It's not a strange question at all. When I use my tools in most situations, I am 100% in control - as in, any repetitions, pauses, prolongations etc are no more than those of a normal fluent speaker. I don't think any human is 100% fluent all the time. With time, my speech becomes spontaneously fluent and I either don't realize that I am using tools, or I am not really using them, ie there seems to be no conscious effort anymore. Of course after a long period of spontaneous fluency, I lose my stride and start to stutter again. Its very mild, but obviously disconcerting. If I am self aware enough, I can figure out why, and remove that stressor or situation, then restart with the speech tools and avoid a complete relapse into some hitherto unknown state of disfluency. Usually takes a few weeks to regain my spontaneous fluency. Sometimes however, I am either not self aware enough or unable to remove the stressor, therefore I have to apply myself more religently to learn how to maintain fluency in this new situation, while tolerating this new stressor. For instance, I've been a nurse for 7 years. 98% control of my speech in my role as a nurse. I have no problem speaking with patients and colleagues, taking orders, or even repeating orders. Now I am transitioning into a nurse practitioner role. Im the one giving very specific orders that cannot be paraphrased. I also have to collaborate with a lot of other team members in person and on the phone to determine the best plan of care. Suddenly, I find I'm struggling. I can't just quit. So I have to use my tools even more diligently. Every time I call a specialist, or say an order successfully and efficiently, that builds my confidence. It feels good and reduces the fear that I will fail. Its like a positive feedback loop, the more success, the better I feel, the more confident I build, and the more fluent I become. The opposite is also true. If I don't use my tools for whatever stupid excuse I have (I'm tired, its too hard), and then I fail, it just builds fear for the next time and increases the likelihood I will continue to fail. It's the successes that help me maintain fluency, not the failures. As for your therapist, I think she is at least half wrong. IMHO, I think that stuttering is not something you are, it's something you do. If you are visually impaired, but you have 20/20 vision with glasses, and you are wearing your glasses, are you still unable to see? NO. If you have a double amputation, but you are running with prosthesis, are you still mobility impaired? No. Similarly, if you are speaking without stuttering, then you're fluent. Thats it. Every time I don't stutter, I am fluent.