Mental blanks mid-sentence
You know the material, then lose the thread in front of the room.
Public speaking & presentation anxiety
Private coaching by Zoom for executives, founders and high-performing professionals who know what to say but struggle to stay calm, clear and in command when the stakes are high.
Book my free consultation20 minutes · No cost · No obligation
Work directly with Robert BarnettCertified Hypnotherapist · C.Ht., PMP, MBA
Free 20-minute consultation
No cost · No obligation · By phone
Most people who struggle with speaking already know what they want to say. The problem is what happens internally when the stakes get high: the mind races, the body tenses, and a capable leader loses the thread, rushes the delivery, or feels less like themselves than they know they are. Robert Barnett, C.Ht., PMP, MBA, is a hypnotherapist and performance coach with 35+ years of hypnosis experience. He helps clients change the automatic stress response that shows up under pressure, so a calmer, clearer performance state becomes more automatic. This page is part of our executive coaching work.
Common signs
People who:
You know the material, then lose the thread in front of the room.
Your pace speeds up, your voice tightens, and the message gets lost.
Days of rehearsing, second-guessing the slides, and imagining what could go wrong.
A pounding heart, a dry mouth, shaky hands and a tight chest before you start.
Boardrooms, investor pitches, panels, interviews and difficult conversations hit hardest.
You pass on the stage, the promotion or the podcast because of how speaking feels.
Why speaking tips alone do not fix it
Traditional presentation coaching focuses on scripts, slides, posture and delivery. Those can help, but they usually do not touch the deeper issue. Under pressure, the subconscious mind often takes over, which is why a smart, capable person can know exactly what to say and still feel anxious, rushed or blocked.
Hypnosis, mental performance coaching, CBT-based tools and NLP work at that automatic layer, helping you access a calmer, more confident state so you can communicate clearly when it matters.
The approach
The work is shaped around the situations you face, and usually follows three steps:
We identify exactly when the pressure response shows up, what you expect to happen, and where it started, so the work targets the real pattern.
Through guided hypnosis, CBT and NLP techniques, we work on the stress reaction itself and on the mental rehearsal of what could go wrong, so a calmer state becomes the default.
Using Robert's PMP planning background, we build a plan around your real presentations and meetings, and reinforce the new response before and after each one.
Hypnosis is a state of focused attention, and it is one tool among several. It is not mind control, and you stay in charge throughout. Sessions are private, by Zoom, from wherever you are.
Coaching with hypnosis is not medical or mental health treatment. Progress is individual; results vary.
Where it shows up
Our clients are executives, business owners, entrepreneurs and high-performing professionals who need to perform under pressure. Common situations include:
A speaker's perspective
Robert has presented in corporate settings and performed music, including in a cappella groups, in front of audiences of all sizes, an estimated 100,000 people or more over the years. He knows from experience what it is to feel the pressure of a room and still have to deliver.
That experience shapes how he coaches: practical, grounded in real situations, and focused on helping you perform when it counts.
Watch
Robert introduces the approach, and a client describes her experience with stage fright.
Individual experiences vary and results are not guaranteed. Coaching with hypnosis is not medical or mental health treatment.
Fit
Who this approach tends to help.
This coaching isn't medical or mental health treatment. If you experience panic attacks, have a medical condition, or are dealing with severe distress, please also see a doctor or licensed professional.
Programs
Most clients start with the 5+2 Performance Program, and program length and any add-on consulting are tailored after your free consultation.
See all programs or program details.
Related coaching
Speaking pressure often overlaps with other challenges. These pages cover related areas.
The full executive program: decisions, follow-through and leadership presence.
Learn more →For leaders running on empty who want their edge back.
Learn more →Composure and consistency for pitching, closing and handling rejection.
Learn more →Fear of flying or avoiding air travel? Retrain the fear response.
Learn more →Describe what is happening on a free consultation, and we will talk through the right approach.
Book a free consultation →Free consultation
We start with a short phone call about what is happening and what you want to change, and whether this is a fit. No cost, no obligation. Sessions are then held one-on-one by Zoom.
Consultations by phone. Sessions by Zoom, worldwide. Based in Trumbull, CT.
Command the room.
Presentation anxiety costs capable people visibility, opportunities and confidence. The goal is a calmer automatic response, so your preparation shows up when you do.
