Talks and Workshops: Reflecting, Representing, and Creating Together

About the Presentation

🎧 👐 Presentation in French. Simultaneous English translation provided.

This presentation reflects on a qualitative research project exploring media representations of stuttering. Five group interviews were conducted with 24 participants: primarily adults who stutter, but also clinicians and family members. These conversations created a space for reflection on lived experiences, desires, and discomforts related to how stuttering is portrayed in the media.

Participants were invited to imagine what fair and meaningful media representations of stuttering could look like. They were also encouraged to reflect on the social and relational dynamics surrounding a character who stutters, and to consider the impact such a portrayal might have on their own experiences or on public perception. Throughout the discussions, tensions emerged between visibility and stigma, realism and dramatization, highlighting the complexity of representing dysfluency in a way that is both authentic and liberating.

The goal of this project is to generate concrete ideas for more just, sensitive, and nuanced portrayals of stuttering, grounded in the perspectives and lived experiences of those directly concerned. The research findings will inform awareness tools developed as part of Geneviève Lamoureux’s doctoral work.

About the Presenter

Geneviève Lamoureux is a PhD candidate in Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology at the Université de Montréal, where she is a member of both the Laboratoire d’innovations en orthophonie and the Labo CinéMédias. Also a person who stutters, she centers her research on reducing the stigma associated with stuttering and communication differences. Her interests focus on the intersections of representation, power, and inclusion. As part of her work, she initiated the creation of new media representations of stuttering, notably by producing “We Are the Audience” (set to be released in November 2025) — a collaborative short film developed with several partner organizations. The Voice and Media Festival is a continuation of her doctoral project, conceived as a space for creation, dissemination, and collective reflection.

About the Presentation

🎧 👐 Presentation in French. Simultaneous English translation provided.

During the 2025 summer camp of the Association des jeunes bègues du Québec (AJBQ), youth aged 8 to 17 participated in creating video capsules about representation. This co-creation project, led through a partnership between AJBQ and Geneviève Lamoureux (speech-language therapist and doctoral student), aims to provide a space for expression and action within a camp already deeply rooted in the community.

Two video capsules were created with the youth:
– What I wish people knew about stuttering
– Young people’s perspectives on representation

The presentation will explain the process, screen the capsules, and open a reflection on the benefits of this type of project within the camp setting.

About the Presenters

A speech-language therapist for twenty years, Amélie Fournier has also served as Executive Director of the Association des jeunes bègues du Québec (AJBQ) since 2024. Deeply attuned to the experiences of young people who stutter and their families, she is actively involved in developing projects that foster confidence, self-expression, and a sense of belonging. Among these, the AJBQ summer camp stands out as a unique experience in Quebec for youth aged 8 to 17 who stutter—one of the rare opportunities for them to come together with peers in a supportive, caring community.

Sébastien Finlay, M.Sc., is a doctoral student in Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology at Université de Montréal. He is interested in how clinical and community approaches can support people who stutter in all areas of their lives. He is currently collaborating with the Association des jeunes bègues du Québec on a project to evaluate the outcomes of their summer camp. A person who stutters himself, Sébastien aims to contribute to making communicative diversity more visible and celebrated.

The Association des jeunes bègues du Québec (AJBQ) is a community-based organization that supports young people who stutter, from ages 0 to 17, along with their families. Founded on values of empathy, inclusion, mutual support, expertise, and trust, the AJBQ accompanies youth on their journey by promoting a compassionate and inclusive approach to stuttering. Through activities, workshops, an annual summer camp, educational resources, and shared spaces, the organization creates opportunities for connection, learning, and growth. The AJBQ helps amplify the voices of young people who stutter while fostering their confidence and empowerment.

About the Presentation

🎧 👐 Presentation in French. Simultaneous English translation provided.

This roundtable discussion will bring together five panelists to discuss the representation of people with aphasia through theatrical practice. The conversation will focus on how theatre can become a space for creation and transformation of the way aphasia is perceived.

Annie Carrier, actress with Théâtre Aphasique, will share her experience and perspective on her role as a performer. Isabelle Côté, artistic director of Théâtre Aphasique, will address the artistic challenges of this inclusive approach, as well as the reception of the works by audiences and cultural institutions. Gabrielle Boucher will present her doctoral research on the representation of people with aphasia in theatre. Finally, Ingrid Verduyckt and Alexandra Tessier will discuss the results of a research project focused on Théâtre Aphasique, exploring the unique nature of this initiative born in a clinical setting and the tensions and contributions that can arise from this dual positioning in art and rehabilitation.

About the Presenters

After completing a master’s degree in intercultural and international communication at Laval University, Annie Carrier had a flourishing career with the federal Department of Foreign Affairs when a stroke turned her life upside down. For the past five years, she has been learning to live with aphasia and two speech disorders, verbal apraxia and dysarthria. Engaged and passionate, she has been an actress with Théâtre aphasique for two years and now sits on its board of directors. For her, theatre is much more than a stage: it’s a space of freedom where words come back to life beyond physical limitations. Surrounded by people who have experienced similar hardships, she has regained confidence and a deep sense of belonging. Drawing on her journey, Annie wants to raise awareness among as many people as possible about aphasia and various disabilities, demonstrating that resilience, creativity, and solidarity can transform challenges into strengths.

