FAQs
I like what I hear about the McGuire Programme and I want to apply for my first course. How do I do that?
The application form should be completed by yourself or, in the case of a minor, by a parent, guardian or other responsible person.
If you choose to apply online, the first step is to go to the online application form. When you have filled in all the information we ask you to provide, click on the ‘Submit’ button. Your application will be referred to the Regional Director for your area. You will receive a confirmation shortly afterwards.
If you (or someone speaking on your behalf) prefer to contact Dave McGuire or a Regional Director directly by e-mail, telephone or letter, you will find contact details on the website. An application form will be sent to you on request. This should be completed and returned to the Regional Director for your area. You will receive a confirmation shortly afterwards by whichever method you prefer (e-mail, telephone or letter).
The Regional Director for your area will provide dates for forthcoming intensive courses which still have places available for new students.
Is there a cure for stammering/stuttering?
Stammering affects approximately one per cent of the population, though it is more commonly found in men than in women. Despite all efforts, no cure has yet been discovered for stammering and we should be very suspicious of anyone who claims otherwise. Although there is no known cure, we believe it is possible to make fundamental positive changes of a lasting nature. It is possible not only to manage your speech well, but to overcome the negative emotions of stammering.
You say that the goal for students of the McGuire Programme is eloquence. Why do you aim for eloquence and not for fluency? What is the difference?
Many people who stammer – perhaps most – enter stammering therapy wishing to become fluent. After years of negative speaking experiences, this is understandable. However, it is a paradox that fluency, when pursued above all else, can be a self-defeating goal.
Much more productive is to start with self-acceptance. Learning to accept ourselves fully in the role of people who stammer can be challenging, but it is the crucial first step beyond stammering. Interestingly, by taking the focus away from fluency as a primary objective, fluency is often achieved as a by product.
We aim for eloquence because we want you to take pride in your role as a speaker. Indeed, many of our members are involved in public speaking organisations such as Toastmasters, Association of Speakers Clubs, and Rostrum. McGuire Programme graduates regularly win public speaking awards.
I’ve read the information on this website about the McGuire Programme, but I’m still undecided whether to apply. May I speak to some graduates of the programme?
Yes. We encourage all potential applicants to do this initial research. Contact one or other of our Regional Directors and they will provide you with phone numbers of graduates who are happy to share their experiences of stammering and recovery. Also, you will be very welcome to attend our Open Days to ask questions, find out more about us and to speak to some graduates in person.
What qualifications do you have?
We are not qualified speech and language therapists. Our coaching staff includes a number of medical practitioners, psychologists and counsellors and we often draw on their expertise. More importantly, however, we consider our personal experience with stammering and our demonstrated commitment to assist others over the long term as a significant qualification in its own right. The Programme is continuously reviewed and developed by trained Programme staff who, by constantly observing and working with many kinds of stammerers, consulting with professionals and learning from other sources, seek to improve its effectiveness.
What opinions do speech and language therapists have of the McGuire Programme?
From the beginning, we have engaged positively with the professional community, obtained their views and input, and worked cooperatively for the improved prospects of people who stammer. Many speech therapists have attended our intensive courses and suggested changes that have improved aspects of our programme. Others have sought to learn from our approach and have referred clients to us.
Because we operate an “open-door” policy, we invite interested speech and language therapists to observe and participate in our events, at no cost, to learn more about what we offer. To ensure the validity of observation, we recommend that therapists observe courses in their entirety and that they take time to observe and evaluate our follow-up support programme.
Does the McGuire Programme have a good relationship with the wider stuttering community?
Yes. Many McGuire Programme members are active beyond the Programme as volunteers in other stammering self-help organisations such as the BSA (British Stammering Association), the NSA (National Stuttering Association), the Australian Speak Easy Association, and the ISA (International Stuttering Association). Alongside these bodies, the McGuire Programme plays its part in promoting public and professional awareness of stammering.
I’ve done my research about the McGuire Programme, but I am surprised by the fee.
The fee for lifetime membership of the McGuire Programme covers not only the first intensive course, but also our full support programme. Consistent follow-up support includes unlimited opportunity to attend further intensive courses, the assistance of a personal coach, continuous telephone and internet support, and access to group meetings not only in your own area and throughout the country, but in every part of the world where there is an active McGuire Programme.
We believe the membership fee, which includes all these benefits, to be relatively modest and to be good value. The McGuire Programme is not subsidised by public or private health insurances, nor is it a registered charity.
Bear in mind, too, that the fee is not payable until the second day of your first course. Because we want you to feel comfortable about your decision to join the Programme, we give you time and opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the Programme for yourself. Only then will you decide, quite freely, whether to continue.
In many cases, employers in the public and private sectors are willing to contribute all or some of the Programme fee for employees.
On our own initiative and at our own discretion, we continue to offer scholarships in cases of financial hardship.
I’d like to encourage a friend to participate in the McGuire Programme. How can I convince him or her of its value, or am I better advised not to push the issue?
It has to be your friend's decision to join the Programme and he or she must approach it with ownership, commitment and a motivation to do something about his stammering. If that's not the case, we'd probably rather not see him. We're not interested in providing a quick fix that will give him a temporary fluency for a short while; we're much more concerned to work with him, for as long as it takes, to maintain the genuine long-term improvement of his speech.
I imagine my friend would find the idea of attending a course daunting or intimidating. How are such fears or doubts overcome?
When people attend their first course, they quickly realise they are among friends, fellow stammerers who have experienced all the difficulties, all the embarrassments and fears that they too have suffered. The Programme is a supportive, self-help "community" that continues to extend worldwide. During courses, we are all presented with challenging situations, but we don't ask people to do anything we don't think they can do or that we have not done ourselves. All activities are optional. We also encourage family members or partners to come along to sit in on the course, or parts of the course. The more they know about the Programme, the more they can do to help and support their loved one during recovery.