If not, the chances are high that exam anxiety could have been the cause. Grades are predicted by taking into account their course work as well as tests and exams. So if course work has been consistently reliable and good grades have been predicted but not achieved, performance anxiety has almost certainly played a part.
Is exam anxiety more common than it was in years gone by?
I can’t help thinking that this kind of anxiety is much more common than it used to be because I am seeing more and more young people these days to help them overcome high anxiety and even panic attacks when taking exams.
Why should this be? Is there too much focus on grades?
I think in general there is more pressure put on students these days at a far earlier age. I personally believe we have become a bit ‘grade obsessed’, at least partly because of the amount of testing in schools from a very early age. Certainly some teachers feel that because the teaching is so geared towards exam results and grades they don’t have the time or flexibility to look at topics from a wider perspective.
Parents are seeking out hypnotherapy for their children these days
Of course another reason that I am seeing so many more students to help them overcome test and exam anxiety is that hypnotherapy itself has become more widely understood. And, of course, it is really great that more and more parents now realise that, while it is a gentle therapy, hypnotherapy is a very powerful and effective way to deal with anxiety.
Is your child already anxious about having to re-sit exams to achieve higher grades?
Luckily we have answers for you that can be a tremendous help.
Published CDs and MP3s
Thousands of children all over the English-speaking world have overcome their anxiety through regular bedtime listening to my published MP3 or CD ‘Overcome exam nerves’. It not only helps them through positive suggestions to stay calm, confident and in control before, during and after an exam, it also has effective exam-taking strategies as well.
Played nightly in the ‘lead up’ to the exam it can help ensure calm and restful sleep as well as a positive attitude to the exams themselves. A good sleep of course is essential to having a clear and alert mind both for revision and the exam itself.
One-to-one hypnotherapy
A pre-recorded published audio is clearly going to be the cheaper option and can very often be the perfect answer! But, if anxieties and fears are very strong, or could even be better described as panic attacks, a face-to-face session is going to be the most effective solution because I tailor everything to the individual child or young person.
I take into account not only where the fear and anxiety has come from but also the child’s interests and personality and internal strengths and resources. I listen very carefully to what they tell me and the ways that they express their fears and concerns because every person is different and every child or young person (or older person come to that!) will receive something that is just right for them. My therapy is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach … it is designed for each individual I see.
Look out for next week’s blog when I give you some insights into some of the things I might do in a session for treating exam anxiety
