Blog | Circle Creek Therapy

Jun 10, 2020
2 min

What is "Covert Stuttering?"

Covert Stuttering occurs when people who stutter pretend or act like they do not stutter even though they do. People who stutter, (and who are also covert), usually avoid saying certain words that they know they will stutter on. It is common for covert stutterers to order something at a restaurant that they actually do not want because they want to avoid stuttering. If they order what they actually want to eat, then they run the risk of openly stuttering. As a person who stut

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Why is National Stuttering Awareness Week so Important?

Audri Gundersen

May 11, 2020
2 min

Why is National Stuttering Awareness Week so Important?

I grew up being quiet more often than speaking up because the best way to avoid stuttering is to not talk at all. Speaking has always been something that I have been super aware of. I grew up avoiding the words that I knew I would stutter on so that I wouldn't make others feel uncomfortable. I wanted to blend in like everyone else. In order to fit in, my normal way of life became suppressing what I wanted to say, and avoiding speaking situations at all costs. As a freshman in

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Audri Gundersen

Mar 13, 2020
4 min

live anyway

My junior year of high school was a whirlwind. In a nutshell... I started dating my current boyfriend, my school volleyball team went to state for the first time in 17 years (while I was the lead setter), my uncle unexpectedly moved in with us, my club volleyball team was traveling to different states for tournaments, I was applying for colleges, and my grandma died suddenly the week before finals. Trying to balance all of these different aspects of my life proved to be chall

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Circle Creek Therapy

Mar 2, 2020
3 min

Straight From the Heart: Mario Tamer

Mario Tamer is a 17 year old who attends speech therapy because he stutters. Since attending Circle Creek Therapy, he has made incredible improvements in his confidence, and he is learning how to accept his stutter. Read more about his experience at Circle Creek Therapy below! 1. Can you please tell us a little about yourself? "I am a full-time college student at Green River Community College. As of now I’m working towards obtaining my Associates Degree, and I’m thinking abou

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Circle Creek Therapy

Jan 29, 2020
2 min

Ways to Self-Advertise Your Stutter

I know that it isn't easy to tell others that you stutter because disclosing or "self-advertising" my stutter took me many years. But thanks to the amazing support and encouragement that the speech therapists at Circle Creek Therapy gave me, I now feel much more confident to "self-advertise" my stutter. Read more tips below on how I have learned over the years to effectively tells others that I stutter. 1. When you start to stutter, or while you are introducing yourself, tell

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meeting other adults who t-t-t-talk like me for the 1st time

Audri Gundersen

Jan 13, 2020
3 min

meeting other adults who t-t-t-talk like me for the 1st time

Sitting on a kids size chair with my knees almost up to my chest wasn't exactly how I imagined meeting other adults who stutter like me. Nevertheless, it was an experience that I will never forget. I am 22 years old, and I JUST met other adults who stutter for the first time a couple of months ago. You are probably thinking, "how is that possible? You work in a clinic, and you attend UW Seattle. You should have met hundreds of adult stutterers by now!" Unfortunately, this is

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Encouragement Found in The King's Speech

Audri Gundersen

Nov 18, 2019
3 min

Encouragement Found in The King's Speech

I was sitting in the backseat of my mom's old mini van. The leather gray seats felt cool on my skin after spending the day playing outside at my grandma's house. My little sister and I were watching the King's Speech on the little TV in our mini van. I was 12 years old, and this was the first time that I had seen anyone talk like me on the big screen. More importantly, this was the first time that I had seen stuttering portrayed in a positive light. Even though The King's Spe

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Audri Gundersen

Oct 22, 2019
2 min

A gentle reality check

I was sitting shotgun next to my favorite person, Kyle. Kyle has been my boyfriend for many years, but he has also become one of my best friends. One day during the fall, he picked me up from school, and we were headed back to his house. I had a presentation that day in one of my communication classes. I was gearing up for it all week, and I felt like I did a decent job. In that moment, I was feeling fairly proud of myself, even though I stuttered a little bit. As I was enjoy

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"Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian that Almost Didn’t Happen”: Book Review By A Stutterer

Audri Gundersen

Sep 16, 2019
2 min

"Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian that Almost Didn’t Happen”: Book Review By A Stutterer

“Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian that Almost Didn’t Happen” is a memoir about the life of Nina G. Nina goes into detail about what it is like to stutter, and to be dyslexic. She is an accomplished writer, special needs counselor, and comedian. As a woman who stutters like Nina, this book was a breath of fresh air. She tells it like it is with the fierceness that I sometimes wish I had. Not only is this book important for those who stutter, but it can be an eye-opening exp

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The Positive Aspects of Stuttering That Nobody Talks About

Audri Gundersen

Aug 13, 2019
3 min

The Positive Aspects of Stuttering That Nobody Talks About

Focusing on the negatives can sometimes be my speciality. As someone who stutters, this can be a constant uphill battle. It can be easy to focus on the negative aspects of stuttering. Feelings of frustration, anger, and anxiety easily cloud my thoughts. But through many years of therapy, there are many positive things about stuttering that have helped me preserve through the tougher climbs. One day during the early days of therapy at Circle Creek, Courtni asked me to list at

