Welcome to Public Speaking Cure: Why Tips Don't End the Fear of Public Speaking
Aug 01, 2022
This is the first video on the Public Speaking Cure channel, where Robert Summa talks about public speaking fear, from moderate nerves to panic attacks.
Who Is Robert Summa?
I'm Bob Summa. I lived with a public speaking phobia, including panic attacks, for 18 years. Since then I have worked one on one with more than 750 executives, in person in Metro Atlanta and online across the continental US.
I am an ISO-certified life and health coach and I trained in panic, anxiety, and confidence with psychologists and anxiety specialists. I bring 33 years of corporate experience, including advising the C-suite. I am a coach, not a clinician, and I refer clients to licensed clinicians when their needs go beyond public speaking.
Is Fear of Public Speaking Really That Common?
Yes. Most people feel some nerves when they speak, and a large share of people have a moderate to severe fear. If you were told tomorrow that you had to give a toast to 300 people or present to 1,000, notice what your body does. If the number is high, you are not alone.
Why the Usual Advice Does Not Work
Nailing the first 30 seconds, knowing your content, breathing and calming techniques, and more rehearsal all go after the symptoms. They are good skills for someone who is already comfortable at the microphone. They do not remove a phobia. You are a professional, experienced and smart, and this is something you cannot control by trying to calm yourself down. In my experience, none of it removes the fear.
Where the Root Is
Deep in your brain, a small alarm system called the amygdala exists to protect you from real danger. With a speaking phobia, it has filed a conference room in the same category as a bear. That is a metaphor, not a medical claim. When it fires, the thinking brain is shut down for the moment, which is why people go blank on material they know.
The root is the amygdala having public speaking in its database. The work is to teach it that speaking is a false alarm. My program is private and one on one, with a short daily practice of a few minutes a day over a few weeks, followed by a simulation phase where you rehearse under pressure in realistic rooms. 99.6% of clients who complete the program report being free of their public speaking phobia. That is based on client reports, it is not a guarantee, and results vary by individual.
Start With Your Fear Score
The first step is free. Take the quick Fear Score quiz to see where you fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't breathing exercises and other tips fix a fear of public speaking?
They go after the symptoms, not the alarm that causes them. In Robert Summa's experience, none of it removes the fear.
How does Robert Summa's program work?
It is private and one on one, with a short daily practice of a few minutes a day over a few weeks, followed by a simulation phase in realistic rooms.
What results does the program report?
99.6% of clients who complete the program report being free of their public speaking phobia, across 750-plus executives. Results vary by individual.
Is Robert Summa a clinician?
No. He is a coach, not a clinician, and refers clients to licensed clinicians when their needs go beyond public speaking.
Robert Summa
Certified executive public speaking coach who specializes in public speaking phobia
robert@publicspeakingcure.com
