Download HYPNOTHERAPY: JOHN THORNLEY Do you

HYPNOTHERAPY:
JOHN THORNLEY
Do you want to achieve your goals and make lasting and powerful changes, so that you can enjoy
your life more fully?
Then some form of therapy could be the best and easiest way to get there. Therapy is probably the
most powerful and effective tool you could ever have in your journey to success, health and
happiness. I am focused on working with clients to achieve positive goals and outcomes, using a
comprehensive toolbox including elements from CBT, hypnotherapy, REBT, EMDR and other
modalities. Therapy is your investment in you!
You may have goals such as;
Overcoming problems which are holding you back. For example, losing weight and developing a
healthier lifestyle
Setting and achieving personal goals for success, for example, more self confidence or increased
motivation
Removal of fears and phobias
Breaking unwanted habits. For example, stopping smoking For information on some of the issues
therapy can help with, see the list on the left of this page.
John Thornley is a therapist with over 15 years of full time experience. He is a skilled and
dedicated practitioner and is highly respected amongst his fellow professionals. He brings not only
his training and experience to therapy, but real-life experience in industry and academia. Find out
more about (click on) Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy and Counseling to discover the huge benefits
they offer. Please contact John with any questions or to request a free initial consultation or check
prices. It costs nothing to find out more.
Finding the right therapist for yourself is vitally important. To help you choose, here is a
guide to help you. Please read it carefully. Read can about your first visit here to find out what's
likely to happen when you decide to book. Finding the practice is easy, check here.
John uses a wide range of methods including Z-Point, CBT, REBT, EFT, EMDR, and
several forms of hypnotherapy which merge to form a coherent, individual and seemlessly integrated
approach for each individual. You can find a list of interesting topics on the left of this page,
covering common problems such as; Stress, Anxiety, Panic, Depression, Phobias, Self-Esteem,
Addiction, Confidence and many many more.
HYPNOTHERAPY: Hypnotherapy - the use of hypnosis to facilitate emotional and or
behavioral change. Hypnosis is not relaxation as is popularly believed, but customarily creates a
deeply relaxed state in which mental stress and bodily tension are reduced. In this state, the mind is
more open to the process of change because the analytical mind is far less active. As such, client and
therapist can safely work together using an agreed approach, to enhance mental, physical and
emotional well-being. If you have questions about hypnosis look here.
Hypnotherapy and Hypno-psychotherapy can help to achieve positive and lasting results in:
Weight Loss
Dependencies and habits
Smoking
Eating disorders
Nail-biting
Personal crises
Accident/trauma
Miscarriage
Bereavement
Redundancy
Divorce
Confidence
Terminal illness
Optimizing psychological well-being
Depression
OCD
Achieving personal growth
Building or rebuilding Self-Esteem
Resolving relationship difficulties
Enhancing job or career satisfaction
Improving sporting performance
Feeling "Stuck"
Stress related disorders
“Stress”
Anxiety
Phobias
Panic attacks
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Only a selection of the many challenges we face are mentioned above. There are many others
and they can be discussed in strict confidence with the therapist. Please note, however, that there are
significant doubts about whether a medically oriented approach (i.e. diagnosis/treatment/cure) is
applicable to the above 'problems of living', and that the presenting problem may reflect or cover
additional issues.
The initial consultation: Prior to any hypno-psychotherapy taking place there will be a consultation,
or consultation period, where the issue or problem to be resolved is discussed and where the client
has an opportunity to discuss the treatment approach, the probable number of recommended sessions
and the likely cost.
Medical considerations. Few medical conditions contra-indicate the use of hypnosis, though in
some cases liaison with the client's medical practitioner may be appropriate. Almost everyone who
wishes to be hypnotized can achieve a level of relaxation sufficient to allow therapy to take place.
The Hypnosis Session: Generally speaking, during the hypnosis session itself, the client is invited to
relax in an armchair or couch and is then guided into a state of, heightened inner awareness.
While in hypnosis, the client is still generally aware of their surroundings and can choose to
come out of hypnosis at any time. No responsible therapist would attempt to hypnotise anyone
against their will, or encourage an individual to act against their natural inclinations whilst in
hypnosis. In truth, despite what appears in stage hypnosis, people can not in fact be forced to act in
any way against their moral or ethical code, by the use of hypnosis. At the end of the hypnosis
session, the client will be gently returned to the normal waking state. Most new clients are surprised
at how far away the reality of hypnotherapy is from any prior expectation of 'mind control', and find
the experience deeply relaxing.
Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking
to find a psychotherapist, counsellor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting
issue, or you find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to
someone without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss
anything in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
Access is easy from The North side of Leicester, the South Side of Nottingham, including West
Bridgford and the South side of Derby. There is plenty of easy parking outside of or close to the
office which is located near to Loughborough town centre.
COGNITIVE HYPNOTHERAPY: What is cognitive hypnotherapy? Simply, the cognitive
structures which underpin many emotional problems and which respond very well to processes such
as cognitive therapy or CBT, also respond extremely well to cognitive hypnotherapy. Why? One of
the issues wuth CBT is to do with what are called the levers of change. There needs to be some way
to help the client's beliefs and automatic thoughts, identified as problematic by a form of analysis, to
change. In CBT and other cognitive therapies, processes such as disputing, identification and
stopping are used. It takes a significant amount of time and effort for these processes to kick in and
frankly, it can be very hard work for the client. Some clients find CBT quite difficult and sometimes
unproductive. In cognitive hypnotherapy, the cognitive analysis is performed in the conventional
way and then the particular issues are highlighted and discussed. By mutual agreement, it is decided
what changes should be made based strongly on client needs and preferences. At this point the
unique cocktail of alterations is crafted into specially constructed hypnosis sessions, usually
recorded onto Audio CD or tapes, for repeated reinforcement later at home. The outcomes are very
similar to cognitive therapy, but with a great deal of the hard work taken out for the client and
comparatively rapid change.
If you are self-referring and have been recommended to go through a course of CBT,
cognitive hypnotherapy might form a useful adjunct, or possibly might be an alternative to CBT.
Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking to find a
psychotherapist, counselor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting issue, or you
find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to someone
without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss anything
in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
Access is easy from The North side of Leicester, the South Side of Nottingham, including
West Bridgford and the South side of Derby. There is plenty of easy parking outside of or close to
the office which is located near to Loughborough town center.
HYPNOANALYSIS (AKA ANALYTICAL HYPNOTHERAPY): Thousands of people
are counseled every year for the effect of trauma (mental scars), following events such as abuse,
mental, physiological, and sexual â_“ even financial. Not every one reacts the same way, although
there are common symptoms; like flashbacks, disrupted sleep patterns, over dependency in
relationships, sudden mood swings, lack of concentration and the determination to try to block it,
(shame and guilt locks a symptom in) which leads to excessive in anything like work, sleep, sex,
drugs, drinking, smoking, eating disorder, enuresis, fear, worry, phobias. Ideally, a person may go
though life without having any “perceived” state of being other than of being thoroughly healthy,
completely confident and content, mentally brilliant, and more than enough for any situation. This is
the ideal for which we are created. The subconscious mind would continue to help this “perceived”
state of being, and all ideas presented would also sub-consciously be handled to aid this state. It is
no dark, sinister enemy of man, but actually is given to us to give health and even to promote a
continuance of this state. But, there are neurotic “dis-eases” which manifest itself in insecurity,
stress, depression, suicide, chronic pain, and all bad habits like nail biting, etc. For this reason, a
psychotherapist or hypnopsychotherapist may help the subconscious resolve by giving it different
“perceptions” of a person’s state of being, and the subconscious will then continue to handle ideas
thereafter to aid and maintain this new “suggested”, imagined state of being. It is not programmed
by reality, but by the concept, real or imagined, fed to the mind, where memories are stored.
Hypnosis has probably been praised and decried more than any other medical treatment since
it was first given notoriety by Dr. Anton Mesmer (1773 University of Vienna) under the name of
animal magnetism. Many student of hypnosis have claimed that the process will produce marvelous
cures, whereas others have countered that hypnosis simply does not exist. The earliest critical
experience is usually associated with uncomfortable feelings, some of which the individual may
become aware for the first time. However, a frightening or painful feeling must be faced with
courage â_“ an adult mind understanding the child’s view. (80 % of all our emotions, happiness as
well as fear and sadness - are imbedded in our subconscious mind before the age of 7 years old!!!)
