Beyond Stuttering in Düsseldorf | McGuire Programme & ISAD 2026
Beyond Stuttering: An International Gathering in Düsseldorf – McGuire Programme Germany & Central Europe | 15-17 October 2026
Published on International Stuttering Awareness Day – 22 October 2026
What happens when people who stutter, from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, come together for three days of intensive training?
There’s hard work, certainly. Plenty of breathing, speaking, challenging situations, and stepping outside comfort zones.
But there’s also laughter, friendship, personal discovery, and sometimes the realisation that you’ve come much further than you thought.
That’s what we experienced at our latest McGuire Programme intensive course in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 15-17 October 2026.
And as we mark International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) today, it’s a particularly fitting opportunity to reflect on what those three days meant.
Different Backgrounds. A Shared Understanding.
We welcomed 20 participants, one new student and 19 returning members, including three coaches.
Although organised by McGuire Germany & Central Europe, the course brought together people connected with McGuire regions across Germany & Central Europe, Scandinavia, MENA (Middle East and North Africa), Benelux, and India.
Our participants had roots in countries including Ireland, Russia, Denmark, India, Norway, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Estonia, Croatia, and Turkey. One member even lives aboard a catamaran in the Mediterranean Sea!
As an Irishman who began his own McGuire journey in Dublin in 2004, I particularly appreciate the international connections our Programme continues to create.
Different languages, cultures, lifestyles, and experiences of stuttering, yet an immediate understanding of something that can be difficult to explain to someone who has never experienced it.
Some members had travelled considerable distances. Some were returning after years away from the Programme, while others regularly attend courses to continue refining their skills.
And one new student was beginning a completely new chapter.
Everyone arrived with different experiences, expectations, and personal goals.
Das Dazwischen – The In-between
Our training venue was a bright, welcoming studio called Das Dazwischen, which translates into English as The In-between.
I rather like that name.
In many ways, we’re all somewhere in-between, between where we’ve been and where we want to go, between old speaking habits and new behaviours, between what we can do today and what we might achieve tomorrow.
The studio provided an excellent setting for our training.
With a relatively small group, everyone had plenty of opportunities to practise, participate in discussions, ask questions, and receive individual feedback.
The atmosphere was open, supportive, and energetic.
We worked hard, but there was also plenty of laughter.
One particularly memorable moment came before our Harrison workshops on Saturday morning, when we introduced a group energiser called HEE, HAA, WOO!
It involved quick reactions, coordinated movements, plenty of shouting, and elimination whenever someone made a mistake.
It didn’t take long before the room was full of laughter and enthusiasm.
Sometimes we need to get out of our heads, stop worrying about getting everything right, and simply enjoy the moment.
We can be serious about our training without taking ourselves too seriously.
It’s Not About Where You Started. It’s About Where You Are Now.
One question I regularly ask members is:
“What is your level right now?”
Not how long they’ve been in the Programme or how many courses they’ve attended.
Where are they today?
Stuttering affects people differently, and our experiences and abilities can change considerably over time.
Some members return to strengthen their foundations. Others are refining particular speaking behaviours, challenging difficult situations, or working towards more disciplined spontaneous speech.
One returning member reflected on their journey from severe stuttering to speaking fluently and realised that they were no longer fighting the same battles they once faced.
There were still things to work on, but their starting point had changed enormously.
It’s an important reminder that progress isn’t always about reaching some distant destination.
Sometimes it’s about recognising how far we’ve already travelled.
And sometimes the most valuable lesson is rediscovering the basics.
Throughout the course, we returned repeatedly to the importance of keeping things simple, understanding our physical and psychological weapons, and knowing when and how to use them.
The McGuire Programme combines physical speaking techniques, including costal breathing, with psychological strategies that help us challenge established behaviours, avoidance, and fear.
It’s an active approach that requires practice, commitment, and personal responsibility.
Discipline in Action
One of the central messages I emphasised throughout the course was the difference between reacting and responding.
