Public Speaking Anxiety
When All Eyes Are on You
When You Know What You Want to Say, yet Your Body Has Other Ideas
You know your subject. You may be confident in other situations and have prepared carefully. Yet when all eyes turn to you, something changes.
Your heart races. Your voice changes. Your mouth goes dry, or your mind suddenly blanks. You know logically that you are safe - but your body seems to have other ideas. And it does not have to mean standing on a stage. It may happen when you present to colleagues, contribute in a senior meeting, pitch an idea, lead a webinar, join a panel, or simply introduce yourself to a group.
RTT® and hypnotherapy can help you explore the deeper beliefs and emotional associations beneath public speaking anxiety, so you can begin to feel safer being seen, heard and making the right impact. Book a Free Discovery Call to see whether this approach is right for you.
Does This Feel Familiar?
Perhaps:
• you dread speaking in front of others and find ways to avoid it
• feel anxious for days or weeks before a presentation, meeting or event
• experience a racing heart, shaking voice, panic or an unsettled stomach
• know what you want to say, but your mind suddenly goes blank
• become intensely aware of your voice, breathing, posture or facial expression
• you rush, speak too quietly, lose your place or struggle to make eye contact;
• overprepare, memorise every word, or rely on notes because speaking spontaneously feels too risky
• imagine people noticing your nerves and deciding that you are not capable or credible;
• avoid opportunities that would make you more visible, even when they could help your career or business
• replay the event afterwards, focusing on every pause or imperfection rather than what went well
You may be highly capable and confident in other areas of your life. Yet that can make this response even more frustrating because you know it doesn't truly reflect what you can do.
Why Public Speaking Anxiety Can Feel So Powerful
Public speaking brings together several things the mind can interpret as threatening: being visible, being evaluated and not being able to control how other people respond.
Logically, you may know that one imperfect sentence will not ruin your career. But if another part of you associates being watched, assessed or exposed with danger, your body can react before you have time to reason with it.
Then the physical sensations become part of the fear. Your heart races, your voice changes, your body might shake, and instead of focusing on what you want to say, part of your attention is asking:
“Can they see how nervous I am?”
62%
of UK employees surveyed said they feel nervous before giving a presentation.
— Kahoot! survey of 2,000 UK professionals whose jobs involved corporate presentations, reported 2025
The Cycle That Keeps Speaking Anxiety Going
A speaking situation approaches. You are asked to present, contribute or take a more visible role.
Your mind predicts the worst. “I’ll go blank.” “They’ll see I’m nervous.” “I’ll lose credibility.”
Your body prepares for threat. Your heart races, your breathing changes, and it becomes harder to think clearly.
You try to stay in control. You overprepare, memorise, rush, rely on notes or avoid the situation.
The relief is temporary. Your mind learns that speaking requires protection, so the fear returns next time. This is why being told to “just relax” rarely helps.
The response is not a lack of knowledge or preparation. Your thoughts, emotional associations and physical reactions may all be reinforcing one another.
What Are You Really Afraid Might Happen?
On the surface, you may fear forgetting your words or making a mistake. Underneath, you may be afraid of:
• being judged as incapable, unintelligent or unprepared
• visibly losing control and being unable to recover
• being criticised, laughed at or humiliated
• disappointing people whose opinion matters to you
• losing authority or professional credibility
• confirming a deeper fear that you are not good enough
The deeper message may be:
"It is not safe to be seen”
“I must not get this wrong.”
“If people really look at me, they’ll find something wrong”.
Sometimes you can trace that feeling to earlier moments of criticism, embarrassment, being laughed at or being expected to get everything right. What matters is the pattern your mind learned, the meaning you attached to it and the response it is still trying to protect you from.
From Nervous to Confident Speaking on a Panel
“Nerissa’s calming presence, soothing voice and seamless ability to navigate my story made me feel deeply supported and understood.”
“She gently uncovered and addressed key themes I hadn’t even realised were holding me back.