A graduate of the École supérieure de théâtre at UQAM, with specializations in Acting and Drama Education, Isabelle Côté taught drama for two years before becoming the Executive and Artistic Director of Théâtre Aphasique in 1996. She leads drama workshops, creates, directs, and promotes theatrical productions, all while managing the organization.

Creative, committed, and passionate about theatre and speech-language therapy, Gabrielle began a PhD in French Literature at the University of Ottawa in September 2023, focusing on the representation of aphasia in theatre. Her thesis project is titled Les maux pour le dire: l’aphasie dans le théâtre québécois (2000-2025) [Words to Express It: Aphasia in Quebec Theatre (2000-2025)]. Gabrielle also holds a Master’s degree in speech-language therapy from Université Laval and a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in theatre.

She is deeply interested in the intersections between health and the arts. Over recent years, she has been highly involved with community organizations promoting the social inclusion of people who have experienced a stroke, including Théâtre Aphasique. In this context, she has written and directed theatrical productions for people living with communication differences, including aphasia.

Associate Professor in speech-language therapy at the Université de Montréal, Ingrid Verduyckt, Ph.D. (she/her), leads the Laboratoire d’Innovations en orthophonie, a research space focused on the social participation of people living with communication differences. A researcher at the CRIR and co-chair of the organization Vocavie, she is committed to interdisciplinary and inclusive approaches where the voices of those directly concerned are central.

Alexandra Tessier is a postdoctoral fellow in the speech-language therapy department at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. She is interested in inclusive practices and expanding the scope of practice for speech-language therapists, particularly in social environments. Alexandra prioritizes participatory research methods, a social model of disability, and projects with practical and concrete impact to create a more inclusive society for deaf and disabled people, particularly in terms of communication.

Since 1995, Théâtre Aphasique has been co-creating and producing plays with people living with aphasia. These productions—often developed over several months or even years—are then presented at festivals and major cultural venues across Québec. Over the years, the troupe has reached a wide range of audiences, including performances at Théâtre Périscope, the Monument-National, and the Gesù.

In 2025–2026, to mark its 30th anniversary, Théâtre Aphasique launched Le silence qui parle, a travelling exhibition that blends cultural mediation, scientific talks, theatre, and public awareness about aphasia. The exhibition has been hosted in several cities throughout Québec, including Québec City and Montréal, notably at the Musée de la civilisation and the Écomusée du Fier-Monde.

Dive into the creative process of Théâtre Aphasique by experiencing firsthand what actors with aphasia encounter during rehearsals. Here, aphasia becomes a source of artistic creation — a driver of expressiveness and inventiveness.

Through physical and vocal warm-up exercises, as well as activities focused on concentration, memory, listening, and expressiveness, participants will be invited to explore communication and theatre through movement, voice, body, and imagination.

About the Presenters

A graduate of the École supérieure de théâtre at UQAM, with specializations in Acting and Drama Education, Isabelle Côté taught drama for two years before becoming the Executive and Artistic Director of Théâtre Aphasique in 1996. She leads drama workshops, creates, directs, and promotes theatrical productions, all while managing the organization.

Since 1995, Théâtre Aphasique has been co-creating and producing plays with people living with aphasia. These productions—often developed over several months or even years—are then presented at festivals and major cultural venues across Québec. Over the years, the troupe has reached a wide range of audiences, including performances at Théâtre Périscope, the Monument-National, and the Gesù.

In 2025–2026, to mark its 30th anniversary, Théâtre Aphasique launched Le silence qui parle, a travelling exhibition that blends cultural mediation, scientific talks, theatre, and public awareness about aphasia. The exhibition has been hosted in several cities throughout Québec, including Québec City and Montréal, notably at the Musée de la civilisation and the Écomusée du Fier-Monde.

DYSFLUENCY in MOTION is a workshop co-facilitated by SPACE Executive Director and co-Founder Aidan Sank and stuttering artist Liiiam McLaughlin, exploring where our voices live within our bodies. Our goal is to highlight the often overlooked relationship between the voice and body, and unlock a deeper understanding of the dysfluent experience by thinking, moving, and creating together. Through conversation, reflection and physical exploration, DYSFLUENCY in MOTION builds a bridge between dysfluency and embodied expression. This workshop is open and welcome to all!

About the facilitators

Aidan is the co-Founder and Executive Director of SPACE, a nonprofit creating more space for stuttering. He has been collaborating with the stuttering community as an ally for almost 15 years, and worked for over a decade in New York City as a theater maker and arts educator. Aidan is grateful to the many, many people who stutter who have taught him how to truly listen and communicate. He lives in Vancouver, BC.

Liiiam McLaughlin is a dance artist and sound creative based out of Brooklyn, NY, USA. His artistic practice roots itself in “stutter/dancing”, a movement exploration that weaves the deeply embodied experience of stuttering into choreographic and pedagogical frameworks. By utilizing the unruly potential of stuttering, he aims to disrupt societal expectations around efficiency, communication, and clarity that so often embed themselves into everyday life. His work actively revolves around two overarching questions: What can stuttering teach movement? What can movement teach stuttering? He is very grateful to be taking part in Voice and Media and can’t wait to revel in the power of dysfluency together.