Dr. Cheryl Mathews, Coach
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
Dr. Cheryl Mathews, Your Guide
Desensitization Laboratory (LAB)
Request a 30-minute free consultation
DrCherylMathews@gmail.com
(202) 670-1269
During the free 30-minute consult, you can tell me about your experience with speaking anxiety, and I'll explain the program and answer any questions.
Unlimited 1:1 sessions
with Dr. Mathews
- 3 sessions 1-hour each
- Unlimited 30-minute check-in sessions as needed for 1-year
Unlimited LAB Groups
facilitated by Dr. Mathews
- Start with 6 core sessions
- Once you complete the core sessions, you can continue attending the LAB Practice Groups when space is available for 1-year
Unlimited Practice Clubs
facilitated by members
- Attend the Practice Clubs for 1-year
- After 1 year, renew your Club subscription to continue attending both Practice Clubs and LAB Practice Groups
Lifetime access
to course, groups and forums
- LAB course and videos
- Private LAB group where you can connect with others
- Private LAB forums where you can learn from each other
the LAB is where things start to change
here's how it works
what is the LAB?
The Lab is a 16-hour workshop on Zoom where you
learn and practice anxiety management techniques.
I'll guide you every step of the way.
practice anxiety
management techniques
Practice anxiety management techniques in a safe and supportive group. Learn with others who share your fear. Take gradual steps that are manageable for you.
monitor your
improvement
Throughout the LAB, we'll track your fear level to make sure you're improving.
get personal
guidance and help
I'll help you desensitize successfully and ensure you're using the techniques the right way.
Goal: Desensitize your nervous system and reduce your fear.
what happens in the LAB?
The Desensitization Lab is a comprehensive course on Zoom where you learn and practice anxiety management techniques. It includes three one-on-one sessions with Dr. Mathews, six group practice sessions and 1-year of practice groups. In addition to the one-on-one sessions, you'll be able to set up 30-minute checkin meetings with Dr. Mathews during and after LAB whenever you need it.
This is what you will learn in the Desensitization Lab:
- You’ll learn through personal experience that your anxiety increases and decreases in a predictable fashion.
- You’ll see for yourself that when you’re in speaking situations long enough your anxiety will dissipate naturally (on it’s own with no effort).
- You’ll find that anxiety goes down with repeated practice (as long as you’re practicing correctly).
- You’re going to have a chance to learn how to coach yourself more accurately before, during and after a speaking situation.
- We’ll dig into the self-defeating patterns that maintain your fear: Thinking social standards are more exacting than they really are, focusing on errors, severe self-evaluations, and avoidance habits.
- You’ll learn that things really can be different.
- You’ll have the opportunity to learn and desensitize with like-minded people who share your fear of public speaking.
Here is how the LAB is structured and what is included:
1. One-on-one sessions with Dr. Cheryl Mathews for 3-hours. And additional check-in sessions as needed during and after the LAB. We will collaboratively design your self-improvement plan and exposure hierarchy so you can desensitize most effectively. You'll have some homework that will help you reframe your self-talk. This is much more in-depth than the self-paced Essentials course and there is a lot of time for questions and information tailored to your needs.
2. Participate in 6 Club practice sessions on Saturdays and/or Sundays at 11:00AM - 12:30PM New York Eastern Time. The club is made up of professional and supportive people who share your fear. The Clubs typically have 5-6 people. We practice the anxiety management techniques together and share our experiences. The clubs happen every weekend. You don’t have to do the clubs consecutively, but it’s ideal if you do them soon after the one-on-one sessions. Note that some Saturday or Sunday sessions may be cancelled when the group size is too small.
3. As part of the LAB, you receive a comprehensive Participant Guide. It’s a ~100 page workbook that explains the framework and anxiety management techniques and is a helpful reference tool that I recommend you use for the rest of your life. I also provide a cheat sheet with a summary of the key concepts.
4. Lots of other stuff! You will also have access to a self-paced online course that provides the framework for the LAB, tons of additional information, successful exposure, opportunity to ask questions, and personalized help and coaching.
The LAB is transformative and life-changing, and can help you advance your career, your relationships and your self-esteem. Feel free to contact me at DrCherylMathews@gmail.com if you have any questions.
when can we start?
