Stuttering Therapy & Support for Adults
Explore resources and support for adults living with stutteringLiving with a stutter can bring unique challenges – you’re in the right place for help and support. We’re here to help you feel confident and reach your potential.
Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou
Seek after knowledge for the sake of your wellbeing
You are not alone
About 50,000 Kiwis understand the moments of frustration and the sense of isolation that can come with stuttering. Navigating stuttering often involves finding your own unique ways of handling things. Maybe you’ve found yourself avoiding certain words or subtly changing what you’re about to say to avoid stuttering. And concealing it from others? That can become almost second nature for some people who stutter.
Stuttering affects everyone differently. For some, it’s just a blip on the radar but for others, it’s like a giant roadblock, affecting everything from daily interactions to big life decisions. But, here’s the reassuring part – no matter where you find yourself on this journey, there’s help and support available.
What Does Therapy Look Like?
When it comes to stuttering therapy, there’s no magic pill or quick fix, but the good news is that help and support is available. Stuttering therapy for adults often involves delving into some deep-seated speech patterns, feelings, and attitudes surrounding stuttering, talking, and communication in general.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to stuttering therapy – each person’s journey is unique, and therapy needs to reflect that. Your needs, preferences, and goals are what guide the process. Maybe you’re gearing up for a job interview and want some short-term strategies to help you through. Or perhaps you’re looking for more long-term changes.
Whatever your goals may be, stuttering therapy is all about working together with a skilled speech language therapist to tailor a plan that supports you to make change in a way that feels authentic and comfortable for you.
Cost of Sessions
As a charitable trust, we’re committed to ensuring that our sessions and other services are accessible to everyone. That’s why we keep our rates as affordable as we possibly can. Our standard charge is $75 per session with a reduced rate of $55 for Community Service Card holders, tertiary students and senior citizens. However, if the cost is still an issue for you, please get in touch with us. We’re here to help and we’ll adjust the rate to ensure you receive the support you need without undue financial strain.
Our sessions are heavily subsidised. If you’re in a position where you can contribute more than the standard fee, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support.
Social Work Support
Typically, we recommend starting your journey with one of our speech language therapists. Additionally, our team includes a social worker, Felix Unger, who brings personal insight to the stuttering experience. Your speech language therapist will explore with you whether additional support from our social worker could also be helpful. This additional layer of support is there to help you navigate any tricky thoughts or feelings you might have about stuttering. It’s all about tailoring our approach to fit your individual needs and goals.
So when you’re ready to take that next step – we’re here to help and support you.
Adult Support Group
An important part of our mahi is fostering social connections and building a strong sense of belonging and community among people who stutter. So we’re thrilled to introduce our latest initiative – our adult support group. It’s a space where adults who stutter can come together to connect, share experiences, and offer each other support.
Led by our experienced social worker, who understands firsthand the challenges of stuttering, this group is held online via Zoom, making it accessible to people across New Zealand. While our team facilitates the discussions, we value the input and ideas of everyone involved. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment where you feel comfortable discussing topics related to stuttering, offering support to one another, and shaping the direction of the group together. Join us as we build a community of understanding and support!
If you’re interested in attending click the link below to register your interest or join the next session.
People like you…
“START has helped me find acceptance with my stutter, and to not look at it as a negative thing I need to get rid of. The therapists are very patient and they create a comfortable environment for you to be who you are at any stage you’re at. What was also great is that they offered me the support of their social worker as well as working with a speech language therapist which worked for me personally. They’re affordable compared to other speech language therapists I’ve seen. I highly recommend seeking START.”
– Matariki (28 years)
“Almost 3 years ago now, when I went off to university, I was struggling with my speech so I tried to look for any speech therapy places in Wellington but none looked as if they’d be that much help. I almost gave up on the search but luckily enough my mum gave me a call and said that there was this really good organisation in Auckland called START, and that they do the therapy over Zoom. At first I was sceptical but I thought I’d try it out anyway and see if it helped. After just a few weeks of doing the therapy over Zoom I could already see improvements and ways that it was helping me just like if I were to do it in person. I picked up helpful techniques and practised skills to aid in my journey to be more fluent. I think that START having the option to do therapy over Zoom is great. It means people who stutter from all over New Zealand can reach out to START for some help. For me, Zoom therapy has been just as beneficial as in-person therapy and I’d highly recommend it.”
– Chris (21 years)
Let's chat!
If you want to have a kōrero with one of our team about stuttering or explore whether therapy could be beneficial, we're here to help.
You’re not alone in this - our team is here to support you.