Exposure Therapy for Public Speaking: These Tools Will Help You Ace Your Speech
Key takeaways:
If you’re afraid of public speaking, you’re not alone. Over 75% of the general population is afraid to speak in public.
Exposure therapy is a common therapy for fear of public speaking. This type of therapy encourages you to evaluate your fears and practice in safe spaces.
You can practice exposure therapy techniques by recording and evaluating yourself, ranking your fears from least scary to most scary, and focusing on the purpose of your message.
Table of contents
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking. A lot of people have anxiety when they have to talk in front of others. And, for some people, their fear becomes so great that they may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Exposure therapy is one of the most common treatments for public speaking anxiety. It helps you learn that the more you expose yourself to public speaking opportunities, the less anxious you’ll become.
Here, we’ll look at ways to practice exposure therapy and how it helps. We’ve also included a list of resources for support and practice.
Self-guided exposure therapy tips for public speaking
To do this, here are 13 exposure therapy techniques you can try at home for public speaking anxiety.
1. Watch embarrassing public speaking videos
Start by watching other people deliver embarrassing public speeches. It may sound weird, but this will trigger some of your public speaking anxiety. Then you can start to practice new ways to cope with your fear at a more manageable level.
As you watch the videos, write down how you feel physically and emotionally. For example, your heart might race, and you might feel bad for the speaker. The more aware you are of your body’s reactions, the better you’ll be able to manage your anxiety.
2. Create a script
Write a story in the present tense of an imaginary public speaking event. This is another way to practice facing your fear in a way that’s more manageable than actually giving a speech for real. Exposure therapy is all about starting small and then building up as you gain mastery over your public speaking anxiety.
In your script, include details such as the venue, audience, and your feelings. For instance, you could write: “I’m standing in the conference room for my presentation. My hands are clammy, but otherwise, I’m OK. About halfway through, I draw a blank. Everyone is staring at me.”
Keep track of your anxiety levels and how long it takes for them to go down as you read your script repeatedly. Over time, your anxiety should decrease. Or, you’ll learn that you can manage even if you feel some anxiety.
3. Put a positive spin on your reaction
Think of your anxiety as “excitement and energy,” recommends Elizabeth McMahon, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of “Overcoming Anxiety and Panic: Interactive Guide.”
“Words affect how you feel about what’s happening in your body,” she said. “Don’t think, ‘I’m freaking out,’ but rather, ‘I’m excited and energized.’ It flips a switch from a negative to a positive interpretation of what is happening.”
4. Watch yourself on video
Record yourself as you practice a short presentation. Then watch the video back several times in a row each day. Rate your anxiety at the start of each video and then at the end. Notice how your anxiety changes over time the more you’re exposed to the video of yourself giving a speech.
5. Practice in front of safe people
When you’re ready, record yourself in front of a small audience. Increase the size of your audience and the length of your speech as you get comfortable.
This kind of practice is helpful, said Tatiana Rivera Cruz, LCSW, a therapist with ADHD Advisor.
“Practicing with a person of trust and receiving positive criticism can build your confidence,” Cruz said. “And it can help you focus on yourself and your message rather than your anxiety and the audience.”
If you’re not ready to face an audience, try practicing in front of a mirror. It’s less stressful and will give you a chance to evaluate your performance on your own.
6. Try virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) allows you to present speeches to virtual audiences. One study shows that students who engaged in VR therapy twice a week for 20 minutes were able to lower their heart rate and anxiety levels. Look for a counselor who offers VR therapy if you’d like to try it out.
7. Focus on your purpose
Pay attention to what you want to say, rather than how you may say it, said McMahon.
“Remember, you’re speaking to share information that helps your listeners,” said McMahon. “That’s where you want to be. Not focused on your performance, what’s happening in your body, or what your audience may be thinking, but on your purpose.”
8. Practice deep breathing
Do breathing exercises before and during your speaking engagement. “Deep breathing can help you manage extreme anxiety and fear when you start speaking,” said Cruz.
Try these exercises as a starting point:
For a psychological sigh: Take a slow, deep breath through your nose. Take in a bit more air when your lungs are full. Then slowly release.
For timed breathing: Breathe in air for 5 seconds, hold it for 5, and release for 5.
For belly breathing: With one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, feel your stomach rise and your chest stay in place as you inhale through your nose.
9. Slow down
“You tend to speak faster when you’re anxious, and speed feeds fear,” said McMahon. Slowing down can lower your stress levels a few notches.
