Hypnotherapy - searching for the cause

There are so many things we do to mask the cause or to put a sticky plaster over our problems. We keep busy, we ignore uncomfortable feelings, we try not to cry, we move away etc. But things don't change. Problems don't magically go away. Why is it that you try every diet under the sun and never lose weight? Why have you suddenly developed Asthma even though you've had 50 years without it? Why can't you be fully open with your partner about your sexual desires? Why can't you ever get the confidence up to change?

Maybe its even less obvious what it is that is wrong - maybe life should be perfect but something is never quite right or you still aren't happy but can't say why.

Hypnotherapy works by helping you to uncover the reasons behind your issues. It helps you to release any emotion that your subconscious has hidden away. By having the emotional release you are allowing yourself to let go and move on from events big and small that have contributed to your unhappiness.


During regression work - otherwise known as free association, the client is freely able to move from memory to memory. Some of which will have no significance but is helping guide the client in the right direction. Others will be very significant but you may not instantly realise it. Some significant memories will seem small to your adult self (such as walking in on your parents naked) and others will be huge and highly emotionally charged.


The aim of free association is to uncover the Initial Sensitizing Event (ISE) and allow emotional release. This may be anger, sadness, jealousy, love, fear etc. Quite often, the ISE is emotionally significant but the behavioural pattern being followed in adult life does not establish itself until a Secondary Sensitizing Event (SSE) occurs - thus triggering the symptom patterns. For example an ISE might be a memory of a parent hitting you - traumatic at the time especially as you can't understand why. An SSE might be a time when your parent calls you stupid and smacks you. Although not as upsetting, it triggers the emotions and feelings of being stupid and deserving to be hit. As an adult you may find yourself falling into abusive relationships or shying away from getting close to people. You may find that you always feel you deserve punishment no matter how small a mistake you make.

Another example that is quite common is weight gain. An ISE may be the first time you were told that you had to eat all the food on your plate to be good and strong. An SSE (of which there can be multiple examples) might be another time you were told off for not finishing your plate of food or not being allowed dessert. Thus instilling in you the belief that if you do not eat what is on your plate you are not a good person. 

Another weight related example I see often is the consulting room is faulty learning where a person has been told by their family froma  young age that they will always be fat and overweight, that it is genetic and they will always struggle to lose weight. I can tell you now - this is NOT TRUE.

When we are children we are constantly learning, constantly absorbing information as we discover the world we live in and how to interact with those around us. Some of the time we have mistakes in our interpretation and understanding of events. So if you as an adult can learn what those errors were, you can relearn and correct faulty beliefs at the subconscious level. 

By working through these memories and relearning these lessons, my clients go on to successfully change themselves and their lives. Their self esteem increases and they achieve what they wanted to achieve.

For more information or for a free consultation contact www.surelifehypnotherapy.co.uk

A brief history of hypnosis and hypnotherapy

Throughout history, hypnosis has been used in medicine in a variety of different forms. It is based on a philosophy that is common within many eastern therapies based on self-healing properties of the mind and body. Hypnosis stems from the Greek work ‘Hypnos’ which means sleep. Evidence of the use of hypnosis for healing dates back to ancient Egypt times. Sanskrit records reveal the use of sleep temples where trances were induced and used to heal the sick.

There are many other examples of the use of hypnosis in history, however, western scientists only begun to use hypnosis around the 1700s. Most frequently cited as being one of the first to use hypnosis, is Franz Anton Mesmer, who used magnets and the magnetic fields that reside in the body to heal the body. This was due to his strong beliefs that diseases are the result of blockages in the flow of magnetic forces around the body. This is a philosophy that is still continued among many alternative and complimentary therapies today. Mesmer would‘ mesmerise’ his patients by using rods and passing them over the body and thus putting them into a trance like state. Although very famous for his use of hypnosis, Mesmer lacked the modern day knowledge of hypnosis (because it was in early stages of use) and so could not promote its benefits to the medicine world successfully.

