Feeling nervous, suggestions?

[strmdncr]

Today is the first day in my course that we start doing the video taping of our "counselling sessions" (I put it in quotations b/c none of us are near being trained counsellors yet). I'm just feeling really nervous on a couple of levels. One is that I hate being on camera at all, even for still pictures and this whole idea of doing the videotaping thing is stressing me. I already knew when I signed up for the course that we would have to do this, and I believe as I did then that once I get past the first one or two times I'll be more relaxed but the thought is still causing huge butterflies in the tummy. The other part that I'm finding myself a bit worried about is that we are now to pick one topic to focus on for all of our sessions as a client (we do both sides of the work, counsellor and client, though we have different counsellor than the person we are a client for), and I'm just finding myself getting really nervous that something I think right now is fairly simple could end up being something that in a few sessions could end up setting off some sort of emotional trigger for me.
Any suggestions anyone has on how to help settle the nerves using positive coping mechanisms would be of help, as well as just words of support and encouragement.

[heartonmysleave]

concentrate on the good things that will happen when it all goes fine. take a couple of minutes before each session thing to just calm yourself, clear your mind and not be flustered. take in a good luck charm if you have one. speaking as a psychologist (I did a degree and everything) if you think positivly about the situation then it's far more likly to work out for the best, so think about happy things. remember how much you've learned and the things you know you are good at.

good luck!

hope that helped.