About the American Institute for Stuttering

The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) is the only non-profit organization in the United States that offers state-of-the-art treatment to people who stutter, and support to their families. AIS also provides clinical training to speech-language pathologists (SLP) interested in acquiring special expertise in stuttering treatment. 

Our mission extends to advancing public and scholarly understanding of this often misunderstood disorder.

The American Institute was founded in 1998 by Catherine Montgomery, M.S.,CCC-SLP, BRS-FD, an internationally recognized speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience dedicated exclusively to the study and treatment of stuttering. She was one of the few Board Recognized Specialists in Fluency Disorders (BRS-FD) in the United States. Ms. Montgomery created the Institute in response to the great need for a comprehensive treatment for those who stutter and for support for their families, and as a place to offer a uniquely specialized training for SLPs, which does not exist in standard educational programs elsewhere. 

At AIS, we recognize that stuttering impacts individuals on many levels, affecting everything from self-esteem to how the person interacts with the world. Stuttering plays a role in life's small day-to-day choices, but can also influence its most important decisions.

Traditional treatment frequently focuses on either the physical OR the psychological aspects of stuttering. However, we know from experience that stuttering is often a complex, multidimensional disorder that demands a multi-faceted approach, no matter what the age of the stutterer. AIS offers treatment that encompasses both the physical and psychological manifestations of this communication disorder, and addresses the impact it has on the families of those who stutter. Our success in creating fluency rests upon this in-depth approach to the whole person, and it is one which is unique in the world of treatment for stuttering.

"What AIS does is give people a reason to believe in themselves. They make it clear that stuttering does not define a person and that's the beginning to figuring out how to overcome it. It is the most debilitating thing that can happen to a kid because he defines him or herself by their stutter. AIS makes it clear that's not the definition of who they are and that's the beginning. That's the beginning of beating this thing." Vice President Joe Biden shown with AIS Board member Michael Sheehan and AIS Founder and former Executive Director Catherine Montgomery

American Institute for Stuttering
27 W 20th St. Suite 1203
New York, NY 10011

phone: (212) 633-6400
fax: (212) 220-3922

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