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DALLAS — Chris Monjelo stutters.

A 24-year-old Pittston resident, Monjelo described himself as mostly mute in high school. He stuttered, which burdened his already complex teenage years. When he was a senior, a teacher referred him to the speech pathology program at Misericordia University. There Monjelo found a support group for people who stutter; a place where he was comfortable opening up.

“I could speak about it to a speech therapist, but if the speech therapist doesn’t stutter they won’t ever understand what it’s like to have a stutter,” Monjelo said. “Past the stutter, it’s the awkward pauses or just talking to people; just wanting to be able to express myself.”

Monjelo still has bad days.

There are moments he’ll tense up or avoid eye contact during conversation, but the group has helped him become more comfortable with both who he is and the methods used to show those sides of ourselves to other people.

“Stuttering isn’t you, but it’s a small part of you, and I emphasize that because that’s a thing I still struggle with,” Monjelo said. “I’m Chris Monjelo and I’m a writer, I enjoy music, art, social justice and Drake. I’m aware I’m always going to stutter and that’s hard to accept; I still struggle with that. I just remind myself that it’s just a small part of me. It’s not the whole book, but a small chapter.”

The stuttering support group is open to people of any age and meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of every month in room 212 of Misericordia University’s Passan Hall. Along with being students of the speech pathology program, Terry Murgallis and fellow National Stuttering Association Northeast Pennsylvania chapter co-chair, Kyle Pelkey, both stutter.

Pelkey said there was a point when both ment thought they were the only people in the world who stuttered. He said the meetings are casual affairs that start with introductions and an opportunity to share stuttering experiences. They’ll open the floor for discussion and when it’s time to leave they’ll relay a mission or some motivation for the group to report back on next time.

Attending a stuttering support group session can be beneficial for people who don’t stutter. Monjelo said sometimes he’s told to slow down or sentences are finished for him; according to Erin Yankshak, 23-year-old Plains resident and Misericordia University speech pathology graduate student, meetings help those who don’t stutter keep sight of the person on the other end of their conversation.

“We are taught to see a person who stutters as a person first, with complex feelings and thoughts, but if you don’t come to something like the support group you kind of don’t get that,” Yanoshak said. “It gives you just a lot more insight with that. That’s why I like coming, it gives a completely different perspective.”

Even though they’re approaching the support group from two different perspectives, Yanoshak and 17-year-old Old Forge resident, Josh Wagner, whose stuttering became evident at 5, both said the meetings help them establish a better point of view on the topic.

“The support group here has helped to show me that I’m not the only one that has it,” Wagner said. “It helps to have a point of view on the topic that could be hard to see on your own and to get the input of several others that have the same goals.”

For more information about National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania and their stittering support group, visit nsachapters.org/nepa. To schedule an evaluation at Misericordia University’s Speech-Language-Hearing center, contact Tracey O’Day at (570) 674-6724.

Misericordia University speech pathology major and National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter co-chair, Kyle Pelkey, of Waterbury, Connecticut, listens to speech pathologist Tara Yamelski of Shavertown.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL022316stutterers_6-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMisericordia University speech pathology major and National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter co-chair, Kyle Pelkey, of Waterbury, Connecticut, listens to speech pathologist Tara Yamelski of Shavertown. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Members of the stuttering support group hold their bimonthly meeting at Misericordia University in Dallas.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL022316stutterers_1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMembers of the stuttering support group hold their bimonthly meeting at Misericordia University in Dallas. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Josh Wagner, 17, of Old Forge talks about his experiences with stuttering at a recent support group at Misericordia University.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL022316stutterers_4-1.jpg.optimal.jpgJosh Wagner, 17, of Old Forge talks about his experiences with stuttering at a recent support group at Misericordia University. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Misericordia University speech pathology student and co-chair of National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter, Terrence Murgallis, of Wilkes-Barre, speaks during the stuttering support group’s bimonthly meeting.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL022316stutterers_5-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMisericordia University speech pathology student and co-chair of National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter, Terrence Murgallis, of Wilkes-Barre, speaks during the stuttering support group’s bimonthly meeting. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader
Group co-chaired by university students provides outlet for people who stutter

By Gene Axton

[email protected]

DON’T TELL ME TO SLOW DOWN 5K

National Stuttering Association Northeastern Pennsylvania will hold its 3rd Annual Don’t Tell Me To Slow Down 5k Run/Walk April 2, at Misericordia University’s Mangelsdorf Field. Pre-registration ends March 17 and is $15 for students, $20 for adults. Day-of registration is $25. All participants receive a T-shirt. To register, email name, age, shirt size and contact number to [email protected].

Misericordia speech pathology student, Kyle Pelkey, said the race is held to raise stuttering awareness within the community and to raise money for the National Stuttering Association and its Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter. Pelkey and fellow Misericordia students Terry Murgallis, Abriel McCann, Alexandria Irr and Alexis Stoffel also organized the event to raise money for a possible visit to July’s NSA national conference in Atlanta.

Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts