, Brown performs his Salvation Army responsibilities with greater confidence and effectiveness. He works continually to manage his stuttering. “I now have the tools I need to maintain fluency for the long term. Best of all, I am better able to fulfill the mission of The Salvation Army. The ability to speak fluently is a joy and a gift.”

So during the holiday season, when The Salvation Army red kettle serves as a beacon of hope for rebuilding lives, Brown uses his fluent speech to remind people to give generously to help those in need. According to Brown, gifts come in all forms and sizes – and can make a year-round impact. He knows. He uses his “gift of fluency” every day to make lives better for others.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,000 people, aged 9 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty. For more information about HCRI, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Asking for support is a responsibility that Major C. Mark Brown is proud to do. He serves as The Salvation Army’s chief development officer for the Atlanta-based Southern Region, which is comprised of 15 states. After more than 30 years with The Salvation Army, Brown has seen first-hand the results of the organization’s charitable work that extends across the U.S. and to 123 other countries.

Yet, even with his tenure and commitment to The Salvation Army, Brown finds it a challenge to make presentations and ask for financial assistance. It’s not because he is shy or hesitant  to request money for his worthy cause. It’s because Brown stutters when he talks and has endured this limiting condition for all of his life.

Brown is not alone. According the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 66 million people worldwide suffer from the effects of stuttering, with three million living in the U.S. The condition can impair social growth, hinder educational and career aspirations, and produce emotional scars that may last a lifetime. For someone who is required to do public speaking, meet with donors and the media, and manage a large team, Brown knows all too well stuttering’s pervasive impact.

“Stuttering is always on my mind. At the same time, I’ve always been determined never to allow the way I talk to stop me from doing what I want to do in life,” Brown said. “Most important, I never want the way I speak to reflect negatively on The Salvation Army and the great work we do,” he explained.

Brown’s motivation and commitment to The Salvation Army drove him to seek treatment about 15 years ago at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – http://www.stuttering.org) , a non-profit stuttering research and treatment center. Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI is a pioneer in behavioral stuttering therapy with experience in a wide range of stuttering types and severities. During his intensive treatment, Brown learned how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle movements that enable fluent speech.

“HCRI really understands what goes wrong with speech when people stutter – and how to fix it. This puts people in control when they talk without resorting to a mechanical or electronic crutch,” Brown explained. “It was the first therapy that worked for me. It was a true gift.”

According to HCRI President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., there is no cure for stuttering. “Yet, after researching thousands of stuttering cases, we developed and continually refine a physically based treatment system that helps clients like Mark reconstruct muscle actions that drive movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, and vocal folds to enable fluent speech.”

To help clients maintain long-term fluency, HCRI provides ongoing clinician support, refresher courses, annual reunions, and a range of fluency practice tools, including the center’s web-based software program and a proprietary app that runs on iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. Brown uses these tools and returns to HCRI every 3 to 5 years to keep his stuttering in check.

With HCRI stuttering therapy, Brown performs his Salvation Army responsibilities with greater confidence and effectiveness. He works continually to manage his stuttering. “I now have the tools I need to maintain fluency for the long term. Best of all, I am better able to fulfill the mission of The Salvation Army. The ability to speak fluently is a joy and a gift.”

So during the holiday season, when The Salvation Army red kettle serves as a beacon of hope for rebuilding lives, Brown uses his fluent speech to remind people to give generously to help those in need. According to Brown, gifts come in all forms and sizes – and can make a year-round impact. He knows. He uses his “gift of fluency” every day to make lives better for others.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,000 people, aged 9 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty. For more information about HCRI, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org .

Asking for support is a responsibility that Major C. Mark Brown is proud to do. He serves as The Salvation Army’s chief development officer for the Atlanta-based Southern Region, which is comprised of 15 states. After more than 30 years with The Salvation Army, Brown has seen first-hand the results of the organization’s charitable work that extends across the U.S. and to 123 other countries.

Yet, even with his tenure and commitment to The Salvation Army, Brown finds it a challenge to make presentations and ask for financial assistance. It’s not because he is shy or hesitant  to request money for his worthy cause. It’s because Brown stutters when he talks and has endured this limiting condition for all of his life.

Brown is not alone. According the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 66 million people worldwide suffer from the effects of stuttering, with three million living in the U.S. The condition can impair social growth, hinder educational and career aspirations, and produce emotional scars that may last a lifetime. For someone who is required to do public speaking, meet with donors and the media, and manage a large team, Brown knows all too well stuttering’s pervasive impact.

“Stuttering is always on my mind. At the same time, I’ve always been determined never to allow the way I talk to stop me from doing what I want to do in life,” Brown said. “Most important, I never want the way I speak to reflect negatively on The Salvation Army and the great work we do,” he explained.

Brown’s motivation and commitment to The Salvation Army drove him to seek treatment about 15 years ago at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – http://www.stuttering.org) , a non-profit stuttering research and treatment center. Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI is a pioneer in behavioral stuttering therapy with experience in a wide range of stuttering types and severities. During his intensive treatment, Brown learned how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle movements that enable fluent speech.

