The Pressure to Perform When the Stakes Are High
This session snapshot explores a case of performance anxiety in a corporate setting, where the client initially struggled to understand the source of his stress. Through strategic conversation, metaphor and practical reframing, the client uncovered that the anxiety was rooted not in fear of public speaking itself but in hidden layers of misplaced responsibility and people pleasing. Drawn from hypnotherapist training, anonymised and edited, this story highlights how insight and strategy can help restore a sense of control.
Presenting Situation
The client was a man in his mid-thirties, working in the occupational health and safety sector. He supported major industrial clients and had recently been promoted to lead project manager. The promotion came with a heavy load. He now carried the responsibility of retaining a large client and securing the next contract, all while still being relatively new to the company.
He presented with intermittent performance anxiety, especially during high pressure speaking engagements. Some situations barely affected him, while others left him feeling overwhelmed, with anxiety levels ranging anywhere from one to a high nine out of ten. He was confused by the inconsistency and could not pinpoint the cause. What puzzled him most was that the number of people or the setting did not seem to matter. Something else was driving the shift and he wanted to understand what it was.
Discovery Through Strategic Conversation
Early strategic questioning focused on control and responsibility. At first, his responses seemed clear and credible, but they did not open up a direct path for psychoeducation. It felt like something was missing. The anxiety still did not quite add up. A few lines of questioning were repeated and that shift in timing revealed more. The client offered new detail and deeper responses that, while still aligned with his original mindset, began to uncover the real issue.
It became clear that his anxiety was tied to the content of what he was delivering. When he spoke on topics he had created or fully supported, he felt calm and in control. But when he was tasked with presenting content written or approved by peers who had overlooked or dismissed his expertise, the stress spiked. In some cases, he felt the documents were flawed or lacking key considerations, but his input had been ignored. Worse still, the person he relied on for guidance, his boss and mentor, was often unavailable, at times literally out playing golf, even during key moments of client or auditor interaction.
As these layers emerged, so did a bigger theme. The client admitted that he often took on more responsibility than was reasonable. He did this to protect the outcome and the team’s success, even when he knew the situation was outside his control. He acknowledged that this habit came from a strong people pleasing pattern and it had left him overwhelmed, under supported, and struggling to prioritise what truly belonged to him.
Hypnotic Direction and Induction
To support both insight and application, psychoeducation was blended with metaphor, using something personally meaningful to him... running. A relay race metaphor was introduced. Delivering company documents was compared to running the final leg of a relay race. Even if he was the fastest runner on the team, the overall outcome depended on each person doing their part. His role was to carry the baton across the line, not to compensate for teammates who had fumbled their section of the course. He could cheer, encourage and influence, but he could not carry the entire race alone.
This image helped reframe his public speaking role. He began to see it less as a test of personal performance and more as a moment of contribution within a team process. He could do his part well, even if others had dropped theirs.
A simple compartmentalisation tool was also introduced. Before a presentation, he could draw a line down a page. On one side, he would write what he personally contributed and supported. On the other, what he had tried to influence but could not change. If questions or objections came up during the presentation, he could mentally refer to that list. Instead of absorbing all the pressure, he could stand firm in what he owned and let go of what was not his to carry.
Session Reflection
After the session, the client said he felt clearer and more grounded. He said the metaphor made complete sense to him and stayed with him long after the session ended. It helped him separate his role from the bigger picture and gave him a way to stop personalising the pressure. He said it was the first time he had really thought about how much responsibility he had been taking on that was not his.
He also said the written exercise made things practical. Seeing it on paper helped him recognise what was actually within his control. He shared that he had already started using this approach in his prep for upcoming presentations and it had made a difference in how he felt walking into the room.
He admitted that he still felt nerves, but they no longer hit him at random. There was a clearer line between what made him feel anxious and what did not. He said this made the anxiety easier to work with. Most of all, he said he felt more confident knowing he had tools to use and that his part was enough.
Disclaimer
This example is drawn from a training-based reflection and has been fully anonymised. It is shared here to illustrate the structure, tone and direction of a typical strategic hypnotherapy session. It is not as a testimonial or claim of outcome.