Thank you for sharing your experience so openly. It takes courage to reflect on your history with stuttering and to make the decision that you want to move forward in a new way. A helpful starting point can be daily positive affirmations. Reminding yourself that your voice deserves to be heard and that stuttering does not take away from your intelligence or your abilities can gradually shift the way you approach speaking situations. Another useful approach is practicing through a hierarchy. Begin with lower-stress situations such as reading aloud to yourself or talking with a close friend. Over time, you can move to slightly more challenging situations like speaking in small groups, and eventually work toward larger presentations. Becoming more comfortable in increments allows you to build confidence step by step instead of feeling like you must succeed in the most difficult settings right away. It can also make a difference to work with a speech-language pathologist who specializes in stuttering. They can teach you specific strategies for managing moments of stuttering, and some incorporate somatic techniques that focus on calming the nervous system to help you pause, regroup, and speak with greater ease in stressful situations. Progress may not feel linear, but every bit of practice adds to your confidence. You are already doing important work by choosing to face this challenge directly. [Here is a guide ](/9bf7fd1be4a849da89f218524a662eef?pvs=25)if you’d like to learn more about working with a speech therapist or if you want to learn some more strategies.