Sam’s Experience.

Speech and Language Therapy might be seen as a luxury but it really shouldn't be because it's a necessity for many people like me.

Communication isn't just about uttering words, but a person's ability to make others hear them and understand them. When you struggle with a lisp problem, even though you know what to say, you don't always have the confidence to speak up. As a child, I never put my hand up in school even though I had the answers because I was afraid the other children would make fun of me, which they did whenever they could to hurt my feelings. I avoided arguing with my siblings because whenever I was right, they'd resort to mimicking my lisp as a way to shut me up. I was a very bright student but I purposely sabotaged myself at some point in High School because teachers wanted me to take the lead too often, and I couldn't face people with my lisp. When it came to choosing my career path, I chose a path where I thought that people wouldn't make fun of me because of the way I pronounce my sss and zzs.

Character and personality always play a central role in personal development. Some people may be fine with a lisp and some others not. If you're someone who is uncomfortable with your lisp, then I recommend that if you're able to afford the cost, you should really reach out to the Speech Network. Alison, my therapist, has given me more than just confidence. She has also given me mind comfort - a safe place where I could simply try and see if I could speak differently. For me, it's really that - a safe place for both my mind and body to feel free to give it a try. So I gave it a try, and now, I can speak and enjoy what I sound like, and most importantly, looking at myself in the mirror, I like the way my face looks when I'm talking and my tongue remains in my mouth when I pronounce S and Z. I'm bilingual so I have to work on both languages at the same time, and I'm truly enjoying the process.

To arrange a free consultation, contact our Speech Therapy team now via email or telephone.

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