Seeing the world through a different lens – working creatively

I am a British Sign Language/English Interpreter who has been offering Professional Supervision since gaining a Diploma in Supervision in 2016. In August 2021, a tweet by @_intandem, describing an Advanced Programme of supervision workshops, caught my eye. I was keen to develop my creative practice and here was intandem offering a day’s training focussing … Read more

Judged Response

One afternoon, whilst speaking to my closest friend Errin Yesilkaya, we wanted to do something. Just something. An exhibition sprung to mind, then I must have stammered shortly after this revelation. There we have it. Judged Response, an exhibition which places explicit focus on stammering, celebrating the differences of those people who stammer, demonstrating these … Read more

Stammering Pride & Prejudice, City Lit, 3rd Nov 2016

I must admit I arrived with a little apprehension, this was the first time I had attended a public event related to stammering. I was aware that I was wearing two hats, as a person who stammers and a psychologist who has a special interest in working with PWS. The opening remarks by Mark Malcomson … Read more

Totally OK to Stammer at Work (1/2)

 “Here comes Iain WWWWilkie” was the greeting from a fluent-speaking former colleague at a reunion party in a London pub last week. Ten years ago his words would’ve put me firmly on the back foot, but these days I grab such playground comments as an opportunity to talk about how enlightened employers are now viewing … Read more

Yoga and Brain Injury

I have never written a blog before, but the invitation to do so is a timely one as I ‘grow up’ and find my way with social media on my freelance ‘adventure’. Since I took early retirement from my role supporting people with Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD) and their families in the NHS, my goal … Read more

News Group: Behind the Scenes (2/2)

I wrote last month about how some of our neuro-rehabilitation service users benefit from the experience of attending the news group we run on the ward.   As a service, we have found that we can use our group provision for a number of purposes:   We can use the group to provide different packages … Read more

News group: ‘being part of something’ (1/2)

10.30am and this week’s News Group is about to start on the neuro-rehabilitation unit where I work as a speech and language therapist. As I arrange chairs and sort through the newspapers, John arrives without any prompting, having remembered to consult his diary for his programme for the day. John is working on strategies to … Read more

Who or what helps us make the changes we strive for? (1/2)

As we step into 2014, we may have exciting new projects ahead. The weather is starting to change, there may be a spring in our step and our goals for the year may seem more possible. New growth feels achievable! So how do we each go about attempting to make the changes we are striving … Read more

Therapy in Waterstones

Behind most books lies a tangle of anxiety about perception, rejection and word-choice. So the laden shelves of Waterstones in Teddington seemed a perfect backdrop for the local launch of ‘Stammering Therapy from the Inside – New Perspectives on Working with Young People and Adults’. Like publishing, the event pulled together an array of knowledge, … Read more

Kinship and worship

International Stammering Awareness Day, 22nd October 2013 Over the summer I went travelling throughout Vietnam – a wonderful country where I had the pleasure of meeting many warm, openhearted people, eager to share their fascinating history, rich cultural heritage and exquisite cuisine. Throughout my travels, I was frequently moved by the important role ‘kinship’ plays … Read more