No one would know that Tonelson has a stuttering condition that he has lived with since grade school. Like many who stutter, he tried different types of speech therapy while growing up. None resulted in lasting improvements.

“I would have good days and bad days. There was no way to predict what was going to happen with my speech,” Tonelson explained. “By the time I was in high school, I had accepted the fact that this is my lot in life and I would just have to deal with my stuttering.”

Stuttering afflicts three million people in the U.S. and 66 million worldwide, according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition occurs when speech muscles inappropriately contract and jump out of control during attempts to speak. Stuttering ranges in severity and often hampers educational and career aspirations, inhibits social growth, and serves as a barrier to people reaching their full potential in life.

Although a determined Tonelson decided he wasn’t going to let his stuttering stand in the way, he readily admits that his speech condition guided some significant life choices. As a student at Princeton University, he joined the college newspaper in hopes of a print journalism career because “I mistakenly thought it would enable me to write for living and wouldn't put a premium on using speech.”  Tonelson quickly learned that reporting requires constant telephone and in-person interviewing.  Although he performed well enough in college journalism and his first reporting job after graduation, he became increasingly concerned that his speech might limit his career possibilities.

Then he heard about a physically based stuttering treatment program, developed by scientists at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – www.stuttering.org ) in Roanoke, Virginia. HCRI offered a unique therapy approach that focused on retraining faulty speech muscle movements that cause stuttering to create new muscle activities that enable fluent speech.

“HCRI’s treatment was different than anything else I had tried. It made sense to me because it was based on physiology and not psychology,” Tonelson explained. “I attended the treatment program and saw a dramatic increase in my fluency. The therapy did its job.”

HCRI’s program involves 12 days of intensive stuttering treatment where participants work one-on-one with specially trained clinicians to learn new speech motor skills. Through detailed steps, individuals learn how to reconstruct distorted speech muscle behaviors to generate fluent speech. Then once fluency is achieved in the clinic, participants learn how to transfer their new-found speaking abilities into everyday life.

“We have researched thousands of stuttering cases since HCRI’s doors opened in 1972. Data has consistently shown that stuttering is a physically based disorder and needs to be treated as such,” said HCRI Founder and President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D.

HCRI pioneered the concept of physically based treatment for stuttering more than 30 years ago and has continued to enhance the therapy program over the years. Advanced electronics and computers have been incorporated into the treatment regime to enhance the ease of learning and retaining fluent speech. Ninety-three percent of HCRI clients achieve fluency by the end of treatment. Follow-up studies show 70 to 75% retain fluency for the long term.

Underscoring the importance of physically based treatment for stuttering, last month the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a groundbreaking study by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that confirmed a genetic link to stuttering. HCRI was a participant in this key research initiative, which dispelled long-standing assumptions that stuttering is caused by stress or psychological issues.

According to Webster, “Physically based therapy takes hard work and commitment. Clients leave our center with all the tools they need to control their stuttering and remain fluent for a lifetime. Yet for treatment to work over time, they must continue to practice their new speech skills on a regular basis when they return home.”

To maintain his fluency, Tonelson joined a speech practice group in Washington D.C., comprised of HCRI stuttering therapy clients, and participated actively for nearly 20 years. The group meets weekly to practice specific speech skills learned in therapy and help one another maintain fluency. In addition to organized practice groups, HCRI offers extensive post-therapy support services to all program participants.  

“HCRI’s physically based treatment has been a life-changer for me,” Tonelson said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now without it.”

In addition to his regular television appearances, Tonelson uses his fluid, persuasive communication skills on national radio programs to offer perspectives on economic and foreign policy issues. He has given presentations for universities, government agencies and business organizations around the globe. His articles and commentary have appeared in leading publications including Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and others. Tonelson is a columnist for The Washington Times and IndustryToday.com, and author of a book on globalization called “The Race to the Bottom.”

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute, founded in 1972 by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., has grown into a world-leading center for the investigation and treatment of stuttering. The 501 (c) (3) nonprofit institute is unique from other stuttering organizations in that work focuses on developing scientifically based treatment methods, as well as administering stuttering therapy.

HCRI offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually and has treated more than 5,700 people from across the U.S. and 23 other countries. Clients include John Stossel of Fox News; Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons; and Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn. HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Virginia, 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org. Contact HCRI at admin@stuttering.org or 540-265-5650.

No one would know that Tonelson has a stuttering condition that he has lived with since grade school. Like many who stutter, he tried different types of speech therapy while growing up. None resulted in lasting improvements.

