I now know it is my fear that is artificial

Client Background Summary:

• ...have flown throughout my life in the United States and throughout the world.... and I first learned to fear flying from [my mother].
• I also developed my own fear heights and could not understand how airplanes could stay up in the air.

Client Review Summary:

• [Other programs] just left me feeling unable to face the fear.
• SOAR has worked for several reasons. First, it explained the principles and mechanics of flying in the most detailed of ways.
• SOAR provideds constant reinforcement in the form of weekly emails.
• ...it is all becoming more automatic.
• I am so grateful for SOAR and for Captain Bunn's genuine, effective, and continuing support.

Client Review:

I started flying internationally as a baby and have flown frequently throughout my life in the United Sates and throughout the world. My mother was a frequent but fearful flyer, and I first learned to fear flying from her. I also developed my own fear of heights and could not understand how airplanes could stay up in the air. By the time I was flying home from college in the 1970's, my fear of flying had become well-developed. I never lost my love of traveling throughout the world and kept up the flying, but with increasing discomfort (especially during turbulence), so that I started to suffer days before each flight, checking the weather and taking other such actions to give me the illusion of control. Subconsciously, I felt that if I kept up the worrying (which I saw as "vigilance"), I would be able to ward off disaster. I knew it had gotten bad when I started avoiding flights during times of turbulence.

I tried programs that somewhat explained the mechanics of flying, but incompletely. They also recommended distraction and meditation techniques that focused on other things, but these just left me feeling unable to face the fear. Soar has worked for several reasons. First, it explained the principles and mechanics of flying in the most detailed of ways, which for me was necessary. It also explained in equal detail why turbulence was not a problem. These explanations went along with the videos, and watching the take-offs and landing from the cockpit on the videos enabled me to see how routing these maneuvers are. Second, Soar enabled me to actually face the fear with techniques for not letting it get out of control.

Now when I am in turbulence, I actually just let myself experience it, and I realize that the movement is not as bad as what my imagination was creating during my avoidance maneuvers. I also focus on what is going on inside of me during these times in an objective way, just noticing my sensations so that I can face them in a matter-of-fact way without letting my imagination run wild. Third, Soar provides constant reinforcement in the form of weekly emails, its library, and its multi-faceted materials (many of which I have printed out to read during a flight or watch in the form of a DVD). This variety of materials all keep me able to deal with my fear of flying. At first, dealing with my fears on a flight was hard, conscious work. Now it takes very little time during a flight because it is all becoming more automatic.

I never stopped flying, but now I do so with much less pain. When I feel myself start to tense up during turbulence, I now KNOW that it is my fear that is artificial. It now feels much more contrived to hang onto that fear than it does to breathe easily and experience the reality of knowing the situation is as safe as any other part of daily life.

It is wonderful to plan trips to interesting places or loving trips to see my grown-up kids, without having fear mar the excitement of these trips. I am so grateful for SOAR and for Captain Bunn's genuine, effective, and continuing support.

A SOAR Graduate

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