FAQs : Control Exam Anxiety

FAQs

Q1. What Is The Neuro Immersion Method?

The Neuro Immersion Method is a two-step process that results in the significant or total de-sensitization of anxiety associated with tests/exams. To fully understand how it works, feel free to read the detailed explanation (see Q13 below). Reading it is not essential, but if you have a curious “prove-it-to-me” kind of mind, reading it might actually be a good idea.

Q2.What Are The Two Steps?

Succeeding with The Neuro Immersion Method requires following two steps over a two-week period. The first step requires listening to a CD or your own digital audio player, as you fall asleep, for 2 weeks. The second step requires practicing a relaxation technique, everyday, for the same 2-week period. You’ll get written instructions on the relaxation technique. It’s simple and requires just a few minutes a day to practice it.

Q3. How Can I Learn The Neuro Immersion Method?

You will need only one consultation, and it can be done by phone or an in-person office appointment. THIS IS IMPORTANT: YOU WILL NEED TO USE THE CUSTOMIZED CD (or audio file), AND PRACTICE THE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE NOTED ABOVE, FOR TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR EXAM TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM BENEFIT. THIS IS BECAUSE REPETITION IS KEY TO THE NEURO IMMERSION METHOD.

Q4. Will I Always Have To Use The CD (or digital audio player) For Two Weeks Prior To Every Test/Exam I Take?

You will NOT have to use the CD (or digital audio player) for two weeks every time you have a test/exam. This 2-week process applies only for the first test/exam you take after completing The Neuro Immersion Method. However, I do strongly urge you to use the CD (or digital audio player) for three nights prior to any tests/exams that you take for reinforcement purposes. Practicing the relaxation technique during the three days prior to an exam is also helpful.

Q5. Must I Come To The Office Or Can I Do This By Phone?

You don’t have to come to the office. I’ve helped many people, throughout the US and internationally, whom I’ve never actually met. The process is the same whether conducted by phone or in person, with one exception. If you come to the office, you’ll leave with your CD (or audio files) because it will be custom recorded while you wait. Therefore, you’ll be able to start using the CD (or digital audio player) that night.

If your consultation is done by phone, the CD (or audio files) will be custom recorded the same day as the consultation; however, it will have to be mailed to you. This can take two or three days, depending on where you reside in the US.

Q6. Is There A Minimum Age For Using The Neuro Immersion Method?

Yes, there is. The minimum age is a mature 12 year old. If the appointment is in the office, a parent or legal guardian will remain in the room during the appointment at all times. If the appointment is by phone, a parent or legal guardian will need to provide permission for me to speak with the minor child.

Q7. Is There A Difference In The Success Rate Between People Who Come To The Office And People Who Do This By Phone?

There’s no difference. Remember, all we’re doing together, whether in the office or on the phone, is talking. My job is to ask you questions about your specific test/exam anxiety so that, in turn, I can customize a CD (or digital audio player) for you.

Q8. What If I Need Additional Help After My Consultation?

No problem. Just call or email the office and ask for assistance. You can expect prompt, professional attention. If Linda isn’t available, I will assist you. There is NEVER an additional fee to provide support; it’s part of the service. There’s NO limit on the number of calls you can make or emails you can send after your consultation. Moreover, if you feel you need to come into the office, there’s no fee for the second consultation. Clearly, I want you to succeed, so, helping you is in my best interest. So, rest assured, you’ll have all the support you need.

Q9. How Long Does The Consultation Take?

The consultation takes about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how many questions you have. This includes the time required to create your customized CD (or digital audio player). During the consultation, I’ll ask you quite a few questions about your test/exam anxiety. I’ll take some notes during our discussion. Next, I’ll answer any questions you might have for me. I’ll go over the protocol regarding proper use of the CD (or digital audio player) and the relaxation technique to be sure all instructions are clear. Finally, I will record your customized CD (or digital audio player). If our consultation is by phone, the CD (or digital audio player) and relaxation technique instructions will be mailed to you. If you come to the office for the appointment, you will leave with the CD (or digital audio player) and all instructions in hand.

Q10. Can I See What The Consultation is Like?

Yes. Click here to see a video of a typical appointment.

Q11. What Kind Of Success Should I expect?

After two weeks of following the two-step protocol, 92% of my clients have no anxiety symptoms during tests/exams. The balance (8%) experience a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms. So, you needn’t be concerned about not doing well. You will benefit; it’s just a matter of whether you fall into the 92% or 8% category.

Q12. Is My Success Guaranteed?

Yes. I offer a money-back guarantee. I have never had a client ask for a refund. NEVER. If my method fails to provide you with at least a significant anxiety reduction while taking a written test/exam, just tell me, and I will refund your payment.

Q13. Are There Exclusions to The Money-Back Guarantee?

