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