7 Key Lessons from Voon Pang on Stuttering and Support

Late last year, I attended a webinar presented by Voon Pang. His approach to supporting people who stutter is thoughtful, person centred, and deeply values based. While I do not work directly with people who stutter, I found myself leaning in with every word. Because the reflections he shared reached far beyond fluency.

They reminded me that therapy, whether it is for communication, regulation, or relationships, is not just about what we do. It is about how we listen. How we hold space. How we honour the person in front of us.

These seven takeaways have stayed with me. They have shaped how I think about therapeutic presence, about identity, and about what it really means to support someone in a way that feels safe, affirming, and sustainable.

1. The Goal Is Not Fluency. It Is Safety and Communication

Voon reminded us that fluency is not the goal of therapy. Our job is not to chase smooth speech at the cost of a person’s confidence or self-expression.

Instead, therapy can be a place where communication is supported and stuttering is understood. This shift moves us away from fixing speech and towards creating safety where people can express themselves freely and fully.

In short: Therapy should support safe, confident communication rather than prioritising smooth speech.

2. Therapy Should Be Values Based, Not Just Evidence Based

Yes, research matters. But therapy that forgets the person is not therapy at all.

Voon challenged us to hold our practices up to our values. To ask not only, “What works?” but “What matters?” and “What feels good for this person?” When we root our work in values like respect, safety, identity, and consent, we support real growth, not just performance.

In short: When therapy aligns with the person’s values, it becomes more respectful, effective, and meaningful.

3. A Person’s Story Is More Important Than a Severity Rating

Severity ratings and frequency counts only tell us a fraction of the story.

What matters more is how a person experiences stuttering. What meaning they make of it. What they hope for and what they fear. Voon encouraged us to listen to those stories, not to fix or reduce them, but to honour and understand them.

It reminded me that connection often begins when someone feels heard.

In short: Understanding a person’s experience and meaning around stuttering matters more than measuring how often it happens.

4. We Must Be Willing to Let Go of Fixing

This was a powerful invitation. Many traditional models of stuttering therapy are built around fixing. Around reducing stutters or increasing fluency.

But when we centre our work on fixing, we can unintentionally send the message that stuttering is something bad. Something to hide or get rid of. That can lead to shame, masking, and disconnection.

Voon invited us to reframe. To support people in making peace with their speech. And to focus on building identity, confidence, and communication, not chasing fluency at all costs.

In short: Letting go of fixing allows us to affirm and support identity, not erase it.

5. Therapy Is More Than the Session. It Is What Happens Between

The real impact of therapy is often felt outside the room. In the conversations a person has with friends. In the way they speak up in class. In the confidence they carry into their day.

Voon spoke about the importance of equipping people with tools for real life, not just strategies for the clinic. That includes supporting advocacy, self awareness, and resilience. It also includes involving parents, educators, and communities in creating spaces where stuttering is safe and accepted.

For families seeking additional support, organisations like SAY: Australia provide opportunities for connection, belonging, and advocacy.

In short: The true impact of therapy is seen in everyday life, not just in the clinic room.

6. Our Discomfort Can Block Connection

This one really stayed with me. Because it is not just about the person in therapy. It is about us too.

Voon reminded us to notice our own discomfort. The urge to fill every pause. The tension we feel when someone struggles. The reflex to jump in and help, even when help is not asked for.

Learning to sit with silence. To pause. To wait. These are not signs of doing nothing. They are signs of deep respect. Of saying, “I am here. I am not rushing you. Your words are welcome.”

In short: Learning to sit with silence and struggle is a way of saying, “I respect your voice.”

“Therapy is not neutral. It either affirms a person’s identity or erodes it. We need to come back to values based practice.”
— Voon Pang, Speech Language Therapist

7. Identity Affirming Practice Is Essential

Therapy is not neutral. It can affirm a person’s identity or it can quietly erode it.

Voon encouraged us to offer therapy that names ableism, that welcomes neurodivergence, and that supports people in claiming their voice. For some, stuttering is not a problem to solve, it is part of who they are.

Our job is to create space where that identity can be explored, owned, and celebrated.

You can learn more about Voon’s approach and services through his practice at Skillbuilders Speech Language Therapy, based in New Zealand.

In short: When therapy honours identity, it helps people own their voice with confidence and clarity.

What This Means for All of Us

Even though I do not work directly in stuttering therapy, these reminders have influenced my wider work, in parent coaching, in mentoring speechies, and in the way I think about therapy as a whole.

They have reminded me to slow down. To lead with presence. To prioritise consent, clarity, and connection.

If you are a therapist, a parent, or a curious learner, I invite you to sit with these ideas too. There is so much richness in the space between words. And sometimes, the greatest impact we make is not in what we say, but in how we hold space for others to speak.

If this resonates with you, we would love to welcome you to our upcoming webinar, taking place on 7th November. You can register here: https://adultlearningzones.perthhillsalliedhealth.com.au/voonpang2025. Let us keep the conversation going.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is identity affirming practice for people who stutter?
Identity affirming practice means supporting individuals to feel safe, seen, and accepted in their communication. It recognises stuttering as a valid form of expression, not something to hide or fix, and encourages individuals to build confidence in their voice.

Why is focusing on safety more important than fluency in therapy?
When therapy prioritises safety over fluency, it creates a space where people can express themselves freely without fear or shame. This helps build trust, self-worth, and meaningful communication, even if stuttering remains present.

How can therapists support stuttering without trying to fix it?
Therapists can support by listening without pressure, validating the person's experience, offering strategies for real-life confidence, and shifting the focus from fluency to communication and self-advocacy.