Start the LAB whenever you're ready. Once you sign up, you'll receive an email
with a link to schedule your first one-on-one session. See course description to see how it works.
sign up
The Essentials Course is a prerequisite for the LAB.
You can take it while you're in the LAB one-on-one sessions.
LAB
$1,175
LAB + Essentials
$1,210
Start here if you have not taken the Essentials Course
what participants say
SM // Program Manager
Dr. Mathews helped me speak successfully to 400 people. I would have never dreamed I could do that.
RK // Research Manager
The interview went well. I don't know how but I was so calm the entire time! You were a huge help. I could not have done this without you. And.. they've just offered me the job. In shock! This was literally all because of working with you. I wasn't even nervous at all. Thank you so much honestly I owe it all to our sessions!
DL // Staffer
I started with a high anxiety score and my anxiety score has lowered to the low range and continues to get better. Today's webinar was a great success! I did 20 mins to an audience of 50 people. I also did a 10 minute briefing with no notes to a board member. This was the first time in recent memory that I haven't dreaded doing something like this with high stakes. What I thought about in the hours leading up to these presentations was that it wouldn't go poorly, and that i had properly prepared to do a good presentation. I say good, meaning I was fine with good and not great (even though it was actually great). All of what you told me is starting to happen with these things. Sure, there was a very temporary feeling of dread when the presentation started but it dissipated quickly. I also watched the other presenters and paid attention to their tone and their style. I am starting to realize the power and control you have in a presentation with pausing and the delivery in general. It was a very important moment today to do this for the client. In all my career, I never delivered a presentation or briefing so comfortably. I watched TV last night and didn't fret because I had practiced. It is pretty incredible to actually see and feel progress. It is life-changing.
PK // Analyst
This lab has been extremely helpful. For so long I had been dealing with social anxiety and public speaking fear alone, but to have a group of supportive individuals going through the same struggle made things a lot easier. Dr. Mathews is great and presents information in a simple manner so you can easily grasp concepts. If anyone is dealing with this type of anxiety, I would definitely recommend signing up for this lab. Personally, my self worth has improved and I’m seeing progress in reduced levels of nervousness.
CS // Software Developer
The desensitization lab has shifted my perspective and improved my confidence. I now look at myself, my thoughts, and my symptoms more objectively than before, and have a much clearer path forward. My confidence has increased, both from the lab exercises as well as from hearing the thoughts and feedback that others shared. The tools that I picked up during the sessions are things I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I highly recommend this course to anyone dealing with low confidence, panic, or anxiety as it relates to public speaking or performance.
RN // Executive
This was an amazing course. I strongly recommend it for anyone who is serious about overcoming public speaking anxiety. Dr. Mathews walks you through a deep understanding of what causes public speaking anxiety, teaches you tools to overcome this anxiety, and so much more. I now have a plan in place that I feel confident will get me to where I need to be and most importantly I know that I’m not alone. I look forward to continuing to develop myself and sincerely appreciate Dr. Mathews’ kindhearted and no-nonsense approach.
IB // Engineer
The LAB was a wonderful experience! I was able to finally learn valuable techniques to help me better manage anxiety in a very safe environment.
I met others with the same challenges in the LAB and that made it a lot easier for me to relax and realize that we were all on the same journey and were there to help each other. Dr Cheryl was also very helpful in patiently guiding us through our sessions and helping us create new thought patterns. Also, I learned a lot from the feedback from others in the group. The feedback was so helpful.
After the first two sessions, I began to see my anxiety coming down through lots of practice opportunities I got in the lab. In one lab session, I gave a 5-minute talk and I was so happy because I knew I could do it.
Toastmasters is great but it was too overwhelming for me. The LAB however gave me a way to work on my anxiety gradually in a very manageable way. After the LAB, I am now confident that I have the tools to join a toastmasters group online to increase my practice opportunities.
Overall, the LAB was an awesome experience and I would encourage anyone who may be struggling with speaking anxiety of any sort to take part in it.
LA // IT Executive
I enrolled in this program because I experienced the usual public speaking anxieties ( excess worrying, sweating, loss of train of thought during a presentation, panicking before speaking, fast heartbeats, lack of sleep before presentations). I had lived with this for over 10 years. I walked the journey with Cheryl and I must say this is a worthwhile investment if you are willing to put in the work. You learn the skills and tools needed to manage your speaking anxiety and function with it. In two months of joining the program, I’ve made about 8-10 presentations to various groups of people both virtually and physically (the biggest one being a physical presentation to a group of 50 people) successfully. The weekly sessions are also great as you learn to deal with your anxieties in a lab with like minded people. Thank Cheryl for this program and I can definitely say that I’ve become better at managing my anxieties.