The unconscious mind has to locate this experience by the simple process of tracing the
uncomfortable feeling to its source. The detailed conscious knowledge of the actual circumstances is
not necessary. Visualization, imagination or even fantasies can locate the critical experience or the
repressed emotions “sadness, anger, fear or a combination of any or all of these feelings. An intense
feeling reaching the conscious awareness or selective awareness is called an abreaction “ since it is a
reaction from the original cause of tension, and free from any repressive action. Once the
communication has been established between the hypnotherapist and the individual, and between the
intellect and the subconscious (sometimes unconscious) mind the individual is directed to locate the
first event which evoked a feeling, an emotion (which put a certain part under motion) increased
heart rate, higher pulse, Goosebumps, headache, discomfort, pain produced by tension, fear,
embarrassment, shame, guilt etc,
Throughout the hypno-analysis procedure, the fundamental assumption maintains that the
Adult ego state can find a solution underlying the Parent/Child conflict provided it is given
sufficient information. The hypnotherapist must skillfully use these techniques to pry such
information from the unconscious memories and allow the adult mind to consider to keep only the
learning experience and to let go of the conflicting emotion.
This new solution will eliminate any other dysfunction, obsessions and compulsions, in time.
The individual now has the resources to care and protect, the repressed emotion is recognized,
accepted and relinquished. This phase of analytical hypnotherapy (regression therapy) must be
completed with care and thoroughness, and requires the individuals benefit and personal desire
towards healing, physically “mentally” emotionally and spiritually. This whole procedure must be
pleasant, positive to reach the outcome, goal. The recognition of the current irrelevance of the
previously repressed emotion is the most important step in hypnotherapy, a feeling of
communication, negotiation, forgiveness and understanding, love will set the individual free. Easy
Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking to find a
psychotherapist, counselor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting issue, or you
find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to someone
without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss anything
in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
Access is easy from The North side of Leicester, the South Side of Nottingham, including
West Bridgford and the South side of Derby. There is plenty of easy parking outside of or close to
the office which is located near to Loughborough town center.
PSYCHOTHERAPY: This term means the use of therapeutic measures which enable us and
empower us to alter the way we think, feel and behave in certain situations or in the arena of life.
Why? It is useful for EVERYONE. "You don’t have to be ill to get better”. It's probably true to say
that for the vast majority, psychotherapy is still popularly associated with being “ill” or having
something wrong with you. The stigma of psychological "problems" still permeates society with
unrealistic and inaccurate ideas about why people become troubled. The statistics in the UK
regarding these issues points to a culture which is in denial about its' mental health and even more in
denial with its' causes. When it is realised that those things which are perceived as problems, are
very often simply manifestations of misinterpretation of the situations we find our selves in, it is
possible to see problems quite differently, and know that the emotional pain we are feeling could be
either unnecessary or just too much for the situation. All therapists are all required to experience
psychotherapy of some sort as part of the their training and everyone finds something they may
choose to work with as part of this process. In this profession, all practitioners know exactly what it
is like to consult someone:- to sit in the chair.
Psychotherapy is different from counseling in that there are often challenges and exercises,
specifically designed to change ways of thinking and feeling. Some forms of psychotherapy are quite
process driven. Some forms of counseling, on the other hand, are useful for gaining insights, but
often fall short of producing the required change in some cases. Insights form the basis for change,
not the substance. A physical analogy can help here ...”If you have a pain in your leg after a fall, the
knowledge alone that it is a fracture does not cure the injury, but it does indicate appropriate care.”
Insight alone is not enough! Please note that not everyone shares this view. Which approach is best?
Some types of problems respond well to particular modes of therapy. There are literally scores of
different therapeutic approaches and so for the potential client, the task of finding the right approach
may be quite difficult. In addition, many therapists specialise in but one approach and whilst they
can opine the suitability of their approach for a specific issue, they may not be well placed to
comment on a best course of action and are unlikely to be able to switch approaches should their
therapeutic route be blocked or their client can not “do” their approach.
For this reason, John has sought to integrate approaches from a wide base of differing schools and
draws from many sources to form an individual and seemlessly integrated approach for each
individual. Although you will find a list of topics on this website, let me just say that, if there is
ANY issue in which the way you think, feel or behave is leading you to desire change, then I can
help YOU create the change YOU want.
RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
(REBT), was developed by Dr. Albert Ellis in 1955. It has since flourished and spawned a variety of
other cognitive-behavior therapies. REBT's effectiveness, short-term process, and relatively low cost
are major reasons for its popularity. REBT's comprehensive approach works best for individuals
desiring a scientific, present-focused, and active treatment for coping with life's difficulties, rather
than one which is mystical, historical, and largely passive.
REBT is based on a few simple principles having profound implications:
You are responsible for your own emotions and actions.
Your harmful emotions and dysfunctional behaviours are the product of irrational thinking.
You can learn more realistic views and, with practice, make them a part of you.
You'll experience a deeper acceptance of yourself and greater satisfactions in life by developing a
reality-based perspective.
REBT distinguishes clearly between two very different types of difficulties: practical
problems and emotional problems. Your flawed behaviour, unfair treatment by others, and
undesirable situations, represent practical problems. Regrettably, your human tendency is to upset
yourself about these practical problems, thereby unnecessarily creating a second order of problems
and emotional suffering. REBT addresses the latter by helping you: Take responsibility for your
distress. The first lesson in healthy emoting and relating was stated by the Roman philosopher
Epictetus more than 2000 years ago: only you can upset yourself about events - the events
themselves, no matter how undesirable, can never upset you. Recognise that neither another person,
nor an adverse circumstance, can ever disturb you - only you can. No one else can get into your gut
and churn it up. Others can cause you physical pain - by hitting you over the head with a baseball
bat, for example - or can block your goals. But you create your own emotional suffering, or
self-defeating behavioral patterns, about what others do or say. Identify your "musts." Once you
admit that you distort your own emotions and actions, then determine precisely how. The culprit
usually lies in one of the three core "musts:" (a demand on yourself): "I MUST do well and get
approval, or else I'm worthless." This demand causes anxiety, depression, and lack of assertiveness.
(a demand on others): "You MUST treat me reasonably, considerately, and lovingly, or else you're
no good." This "must" leads to resentment, hostility, and violence.
(a demand on situations): "Life MUST be fair, easy, and hassle-free, or else it's awful." This thinking
is associated with hopelessness, procrastination, and addictions.
Ascertain what you're demanding of yourself, of your significant others, or of your
circumstances. Not until you have discovered the "must" can you then go on effectively to reduce
your distress. Dispute your "musts." The only way you can ever remain disturbed about adversity is
by vigourously and persistently agreeing with one of these three "musts." Thus, once you've bared
them, then relentlessly confront and question your demands. Begin by asking yourself: "What's the
evidence for my must?' " "How is it true?" "Where's it etched in stone?" And then by seeing:
"There's no evidence." "My must' is entirely false." "It's not carved indelibly anywhere." Make your
view "must"-free, and then your emotions will heal.
Reinforce your preferences. Conclude, therefore with ese preferences:
"I strongly PREFER to do well and get approval, but even if I fail, I will accept myself fully,"
"I strongly PREFER that you treat me reasonably, kindly, and lovingly, but since I don't run the
universe, and it's a part of your human nature to err, I, then, cannot control you,"
="I strongly PREFER that life be fair, easy, and hassle-free, and it's very frustrating that it isn't, but
I can bear frustration and still considerably enjoy life."
Assuming that you take the above suggestions to heart and thereby greatly reduce your
anxiety, hostility, depression, and addictions, what remains? Will you exist robot-like, devoid of
human feeling and motivation? Hardly! Without your turmoil, you'll more easily experience love,
involvement, and joy. And without your addictions, you'll be freer to engage in the gratifying
experiences of spontaneity, commitment, and self-actualisation.
As you can see, REBT will appeal to you if you relish quickly taking control of your own
life, rather than remaining dependent upon a therapist for years. By giving you tools for identifying
and overcoming the true source of your difficulties, it will prepare you to act in many ways as your
own therapist. And by helping you to reinforce realistic, self benefitting beliefs, it will enable you to
eliminate present emotional and behavioural problems, and to avoid future ones.
Of the range of cognitive therapies available, this mode is in my opinion, philosophically
deeper, more satistying, more robust that any other and is this therapist's preferred mode of working
in the cognitive arena, despite recommendations by main stream medicine for CBT.
