Public Speaking

For many of us the idea of public speaking brings us out in a cold sweat as butterflies start to race around our stomachs. But how come something that we do every day so easily like speaking all of a sudden becomes terrifying? Many of us would like to avoid public speaking entirely but this is not always possible. Making presentations, giving talks, a bestman's speech at a wedding, business meetings, the list of when we may have to confront our fears of public speaking is endless.

There are many reasons why public speaking starts to turn us to jelly. Here are just a few common reasons:

• Self-consciousness – this could be because of accent, grammar, voice, image, the way we stand, how we perceive ourselves
• Lack of confidence – often stems from a feeling that others are better speakers than ourselves or that they know more about the topic in question
• Unfamiliar situation – unless public speaking is something you do regularly the formality of speaking to an audience can cause apprehension
• Fear of looking foolish – we worry that we might forget what we want to say or stumble over words, even say the wrong thing
• When you start to panic over public speaking your body goes into fight or flight mode, releasing adrenaline to help you cope with the situation

Public speaking is a perceived threat and although that perception feels all too real to those who suffer from it, the act of public speaking can do us no harm. Public speaking doesn’t have to be stressful, it can even be enjoyable. If you correctly understand the hidden causes of public speaking stress and if you learn a few tricks to calm your body and mind, it will soon become an invigorating and satisfying experience. Hypnotherapy, CBT & NLP can help you to conquer any public speaking anxieties you have by building up your confidence, helping you to remain relaxed and calm. You can learn your body’s unique reactions to stress and anxiety and develop a healthy and positive way of thinking and feeling. You wouldn’t walk into a meeting having not prepared what you want to say, in the same way you need to prepare both body and mind for how you are going to say it, so you walk into the room ready to speak clearly and confidently.

Imagine, instead of public speaking filling you with dread, you can learn to enjoy it, even to look forward to writing and giving a presentation. Take the first step today to conquering your public speaking fears, relaxing in the weeks leading up to it and even enjoying giving the speech as your new found confidence fills the room.

Wedding Bells, Bouquets, Bridezilla and the Best Day of Your Life

The royal wedding certainly divides opinion. Personally I think it is going to be a wonderful British event and I am looking forward to seeing London sparkling away with all the pomp and ceremony; and it is not only royal weddings that bring up conflicting feelings!

For many, a wedding day is a day they have dreamt of since they were a little girl, playing dress up with their friends and dreaming of their Prince Charming and the day he sweeps them off their feet. Yet, for many different reasons, some people end up arriving at their wedding day in a stressed heap, focusing on all the little details and what could go wrong.

They forget to focus on their Prince Charming and the reason for the day, to become husband and wife! Ask most girls who have planned a wedding or watched someone close to them planning and they will understand where I am coming from, the word Bridezilla didn’t come from thin air.

We spend so much time planning everything, the colour of the table clothes and centre pieces; oh and make sure they match the chair covers. We make sure we are the fittest we have ever been, looking stunning on the day in our amazing dress but inside we are tired and stressed and on tenterhooks fearing the next possible disaster. Your day should be about you and your husband, not about the family politics or who is sitting where. Yes you need to plan for all this but on the day it is your time to relax and enjoy taking in the wonderful memories as you start on your new path as Mr & Mrs.

I have had grooms saying they don’t recognise the woman who is standing in front of them. They have unleashed this wedding monster, help! What happened to the woman who I asked to marry, will she return? Oh the wedding, I leave that all up to her, I’ll just turn up on the day, that is her project.

So how can EKTherapies help you with your wedding? Using the powerful combination of Hypnotherapy, CBT and NLP we can work together to understand your stressors and help you to focus on not only the day but your life ahead, helping you to enjoy the day as one that is jam packed full of wonderful memories; helping you to arrive at your wedding day full of anticipation and excitement, feeling confident and ready to be a centre of attention for a day, free from all the little stresses, enjoying the day in the moment as you take your first steps as husband and wife. We can also work on freeing yourself from the anti-climax that can come after a wedding, and in preparing for the wedding, allowing the man in your life to be involved, as most men really do want to be, just maybe not in the same level of detail as you!

From practical help with the public speaking for him so the speech isn’t a black cloud hanging over the day to allowing the day to be the happiest moment in each other’s lives, EKTherapies can help with every detail you can imagine. Give me a call today to find out more.

© EKTherapies