Piers Adamson

I spent many years hesitating about whether to go on a McGuire course. I was in denial about how much my stammer affected me and was basically settling for a life I was not happy with. 

When I was aged 29, I decided enough was enough. I wanted to do more with my career and have more self-confidence generally.

I knew I couldn’t do that without addressing my speech. 

I had no idea what to expect of the course and understood so little I hoped I could come on the course and be ‘cured’ in four days. Ha!

I had a lot to learn about stammering (and myself). 

I was struck by the empathy and kindness of the grads and coaches on the programme and learned quickly that honesty about my speech was a far better route out of the swamp of stammering than anything I’d tried before – whether conventional speech therapy or my own misguided strategies.

Since starting the programme I’ve had to work very hard on my speech, and at times taken steps backwards, but the McGuire support network has always been there to assist me and over time I’ve achieved many things I never thought possible when I was younger – leading big teams in the workplace, delivering difficult presentations, giving speeches at weddings etc. 

Most importantly I gained day-to-day freedom from the fear of stammering. I know no one who has attended a McGuire course and regretted it.’