| Anger Anxiety Confidence Depression IBS |
OCD Pain Management Panic Attacks Phobias |
PTSD Stop Smoking Stress Management Weight Problems |
Anger
Anger is a normal response that is ‘built in’ to every human being. We can all suffer anger from time to time but when it has the potential to turn to violence, or it starts to affect our daily lives, then it could be time to do something about it. The first time you visit Val Baker Hypnotherapy you will attend the free initial consultation where you are provided with a complete and detailed explanation of how the brain works, why anger is created and importantly, what we can do to control it.
Anger is merely a primitive response to aid in our survival. The problem presents itself today when this response is inappropriate, for example when on the road we are‘cut up’ by an irresponsible driver or we find ourselves yelling at our partner or children.
Once we understand how anger is created then we can start to change. Anger is created by negative thinking, therefore if we continually create negative, pessimistic and downbeat thoughts and actions, we will then, consequentially, initiate primitive and angry responses.
When you visit Val Baker Hypnotherapy practice, we leave the negativity behind and discuss various ways to promote positive change. We help you to keep stress responses under control. We work together by using trance to enable you to eliminate anger through positive affirmations….. so that anger really does become a thing of the past.
Anxiety
Hypnotherapy is an excellent way to help with the reduction of anxiety and stressful situations. When we become anxious, our mind and body is telling us that we are in a ‘dangerous’ situation. Our heart starts beating harder, we start to sweat, or stomach can churn and in a really bad episode, our fight or flight ‘mechanism’ can be triggered, we can have a panic attack and be off like a shot! This can happen in countless situations for example, travelling in a car, going out for meals, public speaking and can even lead eventually to an individual not leaving the house for fear of the unknown. The problem is that our body cannot tell the difference between a real danger or a perceived one when it ‘takes over’ in terms of creating anxiety. If our stress or anxiety levels are high, our primitive, emotional mind steps in, takes charge and unfortunately, can only work within the negative parameters of, amongst other symptoms, anxiety and stress.
So, I hear you ask, how has this happened to me, I used to be alright but now I can’t do ‘it’. Well anxiety is created by negative thinking, it is not necessarily the events in our lives that produces the anxious behaviour, because if this was the case then all students studying for their A levels would be suffering from panic attacks so it must be our thought patterns surrounding the events in our lives. This is where Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help enormously with anxiety, we work together in reducing the levels, giving you back the control in your life you so desire and of course, deserve.
During the Initial consultation I will explain how the brain works ( in simple terms) in greater detail, so that you have a true understanding of how we suffer in the way we do, and why hypnotherapy is so successful in helping allieviate even intense anxiety.
Confidence
Confidence is one of the first things that can take a dive when a person is not quite feeling themselves. Unfortunately, when we lack in confidence, we can stop doing the things we love to do like visiting our friends, going out to clubs or spending time with our loved ones. When our confidence takes a knock, the world can feel as if it’s closing in on us and unfortunately, we don’t always know what to do about it.
When our confidence is low, we can generally focus on the negative aspects of our lives, if we are asked if we had a nice day we can often be heard saying “not really” or “I’ve had a rubbish day at work”. When we globalise the negative aspects of our week we start the negative, downwards spiral leading to potentially more feelings of low and depleted levels of confidence.This then becomes the norm for us, and we find ourselves trapped in a viscious circle. This spiral will only continue down if we only ever concentrate on the negative aspects of our day, or with continued pessimism. There is a lot to be said for the old saying “the glass is half full, not half empty” as this positive thought process, even in light of a sad event, will allow for your confidence to remain at a higher level than if all you did was worry about the situation.
One of the most important things in life is confidence, we all need a little confidence from time to time, to help us deal with whatever life has in store for us. Some may need a little more than others and that’s only because we have forgotten just how confident we can naturally be. Hypnotherapy can help bring back the confidence you need allowing you to proceed forwards in life relaxed and of course, with all the confidence you could ever need.
