Brian recently had the opportunity to interview a dynamic young entrepreneur with an incredibly bright future and outlook.  His promise to himself is to be authentic, and to not allow stuttering to stop him from doing anything that he would do if he didn't stutter. Ryan's perspective represents exactly what the Nolan Stuttering Foundation stands for.  His grit, courage and optimism are contagious. He's currently involved in mergers and acquisitions work and has his sights on starting his own business in the near future. These are some of the phrases he surrounds himself with, on a whiteboard in his office:Each day comes only once, make the most of it.Practice calmnessForward movement is better than perfectionTake ownership, be radically accountableBias towards actionThink independentlyAct confidently Self disciplined. BREATHESo take a listen and get inspired!

Mackenzie Holland is a speech pathologist who runs Holland Speech Therapy in Scarborough ME. She has a Masters from The University of Vermont and is the author of Daniel the Digger, from her very own Talking Town Books. She is also a parent of a 4 year old boy who stutters.  In this emotional episode, we dig into her experiences and the  feelings she had when she first realized her son stuttered and how she, her son and family are managing it. If you are a parent of a child who stutters, please listen closely to Mackenzie's advice about starting speech therapy, listening to your child and normalizing stuttering.

"Kristin Chmela is a speech pathologist who spends the majority of her time working with individuals of all ages with fluency disorders at the Chmela Communication Center in the suburban Chicago area. In this episode, Brian interviews Kristin and digs deep into how she has incorporated mindfulness into her stuttering therapy practice.  This refreshing approach to therapy peels back how awareness of our thoughts, emotions and physical body sensation as well as how conscious breathing and transitional breathing techniques play a significant role in mindfulness. Enjoy the episode...."More about Kristin:Kristin has lectured on the topic of childhood stuttering around the world. She is co-founder and co-director of Camp Shout Out, a therapeutic program for school-age children who stutter and a hands-on training opportunity for professionals and graduate students.Kristin was former Chair of the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders, has supervised graduate students from across the globe, and provides professional apprenticeships at her center. Kristin has completed two 200-hour training programs in yoga, and several mindfulness training courses.She has two yoga certifications, one with children and a mindfulness certification program with Christopher Willard.

Sarah Vogel is a Senior Speech Language Pathologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  She has worked at CHOP for over 20 years where she helps children and teens who stutter. In this deep podcast Sarah shares her thoughts on the past, present and hopes for the future of stuttering therapy.  Her message to college bound kids who stutter:  focus on your strengths.  Her message to recent college graduates who are reflecting on their options: strength in numbers - surround yourself with other people who stutter and learn to make friends with your shutter.  Chasing  100% fluency is a frustration approach. Learn to "open stutter" and stutter better, get off the sidelines and into the game!

Danra Kazanski is starting a movement to normalize stuttering.  Her passion to help people who stutter, proudly openly stutter and stutter better, is infectious. Danra is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Vermont, founder of Vermont Stuttering Therapy as well as the "Normalizing Stuttering Store.  In this incredibly emotional and educational podcast, Denra shares the reasons behind her passion, what's new and working in stuttering therapy and her approach to get the message out through really cool Swag.  Visit her site, and buy some swag,  at vtstutteringtherapy.com.   Enjoy the podcast.

Today, Brian Nolan interviews Conor Quinn, 7th Ward Commissioner for  Haverford Township. Conor is a person who stutters, and for most stutterers public speaking is their biggest fear. However, for Conor he makes his voice heard to the community. He is also a strong advocate for others in the community who stutter.He lives by the motto: "Don't run away when things get tough". This has served him well.  For Conor, it's not about being associated with a political party, it's about making a difference. Take a listen.

As a parent of a young person who stutters, how can you help your child? This is a most common and difficult challenge. You desperately want to save your child from struggling in a fluent world.  The reality is that while most parents have good intent, they're using approaches that only increase the struggles that people who stutter experience.  Today, Brian Nolan invites Dr. Joe Donaher back to our podcast to  give advice for parents in this area.  Joe reads a chapter from his book:  " I, I, I Got Next"  and explores a  common situation involving a mother, father and two children; a boy who stutters and his very talkative sister.   Take a listen and see how Joe would coach the parents through this situation.

Enjoy this deep, emotional, educational and loving podcast between Brian Nolan and Liza Andrew Snedeker.  Liza shares her experiences parenting her son Andrew over the years.  She shares challenges and victories and the importance of inspiring her son to be brave, as well as what she would do differently.  Andrew talks about his mom's  love and support and how he changed from a person being defined by his stutter to a person who cherishes authentic communication. Brian reflects on his own childhood and how he wished stuttering wasn't such a taboo subject.  Take a listen and enjoy this important exchange.

Welcome to the Stuttering Springboard. Today Brian Nolan interviews his nephew, Kevin C. Nolan.  Kevin is a 2013 graduate of Penn St University, father of two beautiful children, endurance athlete, Field Manager at Nolan Painting and a person who stutters. This podcast goes deep into Kevin's college life and his transformation from a person who  spent his college life hiding his stutter through avoidance to a person who has come to terms with where stuttering is in his life.  His message: do not let stuttering be the thing that dictates your every decision.  Focus on what you are good at.  Take a listen to this authentic, emotional and sometimes funny interview between Brian and Kevin.