E M D R: Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) is an innovative clinical
treatment and an amazingly effective tool that has successfully helped over a million individuals
who have survived trauma, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, combat, crime, and those
suffering from a number of other complaints including depressions, addictions, phobias and a
variety of self-esteem issues. EMDR is a complex approach to psychotherapy that integrates many of
the successful elements of a range of therapeutic approaches in combination with eye movements or
other forms of rhythmical stimulation in ways that stimulate the brains information processing
system. With EMDR therapy it is unnecessary to delve into decades-old psychological material, but
rather, by activating the information processing system of the brain, people can achieve their
therapeutic goals at a rapid rate, with recognizable changes that don’t disappear over time.
Fourteen controlled studies support the efficacy of EMDR, making it the most thoroughly
researched method ever used in the treatment of trauma. The most recent 5 studies with individuals
suffering from events such as rape, loss of a loved one, accidents, natural disasters, etc. have found
that 84-90% no longer had post-traumatic stress disorder after only three treatment sessions. A
recent study financed by Kaiser Permanente revealed that EMDR was twice as effective in half the
amount of time compared to the standard traditional care. However, clients and clinicians should
note that EMDR is not a race. While many people show dramatic responses in a short amount of
time, there are also those who will progress more slowly and that the slower progression is not
abnormal. For instance, those with multiple traumas such as molestation and combat veterans will
generally need longer treatment. The one study offering a full course of treatment to combat veterans
found that after twelve sessions, 77% no longer had PTSD. Just as in any therapy, we all progress at
the rate appropriate to the individual and the clinical situation.
The major significance of EMDR is that it allows the brain to heal its psychological
problems at the same rate as the rest of the body is healing its physical ailments. Because EMDR
allows minds and body to heal at the same rate, it is effectively making time irrelevant in therapy.
Given its wide application, EMDR promises to be the therapy of the future.
Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking
to find a psychotherapist, counsellor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting
issue, or you find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to
someone without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss
anything in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
Access is easy from The North side of Leicester, the South Side of Nottingham, including West
Bridgford and the South side of Derby. There is plenty of easy parking outside of or close to the
office which is located near to Loughborough town center.
EFT: Right: Some of the tapping points for EFT. "Emotional Freedom Techniques" (EFT) is
an energy therapy which uses the same points as acupuncture, except that we don't use needles.
Instead, we tap with the fingertips, or apply gentle pressure to stimulate certain meridian points
while the client is "tuned in" to “spects” of the problem. The hypothesis behind EFT is that "the
cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system."
Whether or not this hypothesis is true is, to some extent depending on perspective, irrelevant
given that it really is effective! Personally, I do not care what explanation is valid, only whether it is
and how to use it. It is believed by some that the energies that may circulate throughout the body
have been largely ignored (until comparatively recently) by western scientists. As a result, our use
of them for emotional and spiritual healing has been sparse at best. With EFT however, these subtle
energies are considered to be the principle cause of emotional upsets. As a result, results that seem
significantly beyond those of conventional methods often occur. Further, EFT often seems to
provide relief for a very wide range of physical symptoms; its application seems wide compared to
other methodologies. EFT is a new (to the West) approach. It is where a growing number of
newcomers to this exciting field get their start. Many thousands of practitioners are now using EFT
world wide.
ZPOINT PROCESS (PRON: ZEE-POINT): This process is so simple it will make you ask
the question, "How can something so simple be so effective?" Read on. ZPoint is used to set
yourself free from emotions, behaviours and patterns you no longer wish to keep. It can also be
used to install new ones! Z-Point is NOT a coping strategy or method, it is a way of resolving issues
for good.
The first step in this simple process is to pick a cue word or keyword. A cue word is like the
on/off button on a torch. By following the process, you are telling the subconscious mind to go and
process, or clear, or reassociate information in the mind whenever it receives the cueword.
You can choose any word you wish - try to avoid the mundane words like "egg" or"grass".
Use something memorable that you are unlikely to use in your daily life, but keep it simple. Some
people choose exotic colours or names or crystals.
Next, you read the following short instruction to your sub-conscious mind. Really mean it
and want this instruction firmly embedded in your mind - it is going to improve the quality of your
life many fold. Finally, focus on something you wish to release and simply repeat your cue word like
a mantra for 10 or 15 seconds.
Now, just read the instruction to your subconscious mind: I hereby set a powerful
intention within you, my subconscious mind, to effect the best of all possible outcomes by this
clearing, and that each time I notice a pattern or patterns I wish to eliminate, as I say or think my cue
word, you will eliminate all such patterns and components of patterns completely and safely.
Each time I repeat my cue word in sequence, you will access deeper and deeper layers and all parts
and all aspects of my being.
You only have to read the above ONCE. Ever. You do not need to consciously remember it. Now
focus on what you wish to release, simply say the following statements as you tune into them in your
mind ...
I clear all the ways that I (feel angry, sad, wistful, lonely etc) I clear all the patterns connected to
those ways. I clear all the emotions connected to those patterns. That’s it!
You can also link each "way" statement and say steps 2 and 3 at the end. Here is an example using
stress as a focus, like this...
I clear all the ways that I feel stressed. I clear all the ways that I believe it's not safe for me to relax.
I clear all the reasons I believe I need stress to perform well.
I clear all the ways that my body is tight and uncomfortable.
I clear all the ways that I resist feeling relaxed.
I clear all the ways that I react to things by getting upset.
I clear all the ways that I allow little things to bother me.
Then... I clear all the patterns connected to all of those ways.
I clear all the emotions* connected to all of those patterns.
* Emotions include but are not limited to any anger, judgment, criticism, blame, shame, guilt,
resentment, fear and unforgiveness.
When I first tried this for myself, I was highly skeptical but soon realized I had been shown
something of great value. Try it for yourself - it safely and effectively affects you at a very deep
subconscious level, without hypnosis. You are likely to be amazed at the results. ZPoint has been
created by Canadian Certified Hypnotherapist Grant Connolly, CHt who can be reached through this
web site: www.zpointforpeace.com. Many thanks to Grant for the creation and continuing evolution
of this approach. Therapy does not have to be difficult!
COUNSELING WITH JOHN THORNLEY: Counseling: "Counseling" and
"Psychotherapy" are terms that are often used interchangeably. Although they are very similar, there
are profound differences as well. Technically speaking, "counselor" means "advisor". It involves two
people working together to solve a problem. It is a term that is used in conjunction with many types
of advice giving. For example, financial planning and spiritual guidance are both types of
counselling. Just about anyone at all may claim to be a counselor if they are in the role of giving
advice so some care is needed in selecting a suitable counselor or therapist so you are advised to
choose someone who is a member of either the BACP or UKCP.
Legislation: Legislation is likely to be going though in the United Kingdom relatively soon, which
makes it illegal to use the term counsellor, or psychotherapist unless you are state registered. In
some respects this is welcome, but the way in which this is being handled by the government is ill
advised, seeking to place the said professions under the auspices of the Health Professions Council.
This body oversees conduct of medical and health related activity in the UK. However, the
activities of counsellors and psychotherapists are very often not related to the outcome involving the
elimination of symptoms, rather, they are seen as a journey, sometimes short, towards a fuller way of
living. These issues do not nehave like "illness", nor are their outcomes measurable by a checklist.
Please draw your own conclusions about this.
Terminology: The term counselling may also properly be used to refer to what occurs in a
relationship with a psychotherapist. In practice, counselling can be tuned to meet the needs of the
client. It is always, at the very least, an opportunity in a safe place to work though thoughts, feelings
and sometimes behaviours ("stuff") that are reducing the quality of the life of the client. Very often,
simply acquiring the understanding of your own stuff can be enough but not always so. In the latter
situation, it is important to find ways to change and it becomes more important to find a counsellor
with an adequate "toolbox".
Options: Some clients have the opportunity to move into deeper work if counselling alone does not
take them towards their goal. Shifting modes in this way can be appear seemless and such transitions
are possible here.
WEIGHT LOSS AND SLIMMING: Diets: Diets don't work. If you are reading this you
probably already have tried a plethora of different diets and know that diets just don't work: they
don't produce sustainable change. Let me define what I mean by the word "diet": A temporary
alteration in eating patterns with the intention of changing (hopefully reducing) your weight or body
shape.
The body's systems are homeostatic. That is, whatever change we try to make the body
ultimately returns to the original set point. So after the diet is done, the body returns to where is was,
roughly speaking.
