Covid 19 Update

Following government guidelines for lock down on 5th November 2020 I am able to offer appointments face to face or over Facetime and whatsapp. If you are in the vulnerable category or in direct contact with a person who is, only video appointments can be offered.

A health and safety appraisal has been conducted and the following precautions :

  • Hand sanitiser will be provided on entry and exit from the premises.
  • The therapy chair will be covered for each appointment and this cover will be washed after every use.
  • There will be an hour between every appointment during which time the room will be cleansed and aired according to the government guidelines.
  • Please bring a bottle of water with you, if you do need water this will be provided in a glass from the dishwasher and my hands will be sanitised.
  • The chairs will be at least 1m apart and that distance will be observed at all times.
  • All areas will be fully sanitised between every appointment and disposable hand towels used in the toilet.
  • Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell in any way including cold, flu or sickness symptoms.
  • Every precaution will be taken by me to keep alert and safe in my personal life and to observe my own temperature and health.

Treatment for IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or functional colopathy, is an often painful disorder affecting the digestive system that is aggravated by stress. From a low FODMAP diet to probiotics and hypnotherapy, Guillaume Gourcerol, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Rouen university hospital center (CHU Rouen) in France, takes us through some of the latest and most effective approaches to treatment.

Is there a typical patient profile for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

There is no typical profile. However, patients are 80% female and present anxious, sometimes obsessive temperaments. Half have experienced a highly stressful situation or event. There are sometimes associated illnesses, such as functional dyspepsia, fibromyalgia, painful bladder syndrome, migraines, sleep disturbances, etc.

What currently available drugs are effective in treating IBS?

Antispasmodic medication, used as a long-term treatment or during flare-ups, can bring relief. In the event of small intestine bacterial overgrowth, antibiotics may be recommended.

What tests can be used to diagnose IBS?

No medical tests or procedures can diagnose the condition. It doesn’t show up on an endoscopy (looking inside the body with a camera). However, patients can take tests for intolerance to lactose or fructose.

What dietary strategy can IBS sufferers adopt?

A low FODMAP diet excluding a family of poorly digested sugars (pears, apples, plums, wheat, barley, rye, legumes, artichoke, chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, Brussels sprouts), is currently one of the only dietary strategies that has been scientifically proven to improve IBS symptoms as well as quality of life for patients. It is, however, very difficult to follow long term, as FODMAPs are everywhere in foodstuffs. I recommend patients see a nutritionist or a dietician on a regular basis.

Can a gluten-free diet improve IBS?

Cutting out gluten is of no interest. Patients risk developing deficiencies or even eating disorders. In fact, when you follow a low FODMAP diet, you also remove gluten.

How is research and development advancing on new probiotics for the treatment of IBS?

Among the many strains tested in serious randomized studies, VSL3 — sold in certain countries under the name Alflorex — is a treatment that works. Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v are among the most effective.

What kind of complementary therapy could be envisaged?

Hypnotherapy works very well for patients and this treatment can suffice in certain cases. A good relationship should be established with the practitioner who will teach the patient to self-hypnosis techniques.

Guillaume Gourcerol, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Rouen university hospital center (CHU Rouen) in France, will present these latest findings at the Entretiens de Bichat medical conference, held October 5-7 at the French capital’s Palais des Congrès de Paris.

Extract from Yahoo

 

Hypnotherapy Can Be Used to Treat PTSD

How Hypnotherapy Can Be Used to Treat PTSD

By Sian Ferguson | March 20, 2017 | 2:30pm

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/03/how-hypnotherapy-can-be-used-to-treat-ptsd.html
How Hypnotherapy Can Be Used to Treat PTSD
For most of us, the word “hypnosis” probably conjures up the image of an old man swinging a pendulum in front of a patient’s weary eyes. Perhaps you think of a show in which random audience members are hypnotized to think they’re chickens or dogs.

Hypnosis isn’t something most people associate with mental health treatments. But hypnotherapy—a clinical practice that uses hypnosis techniques but delves deeper into a patient’s psychology—is actually a valid therapeutic form that is particularly effective for treating PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

Prove it, I thought when I recently found myself in a hypnotherapist’s waiting room with a few other PTSD sufferers.

Turns out, we were a few of many people who found a sense of clarity and peace after our hypnotherapy sessions. When I left my session, I felt as though it helped me remember confusing, unclear traumatic memories and reapproach those memories with a sense of calm and control.

The evidence is more than anecdotal. A 2008 study showed that hypnotherapy had a positive effect on a small group of subjects with combat-related PTSD. Hypnotherapy seemed to decrease PTSD symptoms, improve the subjects’ sleep and decrease intrusion and avoidance reactions. Other studies have shown that it’s an effective form of treatment that’s also long-lasting.

