‘School for Stammerers’ helps people to find their true voice
Documentary features Scottish man whose story inspires others
A man who has largely conquered his life-long speech disorder is to star in a major television documentary training other people to overcome their stammer.
Steven Cairns, who appears in School for Stammerers, a documentary being shown ITV on Tuesday, said getting rid of his stammer was a “euphoric moment”, like being “released from a dark cave I had been locked up in all my life.”
Mr Cairns, 35, from Edinburgh, said his life changed after hearing Pop Idol star Gareth Gates talking about an intensive speech therapy course called the Mcguire Programme, run by people who stammer, which had help the star overcome the affliction.
The Mcguire Programme, a four-day course, founded in 1994 by Dave Mcguire, a stammerer, includes learning breathing and psychology techniques as well as ditching “filler words” used to fill uncomfortable silences. Participants build confidence by being pro-active in conversation such as asking passersby what the time is or how to get to a destination.
Techniques must be practised every day following the course to maintain and continue progress.
“Growing up with a stammer left me feeling very isolated. When I was in fouth year at school I mostly stopped attending because I didn’t want to do things like give talks in front of other people,” Mr Cairns said.
“After I left school I started drinking a lot, drifted in and out of jobs with no direction or prospects, and at one stage wanted to commit suicide.
“I’d had NHS speech therapy when I was younger but it was
“Getting rid of my stammer was a euphoric moment, like being released from a dark cave I had been locked up in all my life.”