Would love to swim, but have irrational fear because of bad experience at school, no fear of being in water, but cant get two feet off bottom! I am 73 years young!
Ian a non swimmer with a desperate desire to learn to swim but am terrified of drowning , not terrified of water! I am also fat which makes it even worse. I am ashamed of not being able to swim. My one hope is that at 46 I passed my driving test after thinking U never would and I love swimming. Can you help
46 is not very old in non swimming adult terms. I have taught many people much older than that. It is reasonable to be terrified of drowning if you don’t know how to swim. It is nothing to be ashamed of as 1 in 5 adults in the UK can’t swim! I am sure I can help. Sending you a separate message.
I have a 6 year old child – she has been taking lessons every week for 2 years at school and I have taken her to a number of 1 to 1 intensive courses during the holidays/half terms – she will not put her face in the water and does not like any splashing around her. Do you know of someone who specialises in helping children like her. All the other children in her class at school are now swimming and it must be so difficult for her huddled in the corner of the pool (they have 2 teachers for the class of 20, so I am not expecting any real improvement to come from those lessons alone). Many thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Joanna It is quite common that children don’t want to put their faces in the water and they can hold out for ages no matter how much persuasion or reassurance you offer. She will do it eventually if you keep on taking her swimming. Try getting her to hold her nose and let her hold it for as long as she needs to. Also get her some good and comfortable goggles, and or a nose clip. Practise in the bath with goggles and or nose clip. Don’t try to force to do it never works. Be really, really patient. I could help if you are near me, but you can almost certainly manage it by yourself. Keep taking her, don’t worry about getting the strokes right. Let her play in the water. She will definitely get over it if you are patient but too much force could put her off for life.
After 26 years of thinking I would never learn how to swim I just can’t believe I actually swam today it’s an amazing experience and one I would not have been privilege to feel if it wasn’t for this amazing teacher thank you so much; you truly have shown me a complete transformation of Learning how to swim without having to fear or feel out of control. I was reading a few of these comments last month feeling the exact same way and never did I think I would be in this position now to have been able to float and swim many many many thanks
I really want to swim but can’t seem to let go of my fear in the water. I have tried lessons but still get rid of this dread feeling in the pit of my stomach of being out of control in the water. I want to be able to swim with my fiancé and enjoy holidays. Can you help?
I am desparate to learn to swim.
I am 46years old and nearly drown when I was 7years old – someone pushed me in as a joke!
After that incident I was excluded from school lessons because I would either hyper-ventilate or throw up in the pool.
I habe since managed to get into a pool without having a panic attack with my two children. But I want to be able to swim with them. Can you help?
Where are you based/ where do you teach?
Hi
I am a 43 years old mum and I would really like to learn to swim. I am afraid of getting the water in my ear or on am face. I have wanted to try for some many years but the fair have been so overwhelming. On a recent holiday my 8 years old son pulled me down in the water. I felt so frightened that I scare him so much. I hated myself I have pull up the courage and decided to search out swimming lessons
Please can you help.
Hi
I am a 43 years old mum and I would really like to learn to swim. I am afraid of getting the water in my ear or on am face. I have wanted to try for some many years but the fear have been so overwhelming. On a recent holiday my 8 years old son pulled me down in the water. I felt so frightened that I scare him so much. I hated myself I have pull up the courage and decided to search out swimming lessons
Please can you help.
I’ve never learnt to swim due to real fear of drowning caused but childhood experience of being pushed out into the sea and suddenly not being able to feel the bottom. Would love to overcome the fear.
Having just finished 2 intensive days with Jane I can vouch for her teaching and style. She is calm, patient and very encouraging. Her careful approach to always keeping me in a calm place in the water meant that I felt more willing to try new things.
I can only swim in the places in which I could touch the bottom, have something to hold on and with the goggles on and my head in the water out of uncontrollable fear of drowning. I learned to swimming in my 40s and have never gained confidence and ease with the water. Can you help me overcome such a fear as I really love to be able to swim in the open water. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks
That lead me to your website. I am 44 and I have been trying on my own to overcome fear of going in deep water and feeling of losing ground beneath my feet. I used to think that it’s my swimming technique that restricts me from swimming consistently but lately I have realized that I tend to hold stiff and hold my breath which eventually causes panic and fear.
Having said that I have self learnt freestyle and I tend to always keep my head under water unable to consistently rotate my head sideways to take more air when needed. So, I guess there is something wrong with my technique.
Hi Raj. It sounds like you are doing quite well. If you would like some more information please feel free to email me at http://www.mindfulswim@gmai.com
mindful swimming 
Would love to swim, but have irrational fear because of bad experience at school, no fear of being in water, but cant get two feet off bottom! I am 73 years young!
Hi Anne. I am sure I can help you. Send me an e-mail to Jane.greene@blueyonder.co.uk and lets see what we can do! jane
Ian a non swimmer with a desperate desire to learn to swim but am terrified of drowning , not terrified of water! I am also fat which makes it even worse. I am ashamed of not being able to swim. My one hope is that at 46 I passed my driving test after thinking U never would and I love swimming. Can you help
46 is not very old in non swimming adult terms. I have taught many people much older than that. It is reasonable to be terrified of drowning if you don’t know how to swim. It is nothing to be ashamed of as 1 in 5 adults in the UK can’t swim! I am sure I can help. Sending you a separate message.
