Nick Kemp - Fear of Driving

What is termed "phobia of driving" can take many different forms and I see clients with this particular "problem" most weeks. Let's remember that "driving phobias" can also pertain to passengers as well as the actual driver. As with all phobias, it's useful to remember that a phobia is an abnormal reaction to a place or thing. Often people can talk about having a phobia when they in fact instead have anxiety which is different. A phobic response means that the person will do everything to avoid the situation or activity. An anxious response means that they may well engage in the activity or place themselves in the situation, but with a degree of reluctance!

People with anxiety about driving often will explain their anxiety in terms of feeling blocked in on a road (often a motorway) or feeling that everything is going too fast, which makes them feel really ill at ease. In all instances the individual will report that they feel out of control and this is often conveyed in the information they complete on their client notes prior to a session and in how they phrase their experiences during the session. Through the approach of NLP I can quickly identify through the language patterns they are using, exactly how they continue to create the "problem pattern" and then be able to change the previously unhelpful association with this activity. Let's remember that a person can't simply "get a feeling" they have to picture or think (or say) something to themselves to get the particular feeling. Clients are often surprised that my approach is not to fathom "why they have the problem" but rather "how do they create the problem" In the cases of driving phobics, the first session is to identify and change the "problem pattern" and the for the client to listen back to the session and test the changes between sessions. The proof is always that they now begin to think, feel and respond differently and by doing so experience a new freedom and ease in driving.

"Nick taught me how to believe in my driving capability and I now feel calmer, happier and more relaxed about driving."

Pete Copeland, July 2008

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