After our session, I actually looked forward to speaking on the panel, something I never thought I’d say. Her intuition and skill are truly something special.”
— Jen, Marketing Communications Director
How We Work Together With Public Speaking Anxiety
I spent more than 20 years working in demanding corporate technology environments, so I know speaking at work is rarely “just a presentation”. It can shape how you’re seen, how your ideas are received, how people see your credibility and whether you feel ready to step into a more visible role.
There is no standard version of public speaking anxiety, so there is no standard session. We start with your particular response - when the fear appears, what happens in your body, what you fear might happen and what you do to stay in control. From there, the work is shaped around your experiences, your triggers and what you want to feel differently.
RTT® and Hypnotherapy
Rapid Transformational Therapy® and hypnotherapy can help you explore the beliefs and emotional associations beneath the fear, such as “I am not good enough”, “It is not safe to be seen” or “I have to be perfect”.
We loosen the emotional hold of these beliefs and build a calmer, more supportive response to speaking and visibility. Your recording is created specifically for you, using the language, insights and changes that emerge from your session of how you’d like to feel, the impact you’d like to make and the calm confidence you’ll exhibit.
EMDR Therapy
When the anxiety is linked to a distressing speaking experience, a humiliating memory or a vivid image of something going wrong, EMDR therapy may also be helpful. It offers a structured way of working with memories and triggers that still feel emotionally charged.
RTT® and EMDR can also be combined when appropriate. We can discuss the most suitable starting point during your discovery call.
Focused Support or a Deeper Programme
A focused RTT® session may suit a specific fear of presenting or speaking on stage. If the anxiety is connected to wider patterns of underlying trauma, The Freedom Path gives us more time to work with the connected layers and support you as you begin showing up differently.
Imagine Speaking with Greater Calm, Presence and Confidence
Imagine being able to:
accept a speaking opportunity without weeks of dread
walk into the room feeling grounded rather than braced for something to go wrong
focus on your audience and message instead of monitoring yourself
speak naturally, pause and trust yourself to recover if you lose your place
contribute in meetings without rehearsing every sentence
make eye contact and allow your personality to come through
share your expertise without shrinking, rushing or apologising
finish speaking feeling proud rather than analysing every detail
This is not about never feeling a flicker of nerves. It is about feeling secure enough that nerves no longer take over, so you can stay present, think clearly and focus on what you actually came to say.
36%
said forgetting their words was what made them most anxious about public speaking.
— Preply UK Public Speaking Survey, sample of 2,007 UK adults, updated 2025.
Public Speaking Anxiety FAQs
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You can know logically that you are prepared and safe, yet still experience a racing heart, shaky voice, changes in breathing or difficulty thinking clearly.
When being watched, assessed or exposed has become associated with threat, the response can happen automatically before you have time to reason with it. It does not mean you lack confidence, knowledge or ability. We work with what is driving that response so speaking can begin to feel safer.
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RTT® and hypnotherapy give us a way to explore the beliefs, emotional associations and learned responses beneath the fear — perhaps “I must not get this wrong,” “It isn’t safe to be seen” or “They’ll see I’m nervous.”
Rather than simply telling yourself to relax, we work together with what is happening beneath the reaction and support a calmer, more secure response to being seen and heard. Your current approach already positions RTT® this way rather than as presentation-skills coaching
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If your fear is quite specific - for example, presenting at work or speaking on stage - we may begin with one focused RTT® session and see what you notice afterwards.
If public speaking is connected with wider patterns such anxiety, or trauma or previous distressing experiences, more time may be helpful.
We can decide together what feels like the most appropriate starting point. This fits the focused-versus-deeper-support structure you already have on the page.
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No not at all. You will not be put on the spot or asked to prove that you can perform confidently.
This is deep subconscious work, accessed via hypnotherapy to help you access the root cause of your fear of public speaking, so you can change it at its core.
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If you already have a date in the diary, get in touch as early as you can. Around three weeks beforehand is ideal because it gives you three weeks to make a new habit.