The British Medical Council, the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association have all endorsed hypnotherapy as a valid therapeutic procedure.

But how exactly does it work?

Michael Munion, MA, LPC, executive team member of The Pain Project, says that hypnotherapy is one of many approaches that could be used to treat PTSD.

“Our experiences (good and bad) are stored in the brain through encoding in actual neurologic structural change,” he explains. “These neural connections are physically linked to other encodings of similar nature. Just as a certain song on the radio may recall a pleasant time in high school, a particular smell or sound, for example, may recall a traumatic event in which a similar smell or sound was involved. We call this a trigger. Response to those triggers are a result of chemicals and hormones released in the brain.”

Because traumatic events are out of the ordinary and painful, those memories don’t easily connect with other life experiences. Hypnosis may be used to help link the patient’s strengths as well as a sense of calm and mastery to the original trauma. This aids in the healing process. Additionally, hypnosis can be used to enable the patient to visualize a happier, healthier future and a healing process generated by their own mind. “Essentially, hypnosis can give the brain the tools and experiences it needs to reprogram itself for better functioning and diminished discomfort,” Munion says.

Scott Schmaren, an internationally-known “NeuroPerformanceologist” (AKA hypnotist), has been treating clients with PTSD for years. “PTSD is a response to trauma that has affected the subconscious mind, and hypnosis is an excellent way to remove that trauma from the subconscious mind—permanently,” Schmaren says. “When a PTSD attack happens, the subconscious mind reinforces the attack as a natural response to certain physical triggers. After those triggers or anchors have been reinforced several times then the original trauma is not necessary to set off the attack. Only activating or firing off the anchors are necessary to induce an attack.”

Schmaren first tries to remove the negative emotions associated with the traumatic event that caused the PTSD. After that, he tries to change how his client responds to the triggers that can cause panic.

When it comes to “unblocking” repressed traumatic memories, both Schmaren and Munion advise that it needs to be approached carefully. “Defense mechanisms like [memory] repression are there to help people cope, not just hold them back from progressing, even though that may sometimes happen,” Munion says. Unblocking these memories via hypnosis can help one identify a source of trauma, but the experiences one has under hypnosis can be vivid and thus deeply upsetting.

Even in a world where we’re becoming increasingly aware of mental health issues, finding accessible, compassionate and effective mental healthcare is a struggle. Many people try alternative medicine or out-of-the-box forms of therapy when we get frustrated with the traditional Western medical system. In that regard, seeking out a hypnotherapist might seem like a useful tactic for many of us—but if we seek hypnotherapy, we should do so with caution.

It’s essential that your hypnotherapist has experience working with PTSD and that they have credentials from an accredited hypnosis organization. Many hypnotists specialize in weight control or cutting out habits like smoking, but this doesn’t mean they have a good understanding of PTSD.

“Be prepared to discuss the history of the trauma, the history of treatment and the expectations or goals for treatment,” Munion advises. “Make sure you have a clear understanding of the therapist’s approach to the problem and a clear understanding of the basics of hypnosis.”

Schmaren views overcoming PTSD as a journey that needs to be approached with persistence and patience. “My advice to them would be to have patience with themselves and the process of overcoming PTSD,” he says.

Hypnotherapy isn’t for everyone—after all, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of unlocking their subconscious minds. But it can be another tool in the toolbox for PTSD treatment.

Sian Ferguson is a freelance writer based in South Africa.

Overcoming Stuttering…Hypnosis can help

Stuttering affects many people and can make social and work situations difficult and uncomfortable for the sufferer.

Hypnotherapy Directory staff member discusses a personal experience of stuttering

“We explore how stuttering has affected a member of the Hypnotherapy Directory team, and how hypnotherapy can be used to manage the problem.

A personal experience of stuttering

Software Engineer James, discusses how living with a stutter has affected him:

“Well I’ve stuttered on and off throughout my life. It’s not very prominent now and people rarely notice when it happens.

In my first year of university it was particularly bad. It’s usually direct questions that trip me up. Back then it was mainly when people asked me what course I studied at university, where I was from – basically things that have only one answer.

Since then the main issue is more the stress of thinking I might stammer. New situations in particular – for example, I was more worried about giving details to the guy at the garage the other day when I took my car in for a MOT than the car failing.

It can stop you from being social in general, particularly meeting new people where I’m more likely to get questions that I might struggle with.

If I have trouble in general conversation, I can think of different words quick enough for people not to notice.

For me as it’s so mild and people don’t usually notice, it adds more stress. It makes it more stressful than if the stammer was obvious I would imagine.”