In their words
High Performance Hypnotherapy has 65+ five-star reviews on Google. The three below are quoted as posted on Google and are from clients working on related challenges. Individual experiences vary and results are not guaranteed.
“I am a huge skeptic and did not think that hypnotherapy would work for me, but I was wrong. Robert is an amazing coach and his cognitive behavioral and hypnosis techniques have had a profoundly positive impact on my life. I am achieving new heights in my career as a result of leaving old beliefs in the past.”
Professional client, Google review, 5 stars
“In just a few sessions, I feel more aware and excited about the situations that previously caused me tension and stress. It’s incredibly empowering.”
Coaching client, Google review, 5 stars
“His sessions have been incredibly effective in helping me work through my anxiety. Robert’s calm and supportive approach made me feel at ease, and his techniques have genuinely made a difference in my daily life.”
Coaching client, Google review, 5 stars
More client stories are on our client reviews page.
Meet your mental coach
Robert Barnett is a certified hypnotherapist (C.Ht.) with a PMP and an MBA, and a certified sales coach. With 35+ years of hypnosis experience and a corporate background in strategy, leadership and performance optimization, he brings together performance psychology and real-world leadership expertise. He has worked with entrepreneurs, executives and competitive athletes to eliminate mental friction and turn insight into action. He does not just tell you what to do. He helps you remove what has been stopping you from doing it. He also brings a personal view of the problem: performance anxiety that began with a childhood solo and grew through years of competitive sports taught him how pressure works from the inside. Learn more about Robert.
Common questions
It is an intense or persistent fear of speaking in front of others, from meetings and pitches to stages and interviews. It can show up as racing thoughts, mental blanks, a rushed delivery, a pounding heart, shaky hands, or avoiding speaking opportunities. It is common among capable, high-performing people.
Hypnosis can help work on the automatic stress response and the mental rehearsal of what could go wrong that often drive speaking anxiety. It is used alongside mental performance coaching, CBT-based tools and NLP. It is not a medical treatment, and no one can promise a specific result. Experiences vary.
Presentation training focuses on scripts, slides, posture and delivery. Speaking anxiety is usually not a skills problem; it is an automatic response that shows up even when you know exactly what to say. The two can work well together. We focus on the mental side.
This program was built for executives, business owners and high-performing professionals, but the approach applies to anyone who needs to perform under pressure. Ask about your situation on the free consultation.
Yes. Boardroom presentations, investor and client pitches, interviews, panels, podcasts, webinars and difficult conversations are all common situations clients work on.
The sooner you start the more time there is to practice, but no one can promise a specific outcome by a specific date. Call or request a consultation, tell us your timeline, and we will talk through what is realistic.
It depends on how long the pattern has been present and what triggers it. Many clients start with the 5+2 program: 5 private Zoom sessions over about 12 weeks plus 2 weeks of follow-up support. We tailor length and any add-ons after your free consultation. Results are individual and cannot be guaranteed.
No. Hypnosis is a state of focused attention, similar to being absorbed in a book. You remain aware and in control the entire time, and you can open your eyes at any time. It is not mind control and there is no swinging watch.
You do not need to believe in hypnosis for it to be worth trying, and many analytical, skeptical people start out unsure. We explain what we are doing and why, and you decide what works for you.
Sessions are private, one-on-one by Zoom. We keep client work confidential, and clients are not named or identified on this site.
Robert Barnett, C.Ht., PMP, MBA, has practiced hypnosis for more than 35 years and combines it with CBT, NLP and structured planning. His MBA and PMP backgrounds mean he understands the pressures of leadership and high-stakes presentations, and he has presented in corporate settings and performed music in front of audiences of all sizes, so he knows the pressure of a room firsthand. The work comes with a clear plan.
Not always. Some people feel anxious only when speaking, while others have broader anxiety. If your anxiety is severe, constant or affecting your health, please see a doctor or licensed mental health professional. Coaching can be a complement, not a replacement.
Yes. Sessions are by Zoom, so you can work with Robert from anywhere in the world. The free 20-minute consultation is by phone. Local clients in Trumbull and Fairfield County are welcome too.
Request a free 20-minute phone consultation or call (203) 816-0015. We talk through what is happening, what you want to change, and whether this approach is a fit, with no cost and no obligation.
Free consultation
Call (203) 816-0015 or request your free 20-minute phone consultation. You can also contact us here or see our executive coaching overview.
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