Clients of
mine have described very sophisticated strategies they have adopted for
deflecting attention from themselves; sometimes by inviting feedback from the
group or possibly by deferring to others. Through these strategies, they
‘manage’ difficult and uncomfortable situations. The mastery with which this is
done means that very often their colleagues or audience are unaware of their
discomfiture.
Skill at
deferring or deflecting attention however does not stop the anxiety experienced
beforehand. Weeks before a meeting, people afraid of presenting or pubic
speaking often report suffering insomnia and stress prior to a meeting,
presentation or event. Fear of presenting has nothing to do with an
individual’s ability, knowledge or experience. Those who worry about this
element of their work will often be well prepared and well versed in their subject;
how they feel is not related to their skill or expertise.
The way in
which social anxiety or fear of public speaking manifests itself in people,
varies from person to person. Physical symptoms include shaking, sweating,
blushing, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, upset stomach and muscular
tension. Confusion, stuttering, shaky voice, or light-headedness are
common signs of nerves too, although they may be more apparent to the sufferer,
than to others. Most worry about the embarrassment they’ll experience if they
forget what they’re saying, or have a fear of looking stupid, or being
discovered as an ‘imposter’.
Hypnosis
and NLP can be very helpful for those who struggle with this issue and I have
found that good results can be achieved in a fairly short space of time.
Everyone is different of course, so if you find presenting, public speaking or
social situations challenging, get in touch. In addition to using guided
hypnosis with my clients, I can teach them self hypnosis techniques that
they can use any time they need to. I also help clients to set up NLP 'anchors' that can help them to feel calm, composed and confident in stressful situations. Many invest in one of my self-hypnosis recordings to
use at home too.
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