I have a 6 year old child – she has been taking lessons every week for 2 years at school and I have taken her to a number of 1 to 1 intensive courses during the holidays/half terms – she will not put her face in the water and does not like any splashing around her. Do you know of someone who specialises in helping children like her. All the other children in her class at school are now swimming and it must be so difficult for her huddled in the corner of the pool (they have 2 teachers for the class of 20, so I am not expecting any real improvement to come from those lessons alone). Many thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Joanna It is quite common that children don’t want to put their faces in the water and they can hold out for ages no matter how much persuasion or reassurance you offer. She will do it eventually if you keep on taking her swimming. Try getting her to hold her nose and let her hold it for as long as she needs to. Also get her some good and comfortable goggles, and or a nose clip. Practise in the bath with goggles and or nose clip. Don’t try to force to do it never works. Be really, really patient. I could help if you are near me, but you can almost certainly manage it by yourself. Keep taking her, don’t worry about getting the strokes right. Let her play in the water. She will definitely get over it if you are patient but too much force could put her off for life.
Thank you very much for your helpful reply. I will contact you about possible assistance.
After 26 years of thinking I would never learn how to swim I just can’t believe I actually swam today it’s an amazing experience and one I would not have been privilege to feel if it wasn’t for this amazing teacher thank you so much; you truly have shown me a complete transformation of Learning how to swim without having to fear or feel out of control. I was reading a few of these comments last month feeling the exact same way and never did I think I would be in this position now to have been able to float and swim many many many thanks
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. You did brilliantly! You were brave and determined. All I did was show you what to do.
I really want to swim but can’t seem to let go of my fear in the water. I have tried lessons but still get rid of this dread feeling in the pit of my stomach of being out of control in the water. I want to be able to swim with my fiancé and enjoy holidays. Can you help?
Hi Gemma I am sure you will be able to overcome this fear. Send me an email and I will see what I can do
Hi there,
I am desparate to learn to swim.
I am 46years old and nearly drown when I was 7years old – someone pushed me in as a joke!
After that incident I was excluded from school lessons because I would either hyper-ventilate or throw up in the pool.
I habe since managed to get into a pool without having a panic attack with my two children. But I want to be able to swim with them. Can you help?
Where are you based/ where do you teach?
Ms K
I will email you. Don’t despair I am sure you can learn to swim.
send me an email on mindfulswim@gmail.com
Hi
I am a 43 years old mum and I would really like to learn to swim. I am afraid of getting the water in my ear or on am face. I have wanted to try for some many years but the fair have been so overwhelming. On a recent holiday my 8 years old son pulled me down in the water. I felt so frightened that I scare him so much. I hated myself I have pull up the courage and decided to search out swimming lessons
Please can you help.
Hi Naurdian I have sent you a message. I am sure I can help you,
Hi
I am a 43 years old mum and I would really like to learn to swim. I am afraid of getting the water in my ear or on am face. I have wanted to try for some many years but the fear have been so overwhelming. On a recent holiday my 8 years old son pulled me down in the water. I felt so frightened that I scare him so much. I hated myself I have pull up the courage and decided to search out swimming lessons
Please can you help.
I’ve never learnt to swim due to real fear of drowning caused but childhood experience of being pushed out into the sea and suddenly not being able to feel the bottom. Would love to overcome the fear.
Send me an e-mail
Having just finished 2 intensive days with Jane I can vouch for her teaching and style. She is calm, patient and very encouraging. Her careful approach to always keeping me in a calm place in the water meant that I felt more willing to try new things.
Thank you for your kind words. I really enjoyed working with you.
Jane
Dear Jane
I can only swim in the places in which I could touch the bottom, have something to hold on and with the goggles on and my head in the water out of uncontrollable fear of drowning. I learned to swimming in my 40s and have never gained confidence and ease with the water. Can you help me overcome such a fear as I really love to be able to swim in the open water. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks
Best wishes
Li-Fen Wu
Hi Li-Fen. Yes I can definitely help you. I have sent you an email.
Hi Jane, thank you! For guiding us, the non-swimmers.
I read your blog at The Guardian – https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-swimming-blog/2014/jan/02/learning-to-swim-fear-of-swimming
That lead me to your website. I am 44 and I have been trying on my own to overcome fear of going in deep water and feeling of losing ground beneath my feet. I used to think that it’s my swimming technique that restricts me from swimming consistently but lately I have realized that I tend to hold stiff and hold my breath which eventually causes panic and fear.
Having said that I have self learnt freestyle and I tend to always keep my head under water unable to consistently rotate my head sideways to take more air when needed. So, I guess there is something wrong with my technique.
Hi Raj. It sounds like you are doing quite well. If you would like some more information please feel free to email me at http://www.mindfulswim@gmai.com