Iza with Aqua-phobia

Published 28 May 2024

Iza had been resuscitated twice as a child and therefore had an understandable fear of the water (Aquaphobia) that she wanted to overcome. She had previously been taught freestyle basics in a 1m deep pool but remained unable to put her face fully in the water pick up an object that was 1m deep. Iza entered the pool I work (25m x 8 lane) and suffered a panic attack not making it past the poolside reception on first visit. 

To improve her swimming we had to work together to manage her (very rational) phobia that had been with her since childhood. This involved going back to basics along with:

  • Use of some CBT and counselling techniques
  • Technical swimming skills such as floating, standing up and survival backstroke.
  • Managing her trigger point (what to do when felt a panic attack was about to occur),
  • Exposure therapy (deeper water and more difficult tasks)

over several months so it was far more than teaching the technicalities of swimming.

Today you would never realise that Iza had any fears as she maintains her fitness in the 25m pool with good technical freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. 

If you suffer from Aqua-phobia and wish to overcome / manage that fear then perhaps I can assist you