HYPNOTHERAPY FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING IN LONDON
Hi, I’m Steve. I am a Member of the National Council of Hypnotherapy and hold a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma and Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy awarded by the CPHT, considered the gold standard in hypnotherapy training. I have extensive experience with hypnotherapy for public speaking in London and online.
If you would like to discuss how I can help with performance anxiety please call: 07966 464 005 or via this contact form
Steve Dell BA (Hons) HPD DSFH MNCH (Reg) NCH AFSFH
HOW I CAN HELP YOU OVERCOME PERFORMANCE ANXIETY
Anxiety and excitement are two sides of the same coin; both are fuelled by adrenaline. And any musician will tell you that in order for their performance to feel alive and meaningful they need that feeling before they go on stage. Without it, their performance will lack something. But this beneficial raising of the stakes can sometimes cause fears and doubts; leading to self-sabotaging thoughts and lead to performance-related social anxiety. Having a bad, on-stage experience can cause performance anxiety too, of course.
If you’d like to understand more about public speaking phobia, performance anxiety & how hypnosis can help call: 07966 464 005 or via this contact form.
HYPNOSIS HELPS WITH THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY & PERFORMANCE ANXIETY
Whether you are a musician, are regularly speaking in public to a group of people or have the fear of public speaking, an actor or an athlete, we’d work together in restoring your confidence in being able to use that adrenalin to your advantage. We would also co-create a performance situation that, in your imagination, goes well for you. Then using hypnosis, that experience would be reinforced, And in this way positive change will have begun and a new behavioural pattern will have started to form. From then on, the more it’s reinforced the more it becomes the new normal, helping to build your confidence. But that needn’t be loads of sessions; it’s as many as you need.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in discussing further, just call 07966 464 005 or complete this contact form to arrange a free initial consultation.
UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY & ADRENALINE
Anxiety is powered by adrenaline to help with the flight response, but so too is excitement. In some instances, (but not all), anxiety is a misinterpretation of that burst of adrenaline. We may in fact have been experiencing thrilling, life-affirming excitement instead.
But if we’re not sure why we’ve felt a burst of adrenalin, and have no reason to feel excited, it seems natural enough to interpret the feeling as anxiety.
It’s possible that your mind is preparing you for change. And change, as you can imagine, is potentially exciting. Change can also be anxiety-inducing if you’re uncertain or it’s unknown where that change might lead you. In a way, anxiety is a bi-product of our lives not being predictable and pre-determined.
If we knew in advance about every event that was going to happen throughout our lives, there’d be no nourishment for our anxiety.
Results vary from person to person.
WHERE I HOLD MY HYPNTHERAPY SESSIONS
Generally, my hypnotherapy sessions take place at Muswell Health (North London) and The Terapia Consultancy (Central London). But thanks to the power of Zoom I don’t just deliver hypnotherapy to stop smoking in London but throughout the UK.
In fact, many of my clients find remote hypnotherapy less stressful because they can enjoy the process from the comfort of their home.
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PERFORMANCE ANXIETY HYPNOSIS
The fear of public speaking can develop at any stage of life. In childhood it can develop from a bad experience. For adults it’s usually caused when we put additional pressure on ourselves, overestimating the stakes. The good news is public speaking fears are a common form of anxiety and are often manageable. Hypnosis is often cited as a good way to tackle the fear of public speaking. In the sessions we’ll work towards reframing your fear and turning it into something positive. Having practiced being in a trance-like state in your hypnotherapy sessions, you’ll find you’ll have the tools to keep your anxiety in check.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for performance anxiety is a gentle way to guide you towards your goals. Hypnosis works for performance anxiety like this. When a hypnotherapist induces a trance state we feel more relaxed. At the same time our attention is focused. It’s a state of mind that temporarily suspends the part of the brain that holds onto patterns of behaviour that it feels are working. While in a trance you’ll be able to experience the positive version of yourself which we’d previously explored in the first part of your session. Without the resistance part of your brain holding you back.
Having experienced a trance-like state with a professional hypnotherapist trains your neural pathways. That often means it’s easier for someone to move into a hypnotic state. You may have experienced this feeling before. Some people call this ‘being in the zone’ or the flow. Essentially this is the same experience as hypnosis. These mind tools, once practiced, become easier to slip into and out of. This helps us bypass any negative thoughts that may arise.
Self-hypnosis is also a great way to manage anticipatory anxiety as it builds up. Allowing yourself to focus on positive visualisation can heighten your general mood and confidence.
For many of the people I see for hypnotherapy for performance anxiety in London or online the key issue is being faced with a high pressure situation. London is home to many multinational organisations and delivering executive presentations can make or break a career, even the most experienced professionals can feel anxiety from time to time. It’s the same with performers; anxiety or a feeling of low-confidence can creep up on professional actors, artists or musicians. so you’re not alone.
Some of the common reasons for performance anxiety can be broken down into:
1) Cognitive performance anxiety; and
2) Behavioural performance anxiety.
Cognitive performance anxiety relates to beliefs and thoughts. Some examples include:
- Having a low self-image e.g. “I’m not good enough to do this”
- Self evaluation e.g. “This is not going very well”
- High expectations e.g. “This has to be perfect”
- Blaming yourself e.g. “I will let everyone down if I don’t get this right”
- Doomthink e.g. “If I fail I will never live this down”
- Overgeneralisation e.g. “They all think I can’t do this”
Behavioural performance anxiety is more concerned with how people cope with anxiety. Examples include:
- Avoidance e.g. Directly avoiding a situation so to not confront the problem head on
- Perfectionism e.g. Becoming so obsessed with something to the point where it leads to fatigue
- Procrastination e.g. Keeping yourself busy with indirect areas that then builds up the pressure on the avoided problem
- Withdrawal e.g. Completely removing yourself from social interaction
When you’re at the centre of attention there’s a perceived expectation to perform successfully, and this can feel stressful. The bodies natural response to this feeling is to produce adrenaline. In many ways this can be a good thing. When harnessed correctly adrenaline is the fire that can make a performance exceptional. Left uncontrolled has the opposite effect. Just like if you were attacked the body reacts to stress with a fight, flight or freeze reaction.
Some common performance anxiety symptoms include:
- A dry mouth and/or a tight throat
- Trembling
- Racing pulse
- An uncomfortable feeling in the stomach
- Nausea
- Change in vision
For many people getting up on stage and performing in front of people feels overwhelming. Performance anxiety or stage fright as it’s commonly known can be a debilitating. It can hold people back from achieving their goals. Professional athletes, musicians, actors and public speakers experience performance anxiety in their career. The big risk is that experiencing stage fright becomes a feedback loop. This can affect self-esteem and lead to low self-confidence. Hypnotherapy for performance anxiety can help. So you can take control of your emotions and achieve your goals.