Hypnotherapy Directory member Dan Regan explains how hypnotherapy can help with people like James who suffer from stuttering.

“Hypnotherapy can be incredibly helpful for someone seeking help with a stutter.

It is always important that a hypnotherapist works with the individual in front of them, what happens for them, when it happens and so forth. This allows a very individual approach that is much more likely to lead to success.

It may be that there are specific situations, people or other individual triggers. For example, I have helped people who only stutter in situations where they feel they are being judged or observed, such as in social situations or when public speaking. Using hypnotherapy it is possible to help someone develop new strategies or to call upon their resources from other types of situations to learn how to ease stuttering.

Stress and anxiety can play a large role both generally and if someone worries that they may stutter or about what other people might think about them if they do. There can also be the frustration of stammering and it could impact on confidence and self-esteem.

Hypnotherapy is an excellent tool for dealing with any issues such as anxiety, stress and self-esteem to help someone be more relaxed and feel more confident. Once issues such as anxiety and stress are addressed, the stammering will often ease. I would always suggest that someone with a stutter also consults their medical practitioner if they have any concerns.” ”

Original Source:

http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/blog/2016/07/01/personal-experience-of-stuttering/

 

Hypnotherapy for Fear of Flying

With so many people jetting away this Summer, fear of flying can turn the excitement of the holiday into a sickening experience. Daily mail reporter turns to hypnotherapy with excellent results.

Daily Mirror Report

A man is flying high after hypnosis cured his fear of planes and is now planning to travel the world.

After vowing to never step foot on a plane again 34-year-old Alex Moldovan has managed to again after just two hypnotherapy sessions.

Alex – who is based in Maynooth, Co Kildare – explained how his phobia of flying came about.

He said: “I used to be fine on planes and even managed a trip from Tokyo years ago, no problem.

“Over the last six or seven years something changed and it just got worse and worse.

“It was a gradual thing but it reached breaking point on a flight from Mexico to Ireland last November.
“We went through massive turbulence on the way back.

“I just had panic attacks and I didn’t eat or sleep or do anything at all for those ten hours.

“Afterwards I said I would never get on a plane again.”

The journey is over 3,000km long and non-stop driving Alex reckons it takes about three or four days.

When friends were planning a trip of a lifetime to Thailand, Alex even started mapping out the driving route but realised he might hit a problem getting through Burma.

Restaurant owner Alex said a friend intervened and booked him in with renowned hypnotist Jason O’Callaghan, who is based at The D4 Hypnotherapy Clinic in Blackrock, Dublin.

Alex admits that he was apprehensive about what to expect from his first session in May.

He said: “I didn’t believe it would work, I’d heard different stories about hypnotherapy but I’d got to the stage that I had no choice but to try it or I’d never travel by plane again.
“I didn’t know what it would be like or what would happen.

“At first he just asked me general questions and I had a funny feeling where I was so relaxed, like I was going to sleep.

“Then he asked me to lie down and just listen.
“There was no major thing but everything he said just clicked.

“He recorded the session and I listened to it every night for half an hour.”

He said: “As soon as I sat on the plane I listened to his recording on my headphones and slept all the way.”

Alex is hoping to travel on a long-haul flight to Argentina later this year and says he is glad hypnotherapy will help to see the world.

He said: “I’m 100% sure it would have held me back, I would have never got on a plane again otherwise.”

 

Hypnotherapy for Nail Biting

Hypnotherapy can be an effective treatment process for many habits such as nail biting and hair pulling.

Anna Lewis from Cosmopotitan reviews the subject in this editorial. Treatment costs in the article are specific to her therapist in the City. Please contact me directly to discuss your specific habit.

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/beauty-hair/news/a44297/hypnotherapy-nail-biting-really-work/

Can hypnotherapy really stop you biting your nails?
One scraggly-nailed Cosmo writer gave it a go.

By Anna Lewis
28 June 2016
Since before the beginning of time/I was a kid, I’ve been a nail-biter: a germ-spreading, skin-ripping, cuticle-destroying nail-biter. I’ve tried everything in the past to try and stop this – from expensive manicures to wearing cotton gloves. That looked cool…

But alas, apart from the odd two weeks of success here and there, I’ve always gone back to sticking my nails/fingers/entire fists in my mouth. Even my boyfriend Ian telling me that my fingers were starting to resemble the ugliest dog in the world’s gnarled stumps (I literally had a picture of Sam (RIP) taped to my computer) couldn’t make me wave goodbye (with my disfigured digits) to the disgusting habit.

It got worse if I was stressed or even just bored. I tried knitting a scarf to keep my hands busy, but it looked incredibly shit. I even bought a pom pom-making gizmo, but after making one Christmas wreath with the fruits of my labour, I lost interest. So I got back on the nail-biting wagon.

