Throughout my childhood and well into adulthood, I was a fearful flyer. No matter how it was explained to me that flying was safe:

• “Arla, the pilot wants to get home, too”

• “It is safer to fly than to drive”

• “You have a better chance of being struck by lightening than being in a plane crash”

None of it mattered. I just couldn’t get over it.

When I did fly, I was claustrophobic and anxiety-ridden. The smell of fuel, coffee or microwaved food, any bumping or banging, any change in the flight attendants’ expressions, sent me to a panic. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or eat anything (and they served actual meals back then - even in coach class). I gripped the top of the seat in front of me and white-knuckled it all the way. I worked very hard to keep that plane up in the air.

In my early 30s, I was a “road warrior” (don’t ask) first with an IT consulting company and then as a software salesperson. I HAD to fly.

And I was petrified of flying.

So much so, that I would look for any excuse to transport myself in any way other than flying. One time it was snowing so badly and I was supposed to fly to Minneapolis for a client meeting - right through the snow. The idea was so panic-inducing, anxiety-creating, and fear-causing, that I made myself sick. No. No thank YOU.

I called my boss to tell him I was going to take a train that evening instead. My boss said, “are you crazy? You’d rather spend all night on a train rather than an hour flying?”

Yes. Yes, I would.

And I did.

So, I spent a lot of flying time on drugs - Propranolol, Xanax, etc. - which helped me get through the flights, but they made me so tired and out of it that when I arrived, I was sleepy right through the business meetings I had flown to attend to begin with.

I felt ashamed. I was embarrassed.

I have since learned that my thoughts about flying were responsible for my fear and anxiety. My fear is responsible for the behaviors and actions I took - all of them. And the result I created was to work my life around flying rather than work flying into my life. And learning that been life-changing.

However, back in my 30s, I was fortunate to have found an amazing practitioner of “Thought Field Therapy,” (created by the late Roger Callahan and carried on by his wife and co-creator Joanne Callahan, www.rogercallahan.com) also referred to as “TFT.” It is commonly known as “tapping.” For me, the practice was specifically to “clear” my fear of flying (thank you, Dr. Larry Stoller).

After just 3 TFT sessions, and then repeating my prescribed tapping regimen just before getting on a plane, I ACTUALLY OVERCAME THE FEAR! IT WORKED!

Today (and for the past 30ish years), I am a different flyer. I love it! I look forward to it!

I fly with heavenly, peaceful abandon!

I recently re-discovered tapping through Callahan Techniques, Ltd. and an awesome online practitioner, Brad Yates (tapwithbrad.com) and am so excited to share the tapping sequences with people who are fearful flyers and wish to clear that fear.

Watch the video here

(Please excuse all of my looking down - as you’ll see, I took my glasses off and couldn’t easily read the material I wanted to share.)

I hope you gain lots from it. Write me and let me know how it works for you.

Want more help to learn the tapping sequence to clear your fearful flying? I offer individual sessions via Zoom. Just click the Contact link above and write me.

Yours in peaceful flight,
Life Coach Arla