[ryantbrown]

I have had a blocking stutter (disfluency) since the 3rd grade. Went through several years of speech therapy and as I have gotten older it has improved to the point that most people can't tell. I still have daily issues with it but have learned to mask it pretty well (switching to a different word when I block, pausing naturally when not blocking, etc.)

I definitely think it has had an impact on my personal and professional life, to what degree I am not sure. I try to avoid giving group presentations or talking on conference calls when I don't have to.

It has never cost me a job or prevented me from being successful as a developer (CTO now) but it is constantly on my mind and makes trivial situations more complicated. I have learned over the years that a lot of it is in my head, and most people will never know, but it still affects how I conduct myself on a daily basis.

If you do suffer from blocking I recommend always trying to be prepared for any speaking situations you might be in. Do your best to stay relaxed (face, mouth, lips), speak slowly and consistently, taking normal breaks regularly so that any blocks don't seem out of place. The best therapy is really just practicing speaking blocking words aloud by yourself or with a partner/friend.