Many people who stutter know what it’s like to anticipate a difficult word, feel pressure to speak, or become caught up in worrying about what might happen.
Over time, these experiences can influence our behaviour, emotions, perceptions, and beliefs.
But we can learn to recognise those patterns.
And when we recognise them, we have an opportunity to respond differently.
We can pause, make a conscious decision, and use the weapons we’ve been practising.
That’s what I mean by discipline in action.
Not simply demonstrating technique while an instructor is watching, but developing the ability to take responsibility for our speaking behaviours in everyday life.
During the course, we reinforced the importance of Cancellation, recognising when we’ve pushed through a block or reverted to an old speaking behaviour, and taking immediate action rather than allowing the experience to dwell.
Just a few days after the course, one member shared an encouraging experience of doing exactly that while speaking with family members, a situation she had previously found particularly challenging.
It wasn’t about speaking perfectly.
It was about recognising what happened, making a conscious decision, and acting on it.
Those moments matter.
More Than Three Days
One of the things that makes the McGuire Programme special is that the work doesn’t end when the course finishes.
In fact, much of the most important work happens afterwards.
During three intensive days, members can practise in a structured, supportive environment. They receive coaching, encouragement, and opportunities to challenge themselves.
But everyday life brings different situations.
Work meetings. Telephone calls. Conversations with family. Ordering a coffee. Introducing yourself to someone new.
And that’s where our training needs to become part of our lives.
Several returning members reflected on the importance of maintaining their practice between courses, using their support networks, and taking consistent action rather than relying on the motivation that comes from attending an intensive course.
There’s no need to get everything perfect.
But there is a need to keep working.
Progress comes through awareness, practice, challenges, mistakes, adjustments, and persistence.
And one of the greatest strengths of the McGuire Programme is that members don’t have to do that work alone.
Our international community of coaches and graduates provides continuing support, encouragement, and shared experience.
The conversations that began in Düsseldorf are already continuing as members return to their everyday lives.
International Stuttering Awareness Day – Every Voice Has a Story
This year’s International Stuttering Awareness Day theme, “Shades of Stuttering – What’s Yours?”, reminds us that no two experiences of stuttering are exactly alike.
That was certainly evident in Düsseldorf.
We had people who were just beginning their journey, others rebuilding their foundations, and experienced members continuing to develop their communication skills.
Some spoke about the impact stuttering had made on their lives. Others reflected on the changes they’d achieved, the challenges they still faced, or the freedom they’d discovered through taking action.
There’s room for all those experiences.
Awareness matters because stuttering is about far more than the moments when speech becomes difficult.
It can affect how we see ourselves, the opportunities we pursue, the situations we avoid, and the choices we make.
But our experiences of stuttering don’t have to define the limits of our lives.
At the McGuire Programme, we believe in helping people who stutter develop the skills, confidence, self-acceptance, and discipline to challenge those limits and move beyond stuttering.
Not by pretending that stuttering doesn’t exist.
And not by demanding perfect speech.
But by learning to face difficult situations, take responsibility for our behaviours, and keep moving forward.
Looking Ahead
I came away from Düsseldorf grateful for the commitment, openness, and enthusiasm of everyone who participated.
Thank you to our new student, returning members, coaches, and everyone who travelled to be part of the course.
The friendships, conversations, challenges, and personal discoveries are what make these events so worthwhile.
And on International Stuttering Awareness Day, I’d encourage anyone who stutters to remember something important:
You are more than your stutter, and where you are today doesn’t have to be where you remain.
Whatever your starting point, there are opportunities to learn, grow, challenge yourself, and discover what you’re capable of.
Join Us in Düsseldorf – March 2027
Our next McGuire Programme Germany & Central Europe intensive course takes place 11–13 March 2027, once again at Das Dazwischen in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Whether you’re considering the Programme for the first time or are an existing member looking to continue your development, we’d love to hear from you.
Register your interest for the March 2027 course
Keep Moving Forward!
Emmet O’Connell
Regional Director – Germany & Central Europe
Course Instructor | The McGuire Programme
