Apprentice bricklayer overcomes his fear of heights

Trainee builder Scott Jordan told Matt Breakwell, MD of the construction firm, in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, that he was anxious about climbing ladders and working above ground level.

So Matt called in a phobia expert, and after she spent just 20 minutes taking Scott through a series of special exercises, his worries were a thing of the past.

Now he can work at height on building sites with just the right level of caution so he and his colleagues are safe – but without the undue worry that he feared might even end his construction career, barely before it had begun.

Scott, aged 19, from Clee Hill, said: “I have always been worried about heights. I thought it was just a natural reaction which I would quickly overcome when I had the opportunity through Cornbrook Construction to train to be a bricklayer.

“But I found that every time I had to go up a ladder I got quite apprehensive. I took longer to get up to where I had to work than my workmates and longer to get down. The anxious feeling didn’t go away.

“My workmates were very understanding. But I found myself trying to make sure I only worked on the ground. I knew that couldn’t continue. You can’t have a bricklayer who can’t go up ladders, so I thought I might have to look for another job.”

Matt Breakwell said: “Scott has been doing well in his apprenticeship so we were keen to help him. It’s important to take due care when working at height but it can be counter-productive to be over-cautious. You definitely need a head for heights in the building industry.”

Phobia expert Helen Leathers, a Neuro-Linguistic Programming practitioner and personal coach, from Church Stretton, Shropshire, used a technique called Thought Field Therapy (TFT) to help Scott overcome his anxiety.

The method included getting him to think about his fear of heights while tapping himself gently on different parts of his upper body.

After 20 minutes of the therapy, Scott found that his anxiety had subsided – and he felt much more relaxed about going up ladders and working above ground level.

He said: “It’s amazing. I’m still cautious as you should be, but that bad feeling in my stomach has gone and I don’t mind working at height at all. It’s a great relief.”

Helen said: “Scott’s experience is not unusual, but he was lucky to have sympathetic work colleagues and a good employer who recognised the problem and wanted to help. Many others struggle on trying to cope with their phobias for years.

“It’s not absolutely clear how TFT works but the tapping is done on the same points of the body used for acupuncture.”

Matt Breakwell said: “I’m proud of the way our team rallied round to support Scott and help him through this. We’re very pleased with the outcome. Helen’s help means Scott has the opportunity to build a good career for himself as a bricklayer.”