In Tandem Cathy Sparkes and Sam Simpson

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Ian:
"It was not just the practicalities of speech, but the psychological help and understanding, the confidence and self-esteem that I could regain by beginning to accept the changes in my life, by learning to speak confidently again, facing my fears and talking about them."

Will:
After I had a haemorrhage, I was in a scary situation that I had never been in before, and I didn’t know what my life would be like. I was told that I may not get my communication (such as speech and memory), back to 100%, that really scared and upset me so to an extent I tried to forget what had happened. I was desperate to get back to the way I was, sometimes I got low. Sam offered councilling as well as speech therapy and this has helped me except my 'hidden disabilities'. This took a lot of weight off my parents shoulders which they needed after a painful year. After 3 years I know that I still have some small difficulties, but I am pretty much the same person as before."

Carlos:
After my stroke life was miserable. I was very down … very non-confident … very negative. Before my stroke … before I was 21, I had maybe cried once or twice. Then I used to cry how many times a day? I can’t remember. I didn’t like crying in front of my girlfriend … that killed me … the same with my family. I don’t know how many times I cried with you … you used to let me cry … and say how I feel. You used to give me time to think of the words and get it out … I always knew we had time … and I learnt it was better to get it all out and say how I feel, so that it didn’t all … build up … the bubble … the anger inside of me would just get bigger and bigger … I had to burst it and get it all out. I used to find it so difficult to talk about my stroke. Now I feel much more comfortable. If someone wants to know how it felt, I’m OK telling them about me … how I’ve changed. I still know that I’m not the same as I was before, but it’s OK. I used to consider myself a 10 before. After my stroke I was a 1 or even minus … now I think I’m at an 8 and I’m motivating me to move forward. Life’s good at an 8, but when I think back … I would never have dreamt I’d feel like today back then…"

Catherine:
"Cathy made a huge difference to how I coped with my partner’s head injury. The sessions made me better able to understand myself, the situation I was in and how these two things interracted. I learnt a lot about myself and became better equipped to handle the things I was facing. Importantly I always felt supported and understood."

Jo: (about the Friends and Family Support Group)
“Wonderful to have Sam and Cathy's wisdom, and to hear how others are copying in very varied situations. I think it's a very important group, and I would encourage others to come."

Dan:
“I have lived with an interiorised stammer for 30 years. In that time I have experienced a number of feelings and characteristics that I now know are common to many people that stammer. These negative feelings include shame, embarrassment, resentment, panic, stress and frustration. The characteristics include swapping words, avoiding situations such as phone calls and presentations, making elaborate excuses and ultimately pretending to be someone I am not. The result was a very personal battle that I would not acknowledge with anyone. Since meeting Sam my feelings, behaviour and attitude have changed enormously. Through one-to-one sessions I have learnt to identify both the physical and emotional aspects of my stammer, reduce the negative feelings associated with my speech, allow myself to become more open and begin to modify my speech. Sam has introduced me to a number of theoretical models, cognitive therapy, NLP, mindfulness, creative writing and even painting. The gains I have made include being more open about my stammer both at home with my family, socially with friends and most importantly with colleagues and my directors at work. Other gains include allowing myself to stammer without many of the harmful feelings associated with blocking and stammering more fluently on many words and sounds which previously proved very difficult. The sessions are both challenging and rewarding and have changed my mindset so much that I am now attending a City Lit course on Sam's advice."