The American Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Professional Training

freeing voices. changing lives.

A Leading Non-Profit Organization for People Who Stutter
and Their Families

Welcome to the American Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Professional Training, a specialized, non-profit treatment center for children, teens and adults who stutter. We are the only non-profit facility in the United States that offers both day & evening intensive and individual treatment options for people of all ages while also providing clinical training to both new and established speech-language pathologists.

Celebrities Help to Shine National Spotlight on Stuttering at the American Institute's First Fundraising Gala

QM2 Captain Christopher Rynd, CBS News Anchor Katie Couric, Fitness Entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, NBA All Star Kenyon Martin and Singer/Songwriter Carly Simon

The groundbreaking and star studded Freeing Voices. Changing Lives. Gala Benefit was not only a first for AIS but a first for the whole of the stuttering community. Never before has any stuttering organization held an event of such magnitude. CBS News Anchor Katie Couric hosted the recent event on board the Queen Mary II which was underwritten by Cunard Line, owners of the QM 2. All proceeds from the event go towards continuing to support the work of AIS: Treatment scholarships, clinical training, public education and government advocacy.

Chairing the event were authors and editors (and husband & wife) Tina Brown and Sir Harold Evans and James Manley, CEO of Atlantic Pacific Capital. Gala honorees were singer/songwriter Carly Simon, author, Dominick Dunne, NBA All Star, Kenyon Martin and fitness entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, all who have personally dealt with stuttering.

Other well known people who stutter in attendance were ABC's John Stossel, actor, Austin Pendleton, CBS News Correspondent, Byron Pitts, and Former CEO of GE, Jack Welch. Other guests included New York Senator Charles Schumer, Candace Bushnell, Lauren Hutton, Norma Kamali, NYC School Chancellor Joel Klein, Sony/BMG CEO Sir Howard Stringer, Martin Dunn, Editor-in Chief of the New York Daily News, and actors Michael Nouri, Patti D’Arbanville, Ron Silver, Sam Waterston and Kevin Kline.

"You and the program have had more of a positive influence on my life than anyone I've ever met. You've renewed in me the belief that I can start over, that 19 years of stuttering has not wholly crushed my spirit. I really think that I now have the will to change and you've certainly given me the means. People who stutter are fortunate to have a person such as yourself."

- Kevin, age 19         

The American Institute was founded and is directed by Catherine Otto Montgomery, M.S.,CCC-SLP, an internationally recognized speech-language pathologist with over 25 years of experience dedicated exclusively to the study and treatment of stuttering. She is one of the few Board Recognized Specialists in Fluency Disorders in the United States. Ms. Montgomery conceived the Institute in recognition of the need for a comprehensive treatment and training facility for stuttering in this country as an outgrowth of her former private practice.

We encourage you to visit the rest of this web site to learn about our specialized treatment programs and to read some comments from clients who are truly inspirational to us all. You may also contact Catherine Montgomery and her team of professionals by calling toll-free 1-877-3STUTTER.

Treatment Overview

Stuttering impacts individuals on many levels, affecting every aspect of their being from self-esteem to how one interacts with the world. Stuttering plays a role in the smaller day-to-day choices as well as influencing life's most important decisions. 

Traditional treatment most often focused on either the physical aspect, teaching fluency management skills or only on the psychological aspects. Here at the American Institute, our experience has taught us that stuttering is a complex, multidimensional disorder that demands a multi-faceted approach, one that works with both the physical and psychological manifestations of stuttering.

The American Institute is one of the few facilities in the United States that offers comprehensive intensive treatment for teens and adults.

Our treatment programs for adults, teens and older children include these many dimensions: physical speech and voice treatment to effectively manage and improve speech fluency, work toward reducing or eliminating fear and avoidance, a strengthening in confidence and self esteem and the development of a new attitude. We feel it's also important to build a support system that includes outreach to spouses, families and friends through counseling and education. 

The American Institute is at the forefront of offering newly emerging early intervention treatments that are showing great promise of actually preventing stuttering from developing into a chronic, life debilitating problem. This is very exciting work and it is our goal to reach as many children as possible who are at risk. 

The American Institute is pleased to offer early intervention treatment for very young children, even as young as age two. Although, the approach with the little ones is not as involved as the process for older children and adults, it reflects the Institute's whole person philosophy through the essential involvement of parents and caretakers.

The American Institute for Stuttering is established as an independent non-profit corporation, a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3), and  is staffed with dedicated and experienced fluency specialists.

"Thank you for changing J.P.'s life for the better.  Along with improvement in his speech, he has learned acceptance, self confidence and an appreciation for  who he is.  
God bless you every day."

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