Ay you see I was called over so it wasn't fully my decision. I go to the pullup bars now and I'll often get talking to guys there just because of our common interest. Hoping to build my confidence with these strangers and then get chatting to random people anywhere next. Yes I did speech therapy a few times and 'accept your stutter and speak with it' is basically all the advice I received any time I went. I really hope you keep making progress. You're right that you don't need to give it all the energy you do.