Credentials
- BA Fine Art - University of Cape Town
- Diploma in Hypnotherapy (C.Ht) - Hypnosis Motivation Institute, California
- Hatha Yoga Teacher's Certificate - Anada Kutir Ashram, Cape Town
- G8 Royal Schools of Music, piano - Stewart Young, Cape Town
- Certificate in Conversational Hypnosis - Igor Ledochowski, London
- Third Degree Usui Reiki Master - Najma Ebrahim, Cape Town
Background
In my early 20's I overcame a debilitating stutter. It was really bad, since the age of about 3. I would block on words without any kind of pattern or predictability, and try to push them out, but nothing would happen. The word would just freeze, and my jaw would lock. Sometimes a vowel would stick and I would have an "aa" sound until I could force myself to finish the word. Socially, it was pretty awkward.
When I was 10, my class teacher told my patents I would never pass matric. She advised a remedial school. I stayed in the main stream, and finished well enough. Despite my handicap I enjoyed debating and I was head of the student council, but in my first year at university studying fine arts, (UCT) I had an opportunity to do a classical music radio show with my brother on Fine Music Radio, (FMR 101.3) a community station.
On live radio, stuttering meant dead air, and although no-one had the heart to say anything to me, I took it pretty seriously. My brother would always cover for me if I blocked, but after a while he got too busy, and I carried on with the show, solo.
I found myself looking for ways around a block instead of trying to push through it. Synonyms, and alternative phrasing started to come to me more fluently, and within a year I was completely comfortable in the skill that I had developed. I continued at FMR for a further 8 years, doing the 4pm - 6pm afternoon show, "Winding Down". (1996 - 2004)
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