Save the Date · July 22 – 24, 2027

Self-care can help soften the transition back to daily life. After feeling so seen and supported, the convention highs might begin to settle, and other feelings may come to the surface.

Conventions can bring the blues, too.

While it may not be the case for everyone, returning to the familiar march of daily life after the convention can feel like a strange transition. Many of us have felt some combination of dread, loneliness, disorientation, and loss, along with confidence, gratitude, motivation, and hope. It’s a lot to hold.

This year, we’re reflecting on how to navigate those emotional highs and lows, the shift from being surrounded by people who stutter or “get” stuttering to living in an often rushed world where that deep understanding of stuttering may feel like a rare gem.

There’s no formula or blueprint for self-care. What follows is a humble starter guide that we offer with plenty of figurative asterisks in recognition of just how subjective the process of self-care can be.

Lean on support systems, like Friends.

• Keep in touch with the stuttering community. If you met someone at the convention whose story resonated, reach out to them. It could be a quick “thinking of you” message or a longer personal update, whatever feels right. If initiating feels tough, joining one of our monthly virtual groups can be a great way to stay in community without the pressure to start a conversation. As you think back to moments that mattered, it might be helpful to connect with others who are also processing those same experiences.

• Talk about your experience with friends and family. If you’re comfortable, share a little about what the convention meant to you. You don’t have to explain everything. Even saying “It meant a lot to me” can help bridge the worlds.

Give yourself grace

• Adjust gently to your school, work, and leisure communities. You may miss the ease of stuttering around people who don’t interrupt or react, and that contrast can feel sharp. It’s okay to take time and space to readjust. If you find yourself feeling like you “should” jump into action or advocacy (whatever that may look like), remember that there’s also room for slow, gradual shifts towards building stutter-friendly environments.

• Let yourself feel what you feel. There’s no “wrong” emotion to have, whether sadness, gratitude, longing, inspiration… many others are likely feeling it, too. 

• Budget in some time for a buffer. If you are able to give yourself some breathing room, ease back into routines and responsibilities. It’s okay to take your time getting reacquainted with daily rhythms.

Take time to let the experience settle in.

• Reflect and let the meaning rise to the surface. Journaling, voice notes, conversations, or a quiet walk can help you process what the weekend meant to you.

• Note what inspired you. Maybe it was something a panelist said or how your child stood taller. Writing it down could help you retain it in your memories and carry it forward in everyday life.

• Revisit the joy. Look back at photos, rewatch a favorite moment, or replay a meaningful conversation in your mind.

Do things that feel restorative.

• Rest. Exhaustion can amplify feelings and wear down inner resources.

• Move your body. A stretch, a dance, a swim, whatever feels good. Physical movement can support emotional movement.

• Plan the next time. Whether it’s an upcoming virtual group, a fall one-day event, or our Dallas convention next year, having something to look forward to can help ease the distance. 

• Remember that the acceptance you felt at Friends is still here. It didn’t disappear when you returned home, and your Friends are here year-round, not only in July!