Depression
Depression can have an extremely debilitating effect on a person’s personality and emotional wellbeing. However, if we understand where its foundations lie, we can start to make change and help the individual get back to who they want to be and beyond. By describing the origins of depression through evolution and evolutionary psychology, we are able to make clear to the client firstly, why they are like suffering and secondly, how they can make positive change.
Research tells us that the homo sapien hunting and gathering ‘modern man’ was on this earth as far back as 2 hundred thousand years ago. It also tells us that society changed around 5 thousand years back when we moved from our nomadic lifestyle to a more civilised way when we started to settle, farm the land by means of sowing seed and herding cattle, creating villages and refining our cultural and social environment. If we do the maths, it is easy to see that we as individuals are only a very small percentage down the evolutionary scale consequently have to rely on, at least in some part, our ancestral hunter gather kinfolk.
If our ancestors where confronted by snow, ice or danger, they would have to lie low for the period of time until the situation had changed. They would have to ‘shut down’ their bodies for protracted periods to allow for any extreme environmental conditions or the danger to subside. Unfortunately we have adapted this to modern day symptoms of depression.Hence low energy, sleeping too much and a general disinterest in life.
This is where Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is amazingly beneficial. We work together on many things including sleeping patterns, positive focus, emptying the ‘stress bucket’ and of course, relaxing trance and in this way, we help to move you out of this negative state into a positive mindframe and back to mentally healthy thinking, and enjoying life agin.
IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), is a very common condition that a great many of our clients suffer from. IBS can be exacerbated by anger, anxiety, depression and/or stress. Research has shown that there is a very strong link between the physical symptoms of IBS and our emotional health. Essentially, if you are having problems dealing with an event in the past or the future, or perhaps even struggling with day to day life, then your chances of being susceptible to IBS symptoms are increased dramatically. These can be abdominal pain, discomfort around the entire stomach area, bloating, and changes to your bowel habits.
Although the medical professions concede that there is no actual cure for IBS, there are many treatments that can relieve the symptoms. There is absolutely no substitute for medical care but once a GP has examined you and is happy that your symptoms are, at least in some part, stress related, then clinical hypnotherapy can help.
When a client comes to see me about IBS, they usually tell me that it rules their life. They can’t go into town, visit their friends, or go out for a walk without planning the whole route, just in case they get caught out. In short, it can ruin a person’s life for the period that the IBS is at its most active.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy can help with the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, thereby addressing one of the biggest underlying contributing factors to irritable Bowel syndrome.Being in control of your emotions will enable you to manage your IBS successfully, and live your life as you wish.
OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) at its worst, can be a completely debilitating problem. It can take over your life and destroy relationships. Hypnotherapy’s relaxation technique’s help enormously in reducing stress and anxiety levels, in turn helping to alleviate the many symptoms of OCD.
After the free initial consultation, you will understand why the brain reacts in the way that it does in relation to obsessional behaviours. With high levels of anxiety, stress and or depression, the part of your brain that looks after you in times of need is on constant red alert,and OCD can ensue.
Obsessions can start in many ways; in childhood after a specific traumatic event, perhaps as an adult when suffering a tragic loss, or often a sufferer will have no recollection of how they have come to this point. I often hear them saying “I used to be fine but now my life is ruled by the OCD.
I explain to the client that the actual ‘creation’ of the obsession doesn’t matter, in fact it doesn’t matter at all because if we are going to rid them of this disorder, they have to start to focus on where they want to get to, not where they have been or how the OCD started.
OCD suffers can live too much in the past, analysing where they have gone wrong in their life or how it would be so different if a certain event didn’t happen.
Thankfully, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help. I will guide you away from obsessive thoughts and behaviour, to a life where YOU are in control, free from the negative circle of OCD.
Pain management
Pain can have a tremendous affect on a person’s emotional well being , and their ability to lead a ‘normal’ life. Psychological methods such as hypnosis practiced at Val Baker Hypnotherapy, can help enormously with pain management. Imagine the brain as a computer with its control panel sending messages back and forward to the various parts of the body. Wires transmit sensory messages in electrochemical form to and from the brain. These messages are sent from our brain through ‘wiring’ up and down the spinal cord, leaving it at various points tracking out to the very ends of our toes and fingertips. The so called computer also makes sense of the nerve signals that travel up through the spinal cord to the brain from the specific parts of the body involved .