“HCRI really understands what goes wrong with speech when people stutter – and how to fix it. This puts people in control when they talk without resorting to a mechanical or electronic crutch,” Brown explained. “It was the first therapy that worked for me. It was a true gift.”

According to HCRI President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., there is no cure for stuttering. “Yet, after researching thousands of stuttering cases, we developed and continually refine a physically based treatment system that helps clients like Mark reconstruct muscle actions that drive movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, and vocal folds to enable fluent speech.”

To help clients maintain long-term fluency, HCRI provides ongoing clinician support, refresher courses, annual reunions, and a range of fluency practice tools, including the center’s web-based software program and a proprietary app that runs on iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. Brown uses these tools and returns to HCRI every 3 to 5 years to keep his stuttering in check.

With HCRI stuttering therapy, Brown performs his Salvation Army responsibilities with greater confidence and effectiveness. He works continually to manage his stuttering. “I now have the tools I need to maintain fluency for the long term. Best of all, I am better able to fulfill the mission of The Salvation Army. The ability to speak fluently is a joy and a gift.”

So during the holiday season, when The Salvation Army red kettle serves as a beacon of hope for rebuilding lives, Brown uses his fluent speech to remind people to give generously to help those in need. According to Brown, gifts come in all forms and sizes – and can make a year-round impact. He knows. He uses his “gift of fluency” every day to make lives better for others.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,000 people, aged 9 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty. For more information about HCRI, visit www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org .

This week, research organization Trendwatching.com published its report on the 12 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2012, which includes the spiraling use of new apps and devices to evaluate personal health. Based on the ever-increasing desire among consumers to “discreetly track and manage their health by themselves,” do-it-yourself monitoring is listed as Trendwatching.com’s second most important trend for the coming year. (For the full list of the 12 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2012 published by Trendwatching.com, visit http://trendwatching.com/trends/12trends2012/.)

“Our approach to stuttering treatment and post-therapy support are consistent with this 2012 trend," said HCRI President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. "At our stuttering therapy center, we help people retrain their speech muscles to generate fluent speech, which puts them in control of their stuttering. Then, to maintain long-term fluency, we provide clients with ongoing clinician support and an arsenal of self-directed tools, including a web-based fluency practice system and a proprietary app that runs on iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads,” Webster added.

According to a September, 2011 report by MobiHealthNews, a company that chronicles the healthcare sector’s adoption of mobile technology, there are close to 9,000 mobile health apps – and that number is expected to increase by more than 30 percent over the next six months. While the majority of apps are offered to the public through Apple’s app store, HCRI’s fluency practice app is only available through the Institute to people who have participated in HCRI’s 12-day stuttering therapy program. Designed to reinforce and hone fluency skills learned during treatment, HCRI’s app is provided free to all clients.

Similar to the app, HCRI’s internet-based home practice system, FluencyNet, helps clients review and fine-tune their speaking skills using the same physical measurements used during HCRI therapy. The Institute’s program participants also benefit from other post-therapy support including clinician follow-up; refresher courses; fluency practice groups and conference calls; HCRI-produced CDs and program manuals; and client events.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually. Treatment involves teaching people how to replace faulty speech muscle movements that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluency. Research shows that 93 percent of HCRI clients achieve fluent speech by the end of their 12-day treatment program. Follow-up studies show 70 to 75 percent of program participant maintain fluency for the long-term.

For more information about HCRI, visit http://www.stuttering.org or contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

HCRI clinicians have treated more than 6,000 people, aged 9 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients come from all walks of life and include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, a supreme court nominee, business professionals, police officers, actors, and even royalty.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Va. 24019. The website address is http://www.stuttering.org. Contact HCRI at 855-236-7032 (toll-free), 540-265-5650, or admin@stuttering.org.

HCRI introduced the world’s first physically based stuttering treatment program in 1972, designed to help people with a wide range of stuttering types and severities acquire skills to speak fluently. Since that time, President and Founder Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. and his in-house research team continually enhance HCRI’s behavioral therapy program, which is administered to only ten people at a time over 12 days. New research discoveries, technologies, and training methods are regularly incorporated into HCRI’s treatment protocol to make fluency-skill learning easier, more precise, and more sustainable for program participants.

 “At HCRI, we have dedicated our careers to helping people who stutter open new doors of opportunity through fluency,” Webster said. “It is a joy to see our program participants, including our 6,000th client, return home with new skills that enable them to replace stuttered speech with fluent conversation. And, those who continue to practice and use the tools learned during HCRI therapy will likely remain fluent for the long term,” he added

Along with treating and serving the 6,000th program participant, HCRI clinicians have administered more than 600,000 hours of stuttering therapy, with program participants producing more than 70 million practice responses, since the center began operations.