SD // Coach
The Lab was an invaluable experience for me. It was something I had been looking for over the past year. I am glad I found Dr. Mathews and was able to attend her Lab. She is very committed to the participants and their concerns, and provides very useful guidance. During the Lab I was able to practice impromptu speaking, and to learn how to organize my thoughts, and how to control my levels of anxiety when speaking. Also, I received valuable feedback not only from her but from other participants, and this has helped me to increase my self confidence, and to develop more positive thoughts about self. I recommend this Lab very highly as it offers ways to become calmer when speaking before other people, and to enjoy sharing with others without having fear or a feeling of panic.
NP // Financial Executive
The course was a complete game changer for me! My presentation at the conference went well! I was very calm during the presentation. I wouldn’t have even been able to imagine I could have pulled this off just a couple of months ago.
I am very happy that I did the presentation instead of going to extreme lengths to avoid it again. It’s very liberating to know that I can do it and I don’t need to come up with yet another excuse to avoid it.
KJ // Software Developer
I finally decided one day that I was tired of constantly trying to avoid giving presentations at work and getting stressed out when I was inevitably asked to present. I wanted to understand the psychology behind public speaking anxiety, and somehow I stumbled upon a reddit AMA that Dr.Mathews did several years ago. I learned so much from her answers in that post, and from there I found the desensitization lab.
I was seeing a therapist for public speaking anxiety before the lab started. Therapy was very useful, however, a critical part of that therapy is exposure: doing the thing you’re afraid of--public speaking. I actually tried a few different ways to get exposures: I joined toastmasters, and I took a four week improv course. Those certainly helped, but the lab was by far the most effective for me.
One of my favorite parts of the lab is that because it was a small group, there were many opportunities to speak and practice. Dr.Mathews helped us to tailor our exposures to our personal fears without overwhelming ourselves. Because all of the participants were all in a similar boat wrt speaking anxiety, it felt very safe to open up and give each other honest feedback. I was quite surprised that I learned a lot about anxiety from watching others in the class go through their journeys. I found it quite valuable to see what speaking anxiety looks like in someone other than myself, because I personally tend to be less objective with myself.
I would absolutely recommend the lab to anyone who is looking to work on their speaking anxiety.
KS // Manager
I know how to manage the anxiety and I now speak with confidence and ease. I now enjoy giving presentations. I even sang a solo in front of an audience and was not nervous at all. This was a huge breakthrough.
JL // Communications Specialist
I thought I had a deficiency, but I learned that there are specific things I can do that are in my control. The 1:1 sessions were really helpful.
questions?
Contact me with questions or schedule a 30-minute free consultation.
What is the LAB?
The Lab is a workshop on Zoom where you learn and practice anxiety management techniques. The LAB includes three one-on-one (1:1) meetings with Dr. Mathews (1-hour each meeting) and six group sessions. The six group sessions are a mix of practice (exposures) and group feedback. During the three one-on-one (1:1) sessions with Dr. Mathews you will learn what causes your anxiety and techniques to manage your anxiety. You will also work with Dr. Mathews to design a personal improvement plan (PIP) tailored to you so you can desensitize most effectively. During the six group practice sessions you will have the opportunity to practice the new anxiety management techniques that you learned in the 1:1 sessions.
When can I start the LAB? Are you free to start right away?
I’m typically free to start right away - often within 24-hours after you sign up. I’ll send you a link to my online calendar so you can find a convenient time to schedule our first one-on-one meeting. I’m available 9:00am - 3:00pm New York Time and I can offer additional scheduling options early morning and late afternoon and weekends if you need them. Most people schedule over their lunch hour or during the day if they work from home.
The groups meet 11:00am - 12:30pm New York time on the weekends.
How do I schedule one-on-one sessions with you?
Once you sign up for the lab, you will receive a link to an online calendar where you can schedule the one-on-one meetings. (You will also receive a link to an online calendar to reserve your spot in the 6 group meetings).
