| In May 2006 the journal Clinical Psychology and | | | | main causes of the fear of public speaking--negative |
| Psychotherapy published a research study that proves | | | | beliefs and emotional conditioning. |
| there is a way to permanently eliminate the fear of | | | | Many people who have the fear of public speaking |
| public speaking. | | | | have beliefs like "Mistakes are bad" and "If I make a |
| This research paper described how 36 people who | | | | mistake, I'll be rejected." |
| had a fear of public speaking were divided into two | | | | These beliefs cause them to fear making a mistake in |
| groups to test the effectiveness of a fear elimination | | | | front of an audience, fear looking stupid and fear |
| procedure called The Lefkoe Method. | | | | people even seeing that hey have fear. |
| One group was exposed to The Lefkoe Method. | | | | Emotional conditioning is that familiar phenomenon |
| The other group went to Toastmasters meetings. | | | | described by Pavolv's experiments with dogs in which |
| After a few hours of exposure to The Lefkoe | | | | he got them to salivate at the sound of a bell by ringing |
| Method the first group spoke in public and each | | | | it when food was given. Once this happened often |
| member of that group reported that their fear had | | | | enough the dogs salivated at the sound of the bell |
| literally disappeared. | | | | even when no food was given to them. |
| The second group spoke in public at the same time | | | | A similar process happens to help you get conditioned |
| and, of course, they had the same level of fear they | | | | to fear the types of events that could happen when |
| had before. | | | | you speak in public. |
| However, researchers wanted to be totally sure that | | | | For example, many fearful speakers fear being judged |
| The Lefkoe Method produced the results they were | | | | or criticized. They form their fear because when they |
| witnessing. | | | | were young their parents were upset at them |
| So they had the second group go through the steps | | | | whenever giving criticism. This caused them to feel |
| of The Lefkoe Method. | | | | fear and to "associate" fear to being criticized. |
| This group was asked to speak in public again and | | | | And so as an adult aware of the mere possibility that |
| each participant reported that he or she had no fear | | | | they might be judged or criticized when speaking in |
| of speaking in public. | | | | public they feel fear. |
| Of course, by itself, this doesn't prove that the | | | | Lefkoe's processes help people to disconnect from |
| changes are long lasting. | | | | past conditioned fears and to stop negative beliefs |
| So researchers followed up with participants in the | | | | cold. |
| study two years later. | | | | So what can you do if you want to get rid of your |
| And they found that participants remained fearless | | | | fear? |
| when speaking in public. | | | | You'll have to follow the four steps of The Lefkoe |
| So Dr. Lee Sechrest, professor of psychology at the | | | | Method: |
| University of Arizona, who conducted the study, | | | | 1. Uncover the beliefs that have been causing your |
| concluded, | | | | fear. |
| "The Lefkoe Method is an effective, quick, and | | | | 2. Isolate the events that led to the creation of those |
| convenient procedure to eliminate the fear of speaking | | | | beliefs. |
| in public." | | | | 3. "Get" at a very deep and profound level that those |
| Morty Lefkoe, founder of The Lefkoe Institute and | | | | beliefs aren't true now and never have been, and that |
| published author, was not surprised as he and his | | | | you never actually "saw" them in the world. |
| colleagues were already helping over 450 people a | | | | 4. Dissolve the conditioning that's locking your fear in |
| year eliminate their fear of public speaking at the time | | | | place on autopilot. |
| the journal article was published. | | | | When you do all four of these things you will speak |
| And how does it work? | | | | without fear in public for the rest of your life. |
| According to Lefkoe it works by "undoing" the two | | | | |