iConquer Speech Anxiety: A Workbook to Help You Overcome Your Nervousness About Public Speaking

By Karen Kangas Dwyer

Does nervousness about public speaking seem to overwhelm you? Have you tried to avoid public speaking most of your life? iConquer Speech Anxiety is a practical and comprehensive guide to help anyone overcome the nervousness and anxiety associated with public speaking. The book is user friendly, research based, and offers you a step-by-step plan

• Language: English
• Publisher: KLD Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781733421850

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I owe special gratitude to my husband, Larry, for his loving support and editorial expertise. Thanks for all your kindness and love.

I would also like to thank the following reviewers for their comments during the development of this book: Joanna Pucel of St. Cloud State University, David Waddle of Miami-Dade Community College, Lorin Basden Arnold of Rowan University, Cecil V. Kramer Jr. of Liberty University, Tim Hopf of Washington State University, and Vincent Bloom of California State University, Fresno.

Finally, I offer special thanks to all of the students and participants who have attended my Speaking Confidently workshops, seminars, special sections and Presentation and Interview Anxiety Reduction courses as well as all the Communication Studies classes over the last twenty-five years. You have given me great joy as I have watched you conquer your speech anxiety and become effective public speakers.

Sincerely,

Karen Kangas Dwyer

Karen Kangas Dwyer, Ph.D.

Basic Course Director—Public Speaking Fundamentals

Professor, School of Communication

University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2019

PREFACE

IConquer Speech Anxiety is written for anyone who wants to overcome the nervousness and anxiety related to public speaking. For over twenty-five years, I have researched speech anxiety and communication apprehension, and then taught university students and workshop participants how to overcome excessive nervousness about giving presentations. This book is the result of those efforts.

IConquer Speech Anxiety presents a unique multidimensional approach that will help you pinpoint the source of your anxiety and then develop a plan to conquer it based on your personality. This book also presents a combination of research-based techniques for overcoming speech anxiety in a user-friendly program. Several years of communication research confirm the workable success of this combinational approach. Countless numbers of my students and workshop participants have testified that this multidimensional plan has given them and can give you a new confidence to speak in any situation and even can change your life.

This book is not meant to completely replace a public speaking textbook or a college course; presentational skills are covered in a brief overview to give the reader a starting point for understanding basic skills. If in fact you are reading this book on your own, as soon as you are finished, you should consider enrolling in a public speaking course, workshop, or public speaking club (e.g., Toastmasters) where you can learn and practice presentational skills. The confidence in public speaking that you are seeking will be acquired by using the anxiety–reduction techniques presented here in concert with practicing public speaking skills, especially under the instruction of a communication teacher, coach or mentor.

PART 1, Speech Anxiety and You, will help you learn the definitions, possible causes, and the impact communication anxiety has or can have on your life. All of the information you learn in Part 1 as well as in Parts 2, 3 and 4, will personalize the process for you.

Chapter One, Speech Anxiety and You, points out that speech anxiety is a common anxiety that takes commitment to conquer. You will assess your commitment to overcoming it and write a pledge focusing on your willingness to practice the anxiety-reduction techniques. The four keys to success in overcoming communication anxiety will launch you in the right direction.

Chapter Two, Definitions and Assessments, discusses communication apprehension, the academic term that includes speech anxiety. It explains the four types and four contexts of communication apprehension and then guides you in self-assessing your contexts and anxiety levels.

Chapter Three, Causes of Speech Anxiety, outlines several causes of communication anxiety to help you understand your experience. You will learn that it does not matter how you acquired your anxious feelings about public communication as the techniques presented in this book will help you overcome them.

Chapter Four, Excessive Activation and the Fight-Flight-Freeze Response, explains the fight or flight or freeze response and the source of your aggravating physical sensations associated with the communication anxiety. You will assess your symptoms of excessive activation and learn how to stop the fight-flight-freeze response.

PART 2, Designing Your Personalized Plan for Treating Speech Anxiety, presents the multidimensional approach to alleviating the nervous feelings, negative self-talk and physical sensations associated with anxiety. It discusses how to find the source of your speech anxiety and then match techniques to those sources to create a personalized plan to conquer the anxiety.

Chapter Five, A Multidimensional Plan for Conquering Speech Anxiety explains the multidimensional approach and how to pinpoint the source of your speech anxiety. You will determine your firing order of personality dimensions using the BASICS evaluation guide, and then choose techniques that match your personality dimensions to create a personalized plan for conquering your speech anxiety at its source.

Chapter Six, Scheduling Your Plan focuses on how to develop a practice schedule, which includes the techniques that match your speech anxiety firing order. You will learn to keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings as well as your communication anxiety levels, especially related to your practice sessions and presentation opportunities.

PART 3, The Treatment Techniques, presents all of the communication research-based techniques helping alleviate communication anxieties. It discusses how to apply each of the speech anxiety–reduction techniques.

Chapter Seven, Diaphragmatic Breathing, presents deep adnominal breathing exercises that induce relaxation and reduce stress. The three-minute, diaphragmatic breathing exercise provides a quick fix that brings on relaxation and is an essential part of other speech anxiety–reduction techniques. Diaphragmatic Breathing targets the affect and sensation personality dimensions. You will evaluate your own breathing and then practice three breathing exercises.

