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CASE STUDY
(The name and identifying details have been changed.)
When Karen first came to counseling, she was feeling frustrated. She'd been a member of a 12-step,
self-help group for years, and the meetings were important to her. Even though Karen knew most of the members, she still felt anxious and awkward when she attended.
She'd start to get her courage up to speak at the meeting, but usually never got the words out. She'd freeze, tight with tension. Other times she'd think, “Nobody wants to hear what I have to say.” Most often, she'd sit in silence the entire time, feeling scared and timid.
Karen felt she was letting herself down every week, by rarely being a part of the discussions. She was tired of sitting in silence, feeling anxious and on edge.
Karen and I worked on changing the thoughts and behaviors that created her anxiety in the group meetings.
Karen didn't think too highly of herself, a result of growing up with a very critical mother. We improved her self-esteem by identifying a realistic, positive view of herself.
I helped teach Karen good conversational skills. We also rehearsed possible conversations that Karen might have at the meetings, so she felt more comfortable sharing.
I also used hypnotherapy to boost her confidence in speaking up. During hypnosis, in a deep relaxation, she could imagine feeling more secure and self-assured when she talked in the group. She used those new strengths at her meetings.
As new changes came about for Karen, she was able to carry this new confidence into other social areas in her life. She was feeling good about herself, and relieved and happy to enjoy social gatherings much more.
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