Welcome to the Stuttering Springboard, a podcast series put on by The Nolan Stuttering Foundation.  Today, Brian Nolan interviews Dr. Joseph Donaher about his new book:  “I, I, I Got Next;  a book about a boy who stutters and his experiences. The book hits every aspect of Calvin’s life, including sports, school, speech class, avoidance, family life and finally grit and courage .  Joe Donaher is the Program Director for Research and Academics at the Center for Childhood Communication at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.  Take a listen as the author reads a chapter from this just released book and hear how Brian and Joe break it down. If you stutter, get ready to relive your youth.

Welcome to the Stuttering Springboard! My name is Jack Nolan.  In this episode, Brian Nolan interviews Roisin (Rosheen) McManus, a wife and mother of a two-year-old girl, a nurse practitioner specializing in community based hospice care as well a longtime leader of stuttering support groups. Brian and Roisin get vulnerable as they talk about their life experiences as people who stutter, their many years of concealing their stutter and what it’s like, or might be like, to be a parent of a child who stutters.  It’s a great example of grit and  perseverance, of when you want something more in life, than you allow your stutter to hold you back.

Welcome back to the Stuttering Springboard. Join Brian Nolan as he interviews Lexi Hewitt, a graduate student at West Chester University.  Lexi is also a substitute teacher and recent founder of the Exton Chapter of the National Stuttering Association.    Her energy and passion is contagious.  Her courage to start an NSA chapter and her grit to persevere through substitute teaching experiences, as a person who stutters, are nothing short of inspiring. Take a listen

In this episode, Brian interviews two brave and bold neuroscience majors at the University of Pennsylvania who took it upon themselves to start a stuttering support group at Penn. This is probably the most inspirational podcast Brian has done. It demonstrates what young people who stutter are doing to come together to support each other and how they are finding ways to change the perception of what it means to be a person who stutters.  Nothing will stop Kelly and Dotun from accomplishing their goals.  Take a listen and  be inspired !

Michael Sheehan has been training corporate CEOs, policy makers and political leaders for more than thirty years. his expertise embraces every format and every forum whether media interview, major speech or high-stakes Q&A. His ability to help people communicate at the highest possible level was dubbed by New York Magazine as “the Sheehan effect.”Michael earned his BSFS from Georgetown University and his MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

Today, Brian interviews Zach White, a 26 year old business professional who stutters and intentionally puts himself in uncomfortable situations so he can grow and learn.  A fan of Navel Seal and bestselling author David Goggins, Zack follows Goggin’s motto: “You can’t hurt me”.  There is nothing holding Zach back. His self talk is positive and the words avoidance and afraid are not in his vocabulary.  He is an inspiration to people who stutter as well as  people who don’t stutter.  He says: "Don’t let stuttering stop you from following your dreams". Listen as Zach shares his experiences in middle school, college and as a data analyst at a private equity firm. Enjoy!

Today’s podcast focuses on being a parent of a child who stutters.  Should you treat them differently than your other children? How should you intervene? Should you do more? Listen as Brian Nolan speaks with Charlene and Rodney Witted  and Amy Sniras, parents of boys who stutter.  Brian is both the interview and interviewee in this discussion as he has two boys who also stutter. This is a first in a series of podcasts with parents of children who stutter.  Our hope is to take some of the mystery and start a broader discussion on the topic. Thanks for listening.

Welcome to the Stuttering Springboard!.  In this episode Brian interviews Christoper Anderson, author  of a new book called “Every Waking Moment”   Chris is a person who stutters who has spent over 30 years researching how to articulate the complexities of stuttering and the journey to self-acceptance. Listen as Chris explains his difficult early years as a person who stutters and then his journey to adulthood and transcendence to become a person more comprofable with his stutter.  He explains how to move from what he calls "the stuttering lens", filled with fear, anxiety and shame, to a life of  grit, acceptance and open stuttering.

In this podcast Brian Nolan interviews Andrew Snediker, a recent graduate of Drexel University and current  research fellow at the Blumberg Institute.  Andrew shares his journey from high school, to college and then starting a career. Listen as Andrew can now give advice to his 8th grade self, his high school self and college self.  His message, treat yourself like your own best friend, join things, disclose your stutter whenever you can and reduce avoidance.  Turning inward is far worse than your stutter. The goal is not about becoming 100% fluent.  It’s talking more, and authentic communication.

Today Brian Nolan Talks with Dr. Ingo Helbig, a pediatric neurologist in the Division of Neurology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In this podcast Dr Helbig, also a person who stutters, talks about his journey as a person who stutters, dealing with coming to America and having to learn to speak English. He shares the research he has begun to understand the genetic makeup of people who stutter. His goal, learn as much about the genetic causes as stuttering as possible, to take away some of the stigma. He needs your help. If you are a person who stutters, please send an email to Dr Helbig at HELBIGI@chop.edu to participate in the genetic study. It’s a simple study that only requires a saliva sample. Please. We need your help! If you are a person who stutters, please send an email to Dr Helbig at HELBIGI@chop.edu to participate in the genetic study mentioned in the podcast. It’s a simple study that only requires a saliva sample. Please. We need your help!

This podcast features David Walton, a Partner in the Law Firm Fisher Phillips. Dave focuses his practice on labor and employment law. Dave is a litigator and also a person who stutters. In this podcast Dave shares his journey as a person who stutters: from grade school, to high school, college, law school and being in the courtroom in front of a judge. - overcoming obstacles every step of the way. His motto: "The obstacle is the way"