Chapter Eight, Cognitive Restructuring, explains the four steps that help disengage your anxious thoughts and irrational beliefs about public speaking. It targets your cognitive personality dimension. You will create a list of your anxious thoughts about public speaking, identify your irrational beliefs and distortions, create a new list of truthful positive coping statements, and then practice your coping statements until they replace your old anxious beliefs.

Chapter Nine, Systematic Desensitization, presents the three steps that help alleviate a learned nervousness response to giving presentations. It targets the affect, sensation, and imagery personality dimensions. You will develop a hierarchy of anxious events in a presentation, practice progressive muscle relaxation, and then condition relaxation in association with the events on your hierarchy.

Chapter Ten, Mental Rehearsal, explains how to mentally rehearse a successful presentation before you deliver it. It targets the cognitive and imagery personality dimensions and thus, helps prepare your mind for a positive communication experience. You will practice mental rehearsal to prepare for a presentation just as many athletes do to prepare for an upcoming sporting event.

Chapter Eleven, Physical Exercise and Social Support emphasizes the importance of incorporating regular exercise and social support into a personal plan to reduce your communication anxiety. Physical exercise targets stress (the biological personality dimension) to help reduce tension in general, as well as in many speaking situations. Social support targets stress (the interpersonal relationships personality dimension) by buffering the impact of stress on your mind and body and supporting your goal of conquering the speech anxiety.

Chapter Twelve, Skills Training targets the behavior personality dimension and helps you build confidence and competence in public speaking. You will complete a public speaking skills checklist and learn some of the essential presentation skills.

PART 4, Putting It All Together explains how to put together a plan using preparation and the techniques presented here as well as practice positive self-talk to conquer your speech anxiety.

Chapter Thirteen, Positive Self-Talk targets any negative self-talk directly before and after you speak. It should be part of any plan for changing behaviors. You will train yourself to substitute positive self-statements for any negative self-talk when it arises. In that way you can make up your mind to execute your plan to conquer your speech anxiety.

Chapter Fourteen, You Can Conquer Your Anxiety, summarizes the plan you will follow to conquer your public speaking anxiety. You will 1) commit yourself to your goal of conquering speech anxiety, 2) actively learn the techniques, 3) follow a personal plan based on your firing order, and 3) participate in public communication.

Supplemental Materials

You can buy the iConquer Speech Anxiety: Techniques for Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety CD: https://www.amazon.com/iConquer-Speech-Anxiety-Techniques%20at%20Amazon:%20Presentation/dp/B00G2O6JYE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=26AF1FSYZ6TDM&keywords=iconquer+speech+anxiety&qid=1571949113&s=books&sprefix=iconquer%2Cpopular%2C145&sr=1-1-catcorr.

It is available to help you learn and practice the presentation anxiety reduction techniques. The CD explains the same state-of-the-art, research-proven techniques for overcoming speech anxiety that are in this book. The techniques are described in detail so you can learn them by diligent practice with each recording, during a time that is most convenient for you. The speech anxiety–alleviation techniques on the CD include: 1) Cognitive Restructuring, 2) Diaphragmatic Breathing exercises, 3) Systematic Desensitization - with Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and 4) Mental Rehearsal - also called Visualization. For more information on supplementary material such as an Instructor’s manual or additional instructor materials, email [e-mail] or go to www.KLDbooks.org.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PREFACE

Supplemental Materials

Part ONE

Speech Anxiety and YOU

CHAPTER ONE

The Four Keys

Congratulations!

1.1 The Truth about Speech Anxiety

1.2 The Fear of Public Speaking is a Common Fear

1.3 A Good First Step

1.4 The Four Keys to Success

Exercise 1.4: Your Commitment

1.5 Keeping a Journal

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journal #1 Activity:  How I See Myself as a Communicator

CHAPTER TWO

Definitions and Assessments

2.1 The Academic Definition: Communication Apprehension

2.2 Four Types of Communication Apprehension

2.3 Assessment of Communication Apprehension

Exercise 2.3 Assessing Your Communication Apprehension

2.4 Research in Communication Apprehension

Exercise 2.4: Evaluating Your Goals

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #2 Activity: Communication Anxiety & Impact

CHAPTER THREE

Causes of Speech Anxiety

3.1 Learned Responses

3.2 Worrisome Thoughts

3.3 Performance Orientation

3.4 Perceived Lack of Public Speaking Skills

3.5 Excessive Activation or Body Chemistry

3.6 Situational Aspects

Exercise 3.6: Assessing the Causes of Your Speech Anxiety

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #3 Activity: What Caused My Speech Anxiety?

