From Panic to Presence: How Hypnotherapy Can Help You Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking
Did you know that the fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death for many people?
I know that sounds crazy, but many surveys suggests it’s a very real experience for over half of the population. Even for well seasoned performers like Adele, Stephen Fry, Richard Branson, and Julia Roberts, speaking in front of large audiences still creates intense fear and anxiety.
Glossophobia, as it’s known, can limit careers, stall personal growth, and even drain confidence in everyday social life. But here’s the good news: you’re not broken, you’re not alone—and this fear is absolutely changeable.
Why Public Speaking Feels So Terrifying
Public speaking anxiety isn’t just about nerves. It’s often rooted in:
A belief that we’re not good enough or have to be perfect
Past experiences that left us feeling exposed or humiliated
And while these patterns may feel hard-wired, they’re actually learned responses—we weren’t born with them; we picked them up somewhere along the way. And if they were learned, they can be unlearned. The challenge is that most of these patterns now operate beneath conscious awareness, running on autopilot. That’s why surface-level strategies—like overthinking, talk therapy, or repeating positive affirmations—often fall short. They don’t reach the level where the real change needs to happen.
The Power of Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy works differently. It is an effective and proven method that helps by going to the source: your subconscious mind—the place where beliefs, memories, and automatic responses are formed. In a deeply relaxed state, the conscious, analytical mind quiets down, allowing access to the deeper layers of thought and feeling. In this trance-like state, you're more open and receptive to new, empowering suggestions—making it possible to update old fear-based patterns and replace them with more resourceful ones.
Let’s explore exactly how it works.
1. Positive Visualisation: Rewriting the Mental Movie
When people imagine public speaking, their minds often subconsciously conjure up a terrifying internal movie: a huge, silent crowd staring at them with intense disapproval and judgment. As the scene unfolds, they see themselves forget their words, stumble, blush, and panic. Unsurprisingly, this kind of mental rehearsal is incredibly effective—at creating fear. A person can be completely safe, sitting alone in a quiet room, and still break into a sweat just by thinking about it. While clearly unhelpful, this is a powerful testament to the impact of visualisation - just used in the wrong way.
Hypnosis flips that script.
In session, we use selective thinking and mental rehearsal—much like elite athletes do—to create a new mental strategy. However, in hypnosis, these rehearsals go much, much deeper into the subconscious mind so that they can become natural and automatic responses. You might visualise and feel yourself speaking clearly and confidently, responding resourcefully to a question, remaining composed after making a mistake, connecting with someone in the audience, and even receiving warm applause. In hypnosis, the subconscious doesn’t know the difference between real and vividly imagined experience—so this kind of visualisation builds a solid foundation of familiarity, safety, and confidence over time.
Even Michael Jordan once said, “Why would I fear missing a shot I haven’t taken yet?”
Public speaking can be approached the same way.
2. Addressing the Root Cause
The subconscious primary job is to protect you. So if you were ever embarrassed, rejected, or criticised while speaking as a child, your subconscious may have quietly filed that experience under “danger.”
Maybe it was:
Being laughed at during a school presentation (it still amazes me how we learn a topic but not in how to present - just shoved in front of the class!)
A teacher saying “don’t talk unless you have something smart to say”
A parent telling you very sternly “don’t talk to strangers”
These moments matter. Even if they seem small now, they may not have been then, and they can shape powerful subconscious imprints and responses. After the subconscious has labeled the situation as unsafe, it then tries to protect you by triggering anxiety in similar settings—even decades later.
Hypnotherapy allows you to revisit these memories from a calm, safe and often relaxed state. You don’t relive the pain—you observe the events from a fresh perspective, able to give them new meaning. This process helps neutralise the emotional charge and rewire the association, so public speaking is no longer categorised under “danger.”
3. Resolving Limiting Beliefs: Befriending the Inner Critic
For many people, the biggest fear isn’t the audience—it’s their own inner voice. The one that whispers “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll mess this up” or “people think I’m stupid”. These statements often originate from limiting beliefs, such as
“I’m not enough.”
“I have to be perfect”
“I’ don’t deserve to be heard”
“I’m not important”
In hypnosis, we don’t just quiet the inner critic—we help it evolve. By seeing that these limiting beliefs aren’t necessarily true, and updating them to more empowering beliefs like “I am important” or “I deserve to be heard,” a new kind of inner voice can emerge—one that offers encouragement instead of judgment, and feedback that’s useful rather than harsh. It becomes less of a critic, and more of a supportive inner coach.
4. Enhancing Focus & Presence While Speaking
When fear takes over, your mind races, your voice shakes, and your words disappear. Hypnotherapy helps calm the nervous system, so your mind and body can stay steady under pressure.
Using deep relaxation techniques and anchor triggers (like pressing thumb and forefinger together), you can train your mind to enter a calm, focused state on command. This makes it easier to stay present, remember what you want to say, and speak at a natural pace—no more mental blanks or rushed sentences.
Real Transformation Starts Within
Hypnotherapy doesn’t just teach you how to speak in public—it transforms how you feel about yourself when you do. By:
Releasing anxiety at its root
Healing the past
Rewriting limiting beliefs
Rehearsing confidence in the mind and body
…it creates a powerful shift that feels natural and lasting.
Client Story
“I used to dread public speaking—even in small groups. After a few sessions of hypnotherapy, I’ve noticed a marked difference. I’m not even quite sure what has changed but I’ve found myself actually looking forward to presenting at work. It feels a bit surreal… and it’s having a positive impact not only on my job but also my social relationships in general.”
— Former client, Jenny, Melbourne
Ready to Speak with Confidence?
You don’t have to keep avoiding it.
You don’t have to fight through it.
You can actually feel calm, confident, and capable when speaking—without forcing it.
If you're ready to make a change, I’d love to help.
👉 [Book your session here]
👉 [Contact me with questions here]
