Self Disclosure

Gennaver, MSN · Jul 2, 2005

I have to write a self-disclosure speech. I don't like it, because I hate getting up in front of 30 people I don't know sharing personal information about myself. Does anyone know of an example of a speech like this? I hope to get some examples and see what I can do with it.
This teacher just seems to want so much personal information about us, and yet provide nothing about himself. It is simply horrible. I would drop the class but I just got into the nursing program and lack the time to repeat it later. The first speech was on a biography about us and now this. Simply horrible.

Hi,

I have some suggestions and hope they help ease your anxiety.

How about making the rough draft pretty autobiographal, (you know, I was born in such an such a year, at such an such a place to such an such a family...went to xyz school and did this and that...)

Next when you have listed as much as you are comfortable, only then, interject some personal experiences that were memorable or that shaped you and that may be an example or encouragement to someone else.

Maybe even list some experiences that you witnessed other people have and how that influenced you.

I see no need to reveal anything that is too personal! Discretion is the key here, I mean if you suffered any sort of trauma, (or even if it subjectively feels like it was trauma, emotional or otherwise) you do NOT need to share that.

Good luck! Remember to keep your super private stuff private and that in order to give personal disclosure you do NOT need to give intimate life details.

Gen

Maisie · Jul 5, 2005

Hi,
I have some suggestions and hope they help ease your anxiety.
How about making the rough draft pretty autobiographal, (you know, I was born in such an such a year, at such an such a place to such an such a family...went to xyz school and did this and that...)
Next when you have listed as much as you are comfortable, only then, interject some personal experiences that were memorable or that shaped you and that may be an example or encouragement to someone else.
Maybe even list some experiences that you witnessed other people have and how that influenced you.
I see no need to reveal anything that is too personal! Discretion is the key here, I mean if you suffered any sort of trauma, (or even if it subjectively feels like it was trauma, emotional or otherwise) you do NOT need to share that.
Good luck! Remember to keep your super private stuff private and that in order to give personal disclosure you do NOT need to give intimate life details.
Gen

Good idea. I'm working on it now.

schroeders_piano, RN · Jul 6, 2005

How well does your teacher know you? If your not comfortable sharing info about yourself, just make something up. You can give yourself a very interesting life.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 13, 2005

Maisie,

I took that class (public speaking) and involved 5 different speeches of which the first was self disclosure. Anyhow, I personally had no problem in talking about personal stuff; however, my friend did. She had an excellent speech about her battle with ovarian cancer and how she had to have a hysterectomy 6 mths after her wedding (at age 21 and no children).

The thing is that she started the speech saying "My best friend", and proceeded talking about her "best friends'" battle with cancer etc.....At the end she stated that her best friend was in fact her. It gave it a unique twist, (prevented her from crying during the speech) and caught everyone in surprise. The instructor was thrilled with her writing/speaking style and gave her an A+

Good luck to you :)

Maisie · Aug 8, 2005

I gave the speech and it went fine. I ended up talking about my great-grandparents and their influence on me. They were born in the 1870s so the students were very interested in that because many of them had not even been born in the 1970s. My teacher, who is a senior citizen, liked it because he could remember being around people of that generation. Got an A.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 8, 2005

I gave the speech and it went fine. I ended up talking about my great-grandparents and their influence on me. They were born in the 1870s so the students were very interested in that because many of them had not even been born in the 1970s. My teacher, who is a senior citizen, liked it because he could remember being around people of that generation. Got an A.
Thanks for your suggestions.

Congrats on the A! Good idea to go with your great-grand parents. :)

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 9, 2005

Hi,
I have some suggestions and hope they help ease your anxiety.
How about making the rough draft pretty autobiographal, (you know, I was born in such an such a year, at such an such a place to such an such a family...went to xyz school and did this and that...)
Next when you have listed as much as you are comfortable, only then, interject some personal experiences that were memorable or that shaped you and that may be an example or encouragement to someone else.
Maybe even list some experiences that you witnessed other people have and how that influenced you.
I see no need to reveal anything that is too personal! Discretion is the key here, I mean if you suffered any sort of trauma, (or even if it subjectively feels like it was trauma, emotional or otherwise) you do NOT need to share that.
Good luck! Remember to keep your super private stuff private and that in order to give personal disclosure you do NOT need to give intimate life details.
Gen

Great idea. This is what I did for my public speaking class and yielded positive results. Good luck to you, :)