This is important as hypnosis can give us the ability to gain control of the ‘switches’ or the ‘chips’ that control sensations in differing parts of the body. These switches can be turned on and off mentally when we learn specific skills for doing so.
Hypnotherapy is now used in some countries during operations.No anesthetic is required, such is the power of hypnosis in controlling pain.
Through hypnotherapy and psychotherapy we work together to close the ‘pain gate’ letting you concentrate on your life in a calm and relaxed condition, looking forward to being happy and prospectively pain free.
Panic attacks
At Val Baker Hypnotherapy we really understand what a panic attack is, how it is created, how incapacitating it can be and most importantly, how to help you get rid of this dreadful complaint.I will explain to you during the free initial consultation how panic attacks start in the brain, and how to control the mechanisms which produce this frightening and debilitating condition.Panic attacks can be one of the main symptoms of anxiety or depression .They are actually a defence mechanism which is triggered when the perception or reality of danger is present.
In a dangerous situation this ‘fight or flight’ behaviour mode will help to save our lives. However when we are stressed and start to react to certain situations as if they present danger to us when in fact they do not (for example giving a speech) the result can be panic attacks.Using solution focused hypnotherapy I will guide you away from the part of your brain which is responsible for the panic attacks. Whilst in a light trance you will utilise the power of your subconscious mind to overcome anxiety,utilise the power of positive thought and free yourself from fear, all whilst still in control at all times.
Phobias & Fears
Phobic and fear responses are the bodies natural way of telling us that we are approaching, or are within, a dangerous situation. Phobias and fears begin when the brain ‘mixes up’ the signals we are sending it and the fear develops from a rational thought to an irrational one. Through hypnosis, we work on allaying that fear by directly ‘diffusing’ the ‘template’ which the brain has created for this experience,so that there is no longer any negative emotion attached to it. Below is the outline of how the therapeutic process works:
Session 1
This is the initial consultation, this is where I explain how the brain works and why we can become susceptible to phobias or fears. I also explain why the magnitude of a fear can differ depending on any other stresses and strains you are experiencing at the time. Why it can worsen : “I used to be absolutely fine flying but now it seems to be a real problem” and how anxiety correlates with fear and phobic responses.
Session 2
This is predominately a relaxation session however to begin with, like all sessions, we go over the brain based explanations to make sure you fully understand how the phobias and fears are created. We then do some relaxing and calming trance work. This allows you to allay any possible issues you may have and find out just how ordinary and soothing trance is.
Session 3
This starts once again with a bit of revision and then quickly moves onto a rewind technique which we perform when in trance. This is an amazingly powerful ‘tool’ and wipes the template in your mind that holds the phobic memory.
Session 4
The final session is called the reframe where we start yet again with our revision period. Once completed and you are happy, we induce trance and guide you to the place where you are relaxed and, free of any anxiety in relation to former phobias or fears.
Many clients have expressed their amazement to me at how simple it was to be freed from phobias which have troubled them for years!
Imagine how it will feel to be free to fly anywhere you want, pick up a spider, go out in the dark and so on.
These are common phobias, but I can help with any fear or phobia ,no matter how unusual.
PTSD
With Val Baker Hypnotherapy you will get sensitive and expert help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is caused by anxiety suffered in relation to traumatic experiences. It is found in armed forces personnel, but can affect anyone who has been unfortunate enough to experience a harrowing event or events.
We all have the ability to deal with trauma and humankind would not have progressed so far, so quickly, and recovered so well, if we did not. However of utmost importance in the development of PTSD is our capability and spare capacity to deal with any situation.
In solution focused hypnotherapy we say that we all have a ‘stress bucket’ in the brain. When we are relatively free from stress this bucket emtpties naturally through REM sleep.If our stress levels are too high our sleep suffers and the bucket overflows.We need good REM sleep to allieviate stress, but this is the very thing we are denied when suffering from PTSD. Getting back to good sleep and emptying our stress bucket is the key to overcoming PTSD.