But what options did I have if I wanted to look less monkey and more hand-model?

Hypnotherapy.

I’ll be honest, when somebody suggested I try hypnotherapy I was pretty skeptical. A). Surely it can’t actually work. B). What if the hypnotist’s a fan of bantz, and puts me to sleep in the comfort of his professional therapy room; complete with candles and waterfall noises, then loads my snoozy body into the back of a truck, drives me to Blackpool, dresses me up in a sequined mini-dress and feathered headpiece, wheels me on stage in a Hanibal Lecter-style trolley (sans face restraint. Hopefully…), and amazes an audience who gasp with glee as he makes me do chicken impressions and put on a Swiss accent?

Anyway, despite my – some might say melodramtic – reservations about the whole thing, I booked myself into City Hypnosis, and awaited my appointment with clinical hypnotherapist Aaron Surtees.

I arrived at City Hypnosis feeling a little nervous, which made me worry that I wouldn’t be as susceptible to the hypnosis. Which made me more nervous. It was a vicious and exhausting cycle. But I settled into the Lazy Boy-esque recliner chair and got ready for some serious relaxation if nothing else.

I’ll be honest, I felt a little silly at first as I tried my damn hardest to clear my mind and go down a lift to a basement of relaxation. But I eventually managed to stop thinking about sandwiches and weird-looking cats (and other crap that usually fills my easily-distracted brain) for long enough to actually really get into it.

My hypnotherapist, Aaron. Who did NOT, btw, try and take me to Blackpool at any point.
As Aaron told me I was a confident woman who didn’t need to bite my nails (think back to Chandler and his ‘How To Be An Independent Woman’ hypnotherapy tapes and you’re halfway there), I actually started to believe it. If he thought I wasn’t a crappy excuse for a human being who bit my nails because I lacked confidence in what I was doing, maybe I really wasn’t. Was I actually more of a well-put together 28 year old than I thought? Was I finally ready to be a grown-up with an executive job, a posh loft apartment, an in-depth knowledge of politics and the arts, and a kitchen full of goji berries and green tea instead of half-eaten scotch eggs left on the side for days on end? As if! But at least maybe I was the same old train wreck just with nice nails from now on…

There were precisely zero swinging pendulums.

The first session lasted about 40 minutes, but it felt like I was only ‘under’ for half of that. It’s so relaxing, that before you know it, it’s time to wipe the dribble from your chin and head out into the big bad world; a non-nail biter. And I left there believing just that – never again would I nibble my nails.

But just to be certain, I stopped off at Boots on the way home to buy some of that disgusting-tasting nail stuff that promises to stop you ever putting your fingers in your mouth again. God, that stuff really is the pits…

According to Aaron, your first session should be the one that cements the idea that you’ll never want to bite your nails again. But he recommends between two and four sessions just to really drive the whole thing home. So that’s what I did – I saw Aaron twice more over the next few weeks for much of the same, and he’s also given me a recording of a session so I can have a hypno top-up at home if I find my hands starting to creep towards my mouth again.

So did it work? Well, I have to admit, the Boots mixture that tastes like what I can only imagine is reminiscent of what a kiss from Satan himself would taste like, aka not at all good, so maybe it’s partly that, but I haven’t bitten my nails for five whole weeks now. And every time I’m a little stressed and feel my hands making their way up to my face, I subconsciously bring them back down before I’ve even noticed what’s going on. And that must be because of the hypnotherapy.

Sidenote: I slept like a giant baby after every session, so that’s a bonus.

Now, hypnotherapy isn’t a cheap option (treatment is around £190 per session), but it does seem to be a pretty permanent one, so it’s gotta be worth it right? But if you’re a poor student, City Hypnosis also offers downloadable sessions for a more manageable £49.99. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to try the £4 liquid hell from Boots first maybe…

The nails look good. It’s just a shame my hand looks like a boiled ham…
The more you want it to work, the better too. So here are Aaron’s tips for making the most of your hypnotherapy.

1) Admit to yourself that you have a problem

2) Even if you are skeptical about hypnosis, be as open-minded as possible

3) Be prepared to fully change your way of life/solve the issue

4) Enter into hypnosis with a positive mindset that you can be helped

5) Try to relax but don’t try too hard! Remember how deeply relaxed you go doesn’t affect the results! Just enjoy your unusual, but completely safe, and deeply relaxing experience!