“I would have good days and bad days. There was no way to predict what was going to happen with my speech,” Tonelson explained. “By the time I was in high school, I had accepted the fact that this is my lot in life and I would just have to deal with my stuttering.”

Stuttering afflicts three million people in the U.S. and 66 million worldwide, according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition occurs when speech muscles inappropriately contract and jump out of control during attempts to speak. Stuttering ranges in severity and often hampers educational and career aspirations, inhibits social growth, and serves as a barrier to people reaching their full potential in life.

Although a determined Tonelson decided he wasn’t going to let his stuttering stand in the way, he readily admits that his speech condition guided some significant life choices. As a student at Princeton University, he joined the college newspaper in hopes of a print journalism career because “I mistakenly thought it would enable me to write for living and wouldn't put a premium on using speech.”  Tonelson quickly learned that reporting requires constant telephone and in-person interviewing.  Although he performed well enough in college journalism and his first reporting job after graduation, he became increasingly concerned that his speech might limit his career possibilities.

Then he heard about a physically based stuttering treatment program, developed by scientists at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – www.stuttering.org ) in Roanoke, Virginia. HCRI offered a unique therapy approach that focused on retraining faulty speech muscle movements that cause stuttering to create new muscle activities that enable fluent speech.

“HCRI’s treatment was different than anything else I had tried. It made sense to me because it was based on physiology and not psychology,” Tonelson explained. “I attended the treatment program and saw a dramatic increase in my fluency. The therapy did its job.”

HCRI’s program involves 12 days of intensive stuttering treatment where participants work one-on-one with specially trained clinicians to learn new speech motor skills. Through detailed steps, individuals learn how to reconstruct distorted speech muscle behaviors to generate fluent speech. Then once fluency is achieved in the clinic, participants learn how to transfer their new-found speaking abilities into everyday life.

“We have researched thousands of stuttering cases since HCRI’s doors opened in 1972. Data has consistently shown that stuttering is a physically based disorder and needs to be treated as such,” said HCRI Founder and President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D.

HCRI pioneered the concept of physically based treatment for stuttering more than 30 years ago and has continued to enhance the therapy program over the years. Advanced electronics and computers have been incorporated into the treatment regime to enhance the ease of learning and retaining fluent speech. Ninety-three percent of HCRI clients achieve fluency by the end of treatment. Follow-up studies show 70 to 75% retain fluency for the long term.

Underscoring the importance of physically based treatment for stuttering, last month the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a groundbreaking study by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that confirmed a genetic link to stuttering. HCRI was a participant in this key research initiative, which dispelled long-standing assumptions that stuttering is caused by stress or psychological issues.

According to Webster, “Physically based therapy takes hard work and commitment. Clients leave our center with all the tools they need to control their stuttering and remain fluent for a lifetime. Yet for treatment to work over time, they must continue to practice their new speech skills on a regular basis when they return home.”

To maintain his fluency, Tonelson joined a speech practice group in Washington D.C., comprised of HCRI stuttering therapy clients, and participated actively for nearly 20 years. The group meets weekly to practice specific speech skills learned in therapy and help one another maintain fluency. In addition to organized practice groups, HCRI offers extensive post-therapy support services to all program participants.  

“HCRI’s physically based treatment has been a life-changer for me,” Tonelson said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now without it.”

In addition to his regular television appearances, Tonelson uses his fluid, persuasive communication skills on national radio programs to offer perspectives on economic and foreign policy issues. He has given presentations for universities, government agencies and business organizations around the globe. His articles and commentary have appeared in leading publications including Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and others. Tonelson is a columnist for The Washington Times and IndustryToday.com, and author of a book on globalization called “The Race to the Bottom.”

About HCRI

Hollins Communications Research Institute, founded in 1972 by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., has grown into a world-leading center for the investigation and treatment of stuttering. The 501 (c) (3) nonprofit institute is unique from other stuttering organizations in that work focuses on developing scientifically based treatment methods, as well as administering stuttering therapy.

HCRI offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually and has treated more than 5,700 people from across the U.S. and 23 other countries. Clients include John Stossel of Fox News; Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons; and Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn. HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Virginia, 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org. Contact HCRI at admin@stuttering.org or 540-265-5650.

That all changed for Taylor in 2009 after participating in an intensive stuttering treatment program at the Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI – www.stuttering.org ) in Roanoke, Virginia. She spent 100 hours over 12 days retraining faulty speech muscle behaviors that cause stuttering with new muscle activities that generate fluent speech. For the first time in her life, Taylor was able to control her stuttering and speak fluently.  

