Transforming Your Fear of Public Speaking

Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. Arthur Somers Roche

"Karen" had a strong desire to overcome her fear of public speaking. She wanted to begin presenting workshops to build her business. She admits having paralyzing anxiety about missing a line during a presentation. Karen visualized speaking during a workshop where she misses a line and then falters.

We used EFT to remove barriers to speaking in front of an audience. On a scale of 0 to 10, she rated her anxiety at a 7. I asked her if she felt the anxiety anywhere in her body. She said that she could feel the anxiety in her core, from her stomach up to her throat and it felt like an eruption of energy.

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Set up: Even though I feel a volcano of core energy that erupts and shocks me when I don't remember a word and can feel it coming, I deeply love and accept myself.
Even though I feel a bolt of fear when I miss a line, I am confident that I have prepared for the presentation.

Even though I don't feel that I will have a connection with the audience, I know that I prepared the best I could for my presentation.

Eyebrow: I am going to be solid as I speak.

Side of eye: I feel paralyzed that I will miss a line

Under eye: I feel uncertainty about my presentation

Under nose: A moment or two of failure

Chin: One line or word that I will get wrong

Collarbone: Plunging into the void

Under Arms: The shock of not knowing a word

Top of head: I feel a bolt of fear

I asked Karen to return to the anxiety for presenting a workshop. She was instructed to focus on missing a line and faltering. I encouraged her to exaggerate the mistake. She said the intensity was not there.

Once some of the negative beliefs were cleared, we were able to develop alternatives beliefs that focused on success. We explored the possibility of turning a negative into a positive. Karen was able to see how she could learn from missing a word.

Karen realized that she always prepares and would be able to improvise. We explored the concept that everything is a learning opportunity. Karen's goal was to maintain awareness of what she was doing in the moment.

After her first workshop, I received an email from her letting me know that her presentation "Went great."