 

I Tried Hypnotherapy For My Anxiety & Here’s What Happened | Romper

Much like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, I have a dope squad of my own when it comes to managing my mental illness and women’s health. When I made the decision to go off of some of my medication to prepare my body for pregnancy, they all worked together to help optimize the experience. This exercise led

Source: I Tried Hypnotherapy For My Anxiety & Here’s What Happened | Romper

Adele Uses Hypnotherapy to Stop Smoking

Adele Uses Hypnotherapy to Stop Smoking.

Singer Adele kicked her 20-a day cigarette habit with a secret visit to a London hypnotherapist famous for helping celebrities quit, the DailyMail.com can reveal. The British singer spent 3 hours with renowned addiction specialist Max Kirsten in August 2015 after five-years of failed attempts to stop.
She announced that she had finally knocked the habit on the head in a Rolling Stone interview before Christmas but didn’t explain how.
‘I absolutely loved it, but it’s not that f****** cool when I’m dying from a smoking-related illness and my kid is, like, devastated’, she said.

adel3

Adele paid a visit to see one of the most eminent hypnotherapists, Max Kirsten, at his London clinic in August 2015 after doctors warned her that her 20-a day habit could spell the end of her singing career
Dramatic transformation: Since quitting cigarettes the singer has since seen huge success with her latest single Hello and also looks pretty fabulous. After losing her voice completely in 2011, canceling shows and undergoing surgery, she was told by doctors to quit her habit or face the end of her career.

She had a £295 session with Harley Street hypnotist Susan Hepburn in 2014 in an attempt to give up for good but relapsed. Her trip to Max Kirsten’s Knightsbridge clinic came just months before the release of her smash hit single Hello.
Kirsten, author of self-help book Find Yourself to Help Yourself boasts an impressive roll-call of celebrities he has helped to quit, including Ewan Mcgregor (25-a day),Oscar nominee Tom Hardy and even, it is rumoured, Prime Minister David Cameron.
At the time Mcgregor said: ‘I didn’t think I would ever be able to give up and he (Max) made it effortless – very easy’.

Max, a former 30-a day smoker said: ‘I’ve smoked in the cold and rain, I’ve smoked through flu and I’ve had those blind panics you get when you run out of cigarettes late at night. I know what it feels like to try and stop smoking using willpower or patches and why those methods fail in 85% of cases.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3400072/How-Hello-singer-Adele-said-goodbye-25-day-cigarette-habit-Songstress-paid-secret-385-visit-hypnotherapist-stars-Max-Kirsten.html#ixzz3yFM1o56W

Stop Smoking Today!

Improve your health and finances and stop smoking today!

In reality we all know that smoking is bad for us; in fact most people would agree that it is life threatening. Maybe this is the year you are going to become a non-smoker. You may not even remember the reason you started to smoke in the first place. Smoking tends to quickly become a habit and a habit is a learned behaviour just like learning to ride a bike or drive a car. We all know how difficult habits can be to break and maybe you are struggling using will power alone. Just think how difficult it would be to unlearn how to drive!

Hypnotherapy can help you to change your behaviour to the point where you never want to pick up a cigarette again. Hypnotherapy is a short term therapy (usually just one session) which will enable and empower you to become a non-smoker. The reason hypnotherapy is so effective is that it deals with the subconscious part of your mind directly.

Hypnotherapy is a talking treatment in which your subconscious mind becomes open to suggestions. The subconscious part of your mind is very powerful. This is the place where memories are stored and habits are formed.

a hypnotherapist can help you to achieve a deep state of relaxation or trance. In this state you remain aware of your surroundings and fully in control. Should you wish to end the session at any time you can easily do so. The trance state has been likened to day dreaming and is a very pleasant and enjoyable experience. Once you are fully relaxed your subconscious mind becomes open to suggestions. The barrier to change is relaxed and we can work together to allow you to live and enjoy life to the full, free from any burdens which may have held you back.

You can become a non-smoker after just one session leaving you to enjoy the physical, mental and financial benefits of being smoke free. Did you know that it only takes 8 hours for the carbon monoxide levels in your blood to return to normal after your last cigarette? In just 20 minutes your blood pressure returns to normal and after 48 hours new nerve endings start to regrow allowing your sense of taste and smell to improve. Have you ever added up how much you spend on cigarettes per month or year? You can start planning just what you are going to do with that extra cash.

A hypnotist will take you through every step to becoming a non-smoker and give you all the tools you need to remain smoke free.

