“50% to 70% of people who have tried it, say hypnosis has helped them to feel better or heal faster.” ~ Benedict Carey in a Los Angeles Times article dated January 5, 2004.
Nov 23 2009
Feel Better
Nov 23 2009
Take Control
In the September 27, 2004 issue of Newsweek, Dr. David Spiegel, professor and associate chair of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, and a leading expert on the practice of hypnosis says “One of the interesting ironies about hypnosis is that old fantasy that it takes away control. It’s actually a way of enhancing people’s control, or teaching them how to control aspects of their body’s function and sensation.”
The article cites recent studies using positron emission tomography (PET) which allows researchers to look at what goes on in the brain during hypnosis. In one study, hypnotized people were shown a black and white pattern and asked to see color. The PET scans showed that “regions of the brain normally activated during color perception were activated.” Spiegel says, “If you think you are seeing color, you actually see it, and your brain acts as though it is seeing it.”
The mind does not know the difference between sensory images in reality and sensory images in our imagination. Hypnosis can help you take control and alter how you perceive and process reality.
Nov 23 2009
Sweets or Self-Hypnosis?
Breaking the Emotional Eating Cycle
Are you reaching for cookies or ice cream when you feel lonely, stressed or upset? There is a biological reason we reach for sweets when we’re feeling low. Elizabeth Somer, R.D., in her book Food & Mood says “The very taste of something sweet on the tongue immediately releases endorphins, our body’s natural morphine-like chemicals that can produce feelings of euphoria and satisfaction.”
In Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise, Robert Thayer, PhD., a psychology professor at CSU Long Beach, says he believes the key to breaking the emotional eating cycle is finding some way to deal with stress.
Self-hypnosis may be the answer. When you are in the hypnotic state, you experience a sense of calm and well-being. The body naturally produces endorphins. Self-hypnosis can help you to imagine your ideal self, to experience your ideal body, and to create the mind-set which will assist you in achieving that image of yourself. Like meditation, this process involves concentration on your breathing. Focused breathing has a stronger effect on emotional change than any other function of your body.
Like any new skill, the degree of success one achieves with self-hypnosis conditioning is determined by the amount of practice time involved. I have found that once a person is conditioned to the hypnotic state through hetero-hypnosis (induction by another person) it is far easier to achieve the self-hypnotic state.
If you would like to learn self-hypnosis techniques to achieve your ideal body or your ideal life, I can help.
Nov 23 2009
Hurried Woman Syndrome
It is estimated that about 60 million women suffer from the symptoms of Hurried Woman Syndrome. Dr. Brent Bost of Texas coined the phrase to include women between the ages of 25 and 55, and often with children between the ages of 4 and 16, as being most affected by this syndrome. A stressful career or burdensome responsibilities can all contribute to making the symptoms worse.
These avoidable stresses are those that often come from busy lifestyle choices and a hectic schedule. Chronic stress causes a chemical imbalance which causes fatigue. It also causes an increase in appetite which causes weight gain which causes more fatigue and the cycle continues.
Hypnotherapy can help with the three major symptoms of Hurried Woman (or Man!) Syndrome: Fatigue or Low Mood, Weight Gain and Low Sex Drive (libido).
If you suffer from any or all of these symptoms, give yourself permission to stop the cycle. Slow down. You’re worth it!
Nov 03 2009
Photography & Life – Capture the Moment
Many years ago, I met a man who was to become a mentor to me, not only as an artist and a photographer, but as a human being. His motto, which hangs above the blackboard in his classroom states simply, “Comfort is your Enemy”. Being “comfortable” is the same as being stagnant. We miss opportunities. If we don’t move out of our comfort zone, there is no forward motion. No creative flow.
Life is a lot like photography.
In order to capture the moment… to get the results we want…
Sometimes we need to change our point of view – to look at things from different perspectives.
Sometimes we need to focus in really close on the details…and
Sometimes we need to step back to see the big picture – the whole picture – in order to get a more balanced perception.
Sometimes we need to step up to a challenge and take a risk…and Sometimes we need to step out of the way.
Sometimes we need to put our focus on the important things and let the insignificant things blur out in the background…or fade away.
Sometimes we need to become aware of something we’ve missed… and
Sometimes we need to know when to ask for help.
But ALWAYS we need to take ACTION or the opportunity is lost.
And the actions we take create a lasting impression on this experience …this series of moments we call “life”.
When we change our focus or move in a different direction (even just a little bit!!!) we change our experience. We change our habits…our relationships…our health…our prosperity…our life.