When do the practice groups meet?
The practice groups meet Saturday and/or Sunday from 11:00am - 12:30pm New York Time. Depending on the number of people who attend, we may meet either on Saturday or Sunday. We meet on both Saturday and Sunday when we have enough people to support both days. I will give you a link to an online calendar so you can reserve your spot for a specific date.
Note that the groups require a minimum of 3 people and may be canceled due to attendance.
How much does the LAB cost?
$1,175.00 which includes three one-on-one meetings with Dr. Mathews, 6 group meetings, a free 1-year subscription to the practice clubs, tons of resources, and a lifetime access to private LAB Groups and Forums. The Essentials course ($35) is a prerequisite for the LAB and can be taken before the LAB or during the LAB. Together they cost $1,210.00.
How do I sign up for the LAB?
Add the LAB to your cart and checkout with a credit card.
If you’ve already taken the Essentials course, add the LAB to your cart. If you have not taken the Essentials course, add the LAB + Essentials course to your cart.
Note, the Essentials course is a prerequisite for the LAB and can be taken before the LAB or during the LAB.
Do you offer discounts?
I don’t offer discounts - the price just covers my time and costs.
Do you offer refunds?
I don’t offer refunds because, once you sign up, you are able to download all of my copyrighted course materials. I spent years doing research and developing this course. It doesn’t make sense for me to allow someone to buy the course, download all the copyrighted materials then get a refund.
Who should join the LAB?
Anyone who feels high levels of anxiety - or panic - when speaking to others.
Do you work with people from all over the world?
Yes, I work with people from all over the world. There are many people who participate from Canada, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
If you live in Asia, Australia or New Zealand, I recommend you schedule a 30-minute free consultation. We’ll need to discuss adapting some aspects of the program as you won’t be able to join the groups on weekends at 11:00am New York Time. We’ll also need to schedule our one-on-one meetings at a time that will work for both of us.
How many people attend the LAB practice groups?
There are usually 4-6 people in each group. A minimum of 3 people is required. The group is extremely warm, friendly and supportive.
Is everyone in the practice group new? Or are there people who joined the group before me?
People join the group at different times so there will be people who have joined the group before you. The group is extremely warm, friendly and supportive.
Are you a licensed psychologist or a coach?
Do you take insurance?
I have the same educational credentials as a Psychologist (Doctor of Psychology, Psy.D.) but I don't practice as a licensed Psychologist. I practice as a Coach.
One of the advantages of working as a Coach is that individuals from any location can participate in this program. Licensed Psychologists can only see clients from the state in which they are licensed (licensure is regulated by each state in the US). As a Coach, I can work with people from all over the world.
Coaches work with high-functioning people who want to advance their careers and improve their performance in specific areas such as speaking in groups. LAB participants are high-functioning professionals who want to advance their careers, achieve specific goals and improve their quality of life. This fits well with a Coaching model.
Because I am not a licensed Psychologist, I don't take insurance. Your Health Savings Account (HSA) or flex spending account most likely cannot be used for coaching.
Is the LAB program private and confidential?
The information that you share with me as part of this coaching relationship is confidential.
The only exceptions to confidentiality are where a client threatens to harm someone else or harm themselves. In those rare cases, I'm required by law to report to the appropriate agency.
Also be aware that the Coach-Client relationship is not considered a legally confidential relationship (like the medical and legal professions) and thus communications are not subject to the protection of any legally recognized privilege.
Do you have a way that I can continue practicing after I complete the LAB?
Yes, join the SpeakMeister Club. Once you join the Club, you’ll be able to participate in the LAB Practice Groups and the practice clubs.
Who is successful in this program? What is the key success factor that differentiates people who improve and people who don’t? Who gets better?
The key factor that makes the difference is how motivated you are and if you’re willing to put in the work desensitizing (i.e. gradual exposure). Even after the LAB is over, it requires continuing to desensitize - otherwise your anxiety will come back. So it’s a long-term commitment. If you are motivated and committed, then you’ll most likely benefit from the LAB program. If not, then I would not invest the money. Ultimately, I can’t guarantee that this will help everyone, but based on previous participants, it has been life changing for many.
Understanding these annoying and distressing symptoms are key to managing speaking/social anxiety. The symptoms are a core part of the Essentials course and the LAB program.