Worse still, by repeatedly eating less food in a contrived, unnatural or forced way, your mind
and body believe you are short of food, in famine, and slow down your metabolism. Fat is then more
easily stored.
Diets encourage "short term-ism" - "when I reach my goal weight I can get myself down to
the chip shop again". Or even - "I've been good this week I'll have a chocolate bar as a reward".
Long Term Solution? Simply, in order to maintain your desired, realistic weight, your
metabolic rate must be such that is converts what you eat into useable energy that you actually burn.
In other words, what goes in, must come out. To lose weight, there must be a temporary imbalance in
this equation - more energy must come out than goes in, in the short term, and the difference must
be small, slow and gentle, in order to avoid starvation or famine response. The long term solution
must permanently balance the equation. This means - a reduction in intake of food or an increase in
physical work expenditure, or both, and a metabolism that supports the newer "set point" of body
mass. Usually ... if you are eating too much as a habit, the situation can be altered relatively swiftly
and hypnotherapy can be a real aid to modifying your behaviour with food. More commonly, the
"too much" food or "wrong type" food programs are underpinned by an emotional need. This is
usually in the form of using food for self medication, or a simpler emotional "hit" and we just get to
like it - always a powerful emotional driver!
In these emotionally linked situations, it is important to realise that a simple "hypnosis only"
approach is likely to be insufficient to produce lasting, effective and comfortable change. If these
emotional issues are present, please be prepared to discuss them early on in therapy.
People with eating problems have, at some time in the past, discovered that eating changes the way
you feel. In truth, the availability of food as anchored to satisfaction or relief is a deep, deep process;
hard wired in the psyche. Without it, we would forget to eat and die!
But, if you feel unhappy or angry or fearful or guilty, these feelings may trigger the need to
eat in an attempt to mitigate the negative emotion - your mind and boy's way of feeling better when
you are upset. There are much better ways to feel good about yourself and further, reduce the impact
of negative circumstances on the way you feel. You will discover these for yourself in therapy. Only
in this way can the emotional triggers be removed. Can long term change be achieved?
Firstly, it is important to appreciate that you are going to change the way you perceive food.
You are going to make changes that must be acceptable to you for the rest of your life, or for as long
as you wish to remain at your desired, realistic weight. There is no short term answer or quick fix.
Hypnotherapy is really good at helping us to change the way we feel, think and behave, providing
these changes are acceptable to our subconscious AND conscious minds. Assuming no deeper cause
for eating too much exists, the following modifications to behaviour are relatively easily achieved;
some of them in only two or three sessions!
Automatically eating slower - this makes it possible to actually notice when we are full. Listening
to the full signal produced by our stomach and STOPPING eating when we are full. Only possible
through modification 1.
Enjoying each and every mouthful fully and completely. (Good!)
Eat when you are hungry - no putting off until the next meal time (sounds good ?)
No processed sugars. This is the ONLY no go area. All other foods are allowed with no other
exceptions.
You will naturally eat less at meals times but still feel satisfied.
You will think far less about food generally.
When you snack (IF!) you will enjoy foods that are better for you.
You will find better ways to actually solve your problems instead of feeding them!!!
What About Cravings? A craving is a powerful, often uncontrollable desire for something, in this
case a specific food substance or sub-class of food. This is accompanied by a powerful notion that
the satisfaction of the craving will feel powerfully good and that the satisfaction will change the way
you feel. There is anticipation and expectation. These uncontrollable impulses can be modified by
certain techniques that you will be taught very early on in therapy, thus releasing you from the
slavery of cravings and enabling you to control food, rather than the other way around.
QUIT SMOKING OR SMOKING CESSATION NOW: Quit Smoking: (a.k.a. Smoking
Cessation): I am frequently asked about using hypnotherapy to help people to stop smoking. I have
written this page in order to answer the most common, and some of the more surprising, questions
that have arisen on the telephone over the last 10 years.
Statistics for the Curious: You may be interested to know that hypnotherapy ranks very highly as
one of the most successful approaches to becoming a non-smoker. Patches and gum do rather
poorly, despite the marketing hype. Acupuncture is claimed to help but many have doubts about it.
According to a survey taken about 5 years (1999-2000) ago from clients who had consulted me to
help them stop smoking, a rate of about 80% to 85% succeeded over a sample of approximately 50
clients. That is, they were still non-smokers 6 months after therapy. It is the clients who were
successful! I just help. The remaining 15%-20% had lapsed but had not reconsulted.
Responsibility: The truth is that no matter what you may have been told about hypnosis, you can
not be made to do something you don’t really want to do. Some people ask me if I can to make them
stop: my answer is always the same; no. When people ask me if I can help them stop, the answer is
always the same; yes. People often believe themselves to be weak and unresourceful in this matter
but they often surprise themselves when they find that becoming a non-smoker by using hypnosis is
actually quite easy. All it takes is two things: The smoker takes responsibility for their own behavior
and its consequences. The smoker really wants to be a non-smoker - not just thinks they ought to
give up. It’s that simple. I do the rest with your co-operation of course! Are All Smokers Are The
Same? - No. I use a combination of hypnotherapy, EFT and cognitive therapy to help my clients
achieve their goal of becoming a non-smoker. There are, however, a number of smokers who have
become far more dependent on nicotine and for these clients the one-stop session is simply
unrealistic. I may have to use advanced analytic methods to help these clients dissolve the link
between their dependence and some hitherto unknown issue. The best thing that you can do for your
health (and possibly your finances) is to quit smoking NOW, whether it's no smoking day or any
other day. To stop smoking would also mean an improvement in your circulation, slow the ageing
process and reduce stress levels. You probably know all this, but that hasn’t help you much so far?
But Smoking Relaxes Me?!?! Many smokers believe that smoking relaxes them, however cigarettes
work in the same way as any other drug. Not having it causes anxiety or cravings, so when the drug
is taken (i.e. nicotine), that feeling is relieved. ... People are fooled because the nicotine has created
the anxiety in the first place. It comes as a real surprise the learn that the actual physical withdrawal
from nicotine can be handled relatively easily. But if this were the whole story then everybody
would be using patches successfully. The biggest problems are psychological.
For example associations may have been created and re-enforced by having a cigarette:
after a meal (habit + alteration of digestive process)
with alcohol (habit)
with tea and coffee (habit)
first thing in the morning etc. (habit + low nicotine blood levels)
With a friend who also smokes (habit + bonding)
There may also be associations with feelings such as when you are:
bored
stressed
lonely
upset
angry
People can associate being a smoker with:
glamour (not so common now)
sociability (not so common now)
rebellion (much more common than you might think)
having a reliable friend
There can be underlying issues driving the habit such as:
I want/deserve to die
Smoking is my friend
I can’t live without a cigarette
I don’t have any other pleasures in life.
I'm immune/It won't ge me.
and many, many more...
As a qualified hypno-psychotherapist these are just some of the issues which I help to resolve using
a combination of clinical hypnotherapy, EFT and CBT. These techniques will enable you to reduce
or eliminate cravings and withdrawal pangs. Costs & "Guarantees"
Please read carefully. You will see some therapists offering guarantees. No honest therapist can
guarantee that you will become a non-smoker, but I can promise to use my knowledge and expertise
to help you achieve your goal. Part of becoming a non-smoker is to begin to really take
responsibility for your own health - all I do is make it really easy to be a non-smoker and ultimately
- you still have free choice and free will as you would with any hypnosis. Those who guarantee
results already know that a significant client centered. This "drop off rate" is factored into their
elevated costs - you may end up paying for their "failure rate". My client's success rate is
approximately 80% (measured by 6 monthly follow ups in 1998).
EATING DISORDERS: An eating disorder is characterized by the use of food, usually in
excess or in deficit, in a manner which negatively affects both one's physical and mental health.
Eating disorders affect every part of the person's life. According to one source, feelings about work,
school, relationships, day-to-day activities and one's experience of emotional well being are
determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia
Nervosa and Binge Eating are the most common eating disorders generally recognized by medical
classification. In all, they affect an estimated 5% of females, and a lesser amount of males in the UK
during their lifetimes. There are several other eating disorders which are prevalent amongst certain
demographics that are being investigated and defined - so called Rumination syndrome, Compulsive
Overeating, and Selective Eating Disorder. All these disorders are charactized by an obsession with
food as a way of control.
