Anxiety and stress · Adelaide and online
Hypnotherapy for Public Speaking in Adelaide
Your mind goes blank the second all eyes turn to you. Public speaking hypnotherapy in Adelaide helps you stay calm at the front of the room. Over four sessions, we turn the alarm down so the real you can come through.
At a glance: a 4-session program with me. $1,000 in total when you pay at the start, or $1,200 if you pay as you go. By video anywhere in Australia, or in person in Adelaide by arrangement.
Or call 0427 218 092
A short phone chat, no strings. I ring back within 24 hours. See the prices
- 14 years in practice
- 4.6 ★ from 30 Google reviews
- ThreeBest Rated listing, Adelaide 2018 to 2026
- Fellow, ASCH
Ernest McLeod, The Hypno CoachAdelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012, fourteen years in practice. Sessions by video anywhere in Australia, or in person in Adelaide by arrangement.
When stage fright gets in your way
- Your name is next on the agenda and your heart starts to race.
- You rehearse a five-minute update all week and still lose sleep over it.
- Your voice wobbles, your hands shake, and you’re sure the whole room can tell.
- You nail the song or the solo at home, then freeze under the lights.
- You turned down a role or a promotion because it meant presenting.
- When it’s over, the one stumble is all you can recall.
If a few of these ring true, read on. If the fear follows you into shops, phone calls and parties too, the social anxiety page may suit you better.
Why stage fright is so hard to shake
It’s very common. In a 1996 community survey of 499 adults, about one in three felt too anxious talking to a large audience. About one in ten said it had seriously got in the way of work, study or social life.
Under pressure, your attention flips inward to your breath, hands and voice. Skills that flow in private start to stall. The emotional and physical signs also feel far more visible to you than they are to anyone watching.
How hypnosis helps with stage fright
Hypnosis is focused attention with deep relaxation. You’re awake, aware of everything, and you can stop at any time. In that state, hypnotherapy can help you rehearse the hard moments while your body stays settled.
Rehearsal in your mind. We use visualisation to walk through the day in detail. The walk to the front. The first line. The pause while people settle. You practise each part with calmness instead of dread, so the real thing feels familiar.
Rewind. Sometimes one bad presentation, or a cruel comment at school, still stings years later. Rewind is a gentle technique for taking the heat out of a memory like that. You stay in control, and you don’t have to relive it in detail.
Symbology. We work with the pictures your mind already uses, like a knot in your stomach or a harsh spotlight. When the image changes, old thought patterns often shift with it.
I’ve found these tools useful. You also leave with practical techniques for the day itself, including a short self-hypnosis routine.
How stage fright hypnotherapy works: video or Adelaide
The program is four one-to-one sessions, and it starts with a free 15-minute phone call.
- A free call first
Fifteen minutes by phone. Tell me what’s coming up. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll say so. You can also ask me anything about hypnosis, like what it feels like or whether you stay in control.
- Your first session
We map the moments that set you off, from the night before to the first minute at the front. Then we start the real work in that same session.
- Sessions two to four
We build on each step and tune it to your next event. If you have a date, like a wedding toast or an interview panel, we plan the sessions around it. You take a recording home, plus a quick calming routine for the car park before you go on.
Most of my sessions happen by video on Google Meet. You need a quiet room, a steady connection and headphones. If the call drops, I ring you straight back. If you live in Adelaide and would like to sit in the same room, we can arrange that.
Still weighing it up?Ask me anything on a free 15-minute call. I ring back within 24 hours, at a time you choose.
Or call 0427 218 092
What the research says about hypnosis for stage fright
There is only a little research, and the clearest study is from 1997. Schoenberger and colleagues gave nervous presenters cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), on its own or with hypnosis added. Both groups did better than a waiting list. The group that also had hypnotherapy did slightly better again.
That’s one small trial, so take it as a hint, not proof. It also fits my view that this work helps most on top of real practice. So you still prepare, and you still stand up in front of people, starting small. Hypnotherapy sits alongside any other care you have, not instead of it.
Is hypnotherapy for stage fright safe?
For most adults, yes. No medicine is involved, and you stay aware the whole time. Afterwards you might feel a bit drowsy or emotional for a short while.
Some people should start somewhere else. If you live with psychosis, or a serious mental illness without support yet, please see your GP first. If your nerves come with chest pain or fainting, get a medical check. If the fear is part of a wider anxiety disorder, like social phobia, or began with something traumatic, a psychologist is a good first step. Keep seeing your GP or psychologist while we work together.
What public speaking hypnotherapy costs in Adelaide: $1,000
One session at a time is $300. Most people take the four-session program: $1,000 paid at the start, which is $250 a session and $200 less than paying as you go ($1,200).
Most people choose: the 4-session program, $1,000 in total
- That covers a 90-minute first session and three 60-minute sessions, by video or in person in Adelaide, with a recording to keep after each one, a follow-up from me and 12 months of support.
