Planting Seeds – Episode 91
Posted on: September 4, 2012
Episode 91 features Annie Bradberry, who hails from Corona, California. Annie was the Director of the National Stuttering Association for 10 years. She has been involved with the NSA all of her adult life.
Presently, Annie works as the Director of Development of The 100 Mile Club, a physical fitness and lifestyles program for kids in schools.
We talk about her involvement in the stuttering community and the growth she has seen over the years. Annie also shares what it was like transitioning from being the face of the NSA to “Annie who stutters.”
Listen in as we also chat about therapy experiences, moments of vulnerability, self talk, small talk and how stuttering has been an asset sometimes. And we really touch on being more open to our authentic self. We also laugh a lot in this conversation.
We invite you to leave comments, or just let Annie know what you thought of her story. Music used in this episode is credited to ccMixter.
16 Responses to "Planting Seeds – Episode 91"
September 4, 2012 at 4:25 PM
Thanks Pam, it was great to hear Annie. We attended a 3 week course at Eastern Washington in 1981. T-T-Tom Fisher
September 5, 2012 at 12:31 AM
Tom!
Thank you for taking the time to listen! Seems like yesterday…
Love, A
September 5, 2012 at 6:46 PM
Great interview, Pam and Annie. Just a couple of comments. I first saw Annie on the Mary Lou Henner show with a couple of other ladies ( I forget who) and she talked about her involvement in the National Stuttering Project. First time I had heard a woman stutter. I told my wife that she had a “cute” stutter. I know better now. And I will never forget receiving a personalized post card from Annie before I attended my first NSP ( now NSA ) conference in 1995, in San Diego, welcoming me to my first conference. That meant so much to me and started me on my journey with the NSA.
Bernie Weiner ( NSA Central North Regional Chapter Coordinator)
September 5, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Thanks for listening and commenting, Bernie!
Love the idea of a personalized post card for first-timers.
I will never say I have a favorite episode as they are all great ( I’m not biased right) but it was so easy and comfortable chatting with Annie.
It’s really cool to see guys comment – we know you’re listening!
September 6, 2012 at 6:01 PM
Ok Bernie….you got me tearing 🙂 Thank you for your kind words and for remembering. Those years are my favorite. I completly forgot about the Mary Lou Henner show! Crazy. Love to you and Harriett. A
September 6, 2012 at 12:07 AM
I enjoyed this interview. Thank you Annie for sharing this with us. I am forever greater to Annie Bradberry. She was instrumental in my attending the SSMP in Cheney Washington. Ever since the 3 1/2 week intensive therapy program, my life has completely changed. Not to mention
Annie hiring me at the NSA office in Anaheim Hills where I had the opportunity to practice my speech as I talked to people who stutter from all over the country, if not the world. Thank you Annie! I have made so much progress on my speech and in accepting my stuttering because of having met you. I will forever be greatful. Love you!
September 8, 2012 at 1:31 AM
Doris…thank you for your kind words….and now it is you making change as a speech langauge pathologist and I’m coming to speak to your college class this month! How things evolve….How fortunate we are to have you in the field making it better for the next generation!!!
September 6, 2012 at 5:41 AM
Thank you Annie for sending this to me – and I am continually amazed daily learning more about you. My life is so much better becasue of having you as a dear friend. A couple of take aways, wow – perhaps you and I should begin walking to work! Just started early walks 3x a week, but this could become a great thing – lets talk about ONE day a month or even a week (if you are bold enough).
During the show, you proved to me once more, once you became more comfortable on the pod cast, your speech was clearer and stutter free. As you know, I could listen to you all day – for when you (and others) stutter, I feel you command more attention, or others listen more intently.
Pam, you are a great host, making your guests feel welcome, and truly you stated in the beginning, We are only going to have a conversation.
Ladies – I am so impressed with you and wish you both well. Thank you for the outreach – you are making a difference for many people.
Bobby Spiegel – Corona CA (Annie’s #1 fan!)
September 8, 2012 at 1:33 AM
Thank you Bobby….I’ve taking up riding a bike a few weeks ago. I can ride beside you! 🙂
September 14, 2012 at 12:11 AM
Dear Annie and Pam,
Thank you so much for sharing with us this lively, fun, enlightening, but most of all awesome conversation! Stuttering does not impede Annie’s communication abilities at all; on the contrary, it adds some sort of personal touch to her speech! Congrats to you Pam for your skills at enticing your guests to disclose who they really are, beyond the surface. Your experience shows up!
As a first-timer at last July’s NSA Conference, I attended a workshop organized by Annie and Mara Schlimm on courage. We often hear that stutterers show courage on a daily basis when they meet a person for the first time, answer the phone, order food, etc. Hopefully Annie and Mara will present the same workshop at future conferences; if so, if there are stutterers wondering which workshop to attend at an upcoming NSA Conference, I strongly encourage all of you to go to this one. If you think living with a stutter is a daily challenge, you will be in for a ride attending this workshop!
Kind regards,
JF
September 18, 2012 at 6:46 PM
Wow….thank you so much for your kinds words and I am so happy to hear you enjoyed our workshop. If all goes well we do plan to do it again next year and perhaps expand on it as well. I am truly touched by the time you took to reply. A
October 28, 2012 at 8:41 PM
Hi! When I was born I was 3 month premature and didn’t begin talking until I was 5 yrs old. I then began stuttering because of my readiness teacher, she yelled a lot. Talking was a difficult thing to do. I even thought, I wasn’t going to be able to speak with out stuttering. Speech and language therapy when I started first grade until I graduated from high school. Still stutter but able to get through it by sliding myself out of it, calming techniques if I feel it coming on before I begin to speak and positive affirmations!
October 29, 2012 at 8:27 AM
Hi Laura, thanks for checking in. I am guessing you are a first time visitor. I hope you check in often.
I like the idea of postive affirmations. I have a book of daily affirmations and I try to read it each morning.
Positivity definitely helps. Pleae check out some of the women’s podcasts – I’d love to hear your feedback.
Pam
May 17, 2013 at 9:13 PM
Wow, Annie! That was a great interview. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard you speak, and I realize I’ve missed it. You’ve done so much for everyone around you. You even came up with a name for my business (Speaking Freely.) I can’t think of anyone who better role models what living with passion is all about, whether or not you’re dealing with stuttering or any other of life’s grinding problems. I think it must be close to 32 years since we first met back in the early days of the NSA. You are a force of nature, and I’m glad to see you haven’t lost a step. — John H.
Make Room For The Stuttering 
September 4, 2012 at 8:23 AM
This was totally interesting to me, Pam. I even looked up the l00 Mile Club….really fascinating. Thanks to Annie. Now she is more than a page on Facebook! RUTH MEAD
September 5, 2012 at 12:30 AM
Thank you Ruth!