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Tips & Tricks On How To Treat a Child That Stutters, From a Stutterer

Audri Gundersen

Jul 15, 2019
2 min

Tips & Tricks On How To Treat a Child That Stutters, From a Stutterer

Have you ever met a child with a stutter, and not known how to talk to them? I've had many people ask me over the years what to do when their child, (or any child), stutters because I have one myself. I compiled some of the most important things to keep in mind when conversing with someone who has a stutter below. Enjoy and please share with others. :) 1. Listen I know this may seem simple, but listening can be often overlooked. When I say listen, I mean REALLY listen. Of

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15 Things I Would Tell My 12 Year-Old Self

Audri Gundersen

Jun 14, 2019
2 min

15 Things I Would Tell My 12 Year-Old Self

When I first started going to speech therapy at Circle Creek, Courtni showed me an article about a list of things that another stutterer would have said to his younger-self if he could. I've always felt inspired by that article, & I decided to compile some things that I have learned about my stutter over the past 21 years. Here are 15 points about stuttering that I wish I could have told 12 year old me. :) 1. Stuttering is going to open more doors for you than you would have

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Audri Gundersen

May 6, 2019
3 min

The Stuttering Tax

Imagine my friend, let’s call her Margot, is eating a chicken Caesar salad at her favorite restaurant. Margot is a beautiful, smart, fashionable, and lovely young woman who just so happens to be in love with food (especially a good salad). The restaurant is slammed, but she is still enjoying her meal. After Margot finishes eating, the waitress gives her the bill. Margot glances it over before handing the waitress her debit card. But while she’s looking at it, she notices an e

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My Best Experience with Coffee, A Complete Stranger, & My Stutter

Audri Gundersen

Apr 12, 2019
4 min

My Best Experience with Coffee, A Complete Stranger, & My Stutter

It was just another summer morning. The sun was shining through every window, and I was feeling ready for my day. Even though Washington is notoriously known for its rainy seasons, it always makes up for it in the summer. I was on my way to work and decided to make a pit-stop at my favorite coffee place. I begin to order my drink; a vanilla latte with almond milk, but of course, when I don’t want my stutter to appear, it taps on my shoulder and says, “Hey, remember me? You ca

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Circle Creek Therapy

Feb 12, 2019
2 min

The Stereotypical “Stutterer"

When you think of someone who stutters, who do you usually think of? Do you think of Colin Firth who plays King George VI in "The King's Speech"? Or do you think of the quiet person in the back of the room? Are they always “shy”? Maybe you do not even know what a “stutterer” looks like. Statistics show that only 1% of the population have a stutter. It is very possible that you have never met someone with a speech impediment. Without any experience, what would you expect? Fro

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"Straight From the Heart" Interview Series: Alicia Gundersen

Circle Creek Therapy

Feb 1, 2019
2 min

"Straight From the Heart" Interview Series: Alicia Gundersen

Alicia Gundersen is a successful business owner, personal trainer, wife and mother to her two daughters. Overall, she is the most passionate about her family. Her oldest daughter, Audri, has a stutter. She is twenty years old and she still goes to speech therapy. Alicia has tried many different avenues for therapy over the years, in order to make her daughter feel confident in her speech. Her wisdom has always been appreciated by her peers, so we were happy to interview Alici

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What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?

Circle Creek Therapy

Jan 8, 2019
3 min

What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?

I've had this sign hanging on my wall for years. Whenever I see it, my mind always goes towards my craziest ideas. Ideas like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, deep sea diving with sharks without an oxygen tank, or flying a helicopter across the country with a blindfold on. After I exhaust myself with imagining my unrealistic ideas, I begin to think about my real ones. In my future, I want to travel the world, marry the love of my life, have or adopt children, a

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A Stutterer's & Speech Therapist's Review of "Out With It"

Circle Creek Therapy

Oct 22, 2018
5 min

A Stutterer's & Speech Therapist's Review of "Out With It"

By Audri Gundersen For years I was looking for someone to understand the part of me that is my stutter. There is nothing quite like the feeling. It can take your breath away, make you feel small and awkward. If I could just find someone else who could relate to my feelings, then I knew that I would feel better about myself. I have gone to speech therapy all of my life, and I have only encountered a few people who stutter like me. But the game changes when you’re still stutter

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Circle Creek Therapy

Jul 24, 2018
4 min

Growing up as a stutterer

By Audri Gundersen My team is down by two points. My opponent made a crucial mistake, and I’m the one who has to talk to the referee because I am the captain. I don’t know what’s scarier: my team losing or stuttering in front of everyone. Am I able to talk without humiliating myself? I was staring down a flashcard. A simple child’s toy stares back at me. My speech therapist says to me, “Audri say what you see.” I am repeating the picture back in my mind over and over again. E

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