Support Group For People Who Stutter Meets In Matawan

MATAWAN, NJ — The Monmouth County chapter of the National Stuttering Association will celebrate its first anniversary at an in-person, outdoor meeting in Matawan on September 23.

Meeting primarily online since last summer, the chapter has been connecting people who stutter in and around Monmouth County in an informal and non-judgmental manner to discuss life events, family and challenges.

"Our event will be held at 6 p.m. on September 23 in the outside dining area of a Matawan restaurant. Although it is open to many individuals, I prefer not to publicly disclose the precise location to protect the privacy of the people who stutter who may attend the event and to maintain our mission of providing a 'safe' place for them to meet and interact," said organizer Joanne Summer. "Once I am contacted by individuals who would like to attend, I will provide them with the location."

To attend the upcoming celebration or to learn more about the National Stuttering Association, email your name and phone number to her at joannesummer2@gmail.com. Information on the NSA and stuttering also can be found at www.westutter.org.

"Our members have shared stories about their daily lives, families and pets, famous people who stutter, and challenges they face at work," said Summer, a Manasquan-based speech-language pathologist who leads the chapter. “They have enjoyed the conversations and often have helped each other tackle a variety of problems."

President Joe Biden said he at times stutters and it used to be much worse when he was younger.

"Our chapter provides a safe place for people who stutter to meet and talk about their lives and concerns. They can stutter openly and freely during our meetings," she said. "Sometimes, they may have difficulty doing that with colleagues, acquaintances and others. They can share and practice techniques to help them speak more fluently, should they desire. They also can discuss some of the challenges they face in social, work and other settings and how they have managed these situations."

Any adult who stutters is invited to join their chapter and participate in their meetings. Membership is free. Friends and family members, as well as speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology students, may also attend meetings.

Founded in 1977, the National Stuttering Association (NSA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing hope and empowerment to adults and children who stutter, their families and speech professionals through support, education, advocacy and research. It is part of a network of nearly 200 local chapters across the United States through which more than 2,500 people each month to discuss stuttering.

"Prior to our chapter's formation, there was a void in the Monmouth County area for a support group for people who stutter, and many of our members would have had to drive more than an hour to participate in another chapter," she said.

In New Jersey, other chapters meet in Galloway, Hillside, Mullica Hill and Stratford.

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