If your event is much closer, we can still talk, often an EMDR session can help speed up your results.
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Each session will last an average of 75 – 90 mins.
At our session, I will guide you into a deeply relaxed state to enable you to focus on how the issue came into your life. We will uncover the meaning and interpretation you created at the time and the beliefs you formed. You’ll then can let go of this belief, and we will provide your subconscious with new positive beliefs that will transform your life.
After the session, you’ll receive a personalised audio to listen to every day for 21 days to establish beautiful new habits via your neural pathways in your subconscious. These new beliefs will create long lasting transformative change and allow you to unlock greater potential than you ever thought possible. The result is a truly transformative experience you will walk away from with clarity, direction and the desire to finally make your dreams a reality.
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Item descriptionYes. Hypnosis is a relaxed state of focused attention. You are not asleep or unconscious. You remain aware, able to speak and fully in control throughout the session.
You can pause or stop at any time, and you cannot be made to say or do anything you do not want to do.
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RTT® incorporates hypnotherapy alongside other therapeutic techniques to explore beliefs, meanings and emotional responses connected with the problem you want to change.
EMDR is a structured approach that may be appropriate when the fear feels strongly connected with a distressing memory, humiliating experience or particular trigger that still carries emotional intensity. It works with both the mind and body, for instance the knot in your stomach, racing heart, etc.
Sometimes one approach is the natural place to begin; sometimes we may consider both. We can discuss what best fits your experience during your discovery call.
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While Rapid Transformational Therapy® and hypnosis can be incredibly effective, they’re not the right fit for everyone. RTT is not recommended for those who:
Are currently experiencing severe mental health crises (like active psychosis or severe bipolar episodes)
Have untreated epilepsy or certain neurological conditions
Are unwilling or unable to engage in the process openly and honestly
Expect a quick fix without commitment to the journey of change – listening to the audio for 21 days consistently
If you have any concerns or complex mental health issues, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional first. RTT® works best when you’re ready to take an active role in healing and growth.
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Yes, absolutely. In fact, many people find online sessions more effective - they’re in their own space, more relaxed, and free from the stress of travel or rushing to appointments. You will need a trusty wifi and a comfortable safe place, where you can relax and not be disturbed and away from interruptions. Transformation can happen right from the comfort of home.
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Absolutely. Your journey is private and held in a safe, non-judgemental space.
From Anxious to Calm and in the Flow
Verified Google Review
Just one week later, I stood on stage and spoke to around 40 people. Instead of feeling anxious or self-conscious, I was totally calm, confident, and completely in the flow. I focused on sharing my message rather than worrying about how I presented, and I genuinely enjoyed the experience.
“I left feeling uplifted, delighted, and incredibly proud.
Virginia, CEO & Business Founder
Spoke On Stage & Actually Enjoyed It
Verified Google Review
After the session, she gave me a recording to listen to each day in the run-up to a work event at which I was presenting.
On the day, I spoke to a large audience and didn’t feel nervous. In fact, I felt excited. I even enjoyed being on stage, which I never thought possible. The session was incredibly effective. If you’re struggling with speaking confidence, I highly recommend working with her.
Lorena - Client Services Manager
87%
of Britons surveyed said strong speaking and communication skills are important for career progression and leadership.
— Compass Group UK&I / More in Common, The Great British Speaking Gap, 202
Your Next Step Starts Here
If public speaking anxiety is keeping you quiet, holding you back from greater visibility or limiting opportunities you are ready for, you do not have to keep working around it.
You can learn to speak with greater confidence, trust what you know and let your personality and expertise come through, whether you are presenting an idea, leading a meeting, speaking on stage or stepping into a bigger opportunity.
So you can show up fully and communicate what you want to say, rather than how you might come across.
Your Voice Belongs in the Room
Feel calmer. Trust yourself. Make the impact you are capable of.
Sessions are available online and in Reading, Berkshire.