Why beat yourself up for tripping over your words? Is there something you stand to gain from this harsh inner critic? This could be your single biggest problem. Make a conscious choice to quickly forgive yourself, or better yet, stop making fluent speech a measuring stick for your self worth. If this enemy is living in your head, evict them! It might just break the cycle. What will be left to fear about stuttering if your worst critic (yourself) is suddenly replaced by your most supportive cheerleader?