 

“When I graduated from college a little more than a year ago, I knew I needed to make fluency a priority in my life if I was going to achieve my full potential,” she said. Taylor was employed by DuPont while she attended college and wanted to position herself upon graduation for greater responsibility with the company. She researched different stuttering therapy programs and enrolled in HCRI’s stuttering treatment because “the therapy is designed to work in the real world – and that’s exactly what I needed.”

 

It didn’t take long for Taylor’s newly acquired speech skills to begin opening doors of opportunity. When she returned from therapy to her job as an administrative assistant at the DuPont Spruance site, she was approached by management to serve as co-chair of the Spruance Women’s Network. The network is an organization dedicated to collaboration, community service and outreach.  With new fluency skills that gave her new-found confidence, she seized the opportunity. Taylor and her co-chair, Pam Johnson, immediately got to work and expanded membership across all levels of DuPont and extended the number of nonprofit organizations the network served.

 

“The new role I played required me to speak in front of management and staff on a regular basis. I would have never been able to do that before going through HCRI stuttering treatment. Now I consider public speaking opportunities a chance to put my fluency skills to the test and help make a difference in the lives of others,” Taylor explained.

 

In the past year, the Spruance Women’s Network led successful drives to benefit the Central Virginia Food Bank, Coats for Kids, Richmond’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and a center for battered women. In addition, the organization participated in science events at Chesterfield County Schools and organized walks for the American Heart Association and the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. Outside of work, Taylor gives her time to help Junior Achievement, YMCA, Rebuilding Together Richmond, and Special Olympics.

 

“Learning to speak fluently whenever and wherever I choose has changed my life. HCRI’s stuttering therapy was hard work and it takes daily practice. Yet, it has made a remarkable difference in what I can do every day.” she said.

 

Taylor is engaged in one additional volunteer initiative that is close to her heart – helping other people who stutter. Upon completion of her stuttering therapy in 2009, she organized a fluency practice group for HCRI therapy participants across the U.S. Each week she teams up with fellow HCRI program graduate Jay Johnson and moderates weekly speech practice sessions via conference call.

 

For her leadership and dedication to volunteerism, Taylor has been nominated to receive the Chesterfield Public Education Foundation’s Bravo! Award. The award recognizes people who have made remarkable contributions to their professions and communities. She will find out if she receives the honor this spring.

About Stuttering

 

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are 66 million people worldwide and three million in the U.S who suffer from stuttering. Stuttering occurs when speech muscles inappropriately contract and “jump out of control” during attempts to speak. The speech condition can severely damage self-esteem and inhibit people’s ability to reach their full potential.  

 

“Stuttering is deeply misunderstood, with many believing that persons who stutter are less intelligent or have mental problems. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” said HCRI Founder Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D.  “People who stutter are like everyone else; they just have a physical condition that gets in the way of their ability to talk fluently.”  

 

A study released in February 2010 by the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders found three mutated genes linked to stuttering. This genetic connection dispels theories that the condition is caused by stress or emotional issues. HCRI was one of the organizations that participated in this groundbreaking study by conducting stuttering evaluations on most of the participants.  In addition, HCRI research with more than 5,700 people who stutter has strongly indicated that stuttering is a physical condition that can be successfully treated with physically based therapy that helps people retrain speech muscles to produce fluent speech.  

 

There are a wide range of approaches to treat stuttering, with the most common being weekly visits with a speech therapist designed to lessen speech disfluencies.  According to Webster, this non-systematic approach is only effective 25 percent of the time. In contrast, research shows 93 percent of HCRI clients attain normal fluency by the end of treatment and 70 to 75% retain fluent speech for the long term.

About HCRI

 

Hollins Communications Research Institute, founded in 1972 by Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D., has grown into a world-leading center for the investigation and treatment of stuttering. The 501 (c) (3) nonprofit institute is unique from other stuttering organizations in that work focuses on developing scientifically based treatment methods, as well as administering stuttering therapy.

 

HCRI offers 17 stuttering therapy programs annually and has treated more than 5,700 people from across the U.S. and 23 other countries. Clients include John Stossel of Fox News; Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons; and Annie Glenn, wife of Senator and Astronaut John Glenn. HCRI is located at 7851 Enon Drive, Roanoke, Virginia, 24019. For more information, visit www.stuttering.org . Contact HCRI at admin@stuttering.org or 540-265-5650.