Maya sits down with Sam Gennuso, a Bay Area-based licensed psychotherapist and person who stutters, for a conversation about vulnerability, self-acceptance, and what it means to unmask. Sam shares her journey of growing up covert, discovering her stutter, and the early therapy experiences that shaped her understanding of fluency, shame, and identity.

Now a talk therapist, Sam talks about how stuttering has become one of her greatest teachers - helping her show up more authentically in her work and relationships. The episode explores themes of nervous system regulation, daily grounding practices, boundary-setting, and the metaphor of stuttering as diving into cold water: scary at first, but easier with each leap.

You can find Sam on Instagram at @wellgoneweird and check out her website: www.samgtherapy.com

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🎟 Get tickets for a community art and film event sponsored by Proud Stutter on October 9 in San Francisco

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Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks.

Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact

If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.

Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media.

Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials.

This week on Proud Stutter, we’re joined by Justin McCullough, a longtime stutterer, technologist, and founder of the upcoming mental health platform, Eight Minute Chat.

Justin opens up about growing up with a stutter after a major shift in his family dynamic, how it impacted his high school and college experiences, and the quiet persistence that shaped his career in tech. From building his first software system at a community college to launching his own company, Justin reflects on how stuttering has influenced his drive to prove himself, and how it’s intertwined with his sense of self-worth, timing, and voice.

We also talk about his latest project: Eight Minute Chat, a new initiative designed to offer people a space to offload mental stress in the moment--whether by phone, text, or in person. Rooted in empathy and lived experience, the idea came from a college student’s story and has since grown into something that could help bridge the gap between therapy and friendship.

This episode dives into first impressions, filler words, what it means to be seen beyond your stutter, and the emotional complexity of navigating speech in a fast-paced world.

Subscribe to updates on Eight Minute Chat at eightmin.org.

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🎟 Get early bird tickets for Proud Stutter’s Annual Gala on October 9 in San Francisco

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Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks.

Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact

If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.

Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media.

Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials.

This week on Proud Stutter, we’re joined by Shamez Kasam, a lifelong stutterer based in Alberta, Canada, who shares his powerful journey from shame to self-acceptance—and what he calls “recovery.” Shamez talks about growing up with severe stuttering, the impact it had on his life, and how purposeful desensitization helped shift his mindset. We explore what it means to be a “recovered stutterer,” the emotional toll of speech-based trauma, and how empathy and persistence can grow from stuttering. This episode is a testament to resilience, self-reflection, and the lifelong process of befriending your voice.

In this episode

🎟 Get early bird tickets for Proud Stutter’s Annual Gala on October 9 in San Francisco

-----

Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks.

Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact

If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.

Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media.

Want to lean more about what Proud Stutter has to offer? Sign up here to stay in the loop and take advantage of our upcoming events, actions, and educational materials.