Freddie van der Westhuizen: From Stuttering to Leadership – A Journey with the McGuire Programme
Freddie van der Westhuizen, the new Regional Director for the McGuire Programme in South Africa, has an inspiring story of personal transformation, growth, and leadership. His journey began in 2009 when he attended his first McGuire Programme course in Cape Town.
For Freddie, the decision to take control of his speech was life-changing, opening doors to new opportunities and empowering him to take on the world with confidence.
Freddie had been living with a stutter for most of his life. It wasn’t until high school, when he became more self-conscious about his speech, that it began to severely affect his confidence. “I was an overt stutterer, trying desperately to hide my ‘broken’ speech because I hated that side of myself,” Freddie recalls. The teasing he endured early on turned into friendships, but the shame and guilt of stuttering still lingered, making him feel like he was wasting people’s time when trying to speak.
After high school, he found himself stuck in a comfort zone, working in his parents’ business but lacking the confidence to pursue his own dreams. It was in 2008 that Freddie decided he needed a change. He came across videos of Gareth Gates, who had transformed his speech with the help of the McGuire Programme. Seeing this, Freddie realized that this was the solution he had been searching for—training led by people who truly understood the struggle of stammering.
In March 2009, Freddie attended his first McGuire Programme intensive course. “The best decision I have ever made,” he reflects. From that moment on, his life began to change. Freddie found himself speaking to strangers, ordering his own food, and answering his phone with confidence. His comfort zones expanded, and his speech grew stronger. He even took on challenges such as live radio interviews, newspaper articles, and winning Toastmasters competitions.
Today, as the Regional Director of South Africa, Freddie’s passion is to give back to the stammering community, offering hope to those who feel trapped by their speech, just as he once did. He credits the McGuire Programme for helping him gain the confidence and tools to become a more eloquent speaker and a more self-assured individual.
“Challenges are now opportunities,” says Freddie, “and I have the power and passion to help others restore the hope they may have lost.” Under his leadership, the South African region is set to thrive, and we look forward to many successful courses and the continued growth of our community.
If you’re ready to take control of your speech and transform your life like Freddie did, contact us today and learn more about our upcoming courses in South Africa.
September 27 – September 29 3-Day Residential Intensive Course
South Africa Intensive In-person 3-day Course in Gauteng, South Africa
NG Oosterlig Pretoria 469 Lea Street, Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Address: NG Pretoria Oosterlig, 469 Lea Street, Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria, South Africa Join us for our in-person course to work on overcoming your stutter.