Yes. Let me be totally clear about this: People with certain conditions are less likely to experience optimal results using The Neuro Immersion Method. You are NOT ELIGIBLE for the money-back guarantee if you have a history of:

brain or head injury (stroke, TIA, head trauma due to an accident, to name a few)
substance abuse
Tourette’s, Autism, ADD/HD, OCD, Panic Disorder or learning disability

Why doesn’t the guarantee apply under such conditions? People with these conditions can benefit from The Neuro Immersion Method, but their outcomes might be limited compared to someone without such cognitive challenges. I base this on many years of experience working with people with various cognitive challenges.

Q14. Can I Read Some Client Testimonials Or Talk To Some Of Your Former Clients?

Click HERE to read just a few of the many hundreds of testimonials I’ve received over the years. Clients are never asked to provide a testimonial. They do so of their own free will to help others, like you. These testimonials are excerpts from unsolicited letters and emails which I receive nearly everyday. So, rest assured, no one will ask you to provide a testimonial or to speak by phone or email to a perspective client. If you would like to speak to people who have utilized The Neuro Immersion Method, call Linda at 908-301-0039 and ask her for some names and numbers. Talk to them about their experiences, then decide if it’s right for you.

Q15. What’s Your Background?

I have been helping people with anxiety since 1979 using only drug-free methodologies. I developed The Neuro Immersion Method in 2000 while doing research with Functional Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging technology, better known as FMRI. The Neuro Immersion Method has been utilized by about 2,500 teens and adults. I specialize in teaching people to use The Neuro Immersion Method exclusively when it comes to test/exam anxiety. The reason: it produces the best results for the time, effort and cost involved when compared to all other methods.

I have guest lectured on The Neuro Immersion Method at civic groups, universities, medical centers, corporations and government agencies. I have been presenting my lecture (the title is “Drug-Free Stress Management and Anxiety Reduction”) for many years throughout the United States. I was educated at Rutgers University, Columbia University School of Public Health and Harvard University – Massachusetts General Hospital Mind Body Institute. While at Harvard, I trained directly with the world-renowned Herbert Benson, MD, the founding director of the Mind Body Institute. I was born and raised in New Jersey.

For information about having me present my lecture at your company, civic group, university or hospital, please click HERE for details.

Q16. How Does The Neuro Immersion Method Work?

Here’s a brief explanation. It requires some understanding of the human brain and how it works, so I’ll start with this.

The brain is the most complex organ in the body and the most powerful technology in the universe. Nothing compares to it. As much as neuroscientists know about it, they’ve only ‘scratched the surface’ of its capacity. By the way, the brain is the most studied organ in humans.

While the brain is still largely a mystery, an enormous body of knowledge has been gathered about it. Some is applicable to how The Neuro Immersion Method works.

One technology used to study the brain is the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A type of MRI called a Functional MRI (FMRI) has been used to observe the brain during cognition. Cognition is the scientific term for the process of thinking. I’ve done a considerable amount of research with FMRI as a former visiting scientist at Columbia University in New York City.

Using an FMRI, neuroscientists can “see” what happens in the human brain when a person is experiencing a thought, such as a memory of an emotional experience. In other words, if you were in the FMRI, and your brain was being observed on a computer screen, and I asked you to think about an emotional experience, I would be able to see your reaction. What would I see? There would be a physical reaction in the parts of the brain associated with memory and emotion.

The reaction is observable thanks to the FMRI. Basically, the FMRI image is created by following the flood of glucose (sugar) carried by the blood stream. When the memory/emotion areas are activated via a thought, glucose flows accordingly and this is reflected in the computer image. Glucose powers the brain. The more glucose in the memory/emotion area, the more reaction you would be having. This reaction is automatic. That is, it operates separate from the brain’s logic functions. Emotion and logic are not the same and therefore are controlled from separate parts of the brain. As a side note, this explains why it’s so hard to ‘control’ emotion through willpower. Willpower is a function of logic, not emotion.

So, let’s say you get extremely anxious when you take a test. Anxiety has many symptoms: racing heart, high blood pressure, muscle tension, stomach upset, sweating and mental distraction are just some symptoms of anxiety. Not everyone gets all of these symptoms when they’re anxious, while others get all of them and even more symptoms. This reaction is called the stress response, and it happens automatically. All emotion is automatic: feelings just come over us. If exams/tests produce anxious feelings, then just thinking about a test/exam, for some people, causes anxiety. Actually being in the test/exam experience causes even more anxiety. The reason you don’t have to think about making that stress response occur is that it has nothing to so with logic – it’s an emotional reaction and is therefore controlled by the emotion center of the brain.

The other interesting thing about emotion is that you don’t have to actually be experiencing an emotional event in order to trigger the stress response. The fact is, you can elicit the stress response simply by thinking about something that causes you anxiety. Thinking about something that makes you anxious, and getting anxious as a result of your thoughts, is called emotional memory. Emotional memory doesn’t happen just with anxiety. It applies to any memory. You can do an experiment to prove this miracle in the brain.