Source http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/West-Yorkshire/Leeds/LS7/News/Local-News/295546-Becoming-a-non-smoker-take-the-first-step-today

For your complete A-Z guide to help you quit smoking you may find the following link from Stop Smoking Now Aids useful:

http://www.stopsmokingnowaids.com/complete-guide-to-help-quit-smoking-from-a-z/

 

 

Hypnotherapy and the Fire Service

Mental Health, Therapy and the Fire Service

By Doug Osborne

I have worked closely for over ten years with the Fire service across England and Wales. One common feature of those years was the sense that so much anxiety, psychological pain and disturbance goes unaddressed. In one of the workshops I have run since 2006 (training up fire setter advisors) I have been privileged to many service personnel’s trauma stories – both from working in the service and family history. I quickly became aware of just how much difficulty individuals accept as part of their daily life when actually this could be addressed with some concise, targeted therapy. A big concern is how much of this underlying psychological stress gets imprinted on children and other adults in contact with the sufferer.

Since 2006 I have treated hundreds of people for big and small traumas – part of their day to day work and in some cases historic difficulties that continue to haunt them.

What are Trauma symptoms?

The surface symptoms that show up when you have experienced a trauma can range widely: flashbacks, nightmares, changes in sleep routines, phobias – that may seem completely unconnected to any obvious difficulty, relationship issues, mood swings, panic attacks, anger outbursts, depression or listlessness, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.

What is clinical hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a method of addressing the automatic part of you – the unconscious – to achieve your goals or resolve an issue. Sometimes I say being a Clinical Hypnotherapist is a bit like being a computer programmer with people.

Trance is a natural state we experience every day – during daydreaming, reading a good book, even driving. Clinical hypnotherapy uses these natural trance states to work on your goals and symptoms. This sounds a bit mystical – it’s not!

What is EMDR?

EMDR is a specific form of therapy faster, deeper acting – on the root cause – and it doesn’t depend on you spending hours talking through the details of your difficulty. It has a respected and diverse clinical evidence base that is acknowledged by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, the NHS and many psychiatrist and medical practitioners. Currently the number or registered practitioners in the NHS is quite limited.

What happens to the brain when someone is traumatised?

Imagine this.
You eat a banana and your digestive system doesn’t digest it. What would happen? Well probably the banana would begin to rot inside your body slowly and pervasively poisoning you. Symptoms begin to emerge that seem to be unrelated to the original banana event. Imagine the consumption of that banana was 20 years ago and in the here and now you have seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Often a patient may have experienced a difficulty – they may or may not remember this consciously. If this happens in very early childhood or under extreme pressure it is sometimes forgotten or masked as a protective psychological mechanism. As the ‘undigested’ memory sits in the unconscious part of the brain, the raw emotion, belief and bodily sensations can creep into everyday situations – seemingly unconnected to anything in particular. Traumatic material is therefore buried in the unconscious, and a bit like Kryptonite to Superman, from time to time renders the sufferer a period of low functioning.

What is the Unconscious?

The conscious mind does the thinking and rationalising, goes to sleep and wakes up and perceives it has control and ‘runs the show’. It does to a degree, but the bulk of our process is unconscious – around ninety percent!

A bit like our iceberg here – think of the conscious mind as the tip, the unconscious hidden away under the water.

Just for a second think how many automatic physical functions are going on right now; your heartbeat, your breathing, your digestion, let alone holding onto all your memories and experiences!

Accessing the unconscious mind – especially around emotional and mental stuff – can be tricky. We all have a unique set of filters on how we see the world.

It’s worth mentioning here that it is a real skill to be able to lead people towards what they want, so it is a bit of a myth that you can lose control in a hypnosis session and end up doing stuff you wouldn’t normally do. Clinical hypnosis has nothing to do with stage hypnosis.

What happens in a Hypnotherapy or EMDR Session?

Initially we will talk about the nature of your issue – this helps me understand how you have come to this point in your life. This also allows time for us to get comfortable with each other and you can ask any questions you like.

We usually spend some time looking at what hypnotherapy is, how it works, why it works and some simple examples that help your understanding. All of this is completely confidential. I may also introduce you to the concept of EMDR.

After this I tailor an individual approach to the issue and deliver the therapy based on our negotiated goals, modifying the therapy according to our progress.

We will talk about what the actual hypnosis state feels like and what you can expect to happen; usually it requires you to make yourself comfortable. We then work through a number of relaxation exercises and then begin the process.

I have treated hundreds and hundreds of people – everyone responds a little differently. Hypnotherapy and EMDR are safe and very powerful techniques in the right hands.

How many sessions will I need?

That really depends on the issue. Simple anxiety that has no serious trauma can be as little as 4 sessions. Typically panic attacks can be 6-8 sessions, most traumas require at least 12 sessions, the more complex the more sessions.

Always check your practitioner’s credentials, professional registration and insurance before proceeding.

