> I'd say most of us have a harder time with people we dont know or speaking to people of authority. For a lot of pws (persons who stutter), we worry about making a good impression or are afraid of listener reactions. so the stakes are raised when talking to someone we don't know or persons of authority. Basically, you are more worried about stuttering around them, which means you don't want to stutter that much more, and in turn that makes your stuttering more severe. This, exactly: the way i look at is i have things to say and if we are going to engage in civilized conversation you need to listen to them. if you are not going to do that because i have a disability (i hate using that phrase, but it is true) then you are a prick who i dont have to be around. this way of thinking is not natural to me and i forget it often, but when i follow it i learn if this person is worth talking to AND stutter less.