If you get anxious during exams, then just thinking about taking an exam will cause anxiety.

Take a few moments and think about taking an important test; I mean really think about it. In a minute or so (maybe even less) notice how you feel. Is the stress response kicking in just by thinking about taking a test? Note: If you are very anxious about exams, you’ll probably get a significant reaction. If you are somewhat anxious about exams, you’ll get less of a reaction.

As I said, this automatic reaction doesn’t just occur with stress-producing situations like tests/exams. It occurs with joy, embarrassment, anger, resentment, jealousy, etc. Try another test with a different emotional memory:

Try thinking about your best Christmas or Hanukah memory. Close your eyes and really reminisce about it. How’s that feel?

Here’s a list of some other memories that might apply to you. Read one at a time. Then close your eyes and think about it. Notice which of them causes a reaction, the kind of reaction you experience and how much, or how little, you react:

Think about your first kiss.

Think about the first dance with your spouse on your wedding day.

Think about a song that’s meaningful to you.

Think about your favorite dessert.

If you’re a cigarette smoker, think about lighting up.

Think about sucking the juice out of a ripe, sour lemon.

Think about taking an important exam. Feeling a little anxious? Maybe even a lot anxious?

If you experienced any amount of reaction from the aforementioned exercise, it’s due to emotional memory. Here’s a simple expression that represents this response:

Thoughts (especially if highly emotional) = Feelings

Now, if you are the kind of person who gets anxious about tests/exams, and you have one coming up, say, next week, what happens when you think about it? You get anxious, right? The closer you get to the test/exam date, the more anxious you probably get, right? This stress response is called anticipatory anxiety. Once again, the thought triggers the feeling (remember: Thoughts = Feelings) and this occurs because of your emotional memory of anxiety-invoking exams you’re had in the past.

Now, if that the thought of an upcoming test/exam causes you to feel anxious, and you experience the physical symptoms of anxiety which I described earlier, then you are experiencing the thought/feeling/reaction connection.

This is expressed as: Thoughts + Feelings = Reaction

This entire flow of events (Thoughts + Feelings = Reaction) occurs automatically in specific parts of the brain responsible for emotion, which, as I described, is observable using FMRI. Since the parts of the brain responsible for emotion are NOT in the logic center of the brain, all the logic in the world is NOT going to help you feel less anxious about exams. In other words, it’s nearly impossible to “talk yourself out” of an emotion using logic. That’s like trying to turn a screw with a hammer. It’s the wrong tool for the job. You need a screwdriver to turn a screw. Have you tried to use logic to talk yourself out of feeling anxious? Has it been helpful? Likely, it hasn’t helped much if at all. Now you know why.

Now, we’re starting to get somewhere regarding how and why The Neuro immersion Method works. Let’s recap by looking at the scientific facts to this point:

1. Logic and emotion are separate functions in the brain

2. Logic requires thinking first (pre-thought). It’s a proactive function.

3. Emotion occurs automatically (without pre-thought). It’s a reactive function.

4. Emotion can be triggered by a thought. This is called emotional memory.

5. Thoughts + Feelings = Reaction

Based on this set of facts, it becomes clear that trying to resolve or conquer an emotional issue such as a fear, phobia or even anxiety due to taking a test/exam cannot be accomplished to any real degree, if at all, through logical means. Talking about a fear does little or nothing to address the matter at the part of the brain in which fear is triggered. Fear is an emotion. It’s reactive. It’s automatic. It’s controlled in the emotion center of the brain and that’s where it needs to be addressed.

So, many years ago, based on these facts, I asked myself this question: How can we modify the brain’s emotional reaction to a trigger (test-taking) that automatically produces a reaction (anxiety) to re-learn that it needn’t react this way anymore? In other words: I wondered if it was possible to “desensitize” the stress response to the test taking experience, and even the mere thought of anticipating a test, so that the fearful test-taker can experience less or no anxiety.

The answer came to me over time: I thought expose the emotion center of the brain, repeatedly, to a test-taking experience in such a way that the experience can be had without invoking the stress response.

But how could this be done if taking a test causes anxiety?

Then it dawned on me. Feelings and behaviors are reinforced (known as conditioning) through experience. In other words, the more we experience something the more likely the same circumstance will bring on the result. This is a conditioned response.