CHAPTER FOUR

Excessive Activation and

The Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

4.1 A Perceived Threat

4.2 Triggering Nervous Sensations

4.3 Halting the Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

Exercise 4.3: Assess Your Activation and Sensations

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #4 Activity:  My Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

Part TWO

Design Your Personalized Plan

for Treating Speech Anxiety

CHAPTER FIVE

The Multidimensional Plan for

Conquering Speech Anxiety

5.1 BASICS SELF-ASSESSMENT

Exercise 5.1: Your BASICS Dimensions Self-Assessment

Exercise 5.2: Tracking Your Firing Order Self-Assessment

5.3 Match Treatment to Personality Dimensions

Exercise 5.3: Matching Techniques to Your Personality

5.4 Start with the Top of Your Firing Order

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #5 Activity:  Reflection BASICS and Firing Order

CHAPTER SIX

Schedule Your Plan

6.1 Develop a Personal Plan and Practice Schedule

Exercise 6.1: Personal Practice Schedule

Example: Kim’s Practice Schedule & Time Commitment

6.1 Keep a Journal of Your Progress

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #6 Activity: BASICS, Firing Order & Plan

Part THREE

The Techniques for Conquering Speech Anxiety

CHAPTER SEVEN

Diaphragmatic Breathing

7.1 Diaphragmatic Breathing Induces Relaxation

Exercise 7.1: Breathing Self-evaluation

7.2 The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique

Exercise 7.2:  Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing

7.3: The Calming Sigh

Exercise 7.3: Practice the Calming Sigh

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #7 Activity:  Diaphragmatic Breathing Analysis

CHAPTER EIGHT

Cognitive Restructuring

8.1 Cognitive Restructuring Adjusts Thinking

Exercise 8.1:  List Your Anxious Thoughts

8.2 Identify Perfectionistic Must Thoughts

Exercise 8.2: Must Thoughts and Unrealistic Demands

Rational Beliefs Use a Communication Orientation

Irrational Beliefs Use a Performance Orientation

8.3 Must Thoughts Lead to Irrational Conclusions

Exercise 8.3: My Irrational Conclusions

8.4 Must Thoughts Lead to Cognitive Distortions

Exercise 8.4: My Cognitive Distortions List

8.5 Develop Positive Coping Statements

Exercise 8.5: A Checklist of Positive Coping Statements

8.6 Personalize Your Coping Statements

Exercise 8.6: My Coping Statements List

8.7 Practice Your Coping Statements

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #8 Activity: Coping Statements & Anxious Thoughts

CHAPTER NINE

Systematic Desensitization

9.1 Systematic Desensitization Conditions Your Body

The Three Steps of Systematic Desensitization (SD)

9.2 Systematic Desensitization Step One

Exercise 9.2A: Checklist of Anxious Events in Public Speaking

Exercise 9.2B: Your Hierarchy of Public Speaking Events

9.3 Train Your Body in Progressive Muscle Relaxation

9.4 Condition Relaxation by Adding Mental Pictures

Plan on Six Practice Sessions

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #8 Activity: Coping Statements & Anxious Thoughts

CHAPTER TEN

Mental Rehearsal

10.1 The Cognitive Psychology of Positive Mental Imagery

10.2 Mental Imagery and Athletic Success

10.3 Mental Rehearsal and Speech Anxiety

Exercise 10:3 Mental Rehearsal Scenes Practice

10.4 Mental Rehearsal on the Day of Your Speech

10.5 Mental Rehearsal & Practice Go Together

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #10 Activity: Mental Rehearsal and Practice

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Physical Exercise & Social Support

11.1 Physical Exercise for Stress and Anxiety

Exercise 11.1: Windmill Warm-Up Exercise

Figure 11.1 The Windmill

11.2 Social Support Reduces Stress

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #11 Activity: Physical Exercise & Social Support

CHAPTER TWELVE

Skills Training

12.2 Skills Training Targets One Skill at a Time

12.3 Skills Training Covers Basic Skills

Exercise 12.3 Public Speaking Skills Assessment

12.4 Basic Skills to Get You Started

12. 5 On the Day of Your Presentation

12.6 SOFTEN Your Delivery

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #12 Activity: Skills Training

Part FOUR

Putting It All Together

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Positive Self-Statements and Final-Moment Tips

13.1 Positive Self-Talk

13.2 Positive Self-Statements

Exercise 13.2 Exercise:  If-Then Planning for Positive Self-Talk

My If-Then Plan Chart

13.3 Final Moment Tips

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #13 Activity: Positive Self-statements

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Put Your Plan into Action

14.1 Commit Yourself to Your Goal

14.2 Check Active Learning

14.3 Check Your Personal Plan and Practice Schedule

14.4 Participate in Public Communication

14.5 A Final Note

Exercise 14.5 (PRCA-24) Final Assessment Report

Chapter Summary

Review Questions

Journaling #14 Activity:  How I See Myself Today

Appendix 1

Script for Learning Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Appendix 2

Script for the Mental Rehearsal Technique

Reference List

Endnotes

Part ONE

Speech Anxiety and YOU

Connection Question

Have you ever felt like you were the only person who experiences speech anxiety?

CHAPTER ONE

The Four Keys



chapter 1 22

Congratulations!

You have made one of the best decisions of your life. You have decided to take action to conquer your presentation anxiety. This decision is the first step in getting rid of all those nervous feelings, sensations, and negative thoughts about speaking. This book will help you learn the skills you need to achieve your