Common Treatments: The scale of the problem means that only behavioural therapy seems
to be available within the NHS. Sadly, this mode of therapy does not significantly affect the real
cause of these disorders which as centred in inadequate self worth, fear of failure and disapproval of
others. Maturation issues are often present. These are core issues and must be addressed for
non-relapsing recovery to be possible. The fallout rate of therapy (failing to complete the course)
with these problems is high. Sadly, commitment to therapy is not a feature present in those whose
need is greatest, but with good motivation, these issues are successfully treatable. For more
information please call 07595 880250 . Please note that hypnotherapy is not a preferred first line
therapy for eating disorders in general, but can be useful as an adjunct or component to assist
bringing about change of self-worth and helping to deal with feelings associated with others. If you
are seeking help with a problem in this range of issues, please do not waste your time looking for a
quick fix; there aren't any quick fixes.
HOW TO BUILD CONFIDENCE: One way to look at confidence is to see it as an absence
of fear. Perhaps even the absence of fear of judgement by other people or the inner self, or criticism
or some other negative attribution. It is possible, that if you are suffering from a lack of confidence,
then your belief in yourself has been upset by an event or some events in the past where you have
experienced a humiliation or a severe criticism, perhaps by someone who holds authority over you,
or a group of people. This often first occurs in childhood but can be manifest without childhood
roots - we are all different.
In such circumstances, the analytical mind steps out of the way, much as it does when
hypnosis occurs, but in this circumstance, negative attributions about the self become programmed
into the subconscious mind. Simultaneously, the mind becomes fearful a re-enactment of the
humiltiation it experienced in this first event.
Effectively, you will have eventually started to believe the message - that your are not as
good as others, or are less capable than others, or unlikable and you will actively avoid challenges
which, in other circumstances, you might be happy to meet.
Self-Confidence can be attained by de-programming the events when the negative beliefs
went in, and the feelings associated with these events. Hypnotherapy is a first class tool to do this
kind of work, but other tools work jusy as well or even can be more effective, such as energy
psychotherapy like EFT, EMDR or now, AIT.
TREATING DEPRESSION: Depression can strike at any time. It has no outward
symptoms, so people may experience difficulties at work and home because others expect them to
'snap out of it'. Depression is something that no-one can snap out of. It is an illness and can be a
serious one. You may still be surprised by the reactions of those who do not understand it. Here you
can find out about depression and its treatment.
Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy", is one of the most effective ways to treat
depression. Studies have proven that talking to an "expert" about your condition can help resolve it.
While the results are not immediate, you may find that just expressing what you're feeling can bring
some relief. But there is much more that can be done. Short-term therapy has become more common
and may occur over a period of five to ten weeks.
Am I Depressed?
To find out if you are, you may download and print out the short depression inventory from the User
Area.
Types of Therapy
Several kinds of therapy are used to treat depression:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you identify and change the thought and behavior
patterns that contribute to depression. People who are depressed tend to think negatively, and
cognitive therapy teaches you how to identify and challenge the negative thoughts. This approach is
usually done in short-term therapy, and has been found to be particularly helpful for depression.
Rational Emotive Therapy: Interpersonal therapy looks at how depression can be connected to
troubled emotional relationships. Like cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy tends to be
a short-term therapy, and has been proven to work well with depression. Psychodynamic therapy
links depression to traumas and conflicts that happened earlier in your life, especially during
childhood. It can be a short-term treatment, although it is often a longer process. Some cite
psychodynamic therapy as ineffective with depression, although this view is simplistic. Easy Access
for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking to find a
psychotherapist, counselor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting issue, or you
find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to someone
without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss anything
in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
TREATMENT OF OCD (OBSSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER): Obssessive
Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is essentially defined as an anxiety disorder. The mind is filled with
thoughts "If I fail to do something or forget to do something a negative will happen to me". This
thought is often fed from some subconscious connection of a past event in life. As an example, the
person may have been told something when they were a child. “If you don't X you will get Y".
Because of this a fear develops and becomes rooted deep in the subconscious mind. It did not matter
if there was any basis or actual fact that supports the reason. Because of lack of real life experience
to test the statement the thought is accepted as factual. Once that happens it becomes part of the
foundation of that persons logic and thinking. Another example would be a traumatic experience.
A specific action to escape or end the traumatic event could be repeated to assure that the situation
will not come back. As an example a person may have been the victim of a burglary. The resulting
compulsion is to repeatedly checking to see if all the doors and windows are closed and locked.
Even if they know they are locked the need to check repeatedly is overwhelming. It is as if the act
of checking ought to lead to relief of the anxiety, but usually it doesn’t. Elaborate rituals often
accompany this behavior. The list of ways OCD starts can go on for several hours of reading.
Treatment options are widely varied, and each has specific results. Medication is effective but only
masks the problem. It does nothing to address the underlying root cause.
Typically insurance companies encourage this method of treatment because it is the least
expensive in their eyes. The results of the side effects of medication can vary. Often the first thing to
suffer is the sex life of the person. Then getting off the medications becomes another separate
problem. Yet another therapy is Hypnotherapy and this approach can sometimes yield faster results.
This is because Hypnosis deals directly with the subconscious mind. If the root cause is unknown, a
hypnotic technique known as age regression can be very helpful in identifying the events that set
OCD in motion. Once the cause is identified hypnosis becomes a powerful tool to set things right.
To use the example above on burglary, the Hypnotherapy would probably go like this; Assuming
that the cause "burglary" was not known. The first step would be to identify all the OCD elements
like closing windows and doors. Second would be to see how they are connected. Also ask to see if
they can recall about when the behaviour started. If they were not able to answer that then age
regression would be uses as a discovery tool. Note that the use of age regression has the potential of
reducing the discovery time. Once the root cause is identified, the subconscious is addressed and the
problem is resolved. Often, the real root of the cause lies in childhood and the person remains
completely asymptomatic for many years, when another later event with similar life themes triggers
the onset of symptoms. In such a case, an overactive fear of the situation reoccurring may have been
the root cause. Because Hypnosis deals directly with the subconscious mind the results can be much
faster than conventional talk/challenge therapy that deals more directly with the conscious mind.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR SELF-ESTEEM: There is no real substitute for a course of
therapy to address low or poor self-esteem. However, those with low self esteem are often locked
into behaviors which reinforce that low self-esteem! Check below and see if making each change
wouldn't seriously improve your sense of self. 10 Self Esteem Tips
Anyone can have a self esteem problem. You are continuously exposed to many signs and
signals that encourage you to compare the way you are, work, look, behave etc. etc, with others and
somehow, come up wanting. The commercial world actually functions by creating insecurity in you
so that you will try to better yourself, or train in a new area, or buy a new car (because it says
something about YOU). The list appears endless.
When people talk about improving self-esteem, they usually mean self-confidence. While the
two are related, they are not the same. Self-esteem is all about self-worth and self-value. It's how we
see ourselves in relation to other people and our environment. It has nothing to do with vanity or
conceit. The lack of self-esteem is a major problem and occurs across all social groups. Rich and
poor alike are afflicted by it and people decide between happiness and unhappiness because of it. If
self-esteem is an area in your life where you need improvement, here are some tips you can use to
build your self-value and improve the way you see yourself:
Useful Suggestions: Decide what is important to you and know what you want. You can't assess
where you are in your journey if you have no idea what you want to have in life. You also will not
be able to judge whether you've been doing a good job or just so-so. Set goals that are clear and
realistic. Make sure that these are things you want to do and attain, and not things your parents,
family, friends and colleagues insist you 'should' have. Is it just the latest trends that dictate your
aspirations? If so, you will never catch up and be satisfied. You can only claim your goals as your
own if you recognize them as things you truly, genuinely want in your life.
Assess your "good" points. List the things that you do well and the things that make you feel good
about yourself. It could be anything intelligence, a good sense of humor, good analytical ability,
compassion, creativity, ability to spot trends, people skills, things that you have and recognize as an
integral part of your personality and talents. No matter how low you feel in your life, these are
qualities that you never lose. You will be tempted to compare yourself to an "expert" to measure
yourself. Don't. It's toxic. You can not be an expert in everything and probably won't be an expert in
any more that one thing if that! Recognize your liabilities.
Improving your self-esteem does not mean ignoring the things that make you human. To be
human is to make mistakes, just do not let them keep you stuck. A mistake is a teacher. Learn from
it and let it go. List your negative traits and label them as areas in your life you need to work on,
areas for improvement. Treating them as downright liabilities will make them seem an unalterable
feature of your life and create a feeling that you are helpless against them. Build slowly but surely what's the rush?