We take actions every moment of the day…most of them subconsciously motivated. Are you aware that your behaviors are directed and controlled by your subconscious mind…your past programming? Your conscious awareness is only effective for about 90 minutes. After that your behavior is dictated by the “knowns” of your subconscious mind… the 88% of your mind that makes the decisions about your actions… as well as your re-actions.
What actions are you taking to create your life… your image of success and happiness?
What opportunities…or lack of opportunities… are you creating by the actions you are taking?
I’d like you to ask yourself this question …
Right now, what is the one thing I could…start doing…stop doing…or do differently…that would most improve the quality of my life?
Take a moment to consider all aspects of your life…your health and level of physical fitness…your mental acuity and ability to focus and concentrate…your financial stability…your sense of emotional well-being…your level of joy and happiness in your relationship with self, others and spirit.
When you have identified that one action that would create a better life…tell yourself that you can do it. And then just do it!
Now, I’d like you to consider this…
On a scale of 1 to 10… rate your life satisfaction level. Are you happy with that number? If you are not, perhaps you need to access the “goal-achieving feature” of your subconscious mind.
In my practice of helping people take action to create a better life, I have implemented synergistic methods which teach how to set goals and provide motivation to achieve those goals.
Whether it is pain management, weight loss or smoking cessation…whether it is finding or healing a relationship or a career…whether it is the simple and priceless gift of achieving a new level of self confidence, I can help you to take action…to create the opportunities and get the results you want.
Nov 03 2009
Art & Hypnosis – Ancient Forms of Healing
I am an artist. I create as a means of expressing my thoughts, feelings and ideas. I create as a means of sharing. Art is a powerful and effective form of communication. We all need to communicate. We all need to share our feelings. We all need art.
The need to make art is a basic human urge. It is a trait as natural as language and sex. Early writing often consisted of pictures. Ancient humans used art not only to decorate but to create magic, to protect themselves from evil and harm, to express and control powerful emotions and to prepare themselves for coming events.
Images are the language of emotions. The language of visual art – colors, shapes, lines and textures – speaks to us in ways that words do not. Art is a means of connecting our thoughts, feelings and perceptions with our life experiences.
Art is more than ornamentation. Cultures through the ages have been defined and understood by their art. Art tells our personal stories. We make our feelings, thoughts, experiences, values and beliefs, visible through art. In the process, we are offered a way to know ourselves from a new perspective and an opportunity to transform that perspective.
Did you know that art and hypnotherapy have a lot in common? Painting, sketching or even scribbling are simple activities that can soothe you, release stress and give pleasure. These methods of self-expression can change your state of being and tap your intuitive and creative powers. Art and hypnosis both alter your consciousness.
Both art and hypnosis are ancient forms of healing. Each can help to solve problems, release powerful emotions, or alleviate pain. Each promotes growth, self-expression and transformation. Both are powerful tools.
I am an artist, but my focus has broadened. I’ve learned some things along the way. I’ve learned the art of teaching people not only lessons in art but lessons in life. I’ve learned to teach people how to achieve their dreams.
Hypnotherapy can change behaviors and perceptions. It can change your tomorrows by simply changing your programming today. Hypnotherapy is a method of communicating your conscious desires and dreams directly to the subconscious mind, your personal goal-achieving machine, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior.
Nov 03 2009
Music: A Healing Sound
Music is more than a universal form of entertainment. Music is the soundtrack of our lives. It sets the mood. Music, like all art forms, is creative expression as well as a form of healing. 
In ancient Greece, Pythagoras, who discovered that music could be expressed in numbers and mathematical theories, founded a school where students were trained to release worry, fear, anger and sorrow through singing and playing musical instruments.
Music is a fundamental part of all religions, from hymns to mantras to chants, because it encourages higher states of consciousness. Dr. Alfred Tomatis, known as the “Einstein of sound”, theorizes that sacred chants actually “charge” the cortex of the brain. Tomatis believes “all cranial nerves lead to the ear, which explains why soothing musical harmonics not only induce states of deep relaxation, but directly affect breathing, the voice, the heart rate and digestion.” (Vegetarian Times, “The Sound of Healing” Suzanne Gerber, March, 1998)
Dr Mitchell Gaynor, director of medical oncology and integrative medicine at New York’s Strang Cancer Prevention Center, uses guided imagery, meditation and sound, voice and tone. Believing that breathing is critical to well-being, he states, “Besides their vibrational impact, voice and tone are just another way to get the therapeutic value of breathing.” (Vegetarian Times, “The Sound of Healing” Suzanne Gerber, March, 1998)
Our bodies are rhythmic. Our hearts beat. Our blood flows. Our lungs breathe in patterns. It comes as no surprise that our bodies respond to the rhythms of music. Pulses of sound correspond with brain-wave frequencies. The frequency of the beats affects our level of consciousness.