Article by City Clinical Hypnosis:

3Doug Osborne hold a Masters Degree in Integrative Psychotherapy, an Advanced Practitioner Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis, is a registered member of the UK EMDR association. He has worked on the psychiatric unit of Roehampton Priory’s Outpatients and numerous West London GP practices. He is fully trained in Trauma interventions and can also help with most emotional and psychological problems.

 

Source : Fire Style Magazine

Hypnosis for Body Image

Source : http://www.refinery29.com/hypnotherapy-body-image

“Everyone gets stuck sometimes. I regularly get emails from people who feel as though they’ve hit a wall, whether it’s in the intuitive eating process, in eating disorder recovery, or just in attempting to change their food and fitness behaviors. Because I get stuck all the time myself, I’ve learned that there’s a common-denominator issue underneath all these other issues: body acceptance. Yes, there are myriad triggers and causes behind our individual histories, but the bottom line is that, unless you can find a way to accept (even if you don’t like) your body, it is virtually impossible to change the way you feed and move it. So, when I get stuck, I know the way out begins with rolling up my sleeves and jump-starting the ol’ body-image engine.

This fall, finding myself in need of a good jump-start, I decided to try something new and slightly scary: hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis has been dogged by controversy and myths ever since 18th-century doctor Franz Mesmer first began using it to treat patients (first in private, then on stage). But the truth is that the hypnotic state is totally natural and requires no trickery. You know that almost-asleep phase you hit right before nodding off? Or when you find yourself driving down the highway on autopilot? That’s it. In this state, your mind is at its most suggestible, but you’re in no way unconscious. The magic of hypnosis is that it allows suggestions to cross the barrier between conscious and sub-conscious, rooting them deeply into your mind.

“Essentially, hypnosis works by shifting negative beliefs about ourselves at the subconscious level,” says Theresa Walker, C.Ht., the hypnotherapist I began working with in September. Because it’s such a powerful tool for changing behavior and thought patterns, hypnotherapy is often used for things like quitting smoking, managing anxiety and compulsions, improving concentration, etc. Walker is particularly invested in body image work, since changing self-perception is such an enormous challenge for so many people.

“What I’ve learned is that it’s usually a call for a strengthening of self-worth,” she says. “I always start by becoming clear on what my client’s definition of improved body image and self-acceptance would mean for them, because it’s different for everyone.” Then, once Walker and a client have clearly defined their goals, Walker introduces those ideas during hypnosis, planting them in the fertile ground of subconsciousness. “The change starts first within the mind,” concludes Walker, “and ultimately manifests in conscious, awake life.”

That’s my kind of magic.

I did my first session with Walker in her Los Angeles office, where she walked me through a series of suggestibility tests — noting that, while everyone can be hypnotized, we all have different ways of taking in information. The fact that she made hypnosis sound not unlike those “learning style” tests from elementary school was oddly comforting. (I’d been looking forward to this for weeks, but upon entering this cozy, quiet room, I found myself suddenly nervous.)

Next, we got into goals.

“Um, body image,” I said. “Like, a better one.”

I now realize how absurd my expectations were, but I kind of thought Walker would just have the magic words to address my personal sense of self-perception and reinforce my specific body-image goals. But though she is highly trained and experienced, she couldn’t literally pop open my mind and look around. I’d have to actually do some of the work. A lot, in fact.
IT FORCES YOU TO GET SPECIFIC ABOUT THE ISSUE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS AND REALLY ENVISION WHAT SUCCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
This is what’s so great (and so annoying) about hypnotherapy — about all therapy, but much more so in this particular process. It forces you to get specific about the issue you want to address and really envision what success would look like. I started by launching into my general history, but with each query, Walker led me deeper into the details. What is it I don’t like about my body — or that specific body part? What is it about my stomach I don’t like? When and how do I criticize my stomach? What does that critical voice say? Whose voice does it sound like? How would I like to feel about my stomach? No really, what are the words?

It took forever.

Once we’d mapped out my suggestibility, overall goals, and specifics to focus on in that first session, Walker eased me into hypnosis. I quickly understood what Walker had meant when she described hypnotherapy as “a permission-given” therapy. “The truth is, when you are in hypnosis, you’re in control the entire time. You will never do or say anything you don’t want to,” says Walker. “Everyone has the ability to be hypnotized — but it is a willing state. You have to allow it.”

I was still nervous, but having talked to Walker for over an hour, I felt comfortable enough to allow myself to ease into that not-quite-sleeping state of relaxation, guided by her voice and instructions. It was both strange and totally comfortable, like being in a deep dream state, yet simultaneously aware that you’re sitting in a chair, in an office, on a Tuesday afternoon.