When our ‘stress bucket’s overflow we have little or no capacity to deal with traumatic and troubling events.
Whatever event led to your suffering with PTSD you will find my approach caring and,understanding and confidentiality is strictly observed.I will help you to empty your ‘stress bucket’
Furthermore I will help you to gain new skills and the ability to regain a positive attitude which will allow you to move forward focusing on the future you deserve.
Stop Smoking
We all know the dangers of smoking, so why do we still do it? What makes it so difficult to stop smoking?
At Val Baker Hypnotherapy we continue to have great results in helping people to stop smoking, quickly, effectively and easily. By explaining how the brain works in terms of learned and subconscious responses, we give the client the necessary tools to stop… for good.
Here are a few common statements and questions that our clients come with…
Client – I can’t stop smoking, I’m addicted.
Practitioner – You don’t smoke on a plane. You don’t set your alarm in the middle of the night to wake up for a cigarette, this is because you don’t need to as your will power carries you through. Smoking is a habit, only 10% of the habit is attributed to addiction.
Client – I will put on weight if I stop smoking.
Practitioner – Stopping smoking has no physiological correlation to weight gain. You may find yourself eating for something to do but if you have the will power and intent to stop smoking then you certainly have enough to keep away from the fridge!
Client – Will I feel better after I stop?
Practitioner – There’s no reason not to! Our brain relies on many chemicals to help it function correctly with serotonin as one of its principle compounds. This is the main element we want to ‘flood’ our brain with to promote mentally healthy behaviour. Once we stop using the chemical substitutes that a cigarette offers and we fill our subconscious with positive intent, we can start to produce more and more serotonin encouraging a constant flow, allowing us to be more active, cope better and most importantly, be happier,healthier and richer!
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you to stop smoking in a relatively short period of time, I have helped many people stop and stay stopped in one hour and a half session!
1. The British Medical Association (BMA).
STRESS Management
More and more people are finding that the pressures of modern life are leading to continual stress, which ultimately is limiting their ability to live in a calm and positive way.
In its infancy, stress can be as little as a feeling of too much pressure at work, and generally this will subside when a deadline is met or a contract is won, with no long term effects. More continued exposure to stressful situations in the work place, in our personal life or both, can provide much angst and emotional problems which lead to a loss of control.
Unfortunately stress can also manifest itself with physical symptoms in the form of headaches, a feeling of tenseness, a change in appetite (eating more or less) and/or disruptive sleeping patterns, among other troubling conditions.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help reduce stress and provide you with the coping mechanisms to ensure it is kept under control, whatever life throws at you!
I will start during your Initial consultation to explain how stress is created, and its links to anxiety, anger and depression.
Many clients find this in itself help them to cope better with stress as they then understand the mechanisms which cause our brains to react in a negative way to anxiety.
It will generally take 10 -12 sessions to get your stress under control. However this will of course vary depending on the severity of your stress.
After treatment you will be able to recognise your specific triggers, and execute coping mechanisms , which will help you to lead a happy and positive life.
Weight problems
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can give you the control you need to lose weight and more importantly, keep it off. If we look at the fundamental issues with overeating, or under eating for that matter, there is generally an underlying cause.An emotional element.
If we look at the brain in its most basic form by splitting it into the two main parts;the intellectual brain (conscious) and the primitive, emotional brain (subconscious), we can start to explain the origins of weight problems.
Put simply, if we are overeating, we are not making an intellectual decision. If we are not making sensible decisions, then this must be coming from the primitive, emotional brain .Unfortunately it is also negative and obsessional, hence it is no surprise to discover how hard it can be to lose (or gain) weight!
But all is not lost, Hypnotherapy is wonderful at helping with weight issues. Ultimately you will be taken back to a position of control, where your intellectual brain is in charge.
This can give you a permanent solution to weight problems. Even those which you have struggled with for many years.