Thank you for writing about this concern, which is so very painful and paralyzing for you. While there are no groups at present to assist you with this concern, there is individual therapy available to you in the Counseling & Student Development Center. Therapy involves providing you with emotional support as well as specific strategies to help you overcome your speech anxiety, including relaxation and mindfulness training, as well as role-play video practice and feedback regarding your speeches. We are located in Room 200 in the Campus Life Building. You can simply walk in for an appointment or call 753-1206.

I also want to call your attention to another service on campus that, while unfortunately not available currently due to being completely booked up for the summer, may be helpful to you at some point in the Fall. This is the Anxiety Disorders Service which is located in the Psychology/Math Building and is part of the Psychological Services Office in the Department of Psychology. This is a service that focuses directly and specifically on anxiety in many forms, including speech anxiety. The telephone number for the Anxiety Disorders Service is 753-5500. You may want to check with this office periodically to find out when they will have openings and how they might assist you with your concern.

In the meantime, I think it would be important for you to let your professors know about your difficulty with giving speeches. They might be able to help you feel less anxious by supporting you through the process. Good luck, and you should know that you are not alone in this struggle.

Sincerely,

Barb Wired