Tame your public speaking monsters.
Every speaker meets three monsters: one that kills your confidence, one that puts the room to sleep, and one that ties your message in knots. We train you to tame all three, in small groups, with a virtual reality audience.
6,000+ people have already faced their monsters with LifeVersity.
Our trainers built the Erasmus Speaking Method over seven years at Erasmus University Rotterdam. It mixes improvisational theatre, classical rhetoric and psychology, so you practise the scary part instead of reading about it.
Why it matters.
Presentations, pitches, meetings and interviews are where your ideas get heard and your work gets seen. How you speak shapes how others see your ideas and your potential.
Confidence in front of a group carries over into networking, negotiating and saying what you think in everyday conversations.
Speaking anxiety is common, and it’s trainable. A large review of studies found that exposure, changing unhelpful beliefs and skills training all reduce it, and that combining them works best.
Source: Allen, Hunter & Donohue (1989), Communication EducationMeet your monsters.
Aristotle named three ways a speaker wins a room: ethos, pathos and logos. Each one has a monster guarding it. Press “Tame it” to see how we deal with each.
WildThe Confidence Monster
Curls up and hides right before you speak. Shaky voice, racing heart, and a head full of “they’ll see I’m nervous”.
Even Cicero turned pale at the start of a speech. What works best is a mix: get used to an audience in VR, change the beliefs behind the fear, and train the skill itself. We also move your attention from inside your head to the people in front of you.
Allen, Hunter & Donohue, 1989 · Amir et al., 2008
Tamed in: Course week 1 · Confidence workshop →WildThe Engagement Monster
Falls asleep on the mic stand and takes the audience with it. Flat voice, no eye contact, and slides doing all the talking.
What feels over the top to you looks normal to the audience. We train eye contact, open gestures, intentional movement and your vocal tools: pace, pauses, stress, volume, pitch and emotion.
From the non-verbal communication module
Tamed in: Course week 2 · Storytelling workshop →WildThe Clarity Monster
Ties your message in knots. Ten points and no point, and an audience that can’t follow the thread.
Start with the impact you want to have, then build the talk around it with classical rhetoric. Prepare your first and last sentence, rehearse out loud, and don’t memorise the rest word for word.
From the Erasmus rhetoric approach
Tamed in: Course week 3 · Pitching workshop →Monsters get named.
We start by finding out which monster shows up for you, and when. Before a pitch? In a team meeting? At your best friend’s wedding? Once you know which one you’re dealing with, you know what to train.
Monsters get faced.
You put on a VR headset and speak to a virtual audience. The room gets bigger as you get braver, and you can face it as many times as you need, with no real people watching yet.
Monsters stay tamed.
Monsters come back when you stop practising. The monthly Speaking Gym keeps them quiet: bring a talk you’re working on, or jump into improv, PowerPoint karaoke and VR practice.
Pick your arena.
Learn online from anywhere, join us in person in Rotterdam, or both. Start small or go all in.
Confidence course
- One monster a week, 3 hours each
- Max 4 people, VR practice included
- From €499
Workshops
- One theme per workshop, max 7 people
- Hands-on practice, including VR
- No experience needed
Speaking Gym
- Speak at least once, every session
- Feedback from a coach and your peers
- €15, free for alumni
1:1 coaching
- Speech Ready: pitches, toasts and keynotes
- Practise in VR until it feels easy
- Camera training for on-screen talks
“I got to speak in front of a classroom, a lecture hall, a conference, and even a stadium full of critical audiences.”Salman Barikzai · Student at Erasmus University Rotterdam, on the VR practice
Your employer might pay for this.
Many Dutch employers give staff a personal development budget, often set out in the CAO. We’re happy to provide the documents your employer needs.
FAQ.
I’m terrified of speaking. Is this for me?
Yes. No experience is needed, and groups are small: max 4 on the course, 6 at Speaking Gym and 7 in workshops. You get attention without a big crowd.
What happens in the VR part?
You wear a headset and speak to a virtual audience, from a classroom up to a stadium, or step into a virtual elevator to practise your pitch. Research supports virtual audiences for building skills and reducing anxiety.
Where do the sessions take place?
In person at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50.
Who are the trainers?
Matt Hrusc, founder of LifeVersity, and the LifeVersity trainer team. They teach the Erasmus Speaking Method, developed over seven years at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Can my company pay?
Often, yes. Many employers in the Netherlands offer a personal development budget, and we can provide the documents they ask for. We also run in-company training for whole teams.
Ready to tame your monsters?
Pick an upcoming date, or join the next Confidence course.