The meeting will be approximately one hour. After brief introductions, attendees are welcome to share personal experiences about their voice disorder or to ask questions about Spasmodic Dysphonia and related vocal conditions. 

Discussion topics will include: 

• Summary of the Dysphonia International Symposium that occurred on May 4th in Tampa, FL. Speakers at the event covered topics like Botox treatment, brain research, social-emotional issues, assistive technology, etc. 
• Using the “BEN” communication technique to advocate for ourselves in social situations B=behavior, E=emotion, N=need. We’ll discuss how to ask others to help accommodate our voice-related needs. 

We will be meeting at the the Decatur Library which is located at 215 Sycamore Street in downtown Decatur, GA. The parking deck behind the library is FREE for patrons ONLY while using the library. Because downtown Decatur is a busy area with limited parking, please do not leave your vehicle in this lot if you go elsewhere. If you wish to explore nearby shops or restaurants before/after the meeting, I suggest using metered street parking or a parking garage.

Once inside the library, go upstairs to the 2nd floor (elevator available). If you don’t see the group, go to the Reference Desk to ask which room we’re meeting in. There are two study rooms in the back corner; the exact room we’ll be in depends on availability and group size on that particular day.

Hosted by Atlanta Dysphonia Support Group Leader Laura Rahuba | rahuba72@yahoo.com