Take little steps to improve your self-esteem. Big successes build upon small successes. You
can't decide to change your outlook drastically today and expect extreme results in the morning. By
taking it slowly and performing well during each turn, you gradually build a solid base of
achievements that will boost your self-esteem more effectively.
Make it a point to improve yourself daily. Whatever you do, say or think should be geared
towards improving your self-esteem. Improve the way you dress, walk or talk. Take further studies
to hone your knowledge and skills, learn a new language, take up cooking classes, start a new
hobby. Being able to immerse yourself in worthwhile activity creates a feeling of capability and
opens new opportunities for growth. It is not egotistical to like yourself.
Keep away from people who shoot you down with snide remarks and unfair criticisms.
Associate with positive people. There will always be grouches and negativists who will think
nothing about giving careless opinions that make other people think unworthy of praise or
recognition. If you find people who make it their life mission to belittle other people's achievements,
keep your distance. They will not contribute anything good to your life.
Be yourself. You'll never improve your self-esteem if you try to live life and find acceptance as a
projected mask of yourself. Pretending to be someone you're not will fail to affirm your uniqueness
and potential and will only make you sadder about your circumstance. You can't make everyone love
you, so don’t try. It is OK to be you. It always has been. It always will be. Others people's judgments
of you are precisely that; someone else's ideas. They are not absolute they are relative, and a result of
that person's own life, experience and values. Who are they to judge you anyway?
Make other people feel good about themselves. People tend to like you more if you're honest and
pleasant. Polish your listening skills and body language to make people feel comfortable. Respond
to them visibly and with interest. You might think that this is the opposite of what you want to do to
improve your self-esteem but by actually focusing your attention on other people, you create an aura
of like ability that they gravitate towards, making them choose you over others. And when you are
singled out as a good person who's terrific to be with, your self-esteem grows. You have the right to
make mistakes.
Nobody's perfect, regardless of what you've heard or what popular media wants you to
believe. By accepting that you will make mistakes and that it's all right, you learn to recognize that it
is a necessary process you need to go through in order for you to improve yourself.
You may be someone who tries to be perfect in order to negate criticism from others and
now believe the untrue idea that you need to be perfect in order to be OK. This should be unlearned.
You are unique - you were born and therefore have a right to be here! Great. If you were someone
else, or much like them the world would be incredibly dull.
You were not put on earth to please other people, you can leave them to do that for
themselves, just as you can for yourself. You are not responsible for the happiness of other people,
no matter what someone may have told you in the past. Every adult has the responsiblity for their
own thoughts, feelings and behavior. If it applies to others, it must apply to you too. What a relief!
Recognize that you are a unique individual with a different set of talents and that you have
something to contribute. You may not be a big celebrity like Justin Timberlake, as rich as Bill Gates
or as powerful as Oprah Winfrey, but your individuality makes you as important as they are, with as
much right to exist and make something of yourself.
HELP WITH AND TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS: Anxiety disorders
are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 10% of the adult population. These disorders
fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety
caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are
chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not treated.
Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is yielding new,
improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives.
If you think you have an anxiety disorder, you should seek information from your GP and consider
the help offered. Treatment is also available here at Mind & Body.
This section of our web site will help you identify the symptoms of anxiety disorders, and
explain the causes of these conditions. Effective treatments are suggested, and you should contact a
therapist here or elsewhere to discuss your situation and individual needs.
The anxiety disorders discussed in this web site are;
panic disorder
obsessive-compulsive disorder
post-traumatic stress disorder
social phobia (or social anxiety disorder)
specific phobias
generalized anxiety disorder
Each anxiety disorder has its own distinct features, but they are all bound together by the
common theme of excessive, irrational fear and dread. Easy Access for Loughborough and from
Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking to find a psychotherapist, counsellor or
hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting issue, or you find my approach in some
area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to someone without any commitment, then
please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss anything in complete confidentiality
without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
TREATMENT OF PANIC ATTACKS AND PANIC DISORDER: People with panic
disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no apparent warning. They
can't predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes,
worrying when and where the next one will strike.
If you are having a panic attack, most likely your heart will pound and you may feel sweaty,
weak, faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb, and you might feel flushed or chilled.
You may have nausea, chest pain or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of
impending doom or loss of control. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack or losing
your mind, or on the verge of death.
Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack generally peaks within 10
minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. Panic disorder affects about 1% of the adult
population and is twice as common in women as in men. It most often begins during late
adolescence or early adulthood. Risk of developing panic disorder appears to be inherited, but may
also be learned. Not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorderâ_”for
example, many people have one attack but never have another. For those who do have panic
disorder, though, it's important to seek treatment. Untreated, the disorder can become very disabling.
Panic disorder is sometimes accompanied by another overlapping condition such as depression, drug
abuse, or alcoholism, and may lead to a pattern of avoidance of places or situations where panic
attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack strikes while you're riding in a lift, you may
develop a fear of lifts. If you start avoiding them, that could affect your choice of a job or apartment
and greatly restrict other parts of your life.
Some people's lives become so restricted that they avoid normal, everyday activities such as
shopping or driving. In some cases they become housebound. Or, they may be able to confront a
feared situation only if accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person.
Basically, these people avoid any situation in which they would feel helpless if a panic attack
were to occur. When people's lives become so restricted, as happens in about one-third of people
with panic disorder, the condition is called agoraphobia. Early treatment of panic disorder can often
prevent agoraphobia.
Panic disorder is one of the most treatable of the anxiety disorders, responding in most cases
to psychotherapy or hypnopsychotherapy. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack,
losing your mind, or are on the verge of death. Attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep.
TREATMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD): Post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that can develop following a terrifying event.
Often, people with PTSD have persistent intrusive and/or frightening thoughts and memories of
their ordeal and feel emotionally numbed, sometimes with people they were once close to. PTSD
was first brought to public attention by war veterans (originally known as shell shock), but it can
result from any number of traumatic incidents. These include violent attacks such as mugging, rape,
or torture; being kidnapped or held captive; child abuse; serious accidents such as car or train
wrecks; and natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes. The event that triggers PTSD may be
something that threatened the person's life or the life of someone close to him or her. Or it could be
something witnessed, such as massive death and destruction after a building is bombed or a plane
crashes. Whatever the source of the problem, some people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma
in the form of nightmares and disturbing recollections during the day. They may also experience
other sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled. They may lose interest in things
they used to enjoy and have trouble feeling affectionate. They may feel irritable, more aggressive
than before, or even violent. Things that remind them of the trauma may be very distressing, which
could lead them to avoid certain places or situations that bring back those memories. Ordinary
events can serve as reminders of the trauma and trigger flashbacks or intrusive images. A person
having a flashback, which can come in the form of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, may lose
touch with reality and believe that the traumatic event is happening all over again. Not every
traumatized person gets full-blown PTSD, or experiences PTSD at all. PTSD is diagnosed only if
the symptoms last more than a month. In those who do develop PTSD, symptoms usually begin
within 3 months of the trauma, and the course of the illness varies. Some people recover within 6
months, others have symptoms that last much longer. In some cases, the condition may be chronic.
Occasionally, the illness doesn't show up until years after the traumatic event. People with PTSD can
be helped significantly by psychotherapy such as EMDR or EFT. Ordinary events can serve as
reminders of the trauma and trigger flashbacks or intrusive images. Anniversaries of the traumatic
event are often very difficult.
TREATMENT OF SOCIAL PHOBIA AND SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER: Social
phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive
self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense,
and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by
their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other
ordinary activities. While many people with social phobia recognise that their fear of being around
people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days
or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation, and will actively avoid social contact.
Social phobia is sometimes limited to only one type of situation-such as a fear of speaking in
formal or informal situations, or eating, drinking, or writing in front of others-or, in its most severe
form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other
people. Social phobia can be very debilitating-it may even keep people from going to work or school
on some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time making and keeping friends.
Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include
blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. If you suffer from social
phobia, you may be painfully embarrassed by these symptoms and feel as though all eyes are
focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people other than your family.
People with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational. Even if they manage to
confront what they fear, they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable
throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about how they may have
been judged or what others may have thought or observed about them.
Social phobia affects about 2% of the adult population and women and men are equally
likely to develop it. The disorder usually begins in childhood or early adolescence, and there is some
evidence that genetic factors may be involved. Social phobia often occurs with concommitant
anxiety disorders or depression. Substance abuse or dependence may develop in individuals who
attempt to "self-medicate" their social phobia by drinking or using drugs. Social phobia can be
treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy and medications. Social phobia can
severely disrupt normal life, interfering with school, work, or social relationships. The dread of a
feared event can begin weeks in advance and be quite debilitating.