Although, Mesmer was unsuccessful in his plight, hypnosis has been used in medicine ever since. James Braid (1795-1860) is often viewed as the next pioneer for hypnosis in Britain when he discovered the use of fixation to induce a trance. He also discovered that you could give commands to people who were in a trance following fixation. James Esdaile (1808-1959) was one of the first people in Britain to use hypnotism for pain relief and as an anaesthetic. Although the use of hypnosis for pain relief and as an alternative to anaesthesia has been well documented, the medical world still does not use hypnosis for this purpose on a regular basis. For me, Braid and Esdaile are true pioneers of hypnotherapy and without their work, hypnotherapy may not be as well used as it is and there may not be as much knowledge surrounding it. Much research and teaching on this subject has been by David Elman. He has taught doctors and dentists the use of hypnosis for pain relief for many years. His work enabling him to prevent pain and induce a hypnotic state within only a few minutes is outstanding, and for this reason, you can understand why many people are very dubious. Particularly as modern medicine and dentistry is based on science. Hypnotherapy is not something that can be measured in a quantifiable manner easily. Reading some of Elman’s work, I am impressed and feel that for his pupils, his confidence and belief alone would be enough to dispel scepticism.

Moving out of the medical domain and into a more therapeutic direction was Emile Coue (1857-1926) who pioneered autosuggestion and mostly famously known for the phrase ‘Day by day in every way I am getting better and better’. Coue believed that he was facilitating self-healing and viewed all hypnosis as self hypnosis. This also caused more research into the effects of placebo’s. People are capable of causing their own problems, and they are also capable of fixing their own problems with their minds. For me, I find this the most interesting because up until then, most had used hypnosis for pain relief rather than healing of any of other sorts. For me, this is almost the beginning of hypnotherapy.

Clark Hull published the book ‘hypnosis and suggestibility’ which was one of the first books covering psychological research on hypnosis. Hull went on to teach hypnosis and one of his students Milton Erickson went on to practice as a hypnotherapist. Erickson used suggestion techniques and also developed the handshake technique of inducing a trance state. This is whereby you shake a person’s hand three times whilst making suggestion and by the third shake, they will be in hypnosis.

One of my favourites is Sigmund Freud whose early work in psychology used hypnosis as a tool for curing the mind.  Freud was the first to introduce the concept of the unconscious mind and his theories regarding repressions, sublimation and projection were used to advance the use of hypnotherapy because of his beliefs regarding theory of mind and dynamics of human behaviour. Although many of his theories are today considered illogical, his work forms the major foundations of psychology as well as contributing to hypnotherapy. Freud studied Jean-Martin Charcot’s work on hysteria and hypnotherapy, and Freud used this as a pathway of exploration into the unconscious mind to find the source of dysfunction. Freud believed and made well known, the notion that what happens during our childhood influences who we become in our adult lives. This work is still practiced today in modern hypnotherapy by accessing the subconscious to allow the adult client to remember and deal with whatever is causing them problem.

World War One created demand for treatment of psychological issues and this is the turning point in history when hypnotherapy began to flourish. In 1949, John Watkin published his book ‘hypnotherapy of war neuroses’. This was a milestone in terms of literature on hypnosis. John Watkins was seen as a pioneer for his work with soldiers returning from war. Considering the relevance of war today and the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) I view his work as inspirational and something that more doctors should consider when trying to identify and treat PTSD. Hypnotherapy was taken to a new level in the 1970’s with the development of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). NLP taught practitioners a greater degree of awareness in the use of language and how it can be used most effectively in hypnotherapy.

Over recent years, alternative and complimentary therapies have experienced an uprising in popularity. This is partially down to the advances in technology and the internet allowing information to get to a wider audience, and partially due to the distrust that has developed towards the state of the healthcare systems. This distrust has arisen because of media stories reporting horror stories of patients dying unnecessarily, being prescribed the wrong medication, and many people being described medication for mental health issues that could be treated with complimentary therapies.

Hypnosis has grown in popularity through the rise of media, TV and stage hypnosis. Although, portraying hypnosis as ‘mind control’ or ‘making you do something ridiculous’ is not favoured by hypnotherapists, stage hypnosis does have its place in history and has demonstrated so the mass market, how belief systems can change and be challenged, how behaviours are automatic, and how easily humans are influenced.

Currency Trading and Hypnotherapy

Hello,

I thought I would blog about hypnotherapy and its use for currency traders. It is not a comprehensive write up but a brief insight that will hopefully prove informative and interesting.

Currency trading is very much like gambling. You trade a certain amount based on market trends and analysis and whilst you aim for growth, there is very often loss. So how can hypnotherapy help? Every trader will experience a loss - fact. How the trader reacts to this loss depends very much on his state of mind. Many traders go on to experience a deterioration in attitude. Some have not quite accepted the risk of loss and so it hits them hard. They blame the market, not themselves. The loss causes emotional pain. Some traders get angry, some traders get thoughtful, others let it affect their self esteem. This emotional pain then influences thier ability to trade appropriately. Many will stop trading for a few days, others will try breaking away from their strategy in a desperate attempt for a quick win. Inevitably, this leads to loss. This leads to more negative emotional reactions and it can spiral very quickly into a bad pathway for the trader.

