Dominic Sutton is my name and I am a person who is challenged by a stutter.
I can’t remember a time I didn’t struggle with a stammer which lead to a fear of words and sounds.
Growing up with a stutter was very challenging and frustrating especially as I have a twin brother who can speak fluently without any problems.
I used to hate having to communicate with people as I never knew what their reaction would be, as many times I would have had people laugh in my face and as a teenage boy that was not good for my confidence.
School was a nightmare when some of the other kids would laugh at me especially reading out loud in class. I used to get into trouble in class so I could avoid these and similar situations. So basically my time in High School was in the principal’s office.
I left school with a low level of education and it wasn’t until later in my life I had the courage to go back and get a proper education.
I attempted many times and hours at speech therapy, as this may have been a temporary solution for me. In the long term, my stutter fought back and it was more severe than ever. I thought I would have to talk with an uncontrolled stutter for the rest of my life.
It wasn’t until February 2015 I joined the McGuire Programme and my life changed for the better. For the first time, a speech course, with a lot of hard work gave me a voice and I am now a confident speaker.
The achievements that I have made since joining the programme have been overwhelming, such as being able to make a simple phone call, saying my name, doing two newspaper interviews, a radio interview and of course becoming a coach on this life-changing programme, so I can help other people find their voice.
