Overcoming self consciousness, shyness, or social phobia

This, unlike overcoming jealousy, is something that definitely needed many years ago. Of course now that I have been doing self hypnosis for many years I am no longer shy. Actually I'm not sure if self consciousness, shyness, and social phobia are exactly the same thing.

When I was young I was quite shy before strangers but was never self conscious and definitely never had any social phobia. I had a friend who had social phobia and life was pretty tough on him. I think I'll separate this post to three separate posts later for now since I was shy I'll write about that right now.

Please first read Anatomy of a hypnotherapy intervention before continuing with the specific intervention for shyness. I would first hypnotize the client and work on her self esteem and do much ego strengthening before containing with the following metaphor. Also I would use time line work to clear the time bound roots of the shyness. Moreover I would add the person's motivation for ridding herself of her shyness to the end of the trance including it in middle of future pacing.

Here is a metaphor (story) used in overcoming shyness. If the metaphor is used with a female client change the little boy to a little girl and Batman to Wonder Woman or another female masked comic hero. I would find out which masked hero the client likes and use that. I only mentioned Batman as an example. Remember all scripts are only starting point. Trust your unconscious, make the script your own and ad lib.... After induction and deepening tell the story.

There was once a young boy who was not sure of himself and would run away and hide behind his mother whenever strangers came into the room. His parents were concerned about his shyness and went and talked to a wise man who suggested many things to many people and when the people accepted his suggestions magical things happened and he happened to talk not the boy but to the boy inside the boy....

And he said you know little boys need be shy even now as an adult I tell you.... There was once a turtle who carried his house on his back. Whenever he saw someone near him he would just go inside and it is good at times to go inside...

The man knew the boy loved Batman. He knew the boy could become invisible, if he could watch and join in the action but not be watched by the other children. He knew he couldn't disappear; but he could disappear... become a masked man like his hero batman....

So the man made a mask out of a brown paper shopping bag. He cut out eyes, a nose, and a mouth and colored it a little to make it attractive. The boy tried it on for size, liked it, and he knew now he was invisible.... he was now Mr. Nobody.

The man got the teacher teacher to agree to help. She told the other children that the new child would be wearing a special mask and they were not to try to remove it, but just to enjoy playing with this masked child. The others accepted and the boy could imagine being unrecognized when he wanted to be without having to hide himself behind his mothers skirt.

In time he grew closer to the other children and eventually, in a few weeks, started to play. In time his confidence grew still the mask was needed.

Then the big day came at the end of the year when the class circus was to be presented for the parents of the children. "Would you like to be circus master?" the teacher asked him. The boy jumped up and down with joy.

The wise man said, "You know that the circus master wears a top hat and a fancy costume, but not a mask, do you not?" He wisely continued, "so, if you want to be the circus master, you'll have to exchange your mask for this outfit. Okay?"

And so the boy took off his mask. No need for it anymore. He was well on his way to becoming a happier, healthier child. And in time he did develop close friendships with other boys and girls, and was later elected to class office in junior and senior high school.

Now future pace with imaginary scenes where the client sees herself in crowds (parties and such) and is no longer shy but loves being center of attention.

And the little turtle grew up and his shell was very strong and he was powerful and courageous. Now when he saw stranger he would stay outside and talk and have fun for he knew inside that the inside is for rest, reflection and relaxation....

Now use your favorite realerting.