The young man had a visceral fear of failure. Every time he stood in front of the class to speak his words hung in his throat, he would feel a twinge in his stomach, his ears turned red and his face burned with shame. – Do you ever have this feeling? I do…

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What does feeling safe feel like? Where do you feel it? What is the sensation in your body.

Can feelings be scary? Yes, they can, especially if the emotions you experienced early in life felt overwhelming or were ignored. You may have a fear of emotions if no one helped you learn to regulate, comfort or understand them. You probably tried to do anything you could to not have them!

The fear of feelings can be quite real, especially when you are unsure whether they will pass, or suddenly return by surprise. You may fear emotions will overtake you with no way out. You may worry if you can get through them and still “act normal”.

If you’d rather suppress or avoid feelings, I have a question for you: Are feelings bad?

What does not feeling safe feel like?…. – Excerpt from the  article by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT – Feelings, The other F-Word for Trauma Survivors

 

Many of us have that anxious feeling running through our bodies on a regular basis. That feeling comes in a variety of states; from intense five alarm bells loudly ringing to fear running in the background of our thoughts. When this happens, folks can withdraw socially, rely on substances or get caught up in drama to escape this feeling of impending doom. – Excerpt from the Article by Bob Livingstone – The Importance of Feeling Safe

While in Kenya this past year I had the opportunity to take part in a TRE® workshop on releasing trauma. TRE® is an innovative series of exercises that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma. It is a fascinating process that has helped many military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

To learn more go to: Tension, Stress and Trauma Release: TRE®

Near the end of this video watch closely as the Impala “shakers it off.”

 

Back to the fear of public speaking, almost 400,000 people have benefitted from Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.

Lastly: How I Finally Overcame My Fear of Public Speaking