- Prepaid sessions last 12 months. If you do not need them all, use them for another issue or give them to someone you know.
- Card or bank transfer, no surcharge. Prices in Australian dollars, no GST. Not covered by Medicare; some health fund extras pay a small benefit, so check with your fund.
You work with me, Ernest McLeod, start to finish: 14 years in practice and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists.
Book my free 15-minute callOr call 0427 218 092
Your GP can help tooSome performers ask about beta blockers for the physical symptoms of nerves. They need a prescription, so ask your GP. Your GP can also refer you to a psychologist with a Medicare rebate under Better Access. Looking for a psychologist who works in Mandarin or another language in South Australia? Ask your GP, or try the APS Find a Psychologist service, which lists bilingual psychologists. Hypnotherapy can sit alongside any of these.
Who you’ll be working with
I’m Ernest McLeod, an Adelaide hypnotherapist and Adelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012. Stage fright has been part of my work for all fourteen years. Before hypnotherapy I spent years as a fashion photographer and a software developer. Behind the camera, I saw how easily confident people froze once the lens turned their way.
- Fellow, ASCH
- Certified NLP Practitioner
- Time Line Therapy® Practitioner
- Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
What I’m not: hypnotherapy isn’t a registered health profession here. I’m not AHPRA-registered, and I’m not a psychologist or counsellor. My memberships are voluntary. I also teach other hypnotherapists. The Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association has approved my smoking, vaping and gambling cessation courses for professional development (CPD). Read my story
What clients have said
Two short notes clients wrote after their sessions.
“Amazing. Was aware of the whole time, but feel like I’ve just had a sleep. Feel relaxed & charged up.”
JW, confidence
“After my first session I felt happy & excited about what changes I may experience in the future”
KS, confidence
Written by clients after sessions with Ernest in Adelaide, shared with their written permission. Individual experiences vary. Read the Google reviews.
Questions about stage fright hypnotherapy in Adelaide
These are the things people most often ask me on the free 15-minute call.
Can hypnotherapy help with public speaking?
It can help you feel calmer while you prepare and present. The research is limited, though. One 1997 trial found adding hypnosis to CBT helped a little more than CBT alone. It works best paired with real practice. Feeling calmer after a session is welcome, but it is not a success rate.
What’s the success rate for stage fright hypnotherapy?
I don’t quote one. There are too few studies to give an honest figure, and every person and every stage is different. Instead we track your own progress, like getting through the next meeting without dread. The research section above sets out what is known.
Is hypnotherapy covered by Medicare in Australia?
No. You don’t need a GP referral to see me. Some health funds pay a little back under extras, so check with yours.
Who is not suitable for hypnotherapy?
Adults with psychosis, or a serious mental illness without support yet, should see their GP first. Sessions are for adults 18 and over. The safety section has more.
Will I be losing control, like at a stage show?
No. You hear everything, you remember it, and you can open your eyes whenever you like. Nobody will ask you to cluck like a chicken.
Are four sessions enough for stage fright?
For many people four is a good amount, and we check in at every session. Some come back for a top-up before a big event. If your talk is next week, tell me on the free call and we’ll plan for it.
Does it work as well by video?
Your focus does the work, and a screen doesn’t get in the way. Many people settle more easily at home. If you’d rather meet face to face, we can arrange it.
Let’s have a chat
Pick a time that suits you and I’ll ring within 24 hours. Fifteen minutes, free, and no pressure to book.
Book a free 15-minute callOr call 0427 218 092
Or email info@thehypnocoach.org
Related
- Anxiety and stress programsEvery anxiety and stress program I offer, with prices.
- Social anxiety hypnotherapyWhen fear of judgement reaches well past the stage.
- Exam anxiety hypnotherapyWhen the pressure is a paper, not an audience.
- Confidence hypnotherapyWhen self-doubt is the loudest voice in the room.
- The Hypno Coach homeHypnotherapy in Adelaide and by video with Ernest McLeod.
Free and confidential, open now. Tap to call.
Where these numbers come from
Stein MB, Walker JR, Forde DR (1996). Public-speaking fears in a community sample: prevalence, impact on functioning, and diagnostic classification. Archives of General Psychiatry 53(2): 169-174. doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1996.01830020087010. A community survey of 499 adults. One third reported excessive anxiety facing a large audience; 10% reported marked interference or distress.
Schoenberger NE, Kirsch I, Gearan P, Montgomery G, Pastyrnak SL (1997). Hypnotic enhancement of a cognitive behavioral treatment for public speaking anxiety. Behavior Therapy 28(1): 127-140. doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(97)80038-X.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy. It is not medical care, a diagnosis, or a stand-in for your doctor or a psychologist. If your symptoms are strong or don’t ease, please see your GP. Adults 18 and over. Last updated 7 October 2026.