No Excuses! – Episode 39
Posted on: January 4, 2011
Episode 39 features Beata Akerman, who hails from Ljubljana, Slovenija (Central Europe). She is a researcher/assistant lecturer in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Ljubljana. We first met on Facebook, and then enjoyed a video skype chat!
She completed her Masters thesis on changing public discourse on people who stammer in Slovenija. For her doctoral dissertation, she plans to research employment and educational opportunities for people who stammer.
Beata has stuttered since she was 4 years old, and suffered great humiliation as a child and young adult. She was often the brunt of cruel jokes and thought to be intellectually deficient because of her stuttering. She has worked hard on personal acceptance and raising awareness of stuttering in her country.
She has written articles, appeared on television and has even written her own children’s book about a fairy princess who stammers (see link below). Beata also started the first support group for people who stammer in Slovenija. She is the group leader and only female member who attends the group, so far.
Listen in as Beata shares her heartfelt, painful and ultimately triumphant journey of shameful stammering to acceptance. She is a woman of courage who is willing to share her story in order to inspire others who stammer in her country, especially women.
Music used in this episode is credited to ccMixter.
This is a pdf version of Izabela – A Fairy Princess Who Stammered translated into English, without the illustrations.
Also, thanks to Sachin of TISA, here is written text of an interview with Beata. She is truly a role model for women who stutter all over the world.
Your comments, questions or feedback are invited. I am sure Beata would love to hear your thoughts on her story.
8 Responses to "No Excuses! – Episode 39"
January 5, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Hi Beata and Pam, It was a pleasant surprise to come to the blog and listen to both u talking..And I must say Beata, you are a role and an inspiration to a lot of people. Thanks once again for sharing your story so candidly!
JP
January 6, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Beata, thank you so much for sharing your story, I like the way you are so positive about where you are right now but acknowledge how hurtful past experiences still are, I think this is healthy. Your story is so inspiring and I am going to ask my daugher to listen to your podcast.
Even though we have never met we have a little connection, I was given your book- the original & the English version – by a speech therapist ( Jonathon Linklater) who was given it by Gert Ackerman. I gave it to my 12 year old daughter, who stutters, to read and she wrote a review, here is a quote from her review ‘I thought it was a brilliant story; the age rating I would think is 8+. I would definitely recommend it for speech therapy sessions and just for kids who stammer.’
So, not only are you making a difference in your own country but your influence is reaching much further. You are a role model for younger girls who are trying to make sense of how stuttering fits into their lives.
Once again, Pam, thank you for bringing us more stories from strong women who stutter.
Veronica
January 7, 2011 at 8:23 PM
Wow! Fantastic woman on a quest to change the misconceptions of her country. Beata made an excellent point when she said that she’s still hurting inside even though she’s smiling on the outside. I think that’s a feeling we all share.
January 8, 2011 at 12:31 PM
What an amamazing story Beata, I can relate to many of the stories you told. With your courage and persistence you would do fantastic on The McGuire Programme and you could eventually bring the Program to Slovenija to help many more people in your country.
Maria episode 38 .
http://www.mcguireprogramme.com
http://www.BeyondStammering.com
January 13, 2011 at 9:37 PM
I have only just found this website and am so glad I did. Listening to Beata tell her story gave me inspiration to deal with my stutter, hopefully, in a more productive way.
June 28, 2012 at 2:26 AM
Beata,
You are one amazing woman! Your story is heartbreaking. You have been put through a lot of teasing and people just being flat out mean. Had that been me, I would have grown up to hate the world and everyone in it. People can be so cruel and I don’t understand how parents can let their kids be so mean and to treat you the way they did was just….shocking. You are a beautiful,smart and very strong woman! It amazes me too how some adults treated you. The only teasing I got growing up was from my father and a cousin. That was bad for me,but had I been put through what you went through, I honestly don’t know how I would be today,but you didn’t let it crush you. It made you stronger. Teaching others about stuttering is so amazing too. I hope people in your country can see that you are an amazing woman and that you refuse to let your speech get in your way of anything. By the way, you have such a cute voice lol! Also, I don’t think you stutter bad at all. To me, you actually sound great. I hope you write more books too. I think this world needs more childrens books on stuttering,bullying and teasing. I really enjoyed listening to your podcast. It makes me feel a bit different about myself and stuttering. If you can go through all of what you have been through and be so strong,then I should be able to do it too. You are a wonderful role model! Thank you for sharing your story.
Pamela, you did a great job. This is one of my favorites! Thank you for what you do. You are amazing too! 🙂
Kim Burnett
Make Room For The Stuttering 
January 5, 2011 at 5:53 AM
Great! Here is her interview in text:
http://stammer.in/articles/38-cat-stuttering-related/360-beata-ackerman-an-activist-a-writer.html
January 5, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Thank you Sachin! I have amended the narrative and included this link for readers who wish to read more, as well as another direct link to TISA.
Thank you for your support. I do believe giving women who stutter a voice is making a difference, small perhaps, but a difference.
Your friend Mughba has contacted me, and we are going to plan on a time in late January. I so look forward to “meeting” her and having her share her story. Other Indian pws will surely benefit by her voice.