Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it? Are you afraid to ask someone for a date?

Many people are afraid to assert themselves. Dr. Alberti, author of Stand Up, Speak Out, and Talk Back, thinks it’ s because their self-respect is low, “Our whole set up is designed to make people distrust themselves” , says Albert. “There’ s always ‘ superior’ around a parent, a teacher, a boss-who ‘ knows hotter’ . These superiors often gain when they chip away at your self-image. ”

But Alberti and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves. They offer assertiveness training courses AT for short. In the AT courses people learn that they have a right to be themselves. They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so. They learn to be more active without hurting other people.

In one way, learning to speak out is to overcome fear. A group taking an at course will help the timid person to lose his fear. But AT uses an even stronger motive the need to share. The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels.

Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-image. If someone you face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person. You start to doubt your own good sense.

You go by the other person’ s demand. But, why should you? AT says you can get to feel good about yourself. And once you do, you can learn to speak out.