The common methods of treatment for people with phobias rely on drugs and or classical behavior modification techniques and other standardized practices.

These are not only less effective than is desired, they often compound the problems by causing dependency on drugs which also have their side effects, and/or failing to accomplish the goals defined in the first place. Desensitization and immersion techniques can exacerbate the problem, and they are very stressful for the person. Standard behavior modification techniques do not address the causes of the phobia. Relaxation techniques can be helpful in relieving the stress that is a part of the phobic response and its aftermath, yet are not enough to eliminate the problem. It requires an in-depth approach to facilitate a person’s ability to deal comfortably with the situation or object that produced the phobic reaction. To lead an internally calm comfortable, fulfilling, normal life you need the kind of treatment that addresses all the elements involved in the phobia. There may have been a “stimulus” event or the phobia may have developed gradually.

To permanently eradicate the symptoms, the causes must be identified.

While Elaine is gently uncovering those causes, the person is learning to develop the ability to control the physical, mental and emotional stress using easy natural techniques that are available anywhere at any time. For this reason, Elaine Kissel’s treatment for people with phobias, as with all of her work, is multi-dimensional and comprehensive. If you feel embarrassed about your problem, if you feel silly or tell yourself it’s foolish, stop berating yourself and stop struggling.

What is a Phobia?

A phobia is an extreme often irrational fear of things that other people have no serious concerns about. The fear of being exposed to the threatening entity or situation in itself is anxiety producing, causing the same trauma and bio-physiological symptoms, and sometimes panic reactions. In some cases, even the thought of what is feared is enough to produce a physical/emotional reaction. Because the majority of people who suffer from the above-mentioned problems have tried many avenues for relief only to experience disappointment they are often suffering from a sense of hopelessness and despair, too. No one without a phobia has any understanding of how debilitating being terrified by something that to them is innocuous, and thoughtless remarks they make cause the phobic person to feel ashamed and stupid. Merely telling the person there is no need to be scared does not work.​

Public Speaking & Presentation Phobias

There are actually very few people who feel comfortable about getting up in front of a group to give a speech, even to address co-workers or bosses in a meeting, or present to customers on whom they depend for their business can be a painful experience. Some people feel better standing up and talking to people they know, others find that more difficult. For some, it’s about the size of the group, or who is in the group and for others, the size of the audience makes no difference.
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People who suffer from these problems experience anxiety and stress to the extreme and often self-medicate, use alcohol to relax and embolden themselves, or get a prescription from their doctors to alleviate the symptoms. Whether it’s in front of peers, superiors, or any person in authority, or even in social situations when all attention might be on them, they shy away from the situation.
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Whatever the fear, it can start the moment a person knows they are to speak to a group, and others it is immediately before the event. Many people manage to avoid the situation somehow, all the while knowing this is preventing them from moving forward, either in a job /career or from doing the things that would result in some kind of reward or satisfaction in life they seek.
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Making a presentation may be crucial to accomplishing a goal, yet that goal seems an impossible one when public speaking is a requirement. It isn’t always about confidence because many otherwise confident people shudder at the thought of getting up and talking to a group or even being called upon at meetings, or in a classroom. Those who freeze up, lose their voice, or stammer their way through a presentation never feel good about themselves afterward. They are embarrassed and disappointed in their performance.​

Cold Calling is a Problem for All Too Many

Some people cannot even bring themselves or make that all-important call to generate business and they suffer the same agony of anticipation as those who need to do public speaking, often long before they make that call. Even when they do finally pick up the telephone, or show up at a business location doing what is commonly called “cold calling” they cannot represent themselves as well as they would like to and have the potential for. Being in the spotlight seems to be a difficult experience for some individuals from very early on in life. In every case, the causes must be understood in order to more quickly, easily, comfortably and permanently get rid of the phobia. This is what makes Elaine’s work so different because she doesn’t use generic standardized hypnosis or pre-scripted suggestions in hypnosis to relieve her client’s of the fear of public speaking and similar issues. She uproots the problem once and for all with attention to every detail of the issue, conscious and subconscious.