by Paul Cutright

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

Since there has been some attention on performance in recent posts, I thought I would share with you a recent experience of working with a singer who was preparing for a concert date. One of the things that makes this interesting, I think, is that the performer is the love of my life - my wife and creative partner for 24 years. Her name is Layne and she is also an energy healer who uses EFT.

Layne has a magnificent, professional level voice and has resumed singing after a 10 year hiatus. Her new voice coach arranged for her to sing in a recital in a regional theatre before a packed house. Even though she has sung publicly and in musical theatre, she was increasingly nervous and self conscious as the performance date approached. She was going to be performing a sexy, sultry song (Sooner or Later by Madonna from the movie Dick Tracy) which asked more of her emotionally than she had ever displayed in her singing.

Layne asked me if I would work with her to help her overcome her rising anxiety.

I find that ferreting out the subtleties and nuances of psychological reversal [The Setup] is sometimes useful for success. I usually have people tap the Karate Chop Point, unless I intuitively sense they should rub the Sore Spot. Here's how it went with Layne.

We both had training in "inner parts" and Layne was curious about whether it was the inner child, inner adolescent, inner adult, all three or some combination of them who was having the problem with performing. Thus, I did muscle testing with her to see. It turned out to be the inner adolescent, so the intention of the work was addressed to that part. This is not necessarily a requirement for effective work with EFT, however. It's just something we chose to do. Here are the details of our work together.

Paul - What is producing the most anxiety for you when you think about singing in public?

Layne - I'm afraid of making a mistake and having people judge me. They'll think I'm not good enough. (She was about a 7 or 8 on the 0-10 intensity scale)

EFT - Even though I am afraid of not being good enough and that others will judge me.....Even though I'm afraid I will make a mistake..... (Followed by a shortcut round).

Paul - Close your eyes and imagine the scene again and tell me what you notice and how you are feeling. (She dropped to a 5).

Layne - I can see that I am really afraid of disappointing myself. I'm the one who is afraid I'm not good enough and I'm just projecting it on my audience.

EFT - Even though I am afraid of disappointing myself and I'm the one who thinks I'm not good enough.....Even though I'm projecting my self-judgment onto others, thinking they are judging me..... (Followed by shortcut round).

Paul - OK, close your eyes again and tell me what you notice and what you are feeling this time.

(The intensity stays at a 5, but another aspect comes up in the form of an insight)

Layne - I'm remembering when I was a little girl, I really liked to sing and perform in school plays. I was good even then, but I think my mother was jealous of me. She had a good voice, too, but she was too painfully shy to ever perform. I remember her telling me when I was having a really good time singing and getting support at school, that I was getting "too big for my britches." So, I felt like I was doing something wrong and that I was going to be punished. I shouldn't be having so much fun.

EFT - Even though my mother was jealous of me when I would sing and express myself.....Even though she thought I was "too big for my britches".....Even if I was "too big for my britches".....Even though I felt like I was doing something wrong and I was going to be punished.....Even though I shouldn't have that much fun.....Even though I really liked to sing and perform and my mother didn't like it.....

Paul - OK, close your eyes again and tell me what you notice and what you are feeling this time.

(The intensity went to a 3, but another aspect comes up).

Layne - The feeling I am having now is that I am taking myself too seriously and am getting significant about myself. And that makes me nervous and takes all the fun out of it. I really just want to get up there and have a good time. I want to feel good about myself, knowing I have a good voice that I don't have to apologize for it. And that I don't have to pretend that I don't know I am a good singer.

EFT - Even though I'm taking myself too seriously and getting significant about myself.....Even though I'm getting nervous and that takes all the fun out of singing and performing.....Even though I'm afraid I can't just get up there and have a good time.....Even though a part of me thinks I have to apologize for performing and pretend that I don't know I'm a good singer.....Even though a part of me thinks I don't deserve to have a good time singing and performing.....Even though I might not know who I am if I totally enjoy myself while performing.....

Paul - OK, close your eyes and imagine yourself on the stage singing, with your mother in the audience, everyone's attention focused on you, and tell me what you notice and what you are feeling now.

Layne - I feel fine, a sense of space and freedom. I'm having fun, enjoying myself - and enjoying the audience's appreciation. I don't feel any judgment of myself or coming from the audience. It's just all gone. (Her intensity level was now a zero).

Paul - Congratulations! (hug!)

This was about a week before the concert. She continued to be anxiety free for the rest of the week and all the way through the dress rehearsal. And her performance was flawless - not just in my clearly biased opinion, but also in the assessment of her coach and other audience members who did not know her. She received a standing ovation and was present in her body to receive it. She told me afterwards that this had been a real breakthrough for her in her ability to be present expressing her talent without self judgment. She said she had a great time and was truly enjoying the accolades after the show - including the dozen roses I brought her on stage!

Love & Blessings,

Paul Cutright