There is nothing better than lending a helping hand to your community by becoming involved. Whether it is providing aid to a local soup kitchen, or helping a non-profit, knowing that your actions are contributing in a positive way can be truly fulfilling.

One of the best decisions I made this year was volunteering for the Canadian Stuttering Association (CSA) where I found an incredible community of resilient and positive individuals determined to spread awareness and understanding about stuttering, and fight stigma.

The event started on Friday evening, with a welcoming get-together and lots of great food and conversation at the Hard Rock Club next to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The next morning, attendees enjoyed the opening ceremonies which were kicked off by a wonderful surprise from our generous sponsor, Harmonize for Speech.

Alexandra D’Agostino here, Family and Youth Programming Coordinator of the CSA!

A Message from the Family and Youth Programming Coordinator

Hello families of the CSA! My name is Alexandra D’Agostino and I am the Family and Youth Programming Coordinator for the CSA.

The CSA held its fifth Let’s Talk on-line webinar on Sunday, June 26. If you missed this event, it is possible for you to view a recording of the session at your convenience. Simply register and you will receive a link to the video. The video will be available until August 1, 2022.

Based on who was in attendance, the topic appealed to persons who stutter, speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology students, and parents of children who stutter.

This is a continuation of a review of selected essays in the text, Stammering Pride and Prejudice: Difference not Defect. In this essay, "One Story at a Time: Using the Narrative Approach to Self Therapy," Joshua Walker describes how Narrative Therapy helped him change his outlook and approach to his stuttering, and move forward with his career as a medical doctor.

This is a continuation of a series of reviews of selected articles featured in the text, Stammering Pride and Prejudice. In this essay, “How We Can Work Together To Decrease Stigma”, the “we” in the title refers to advocates for people who stutter and professional speech-language pathologists. Michael P. Boyle explains that while these two groups share many of the same goals, they are to some extent at odds.  He describes ways the groups can collaborate and learn from each other. 

Doreen (Dori) Lenz Holte’s web site and  book Voice Unearthed have helped many parents find a new approach to dealing with their children’s stuttering. 

In this essay from the text Stammering Pride and Prejudice, she describes how, and why, she has sought to change the narrative around stuttering treatment for kids. Its title says it all: “Keep Kids Talking; The Impact of Shame for Children who Stutter.”

On Sunday, March 27th, the CSA hosted a new Let's Talk instalment, focussed on dating with confidence. This event featured Jaleesa Bygrave and Devon Kirchner, women who stutter with diverse backgrounds.