Example: Let’s say Joe smokes a cigarette every time he drinks coffee. The more Joe experiences this association by smoking and having coffee, the more just thinking about coffee will cause him to want a cigarette. This is how a conditioned response develops. A conditioned response gets stronger (reinforced) and stronger (really reinforced) the more it’s elicited. So, the more Joe drinks coffee and lights up, the more he’ll want a cigarette even when he just thinks about coffee, or even smells coffee or just sees someone else drinking coffee. In other words, conditioning sensitizes or strengthens this emotional response; it makes it more automatic. In short, Joe’s brain has been trained to associate coffee with tobacco. The result, over time:

The Thought (of coffee) + a Feeling (I want a cigarette) = the Reaction (lighting up)

This means that if the brain can be trained to make associations: thinking about (or tasting or smelling) coffee = cigarette. So, if this is true, THEN REVERSING THE PROCESS SHOULD DE-SENSITIZE THIS CONDITIONED RESPONSE. This is exactly how The Neuro Immersion Method works.

By presenting to the emotional parts of the brain the notion of being calm and focused during an exam, and doing this over and over and over again, the brain becomes de-sensitized to the stress response associated with taking tests. Rather than the test/exam causing anxiety, it produces a new, automatic expectation through conditioning: feeling at ease and focused.

Now, you are probably wondering this: Why play the CD while sleeping? Why not just play it during the day? There’s a very good reason why it’s most effective during sleep. The emotion center of the brain is easily influenced during sleep. Now, how did I conclude this? I realized this by thinking about dreams and how the brain experiences them.

Dreams appear real, right? And they elicit an emotional response when we’re having them, correct? And if you have a frightening dream, don’t you experience the stress response? Yes, you certainly do: pounding heart, increased blood pressure, sweating, muscle tension, etc., etc., etc. Do these symptoms sound familiar? Of course they do: these are the symptoms of the STRESS RESPONSE, ALSO KNOWN AS ANXIETY!

Once I realized that emotions are elicited during dreams, I realized that the brain, at the EMOTIONAL LEVEL can be “tricked” into believing something is real when it is not real at all.

The reason this happens is that while we’re asleep, the logic center of the brain is NOT connected. It’s off-line during sleep. This is exactly why a dream appears real and causes a very real reaction. THERE IS NO LOGIC PRESENT TO MAKE US AWARE THAT IT’S ONLY A DREAM! Without logic, the dream appears real and causes real feelings and real reactions.

Remember this expression:

Thoughts + Feelings = Reaction

So, The Neuro Immersion Method essentially establishes a new association with test-taking, one in which the test-taker is calm, cool, collected and focused. The more the emotion center is exposed to this experience, the more you come to expect this outcome. Instead of anticipating anxiety, you anticipate an experience that’s de-sensitized to the old notion of what taking a test means to you. The more de-sensitized you become to the stress reaction, the more calm, cool, collected and focused you’ll be during exams! The brain gets re-trained to experience test situations differently, directly at the level of the brain that controls emotion. The brain, through repetition, is “immersed” in the new expectation or outcome. This is why the CD needs to play, repeatedly, throughout the night over several weeks. Generally, 14 nights is enough to re-train the brain’s expectation about tests/exams. Some people, however, need an addition week or two. It simply depends on how sensitized a person’s stress response is to test-taking.

Q17. What If I’m Not Ready For This, But I Have More Questions?

Please call the office anytime at 908-301-0039. Linda will assist you with anything you require. If you get voice mail, Linda will return your call typically within one business day. If you’re not ready to make an appointment, that’s perfectly fine. You will never be obligated to make an appointment. You have my word: no pressure, no obligation. You can also email a question directly to me at Ron @ controlexamanxiety.com.

Q18. What’s The Cost?

The total fee is $325. Here’s what you’ll get:

The written money-back guarantee and one-to-one attention
Greater control over test/exam anxiety without medication or negative side-effects
The private consultation (by phone or in my office), with me personally
Creation of the customized CD (or digital audio player), by me personally
Unlimited follow-up, by phone or email, if you need assistance
An additional consultation, if needed, at no cost
If needed, mailing the CD and the instructions to you via first-class US mail (an additional fee applies if you want the materials sent overnight).

Payment can be made via check, credit card (via Paypal), money order or cash (please do NOT send cash in the mail). Payment is due in advance if we’re going to work together by phone. If you come to the office, payment is due at that time. Funds are payable in US dollars only. Checks are payable to Ron Glassman, PhD, MPH.

Q19. I’m Ready To Move Forward. How Do I Make An Appointment?

Just call the office at 908-301-0039 and Linda will assist you. In the event you get voice mail, kindly leave a message and your call will be returned typically within one business day.

Q20. Where’s The Office?

The office is in Mountainside, NJ, which is in Union County. The address will be provided when you make the appointment. Mountainside is about 5 miles from the intersection of Route 22 and the Garden State Parkway, and about 30 miles from Manhattan. An office visit is not required for the Neuro Immersion Method to be effective. Please see question 5 for details.

Q21. Can You Provide Driving Directions?

Of course. Anything you need will be provided by email, fax or US mail. A written confirmation of your consultation time, whether in person or by phone, will also be provided.