Chapter 12: Methods for Changing Emotions - Psychological Self-Help

1189
Problem: Speaking to a familiar class--
Item
#
Rating
(0-
100)
Scary Scenes
1. 8 Signing up for a class that requires presentations.
2. 15
3. 20
4. 25
5. 30
6. 35
7. 40
8. 50
9. 55
10. 60
11. 65
12. 70
Hearing the instructor describe what is to be done in
our presentations.
Going to the library and preparing the talk--and
thinking about what I will say. Wondering if the
material I find will be of interest.
Watching others give their talk. Seeing that they are
nervous.
Realizing the presentation is just a week away and
planning when to finish preparing and when to
practice.
Rehearsing the talk in my room in front of a mirror.
The notes are not well organized but I'm getting
smoother.
I invite a friend over to hear my talk. He/she listens
intently and makes some suggestions.
Final practice the night before it is due. Three or four
friends come over and listen while I rehearse again. I
am a little bothered by their being there but I know
the speech pretty well.
Going into class--wondering if I will be called on first,
trying to keep my opening remarks in mind, and
hoping a fantastic speaker doesn't go right before me.
Sitting in class, waiting to be called on. Only partially
listening to what is being said by other presenters,
mostly thinking about what I will say.
The teacher calls on me, I walk up to the rostrum,
spread out my notes, make eye contact, see the
teacher smiling at me, and feel ready to start my talk.
I give the speech-I remember the opening lines, it is
going pretty well, occasionally I don't use exactly the
right words but it's OK. The class seems interested. I
finish and there is a little round of applause. They
smile and I sit down.
Naturally, one would want the ability to speak to groups to
generalize to other settings. So you might select scary scenes that
involve speaking up at social gatherings, handling a business meeting,
making a point at an intellectual discussion, challenging some point
made by a speaker, etc. If large audiences are a problem for you,