Sleep Self-help
Yesterday, I watched a TedX talk called “Trick Your Brain Into Falling Asleep“. In it, a musician (drummer) and educator named Jim Donovan tells his story of extreme anxiety that saw him taken to hospital.
The Importance of Appreciation
I have been reading the book “Time to Think: The Power of Independent Thinking” by Nancy Kline. In one chapter, she talks about how appreciation stabilises the heart and stimulates thinking what she calls good thinking that is productive.
Helping Social Anxiety
In a 1986 study, university students were asked to describe the kinds of situations that caused them to feel shy. A whopping 80% of them reported that talking to strangers and authority figures evoked this feeling in them.
Keeping Problems In Place
People who come to therapy do so because they are experiencing some kind of problem that is causing them pain and don’t know how to resolve it. Usually, there is some kind of pattern operating that we call a pattern of chronicity.
Are You One of the 15%?
According to a poll published in i newspaper this week, 15 per cent of those polled intended to set a new year’s resolution to cut down their alcohol consumption.
Cake - Making a Gentle Decision
Recently, I was telling someone that I was going for coffee with some of the people with whom I attend a dance class. He said there would inevitably be cake (we had been having a conversation about health).
Public Speaking Misery
Imagine you have a fear of public speaking. It’s not just lots of people looking at you or bright lights. It’s worse when there are “authority figures” present. You’re afraid of forgetting your message, of not being able to express yourself clearly, of being asked a question you can’t answer.
What is Integral Eye Movement Therapy?
IEMT is a brief change model that allows the client to dissociate from disturbing memories, reduce the intensity of negative emotions and address identity issues.
Is It Stuck In the Past?
I am coming to the end of some training in Integral Eye Movement Therapy, a brief change model that allows you to dissociate from upsetting memories and process difficult emotions.
Comfort Zone to Growth Zone
Recently, I watched a video on you tube by a young woman about getting out of your comfort zone and how she herself was doing this in her own life. I thought it was such a useful topic to cover as it is one with which we are all confronted.
Reviewing the Past
There are times when I need to review something from the past with a client. This might be because an event or events that took place in the client’s history had such a strong impact that they are still affected by it at an unconscious level in the present.
Rehearse It
In hypnotherapy, we frequently use mental rehearsal. For example, when someone comes to see me say to stop smoking, they will often have a few scenarios that they believe will be the most difficult ones for them in which to not smoke.
Your Body and the Fight/Flight Response
Sweaty palms, racing heart, shortness of breath, knots in the stomach, inability to think clearly - these are just some of the indicators that your nervous system is in fight/flight mode.
Can You See It?
When someone comes to see me for help with losing weight, I will always ask them if they can see themselves at the weight they want to be.
Strong Emotion and Belief
Our beliefs are formed in many ways throughout our lives. We have been influenced by our caretakers, teachers, religious leaders, peers and have made our own decisions about what we believe in different circumstances.
I Won’t Ever Get Over It
As I was looking through the BBC website today, my attention was taken by the headline “GB rider won’t ever get over back-flip crash”.
Is Your Phone Making You Stressed?
Recently, I was watching a talk by an American expert on stress called Brian Luke Seaward during which he talked a great deal about the effect of the use of technology and in particular smartphones, on our levels of stress.
Stress - Building Your Strengths
The term ‘stress’ was coined by the endocrinologist Hans Selye to describe ‘the non-specific response of the body to any demand‘. Selye noted on ward rounds that despite having different diagnoses, many patients would have certain symptoms in common.
Why Are You Here?
Stress dampens pleasure. In my opinion, we are not here to lead stressful lives but rather to grow and develop.
Is Smoking Damaging Your Brain?
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health. One thing that is rarely talked about however is the connection between smoking and the deterioration of the brain and cognitive functioning.