We are driven to express ourselves and elevate our consciousness through the arts. It is a powerful and compelling need. The people of Sarajevo proved this when despite constant shelling and sniper fire, “they held concerts, maintained orchestras and choirs, and at one point, turned a destroyed theater into an exhibition space for art created out of materials from the city’s destruction.” (Cathy Malchiodi, “The Art Therapy Sourcebook” Lowell House, 1998)
Art helps us to transcend daily life. It brings wholeness and personal satisfaction to our lives. Creative outlets help you develop and better understand yourself. Art is a way of sharing your self with others, a way of sharing your truth.
If you are feeling “out of sync”, unable to keep up with the pressures of your busy lifestyle, consider the healing benefits of expressing yourself through the arts. Being creative is not just for artists, musicians or writers. Everyone has the potential to do things in a new way.
Your subconscious mind, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior, can provide you with new insights. Hypnotherapy can help you to access your creative spirit. It can help you move to a whole new beat. When you listen to your inner voice, your heart will sing.
Nov 03 2009
The “Secret” Law of Conscious Creation
As civilized members of society, we are expected to follow the rules and abide by the laws. By doing so, we are able to enjoy and support that society. We learn about these rules throughout our lives. There are rules to follow at home, at school, at our place of worship and on the road. There are laws that govern all aspects of our lives. When we obey the laws and follow the rules, we enjoy the benefits. There are local laws, state laws, federal laws and international laws but there is no law that is more powerful than the Universal Law of Attraction. Each one of us, whether we are aware of this law or not; each one of us, whether we consciously choose to be or not, are governed by this law. There are no exceptions.
The Law of Attraction states that whatever we are thinking about, we will attract into our life, whether we want it or not! We could almost call this law the Law of Creation, because what we are thinking about is what we are creating. What we are feeling about what we are thinking is how the creation process begins. Emotions help to create reality. When we believe in something, and when we love, desire, and want it, we create it more quickly. If there is anything we want to experience, we need to focus upon it. Whatever we turn our attention to, we will create. 
As energy, every single thought directly and instantly influences the quantum field. Quantum physics has shown that everything in the Universe, in all dimensions of life and reality, ultimately is made up of “quanta”, of Energy, vibration. This Energy is integral to everything in existence. When something is observed, imagined, visualized… “quanta” come together to form sub-atomic particles, which in turn become atoms, then molecules until finally something manifests in the physical world. “Quanta” never, ever differentiate between what we want and what we don’t want. They merely respond to and obey our thoughts. Ask and it is given. No exceptions. Conscious creation is the basis of the Law of Attraction. Isn’t it interesting that the most effective way to consciously create something is to use the imagining powers of the subconscious Mind?
As human beings, all we do is create experiences. There is nothing else we do. In order to create an experience, we must first imagine it. As we focus on what we want, our thought energy (traveling at the speed of light!) has creative power. The subconscious mind accepts whatever we are imagining in our inner world and uses it to create our outer experience in reality.
The world of images is the source of power in our physical world. The images direct the Energy in our body. Imagining what we want is like creating a model before we build the real thing. We need to dream, but dreams are too big to realize all at once. Dreams come a size too large so we can grow into them. They must be broken down into manageable pieces. Pieces which can be created right Now. Always think as you wish things to be. Now.
And as you are thinking about what you want right Now, remember the Universe responds to absolute terms rather than any human concept. When you are dreaming, always be aware of a statement that implies the future tense and change it into the present tense. So, “I will” becomes “I am”… “I want” becomes “I have”… and “I might” becomes “I do”.
Also keep in mind that the Universe does not understand the concept of “try”. We either do something in the present Now or we do nothing. “Try” simply does not exist.
The Universe responds to Now. Everything is happening right Now. If you are remembering the past, you are doing it Now. If you are planning for the future, you are doing it Now. There is Only the Eternal Now.
Remember when you obey the laws, you enjoy the benefits. Thoughts are creative energy. Think only of what you want. Now. Be a Conscious Creator.
Hypnosis and Imagery are incredibly powerful tools to access the visionary power of your subconscious mind. When your mind is in the Alpha state, you are more creative and focused and better able to imagine your ideal way of being. As you imagine your ideal, you are emotionally connected to that image right Now. The process allows you to speak more clearly to the Universe, because whether you believe or not, it is listening to your every thought. Choose the good ones.