To slow down, try:
Raising your volume
Clearly pronouncing your words
Being OK with pauses
Asking your audience questions
Inserting breaks in your notes to remind you to pause
10. Rank your fears
Write down what scares you about talking in front of people. Common fears include going blank, losing your place, and being laughed at. Put your list in order from least to most scary. Then challenge each one. For example, you might say, “I may lose my place, but I can look down at my outline, find my place again, and keep going.”
Cruz recommends the following steps to get started with exposure therapy:
Rank how anxious you feel in different social settings.
Select a specific fear and challenge it.
Stay in a situation until your anxiety reduces.
Repeat the task in the stressful situation until the task becomes easy.
Reflect on what happened and what you can take away.
11. Be OK with silence
Pauses are normal during public speaking events. Try remembering the last time you heard someone pause during a presentation, suggests McMahon. You probably didn’t think any less of the person for taking time to collect their thoughts. Go ahead and insert pauses into your notes.
12. Expect and accept imperfection
Remember: There are no perfect speaking performances. “This is key for people with public speaking anxiety,” said McMahon. “No one’s perfect, and demanding perfection from yourself creates anxiety.”
13. Say ‘yes’ to public speaking opportunities
“Exposure therapy is all about deliberately facing your fears despite being afraid,” said McMahon.
“If you do what frightens you often enough and long enough,” she said, “you learn that the thing you fear [probably] isn’t going to happen in reality.”
How does exposure therapy work?
Exposure therapy is used to treat anxiety disorders such as the fear of public speaking, a type of social anxiety disorder. The more you expose yourself to the thing you fear, the less afraid you’ll become.
Before you try exposure therapy techniques, McMahon suggests you evaluate how realistic your fears truly are. You don’t want to expose yourself to something dangerous, she said. But public speaking isn’t dangerous. So when you get up to speak, you’re “acting on the facts, not the fear,” she said.
When you start exposure therapy, accept that you’ll be anxious. “But remain focused on your role, your goal, and your message,” said McMahon. “You’re there for a reason.”
Start small and in safe spaces, like making a speech to a couple of friends. Gradually, work your way up to more challenging situations, like teaching a class to a room full of strangers.
After exposure, McMahon recommends comparing what your fear predicted would happen with what really happened.
How helpful really is exposure therapy for public speaking?
Yes, exposure therapy is one of the most effective ways to overcome the fear of public speaking. And it’s effective in all sorts of scenarios, such as:
Making presentations at work or school
Interviewing for a job
Giving a toast at a party
Participating in a discussion
Saying a prayer at a family gathering
Making a sales pitch
Telling a story
Giving a testimony
When to call upon a professional for help with public speaking anxiety
It’s normal to get the jitters when you speak in front of people. “But if you notice your anxiety affects your emotions, thoughts, and routines daily, you may want to ask for help,” said Cruz.
If it’s causing a lot of distress, McMahon suggests getting help sooner rather than later. This is true if the anxiety is “interfering in your life or if you’re turning to drugs or alcohol to handle it,” she said.
“Work with someone who specializes in public speaking anxiety,” she added.
Additional resources and tools
For other resources to help you on your public speaking journey, the following may help:
Toastmasters (a non-profit organization that teaches public speaking skills)
Dale Carnegie or Mind Tools courses
Relaxation or mindfulness apps
Social anxiety support groups
Adult education college classes on public speaking
The bottom line
Public speaking anxiety is a common fear. Exposure therapy is one of the best ways to overcome it. Exposure therapy strategies you can try on your own include practicing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, and watching embarrassing videos. Take time to write down your fears and challenge them. And remember to focus on your message and your purpose for speaking rather than your fears.
Why trust our experts?
References
Bartholomay, E. M. (2015). Treating public speaking anxiety: A comparison of exposure video self-modeling. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works.
Chorley, S. K. (2021). Variations on exposure therapy: Best practices for managing public speaking anxiety in the online communication classroom. Journal of Communication Pedagogy.
Ebrahimi, O. V., et al. (2019). Psychological interventions for the fear of public speaking: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology.
Knight, M. L., et al. (2016). Reducing student apprehension of public speaking: Evaluating effectiveness of group tutoring practices. The Learning Assistance Review.
Premkumar, P., et al. (2021). The effectiveness of self-guided virtual-reality exposure therapy for public-speaking anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology.
Schwartzberg, J. (2021). How to quit talking quickly: 6 tactics to help slow your speaking speedometer. Toastmasters International.
For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
