According to Barbara Fish, M.Ed., the fear may happen in the classroom where the student
prays that the teacher doesn’t call on him to answer a question. It can happen in the
workplace where the manager experiences panic attacks at the thought of making a
presentation to her superiors. It can happen at home where the jobseeker becomes
emotionally distraught before going on a job interview. It can happen at a party where the
possibility of meeting someone new is curtailed by butterflies in the stomach and sweaty
palms. The thought of speaking in public can leave us frozen with fear. It can also cause us
to miss out on many academic, social, and career opportunities.