HCRI’s stuttering treatment program, Hollins Fluency System II : Advanced Speech Reconstruction for Stuttering™, is in its third-generation. Hollins Fluency System II helps people who stutter learn how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech. By acquiring the skills to properly reconstruct muscle actions that drive movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, soft palette, and vocal folds, individuals who stutter can achieve and maintain the ability to speak fluently.

Seventeen 12-day therapy programs are conducted annually. HCRI’s stuttering treatment includes 100 hours of clinical therapy and evaluation, as well as an extensive package of post-therapy support. Research shows that 93 percent of clients achieve fluent speech by the end of treatment.  Follow-up studies confirm 70 to 75 percent maintain fluency for the long-term.

HCRI program participants are between the ages of 11 and 73 and come from every state in the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, business professionals, police officers, actors, and others from all walks of life.

For more information about HCRI's approach to fluency-skill training, as well as the Institute’s scholarship and tuition waiver programs, contact HCRI at 540-265-5650 or visit http://www.stuttering.org.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D. in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Virginia 24019. Visit http://www.stuttering.org or call 540-265-5650 to learn more about HCRI stuttering treatment.

To take advantage of the tuition waiver, individuals must complete and submit an application to attend HCRI therapy. An online application is available at www.stuttering.org. Once a person’s application is reviewed and accepted, he or she will be contacted by a member of HCRI's staff and provided with a tuition waiver certificate.

The waiver may be applied toward the cost of attending one of the following stuttering therapy sessions.

2011 HCRI Stuttering Therapy Sessions

• November 7 – 18, 2011

• December 5 – 16, 2011

2012 HCRI Stuttering Therapy Sessions

• January 16 – 27, 2012       

• February 6 – 17, 2012

• February 20 – March 2, 2012

• March 12 – 23, 2012

• March 26 – April 6, 201

HCRI’s stuttering therapy program, Hollins Fluency System II: Advanced Speech Reconstruction for Stuttering™, is the Institute's third-generation therapy program. This proprietary stuttering treatment system incorporates HCRI’s latest research findings, technology, and training methods that significantly improve the learning and retention of fluent speech. 

Hollins Fluency System II helps people who stutter learn how to replace faulty muscle contractions that cause stuttering with new muscle behaviors that generate fluent speech. By acquiring the skills to properly reconstruct muscle actions that drive movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, soft palette, and vocal folds, individuals who stutter can achieve and sustain the ability to speak fluently.

The stuttering treatment program includes 100 hours of clinical therapy and an extensive package of post-therapy support tools. For more information about HCRI's approach to fluency-skill training, as well as the tuition waiver, contact HCRI at 540-265-5650 or admin@stuttering.org .

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. HCRI clinicians have treated nearly 6,000 people, aged 10 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, business professionals, police officers, actors, and others from all walks of life.

HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Virginia 24019.  Visit www.stuttering.org or call 540-265-5650 to learn more about HCRI stuttering treatment.

It is very clear to me that stuttering involves tremendously subjective reactions that are important to the person who stutters. In addition, the disfluencies produced during stuttering are observed subjectively by outside people who witness these behaviors.

One of our goals is to create new technologies that increase the objective measurement of the speech events that occur when a person stutterers. Of course, most of you know that we have developed tools for measuring voice onset characteristics during therapy. These tools are represented within our therapy program, our FluenceyNet home practice system, and our iPhone/iPod Touch apps. There is no question that these tools make the acquisition of targets more reliable and improves their retention.

We are working on exciting new tools for measuring speech in real time. Our newest development is the “speech microscope.” This system allows us to slice speech into hundreds (or thousands) of samples, each one of which can be quantified and examined independently or in relationship to other samples.

One of the first findings during the testing of this new technology was that we could clearly differentiate stuttered speech from fluent speech. There was no question about the clarity and reliability of these results – every stuttered speech sample, no matter how slight the stuttering, was seen to be quantitatively different from the fluent speech samples.

There are two next steps with the HCRI Speech Microscope: the first deals with automating the scoring of disfluencies; the second deals with developing the analysis system so all relevant speech targets in our therapy can be taught with guidance from the system.

There is no question that we can better measure, understand, and use in treatment the objective information generated by our new tool. And, there is a great deal to be learned as we move ahead; however, each step creates a platform of understanding that sets the stage for further advances.

I believe that we need to invent new ways of seeing and understanding stuttering. When we do this, everything gets better for our clients – and that is the ultimate goal for our organization.

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute was founded by Ronald L. Webster in 1972 to investigate stuttering through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Under Dr. Webster’s direction, Roanoke, Virginia-based HCRI, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has become an international leader in stuttering research and the development of innovative, scientifically based therapy approaches.

The Institute offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually, each of which lasts 12 days. HCRI clinicians have treated nearly 6,000 people, aged 10 to 73, from across the U.S. and 47 other countries. Clients include broadcaster John Stossel of Fox News; Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn; as well as athletes, teachers, engineers, students, doctors, military personnel, business professionals, police officers, actors, and others from all walks of life.

For more information, visit www.stuttering.org or call HCRI at 540-265-5650.