EMPOWERING VOICES
Real People. Real Journeys.
At Empowering Voices, we’re proud to see how lives can change when someone finds their voice. In the videos below, you’ll meet people who’ve been where you might be now — living with a stammer and looking for a way forward. They share, in their own words, what it felt like to take part in our courses, the challenges they faced, and the breakthroughs they’ve made. Their stories are full of hope, honesty, and heart — and we hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us every day.
ITV News Coverage. During our April 2026 course in Carlisle, ITV News came to visit us to discover what Empowering Voices is all about and how costal breathing can help people who stammer.
Here is their report, with many thanks to ITV for giving us permission to use it!
Michael Wright. One of our trustees, Michael Wright, recently spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Stephanie Finnon about his experiences of living with a stammer, and his work to raise awareness and help others through Empowering Voices, the Nuclear Stammering Network, and the Stand Up To Stammering group on Facebook.
It's a really insightful interview, and in this high pressure situation, Michael brilliantly demonstrates how using a costal breathing technique can help stammerers gain control over their speech. Many thanks to the BBC for giving us permission to use the audio from this interview.
Phillip Smith. One of our mentors, Phillip Smith, wanted to share his experiences of being on an Empowering Voices courses last year, so he kindly recorded this video for us.
While he is talking about the course and its ethos, you may notice how he is using costal breathing to control his speech effectively. Empowering Voices is the only UK charity running costal breathing courses to help people who stammer.
ISAD 2025.Several mentors and trustees from Empowering Voices have come together to celebrate International
Stammering Awareness Day on 22nd October. In this video, you will find out more about them and how best to talk to someone who has a stammer.
Thanks to Eleonora, Graeme, Ian, Julian, Lea and Mike for taking part.
Michael Wright. During our Peterborough course in April 2025, we thought it would be a good idea to interview a few of our mentors to share their experiences of what it's like to have a stammer, and how they have gained more control over their speech using costal breathing. …
Adam Price. During our Peterborough course in April 2025, we thought it would be a good idea to interview a few of our mentors to share their experiences of what it's like to have a stammer, and how they have gained more control over their speech using costal breathing.
Our second interview is with Adam Price, a mentor who has made amazing strides both personally and professionally since he attended his first costal breathing course in August 2021.
Lauren Masser. During our Peterborough course in April 2025, we thought it would be a good idea to interview a few of our mentors to share their experiences of what it's like to have a stammer, and how they have gained more control over their speech using costal breathing.
This interview is with Lauren Masser, one of our newest mentors who has a really interesting and unusual story to tell about her stammer!
Dr Mobbassar Hassan. We wanted to show you an example of the ‘before and after’ of using this technique, based on the experiences of one of our course mentors, Mobbassar. He was able to totally transform his level of control in just a couple of years after going on two costal breathing courses. It was a lot of hard work, but as you will hear, it was definitely worth it!