TREATMENT OF PHOBIAS: A specific phobia is an intense fear of something that poses
little or no actual danger. Some of the more common specific phobias are centered around closed-in
places, heights, escalators, tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, dogs, and injuries involving
blood. Such phobias aren't just extreme fear; they are irrational fear of a particular thing. You may
be able to ski the world's tallest mountains with ease but be unable to go above the 5th floor of an
office building. While adults with phobias realise that these fears are irrational, they often find that
facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared object or situation brings on a panic attack or severe
anxiety. Because the action of the phobia is out of conscious control, the sufferer often believe
themself to be weak or stupid when in fact neither is the case.
Specific phobias affect an estimated 5% of the adult population and are twice as common in
women as in men. The causes of some specific phobias are not well understood, whereas other can
be attributed to a sensitising event which can be accessed by the use of hypnotherapy, for example.
There is some evidence that some phobias are familial and may be learned. Specific phobias usually
first appear during childhood or adolescence and tend to persist into adulthood. If the object of the
fear is easy to avoid, people with specific phobias may not feel the need to seek treatment.
Sometimes, though, they may make important career or personal decisions to avoid a phobic
situation, and if this avoidance is carried to extreme lengths, it can be disabling. Specific phobias are
highly treatable with hypnotherapy, EMDR, EFT and others. Phobias involving snakes and spiders
are, strangely, a little more complicated but still treatable. Phobias aren't just extreme fears; they are
irrational fears. You may be able to ski the world's tallest mountains with ease but feel panic going
above the 5th floor of an office building. They can not be overcome by "being brave" or "pulling
yourself together".
Phobias often present with a co-morbid condition, such as another anxiety problem or even
depression. If such a condition exists, it is usually necessary to treat the underlying condition first.
Sometimes other disorders masquerade as phobias whilst phobias can also present with other
underlying conditions. This is why some people seem to rid themselves of phobias very easily and
others do not find the process as simple or effortless. A good, accurate diagnosis is vital.
Phobia List
For those who like to have a name for their phobia, here is a 'short' list! it's very short compared to
the list you can find at www.phobialist.com, but then it doesn't really help knowing what it's called,
but at least you can impress someone with it! :-)
A
Achluophobia - Fear of darkness.
Acrophobia - Fear of heights.
Agliophobia - Fear of pain.
Agoraphobia - Fear of open spaces or crowds.
Aichmophobia - Fear of needles or pointed objects.
Amaxophobia - Fear of riding in a car.
Androphobia - Fear of men.
Anginophobia - Fear of angina or choking.
Anthrophobia - Fear of flowers.
Anthropophobia - Fear of people or society.
Aphenphosmphobia - Fear of being touched.
Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders.
Arithmophobia - Fear of numbers.
Astraphobia - Fear of thunder and lightening.
Ataxophobia - Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Atelophobia - Fear of imperfection.
Atychiphobia - Fear of failure.
Autophobia - Fear of being alone.
B
Bacteriophobia - Fear of bacteria.
Barophobia - Fear of gravity.
Bathmophobia - Fear of stairs or steep slopes.
Batrachophobia - Fear of amphibians.
Belonephobia - Fear of pins and needles.
Bibliophobia - Fear of books.
Botanophobia - Fear of plants.
C
Cacophobia - Fear of ugliness.
Catagelophobia - Fear of being ridiculed.
Catoptrophobia - Fear of mirrors.
Chionophobia - Fear of snow.
Chromophobia - Fear of colours.
Chronomentrophobia - Fear of clocks.
Claustrophobia - Fear of confined spaces.
Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns.
Cyberphobia - Fear of computers.
Cynophobia - Fear of dogs.
D
Dendrophobia - Fear of trees.
Dentophobia - Fear of dentists.
Domatophobia - Fear of houses.
Dystychiphobia - Fear of accidents.
E
Ecophobia - Fear of the home.
Elurophobia - Fear of cats.
Entomophobia - Fear of insects.
Ephebiphobia - Fear of teenagers.
Equinophobia - Fear of horses.
G
Gamophobia - Fear of marriage.
Genuphobia - Fear of knees.
Glossophobia - Fear of speaking in public.
Gynophobia - Fear of women.
H
Heliophobia - Fear of the sun.
Hemophobia - Fear of blood.
Herpetophobia - Fear of reptiles.
Hydrophobia - Fear of water.
I
Iatrophobia - Fear of doctors.
Insectophobia - Fear of insects.
K
Koinoniphobia - Fear of rooms.
L
Leukophobia - Fear of the colour white.
Lilapsophobia - Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes.
Lockiophobia - Fear of childbirth.
M
Mageirocophobia - Fear of cooking.
Megalophobia - Fear of large things.
Melanophobia - Fear of the colour black.
Microphobia - Fear of small things.
Mysophobia - Fear of dirt and germs.
N
Necrophobia - Fear of death or dead things.
Noctiphobia - Fear of the night.
Nosocomephobia - Fear of hospitals.
O
Obesophobia - Fear of gaining weight.
Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8.
Ombrophobia - Fear of rain.
Ophidiophobia - Fear of snakes.
Ornithophobia - Fear of birds.
P
Papyrophobia - Fear of paper.
Pathophobia - Fear of disease.
Pedophobia - Fear of children.
Philophobia - Fear of love.
Phobophobia - Fear of phobias.
Podophobia - Fear of feet.
Porphyrophobia - Fear of the colour purple.
Pteridophobia - Fear of ferns.
Pteromerhanophobia - Fear of flying.
Pyrophobia - Fear of fire.
S
Scolionophobia - Fear of school.
Selenophobia - Fear of the moon.
Sociophobia - Fear of social evaluation.
Somniphobia - Fear of sleep.
T
Tachophobia - Fear of speed.
Technophobia - Fear of technology.
Tonitrophobia - Fear of thunder.
Trypanophobia - Fear of injections.
V-Z
Venustraphobia - Fear of beautiful women.
Verminophobia - Fear of germs.
Wiccaphobia - Fear of witches and witchcraft.
Xenophobia - Fear of strangers or foreigners.
Zoophobia - Fear of animals.
TREATMENT OF GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER: Generalized Anxiety
Disorder is much more than the normal anxiety people experience day to day. It's chronic and fills
one's day with exaggerated worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it.
Having this disorder means always anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health,
money, family, or work. Sometimes, though, the source of the worry is hard to pinpoint. Simply the
thought of getting through the day provokes anxiety.
People with GAD can't seem to shake their concerns, even though they usually realize that
their anxiety is more intense than the situation warrants. Their worries are accompanied by physical
symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing,
trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. People with GAD may feel lightheaded
or out of breath. They also may feel nauseated or have to go to the bathroom frequently.
Individuals with GAD seem unable to relax, and they may startle more easily than other people.
They tend to have difficulty concentrating, too. Often, they have trouble falling or staying asleep.
Unlike people with several other anxiety disorders, people with GAD don't characteristically avoid
certain situations as a result of their disorder. When impairment associated with GAD is mild,
people with the disorder may be able to function in social settings or on the job. If severe, however,
GAD can be very debilitating, making it difficult to carry out even the most ordinary daily
activities.
GAD affects about 2% of the adult population and about twice as many women as men. The
disorder comes on gradually and can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between
childhood and middle age. It is diagnosed when someone spends at least 6 months worrying
excessively about a number of everyday problems. There is evidence that genetic disposition plays a
modest role in GAD. GAD rarely occurs alone, however; it is usually accompanied by another
anxiety disorder, depression, or some other issue.
AWARE: You may have been pointed to this page by your therapist. To Cope with Anxiety,
Remember A-W-A-R-E. The key to switching out of an anxiety state is to accept it fully. Remaining
in the present and accepting your anxiety cause it to disappear; A: Accept the anxiety. Welcome it.
Don’t fight it. Replace your rejection, anger, and hatred of it with acceptance. By resisting, you’re
prolonging the unpleasantness of it. Instead, flow with it. Don’t make it responsible for how you
think, feel, and act.
W: Watch your anxiety. Look at it without judgment; not good, not bad. Rate it on a 0-to-10 scale
and watch it go up and down. Be detached. Remember, you’re not your anxiety. The more you can
separate yourself from the experience, the more you can just watch it.