Hypnotherapy can help the trader. Firstly, through the use of regression, the trader can understand their reactions to a loss. Logically it should be similar to a win, the inevitable becuase traders have to win and have to lose. But its not always so easy for some traders and the pleasure to pain reaction experienced will be based on and reasonate with pleasure pain experiences in their part. By enabling them to deal with this, they can start changing the way they react emotionally to a loss.

Hypnotherapy can also help becuase it can increase focus and attention, enabling the trader to stick to their strategy rather than deviate, to pull out at an appropriate time when the market is heading towards a loss, and to keep in the trade for a good enough time to make a better win. Many traders are 6 or 7 pips up when they leave a trade, they see it soars to 20 pips and then feel bad about themselves for not staying in the trade.

Hypnotherapy cannot influence when you win and when you lose, it cannot dictate how much money you can gain, but it can help you believe in yourself, maintain focus and self control, and it can help you understand your reactions and change your behaviours.

Exhulation at winning can lead to a boom bust style of working - this is not succesful becuase you are up and then you take too many risks and read the signs wrong. Why? Becuase you are so busy looking for positive signs that you ignore the negative signs?

To learn more about this contact Catherine@surelifehypnotherapy.co.uk

Obesity, pregnancy and hypnotherapy

Do you want a baby? Have you been trying to concieve but having difficulty? Are you overweight? DO you suffer with PCOS? Hypnotherapy can help you concieve, maintain a healthy pregnancy and have an enjoyable birth.

Hypnotherapy is also successful for helping many people lose weight. If you are overweight and thinking about having a baby, read on and let me know what you think.  It is all over the news at the moment - obese women who are pregnant are putting themselves and thier babies at risk. Obesity is supposed to put the dampners on the ability to get pregnant - so are these women having help from the Dr such as fertility medication? If so, is this irresponsible of the Dr to prescribe it? Is it unfair to suggest you shouldn't have children just becuase of your weight?

One in 20 women are putting themselves and their baby at risk by being seriously obese when they become pregnant, new research shows.Obese mothers are twice as likely to have a stillbirth and very overweight mothers are also at greater risk of blood clots, high blood pressure and bleeding after the birth.

According to the report by the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE), the NHS needs to do more in an effort to tackle the growing weight problem. Researchers found that many maternity units are not set up to care for very overweight women, with some lacking the necessary equipment such as extra-wide wheelchairs, examination couches, trolleys and beds. For some midwives, working with those who are obese and pregnant poses alot of challenges - some of which they may not be trained to deal with.

 
Those struggling with their relationship with food should consider trying hypnotherapy to help with weight loss. which retrains the unconscious mind, altering a person's relationship with food.

The difference between hypnosis and suggestion

Hypnosis is a state of being. Someone who is in hypnosis is in a deeply relaxed state that allows them to completely clear their minds. Hypnosis is that state that allows a person’s subconscious mind come to the forefront and be accessed. Hypnosis is a completely natural state. It occurs in everyone in everyday life. For example, that moment you are just about to fall asleep and someone is talking to you. You can hear them but you can choose whether or not to respond. A person can drift into hypnosis when driving or watching a film – a point when single focus is achieved.

Signs of hypnosis include:

• Visible
• Relaxed face
• Slowed breathing
• Increased swallowing
• REM
• Invisible
• Slowed heart rate
• Change in brain waves
• Change in body temperature
• Feelings of floating or sinking

Hypnosis is induced via a number of techniques but usually starts with an initial relaxing induction, and is followed by a deepener to enhance relaxation along with suggestion to use imagination to help induce the hypnotic state. Hypnotic inductions work by guiding the client into selective thought to help bypass the CCF.

Everyone can be guided into hypnosis as long as they are willing, whereas some people are naturally more suggestive than others. Suggestibility is linked to individuals’ personality characteristics (Heap & Aravind, 2002).

Suggestion is the verbal communication used by the hypnotherapist. It is a positive form of instruction that is heard and processed by the client. When in hypnosis, suggestions are absorbed and processed more readily and can be accepted so that the client begins to behave in new ways, breaking old habits, almost effortlessly. In psychological terms, a suggestion is ‘the process of inducing thought, sensation or action in a receptive person’.

