I've been a reader and contributor of many of the threads on stage fright over the past few years. Nothing was really helping though, so I decided to try something that seemed "drastic" - hypnosis. Well, it worked, and it was different from what I thought it would be so I thought I'd share my experience in case anyone else might benefit.

First, the hypnotherapist did NOT promise to eliminate all the nervous energy I feel when performing. She pointed out that a certain amount of excited energy is good. SO much for my fantasies of being 100% cool and calm, but she was right. Second, she did not do the "you're feeling veeery sleepy" routine I was expecting. Instead, she had me imagine myself performing (and being nervous) while she moved a finger in front of my face. I was to follow her finger with my eyes while imagining myself performing. We did that a few times.

I have to admit I left her office skeptical. But that weekend, performing at my first real Celtic festival - no stage fright. I thought "OK, it worked that time, but will it last?" Last weekend I sang in church and then at a wedding reception - no stage fright. It was SO GOOD to be able to focus on the songs and not my shaking knees and sqeaking voice!

ANyway, for anyone who has thought nothing would help their stage fright, you might want to give this a try. It cost a few hundred bucks, but it was worth it.