About Anxious Speakers:

If you experience a high degree of anxiety in any or all of the following situations, our group might be helpful for you to overcome your fears.

• Being introduced to other people
• Public speaking/presentations/interviews
• Being teased or criticized
• Being the center of attention
• Being watched while doing something
• Meeting people in authority ("important people")
• Most social encounters, especially with strangers
• Going around the room (or table) in a circle and having to say something
• Interpersonal relationships, whether friendships or romantic

Our group is not a passive therapy group, but a hands on work group run by our members. In our meetings, we practice in situations we are uncomfortable with, like interviews, reading, games and presentations.

There is no charge to attend the meetings. They are held Monday night from 7-9pm at BCIT in Burnaby. The group size currently averages from 4-6 people and participation at the meetings is completely voluntary.

Mandate:

One of our group members started this WORK group in 2003 in order to benefit those who have an overwhelming fear of public speaking and/or have Social Anxiety or severe shyness.

Needless to say, these conditions are quite serious to those afflicted.

Although this is a serious issue, one of the main aims of the meetings is to run them in a light-hearted fashion, emphasizing how important it is to not take oneself too seriously.

Our group offers an opportunity for safe practice and non-judgemental exposure to feared activities aswell as comfort and support through exchange of experience with similar minded people.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are looking to improve your English or to overcome typical nervousness that most people experience when attempting public speaking, the Anxious speakers' group is not for you.

We recommend you to contact any of the Toastmasters groups in the lower mainland. Just type "Toastmasters International" into an online search engine.