Own the Room
Public Speaking · Presence · Influence
Format
Duration
Sessions
Have you ever walked out of an important presentation or conversation thinking, “That wasn’t me”? You knew exactly what you wanted to say, but in the moment your words didn’t fully reflect your ideas or expertise.
Imagine feeling clear, grounded, and fully present in your next presentation, speaking with confidence and actually feeling like yourself.
Own the Room is a 6-week small-group coaching program led by Dr. Sumeyra Ozturk, designed for leaders and professionals who want to close the gap between their capability and how they communicate under pressure. Using neuroscience and performance psychology, we focus on what changes under the spotlight and how to regain control of it. So you can communicate with the same clarity and authority you already bring to the rest of your professional life.
Upcoming COhorts
You may recognize some of this:
- You're confident one-on-one, but something shifts in front of a group
- Anxiety around speaking gets in the way of your clarity and authority
- You hold back in important moments, even when you have something valuable to say
- You notice others with less experience or insight command the room more easily
- You worry about how your presence comes across to others
What You Communicate Before You Speak
What Pressure Does to Your Performance
What You'll Gain
Authority &
Presence
Project the authority and presence that makes people listen before you say a word
Voice &
Delivery
Develop a powerful voice and a compelling delivery style that captures and holds attention
Clarity &
Structure
Think clearly on your feet, communicate with precision, and speak decisively in the moment
Composure Under Pressure
Stay grounded, composed, and in control of your performance when the stakes are high
Persuasion & Influence
Communicate in a way that builds trust, strengthens influence, and moves people to action
How This Program Works
Real Situations From Day One
Live Coaching in a Small Group
Skills That Last
Everything in this program is designed around the science of behavior change, so the skills you build don’t just show up in sessions, they stick.
Why Public Speaking Anxiety Happens and How We Move Past It
Speaking in front of a group activates your brain’s threat response. For most of human history, being judged or rejected by a group was not just uncomfortable; it carried social consequences that affected survival. Your nervous system has not fully caught up yet. It can respond to public speaking as if the danger were physical. That is why you can know your material perfectly and still freeze, rush, or become self-conscious when attention is on you.
We address the problem at the source by working with the nervous system response underneath speaking anxiety and the patterns that reinforce it over time. Through body-based techniques, cognitive reframing, and live speaking practice, you learn to stay grounded and communicate in a way that reflects your actual capability.
The 6-Week Curriculum
Week 1
Confidence Under Pressure
Understand how your nervous system responds to pressure and learn practical tools to stay grounded and in control.
Week 2
Voice & Delivery
Master the vocal techniques that give your message clarity and weight, while identifying the subtle habits that undermine your delivery.
Week 3
Executive Presence & Authority
Learn the specific behaviors that shape how authority and credibility are perceived in the room, and how to use them deliberately.
Week 4
Clear & Structured Speaking
Learn practical frameworks to structure your ideas quickly and speak with precision, even when thinking on your feet.
Week 5
Persuasion & Storytelling
Understand what makes ideas persuasive at a senior level. Craft messages that build trust, influence decisions, and stay with people.
Week 6
Live Performance Lab
Bring a pitch, presentation, or difficult conversation, and apply the entire framework in a live coaching setting with personalized feedback.
Who This Is For
Executives & Leaders
You’re in the rooms where decisions get made. How you communicate determines whether your ideas are heard, trusted, and acted on.
Founders & Entrepreneurs
You pitch investors, lead teams, and represent your company. How you communicate directly affects how seriously people take your vision.
Ambitious Professionals
You are highly capable and ready for what’s next. This is where your communication catches up with your expertise and establishes your authority.
Dr. Sumeyra Ozturk works with executives and senior professionals who want to communicate with greater clarity and authority when the pressure is on.
With a PhD in Psychology specializing in nonverbal communication and executive coaching training at Harvard, her work sits at the intersection of performance psychology and neuroscience. Drawing on over a decade of experience, she translates research into practical tools leaders can use in real time to think clearly, communicate with precision, and stay composed in high-stakes moments.
Dr. Ozturk partners with clients around important presentations, media appearances, and critical conversations, helping them develop the presence and influence they can rely on consistently. Her clients include leaders at Google, Apple, Meta, and Fortune 500 companies, and her insights have been featured on CNN. Based in San Francisco, she works with clients globally.
Not Sure If It’s the Right Fit?
Book a call with Dr. Ozturk to discuss your goals and see if Own the Room is right for you.
Testimonials
Investment
$1,097
Registration includes:
- 6 live 90-minute group sessions
- Weekly practice assignments
- Frameworks and program materials
- Bonus: 1:1 coaching session with Dr. Ozturk
Flexible payment options available at checkout.
Many participants use their professional development budget to cover the program fee.
The program meets weekly for 90 minutes. Each cohort runs on a set day and time, with multiple cohort options available throughout the year.
Each cohort is limited to 8 participants. It is small enough for personalized attention and coaching, but large enough to practice in front of others and learn from your peers.
Yes. Many participants have their employer cover the program through a professional development or learning and development budget. We can provide a formal syllabus and invoice to support your request. To request these materials, contact us at info@speechandmind.com.
Yes, flexible payment options are available at checkout, including interest-free installments.
No. Participants range from people who avoid speaking whenever possible to experienced professionals who want to sharpen their presence and influence. The program meets you where you are and helps you move forward from there.
View all FAQs
Yes. This program helps you communicate with authority and presence without changing who you are. You do not need to become louder or more performative. You learn to use your natural style with more clarity and control.
If you miss a session, you will receive the session materials, frameworks, and practice assignments so you can stay on track. That said, live participation is where the real growth happens, so we encourage treating each session as a firm commitment.
Each live session is 90 minutes. Outside of sessions, practice is integrated into your real conversations, meetings, and presentations, so the work fits naturally into your professional life.
Real change comes from practice over time, not just information. Six weeks gives you enough time to learn, apply, and refine each skill so the work becomes part of how you communicate beyond the program.
Most participants begin noticing small shifts within the first few weeks, in how they carry themselves, how they use their voice, and how they respond under pressure. By the end of the program, those changes become more intentional and consistent.
Each participant receives a private 1:1 coaching session with Dr. Ozturk during the program to review their progress, receive individualized feedback, and identify what to focus on next.
Yes. Stage fright is at the core of what this program addresses. Week 1 is dedicated entirely to the neuroscience and psychology of speaking anxiety, along with practical tools to manage it in real time. The small group format creates a supportive environment where you can practice and build skills progressively, without the pressure of a large audience.
Most people practice by repeating what they already do, without realizing which habits are getting in the way. More practice alone does not fix that; it often reinforces those patterns. This program helps you identify what is getting in the way and gives you specific techniques to change it, so your practice actually works.
Yes, and that is an important part of the program. Every session includes live speaking practice with real-time feedback in a small, supportive group. The format is designed to be challenging enough to help you grow, but supportive enough to practice without the pressure of a large audience.
Yes. If you prefer individual coaching rather than a group program, we offer private coaching packages. You can book a short consult to discuss which option is the best fit.
A full refund is available with at least 7 days’ notice before the program start date. You may also transfer your spot to a colleague.