> can we affect change by thinking differently? Abso-freaking-f*&king-lutely. That is the basis for a lot of clinical psychology and some speech therapy (including stuttering therapy). The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy is basically about changing the way we think about our stuttering. But regarding the rest of your post I have a question, that might seem somewhat basic, but I want to make sure we're talking the same language. --What do you mean by self-esteem?