**Part #2:** About distraction: I feel it is not promoted by speech language therapists because, as I say in the abstract, distraction is not reliable. But it helps me even now. I do agree that all forms of distraction do not create durable fluency, and might become a burden for the stutterer. I used, and still use, these as crutches. If the goal is to achieve some semblance of fluency, I believe that we should learn to let go of these crutches. Embarrassment of stuttering does not diminish with age. In my case, I simply think about the instances that I stuttered most recently, and try to see why it occurred. Referring to the diagram in the paper, by neural plasticity I mean the ability to switch from stuttering pathways in the bottom half of the scheme to the top half. Every time a stutterer avoids stuttering, either by distraction or something else (pausing, slow breathing etc.), I believe that the brain is getting trained to find alternate pathways to avoid stuttering. Artificial Intelligence network are in fact trained this way. Once the brain is trained on these new pathways, then the stuttering pathways, which I show in the bottom half the figure in my article, will be forgotten. In this sense, “distraction therapy” along with other modes of reinforcing behaviors, can succeed. This is what I call neuroplasticity. Distraction might not always occur in natural contexts. Once, my thumb healed within week or so, with no more tincture of iodine to smell, I came up with other tricks that I could use like looking away at something, or pretending to be occupied with some activity, or imagining I was talking to someone else, to reduce my stuttering. Gradually, I realized that I was stuttering less and less. Starting in my 30’s (late 1970’s), when I started reading the stuttering literature, I began to understand this process in terms of re-wiring the brain, or neuroplasticity. I believe that speech therapy in the form of training the stutterer to speak slowly, breathing exercises, asking the stutterer to prepare well enough before speaking assignments so as not to feel anxious, and other technique gradually erase the pathways that trigger stuttering. Aids such as distraction may not be necessary once the new pathways are established. This will take time. Some therapists ask a stutterer to accept stuttering and stutter comfortably by teaching different modes of stuttering such as prolongations and fighting through the block. Others encourage the use of devices such auditory feedbacks and electronic devices. But I think there is a segment of stutterer whom neuroplasticity can provide a pathway to fluency. \~ Sanjeeva (PhD)