Ending Test Anxiety with Hypnosis
Test Anxiety makes something already difficult-it is after all called a test- into a horrific experience. When someone has test Anxiety, be it for physician boards, bar exam, financial advisor testing or perhaps a school age child with fear of taking the SAT’s, it feels overwhelming. The heart pounds, hands sweat and the mind goes blank at exactly the wrong time.
These symptoms are very much like any other panic attack but now it is linked to something incredibly important to you so the association is very powerful. The trigger could be the exam room or seeing the test or just thinking about the test the night before. Whatever the trigger, the person’s perception of the trigger needs to shift in order for the connection to change.
We use hypnosis to associate positive feelings and thoughts to the testing experience. We can subconsciously give the test taker a strong feeling of confidence and calm when they take a test, see the test room or even think about the test. We also help them to have more confidence in their ability to learn and retain information and most important to be confident that they can pull up the information when needed. Often times this involves clearing out some negative test experiences so that we are beginning with a clean slate.
Actually, just like any other fear, test Anxiety is a “self fulfilling prophecy”. I mean by this that when someone believes that they have this anxiety or they think to them self “I always have problems recalling information under pressure” they will do exactly what they have told themselves. These kinds of thoughts coupled with strong emotions like fear will make the thought seem very real.
Using hypnosis for test anxiety can change the persons thinking and help them to better control their bodies reactions. When the body and mind remain calm and the reaction to seeing a test or test environment is to become calm, the test taker will have a vastly more positive experience than their past may suggest. The feeling of being in control is very empowering and by using hypnosis they take back control of their mind and body.