Suggestions can be direct and authoritative (e.g. Elman style) or can be indirect and permissive (e.g. Erikson). Research has been conducted into the effects of different suggestion styles (Spinhoven, Baak, van Dyck, 1988) but there is no direct evidence to suggest one style is more effective than the other. However, Terence Watts (author of Warrior, Settlers and Nomads) has shown that different personality types respond better to some induction styles better than others. In fact, his work is so highly regarded, that students and hypnotherapist’s all over, now tailor their inductions and suggestions to the personality type of the client.

Suggestions can be used outside of the hypnotic state and after hypnosis. Clients can still be highly susceptible to suggestion after they have been guided out of hypnosis. This is why it is good to use post-hypnotic suggestion just before your client leaves the consulting room.

Therefore hypnosis is the state and suggestion is the tool the hypnotherapist uses to induce hypnosis and to ‘treat’ the client.

Difference between psychosis and neurosis

The term psychosis was first used by Ernst Von Reuchtersleben as an alternative word to insanity and mania. Psychosis is a generic term for any mental state where the individual has lost their sense of reality, allowing normal social functioning to deteriorate. It can be treated with medication or psychotherapy. Psychosis is not a clinical diagnoses and the DSM IV describes it as a symptom common in other mental illnesses. You would not use hypnosis with someone who suffers with psychosis. The three primary causes of psychosis are:

1. Functional e.g. schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
2. Organic e.g. stemming from medical rather than psychological conditions, for example, a brain tumour
3. Psychoactive drugs

In the 18^th century William Cullen coined the term Neurosis. Neurosis is a general term used to refer to mental distress. It does not prevent rational thought or affect daily functioning.  Neurosis is not listed in the DSM V as a mental illness. Neurosis causes emotional distress without affecting a person’s ability to think clearly.  Disorders associated with neurosis include OCD, anxiety and phobias. Neurosis affects most people in some way or another. It is more about neurotic thoughts or behaviours that impair not prevent normal daily life. Neurosis is not treated with medication. Neurosis can be treated with hypnotherapy.

Is there a grey area? Yes and no. Yes because many people tend to misunderstand the terms and band them around casually. For example, “my mother is neurotic” or “the guy I work with is completely psychotic.  Both are also generally cuased by some sort of triggering event. However, the actual distinction is pretty clear. Generalising here but a person suffering with psychosis will see everything as somebody else’s fault, whereas someone suffering with neurosis will see it as their fault.

What is the fight/flight response and why do we still have it?

Cannon was the person to create the expression fight or flight and assign a meaning to it. The fight/flight response is the in-built response that every person is born with to avoid threat to life. It allows us to react one of two ways: 1) to run away from the situation, or 2) preparing our muscles to fight. It is a physiological reaction that involves increased adrenaline production, increased heart rate as your body pumps more oxygen to the muscles in the body. It also has other symptoms including sweating, colon evacuation, and feeling sick. We still have this response in modern society to help us interpret situations. Modern day life is full of new situations, new events and pressures, and we still need to be able to react correctly to them. When we experience a situation that is stressful, this triggers the fight/flight response.

Occasionally, we get it wrong and feel threatened by situations that will not cause us harm. Anxiety is a reaction to a fear and is related to the fight or flight physiological response system designed to protect us from danger. Anxiety can manifest in physical and psychological or emotional reactions, for example, feeling nervous when doing public speaking, to the more dramatic and damaging effects of eating disorders. Anxiety is caused by the conflict of interest between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. However, the subconscious mind is more powerful and will find novel ways to get what it wants.

 Anything that the subconscious accepts as bad, will then be avoided, even when w have no access consciously to the memory that caused the irrational fear in the first instance. Many people will find this happening to them at work. For example, a large customer presentation that elicits the fear of failure or letting the team down may cause the individual to lose their voice or become sick. Thus providing the individual with a legitimate way to avoid the situation. Other physiological symptoms that many people experience include a dry mouth or nausea. These responses are caused by the autonomic nervous system reacting to the fear and preparing the body for fight or flight by ensuring that the maximum amount of energy is provided to the motor system as possible.

The problem with the fight/flight response in the modern day environment, is the ability for us to misinterpret the danger, and become stressed by or even fearful of perfectly harmless situations. This has negative psychological problems such as social phobias, anxiety disorders, PTSD etc.