The session began with a simple visualization of walking down a path in a peaceful environment (the details of which Walker directed me to select to suit my preference). She wove in the language and intentions we’d discussed, anchoring them in symbolic visuals and actions for me to take within the scene. There were bonfires into which I threw old, unnecessary behaviors, and a glass full of liquid self-assurance or something. As with a dream, it was difficult to recall the details after I “woke up.” But the feeling of calm and clarity resonated in me for days.
FUNNY THAT DIVING SO DEEP INTO MY OWN HEAD IS WHAT HELPED ME GET OUT OF IT.
Have you ever said something to yourself aloud, just before sleep, in an effort to remember it in the morning? I do that trick sometimes, saying, “laptop” or “phone charger” to myself, and, upon waking, the thought pops up instantly, as if I’d left it on my bedside table. That’s what it was like after my first hypnotherapy session, and each of the sessions that followed.

Looking in the mirror, I’d think, Oh right, I accept and appreciate myself, just as I am in this moment. It wasn’t as if I had instant, totally positive body image after one session (or even after six). But the habits and thought patterns I consciously strived to ingrain in my mind were made more accessible. Though these moments of self-acceptance weren’t totally automatic, all of a sudden they weren’t as much of a stretch, either.

I did the rest of my sessions with Walker back in New York, via Skype. I was surprised to find that falling into hypnosis was even easier via this medium, perhaps because I could do it while in the comfort of my own home (and sweatpants). What was not surprising was just how many other subjects arose during our sessions. After all, body image is interlocked with so many other personal issues: stress, relationships, childhood, parents. When one of those emotional minefields got tweaked, I could immediately see the aftershocks rippling through my perception of my body. And with each hypnotherapy session, Walker helped me to take a closer look at all those areas, too. But no matter what we worked on, I always left a session feeling more clear and grounded in myself. Funny that diving so deep into my own head is what helped me get out of it.

It was as if my mental path had been swept clean of those needless, nagging thoughts and patterns I kept getting stuck on. Each time I came out of hypnosis, I found that I could move more easily and see where I needed to go.

Hypnotherapy isn’t a spell that makes everything better with a few magic words. It’s a process that teaches you to find your own magic words — and remember them. It’s not a party trick; no one’s going to make you run around barking and acting like a dog. If anything, hypnotherapy is a tool that lets you be yourself, achieve your goals, and free yourself from all the old nonsense that’s keeping you stuck.

Maybe it sounds like a shortcut — and maybe it is. But, really, what’s so wrong with a shortcut when you know exactly where it is you want to go?”

Article written by

Kelsey Miller

http://www.refinery29.com/author/kelsey-miller

 

Yvette Fielding Uses Hypnosis to Settle Nerves

‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestant Yvette Fielding has admitted she has been doing DIY hypnotherapy to overcome her fears, ahead of entering the jungle. REA

Source: Yvette Has An Unconventional Way Of Helping ‘I’m A Celeb’ Nerves

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestant Yvette Fielding has admitted she has been doing DIY hypnotherapy to overcome her fears, ahead of entering the jungle.

The former ‘Blue Peter’ and ‘Most Haunted’ presenter admitted she is feeling very nervous about taking part on the ITV reality show, and has turned to alternative ways of making herself braver.

yvette fielding

Yvette Fielding
“I went online and got hypnotised,” she said.

“I found this site on YouTube where you could hypnotise yourself to be braver. And when I woke up, I did feel a little bit more confident about going in. I think preparation could be a key in making yourself more confident.”

Specifically, Yvette is feeling the most worried about taking part in the eating challenges, where campmates are fed a variety of jungle nasties.

However, she has been trying to practise at home for those as well, and has found an unconventional replacement for some of the critters.

“I have been practising with rice!” she said. “I have been pretending the rice is a maggot and throwing it to the back of my mouth without actually tasting it.

“I am trying to get myself mentally prepared for the challenges ahead. I will try and give everything my best shot. It’s definitely a case of mind over matter.

“Then again, if I am given a big kangaroo penis, I don’t know how I will cope with that! God knows what is going to happen there!”

yvette fielding

Yvette has been practicing the Bush Tucker Challenges at home
Of her decision to enter the show, she added: “A huge reason for doing this is I have hit the menopause stage and it has made me want to see as much of the world as I can.”

Yvette is among 10 new faces who Ant and Dec will welcome into the jungle on Sunday night.

‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ launches on Sunday (15 November) at 9pm on ITV.

Hypnotherapy helps man with agoraphobia.

Jeremy Norton had been too afraid to leave his house since the age of 20 but has been cured by hypnotherapy

Jeremy Norton

Jeremy Norton

Source :
A MAN who suffered from agoraphobia for 20 years says he has been cured – after just three sessions of hypnotherapy.