A: Act with the anxiety. Act as if you aren’t anxious. Function with it. Slow down if you have to,
but keep going. Breathe slowly and normally. If you run from the situation your anxiety will go
down, but your fear will go up. If you stay, both your anxiety and your fear will go down.
R: Repeat the steps. Continue to accept your anxiety, watch it, and act with it until it goes down to a
comfortable level. And it will. Just keep repeating these three steps: accept, watch, and act with it.
E: Expect the best. What you fear the most rarely happens. Recognize that a certain amount of
anxiety is normal. By expecting future anxiety you’re putting yourself in a good position to accept it
when it comes again. Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If
you are looking to find a psychotherapist, counselor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a
presenting issue, or you find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to
talk to someone without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can
discuss anything in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe
environment.
HELP WITH ANXIETY, STRESS AND PANIC: Self-help: You can learn relaxation
techniques through groups or professionals or teach yourself with books, CDs and DVDs. You can
use this 10 minute session to help now, or something similar. I will be adding more useful relaxation
sessions soon. Regular practice will help you to relax when you need to most. Don't wait until you
feel anxious to practice being relaxed! Think about it! You may not want to talk to family members
about your anxiety - you anxiety may have something to do with them! Friends can help but there is
no substitute for talking to a professional. Call me on 07595 880250for advice of make an
appointment for a FREE assessment. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Sometimes friends or relatives you trust and respect, and who are good listeners can be useful, but
only if their advice is free from personal self-interest or prejudice or bias. Even though they may
have had the same problem themselves, it doesn't make them an expert.
Why me? You are suffering from anxiety because deep down you are unsure you can deal with
something, and the something isn't a situation, a person, a place or event. The something is YOUR
FEELINGS. All anxiety is about this. Very effective therapy helps you deal with this issue as
directly as you will allow. I can help you.
HELP WITH SLEEP PROBLEMS OR INSOMNIA: What is insomnia? It is not
unusual to have sleep troubles from time to time. But, if you feel that you do not get enough sleep or
satisfying sleep, you may have insomnia, a sleep disorder.
People with insomnia have one or more of the following:
difficulty falling asleep;
waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep;
waking up too early in the morning;
unrefreshing sleep.
Insomnia can cause problems during the day, such as sleepiness, fatigue, difficulty
concentrating, and irritability. A person with insomnia may also have another sleep disorder such as
sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. The true price of insomnia is seldom
appreciated. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. The amount of
sleep a person needs varies. While most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some
people do well with less, and some need more. About 20% of the population each year suffer from
insomnia, which can lead to serious sleep deficits and problems. Insomnia tends to increase with age
and affects about 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men.
Types and Causes of Insomnia? A person can have primary or secondary insomnia. Primary
insomnia means that a person is having sleep problems that are not directly associated with any
other health condition or problem. Secondary insomnia means that a person is having sleep
problems because of something else, such as a health condition (like depression, heartburn, cancer,
asthma, arthritis), pain, medication they are taking, or a substance they are using (like alcohol).
Insomnia can vary in how long it lasts and how often it occurs. Insomnia can be short-term (called
acute insomnia) or last a long time (called chronic insomnia). It can also come and go (or be
intermittent), with periods of time when a person has no sleep problems. Acute (short-term)
insomnia can last from one night to a few weeks. It is often caused by emotional or physical
discomfort, and may be related to a single specific event. Causes of acute insomnia can include:
significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, moving);
illness;
environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
that interfere with sleep;
things that throw off a normal sleep schedule (like jet lag or switching from a day to night shift).
Chronic (long-term) insomnia is when a person has insomnia at least 3 nights a week for 1 month or
longer. It can be caused by many things and often occurs along with other health problems.
Common causes of chronic insomnia are depression, chronic stress, and pain or discomfort at night.
How is insomnia treated? Conventional thinking leads us to reach for a pill, but acute, or
short-term insomnia may not require treatment. However, if your insomnia makes it hard to
function during the day because you are sleepy and tired, your health care provider may prescribe
sleeping pills for a limited time. Mild insomnia often can be prevented or cured by practicing good
sleep habits. A more direct intervention will probably include hypnosis or hypnotherapy.
Treatment for chronic (long-term) insomnia includes first treating any underlying conditions or
health problems that are causing the insomnia. This includes any psychological or emotional issue!
So, even if you have had insomnia for a long time, this does not mean you will have to suffer for the
forseeable future.
However, in just the say way that different people experience different issues that prevent
them from easy and refreshed sleep, different people may respond more quickly or more slowly depending on the type, amount and level of therapy needed. This can vary from 1 or 2 sessions to, in
the worsed cases, as many as ten sessions. One needs to remember that we all respond differently to
treatment.
What habits promote a good night's sleep? Good sleep habits can help you get a good night's
sleep.
For example: Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and get up at the same time each
morning. Try not to take naps during the day because naps may make you less sleepy at night.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol late in the day. (Typically after 4pm). Caffeine and nicotine
are stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep. Alcohol can cause waking in the night and
interferes with sleep quality. Get regular exercise. Try not to exercise close to bedtime because it
may stimulate you and make it hard to fall asleep. Experts suggest not exercising for 3 hours before
the time you go to sleep.
Don't eat a heavy meal late in the day. A light snack before bedtime, however, may help you sleep!
Make your sleeping place comfortable. Be sure that it is dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold. If
light is a problem, try a sleeping mask. If noise is a problem, try earplugs, a fan, or a "white noise"
machine to cover up the sounds.
Follow a routine to help relax and wind down before sleep, such as reading a book, listening to
music, or taking a bath.
Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep or sex. If you can't fall asleep and don't feel
drowsy, get up and read or do something that is not overly stimulating until you feel sleepy. If you
have trouble lying awake worrying about things, try making a to-do list before you go to bed. This
may help you to "let go" of those worries overnight.
TREATMENT OF IBS, USING HYPNOTHERAPY IN GUT DIRECTED WORK.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): IBS is a bowel disorder where abdominal pain, and/or feelings of
distention or bloating are linked with defecating or other changes in bowel habit. There can be
physical symptoms of stress underlying this condition, including gas, constipation or diarrhoea,
cramps and muscle spasms, or frequent indigestion or heartburn.
About a quarter of the population have reported symptoms of IBS and hypnotherapy has
been shown to be extremely effective with a high proportion of clients, showing improvement in
both symptoms and overall well-being. By using hypnosis to explore some of the aspects of feelings
of anxiety that can be linked to IBS, sufferers can regain control over their own bodies through
building tools for relaxation and dissociation from uncomfortable events. The main advantage of
using hypnosis is that this method simply allows greater access to a person's unconscious mind, so
that they can themselves effect the changes they require. Use of hypnosis gives the individual ways
of managing the internal experiences connected with IBS for themselves, so that, where their past
internal experience has been that of discomfort and anxiety, this can be changed to feelings of
comfort, safety and relaxation. In this way, quality of life can be substantially improved.
Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking
to find a psychotherapist, counselor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting
issue, or you find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to
someone without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss
anything in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.
HELP WITH ANXIETY, STRESS AND PANIC: Self-help: You can learn relaxation
techniques through groups or professionals or teach yourself with books, CDs and DVDs. You can
use this 10 minute session to help now, or something similar. I will be adding more useful relaxation
sessions soon. Regular practice will help you to relax when you need to most. Don't wait until you
feel anxious to practice being relaxed! Think about it! You may not want to talk to family members
about your anxiety - you anxiety may have something to do with them! Friends can help but there is
no substitute for talking to a professional. Call me on 07595 880250for advice of make an
appointment for a FREE assessment. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Sometimes friends or relatives you trust and respect, and who are good listeners can be useful, but
only if their advice is free from personal self-interest or prejudice or bias. Even though they may
have had the same problem themselves, it doesn't make them an expert.
Why me? You are suffering from anxiety because deep down you are unsure you can deal with
something, and the something isn't a situation, a person, a place or event. The something is YOUR
FEELINGS. All anxiety is about this. Very effective therapy helps you deal with this issue as
directly as you will allow. I can help you.
Easy Access for Loughborough and from Leicester, Nottingham & Derby If you are looking
to find a psychotherapist, counsellor or hypnotherapist to help with the resolution of a presenting
issue, or you find my approach in some area speaks to you in some way, or simply wish to talk to
someone without any commitment, then please contact me here in Loughborough. You can discuss
anything in complete confidentiality without judgement or criticism in a totally safe environment.