Nov 03 2009
Success of Hypnotherapy in Pain Treatment
“Chronic pain is a problem that has reached near epidemic proportions,” said Edward Covington, M.D., director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic. “The ‘can do, can cope’ spirit of Americans can lead to untreated chronic pain, which has a severe impact on people’s work, personal relationships, hobbies, and even sex, and can greatly diminish their quality of life. In addition to physical disability, it may also lead to irritability, anxiety, or depression.”
Scientific American Mind (July, 2005) featured an article titled “The Truth and the Hype of Hypnosis” which stated that “hypnosis has been shown to be a real phenomenon with a variety of therapeutic uses- especially in controlling pain,” citing, among others, a 1996 National Institutes of Health panel which judged hypnosis to be an “effective intervention for alleviating pain from cancer and other chronic conditions.” The article further cites a meta-analysis published by the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis which found that “hypnotic suggestions relieved the pain of 75% of 933 subjects. The pain relieving effect of hypnosis is often substantial, and in a few cases the degree of relief matches or exceeds that provided by morphine.” Another meta-analysis of 18 separate studies found that “patients who received cognitive behavioral therapy plus hypnosis for disorders such as obesity, insomnia, anxiety and hypertension showed greater improvement than 70% of those who received psychotherapy alone.” Additionally, the article stated there is strong evidence that hypnosis can be an effective treatment for “asthma; some dermatological disorders, including warts; irritable bowel syndrome; hemophilia; and nausea associated with chemotherapy.”
The success of hypnotherapy in pain treatment and management has a very long history. The following studies are more than 20 years old and the supporting research is mounting.
Speigel and Bloom (1983b) reported that a study of women with metastatic breast cancer showed that patients who received group therapy with training in Hypnosis over a one-year period were able to reduce their pain experience by 50% when compared to a control group. In addition, at a 10-year follow-up of these same women, the Hypnosis treatment group had a mean survival rate of 36.6 months compared to 18.9 months for the controls. This suggests that the intervention may be both important quantitative and important qualitative effects (Spiegel 1989a)
In a neurochemical study of Hypnotic control of pain conducted by Domangue (1985), patients suffering arthritic pain showed a correlation among levels of pain, anxiety and depression. Depression was correlated with dopamine levels and negatively correlated with levels of serotonin and beta endorphin. Following Hypnotherapy, there were clinically and statistically significant decreases in depression, anxiety and pain, and increases in beta endorphin-like substances.
In a controlled trial conducted by Olness (1987), self-Hypnosis was shown to be significantly more effective than either propranolol or placebo in reducing the frequency of migraine headaches in children between the ages of six and twelve years of age.
Nov 03 2009
Hypnotherapy Alters Pain Perception
In studies about how the human brain and nervous system work, Dr. Kenneth Casey, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and a neurology consultant to the VA Health Care System in Ann Arbor states that “the brain has mechanisms to directly control what we feel, it actively controls the flow of sensory information that results in our perceptions.”
In fact, key regions of the brain appear to react as much to the expectation of pain as much as they do to actual painful stimulation. Experiments at the University of Michigan and Princeton University showed that the same region in the brains’ prefrontal cortex that anticipates pain is less active if a person expects a stimulus to hurt less.
Hypnotherapy can help with the perception of pain, by changing the expectation. The mind can alter the feeling of pain by substituting another feeling such as heat, tingling, numbness. It can also divert the location of pain to another body part, thereby allowing relief. In a January 5, 2004 article by Benedict Carey, The Los Angeles Times reports “the brain can virtually shut down pain signals when preoccupied.”
In 2002, Mount Sinai researchers performed studies which found that adding hypnosis to standard post-surgical care sped the recovery almost 90% of the time in terms of levels of pain, anxiety and the need for painkillers. “The hypnosis seems to change expectations and this change appears to have a strong effect on what people actually experience” says Montgomery, an author on the studies.
Dr. Karen Olness, a professor in the departments of Pediatrics, Family Medicine and International Health at Case Western Reserve University states, “With sufficient practice, many adults can learn to tolerate various painful procedures without medication” Nearly everyone can use self-hypnosis to “reduce the fear and anxiety that accompanies and that can heighten pain.”
A 1999 study reported in the European Journal of Pain states “Hypnosis is a powerful tool in pain therapy.” Researchers used a PET imaging machine to trace the blood-flow patterns of fibromyalgia patients while under hypnosis and “proved there are actual blood-flow changes and patterns in the interplay between cortical and subcortical brain dynamics,” concluding “the patients had less pain during hypnosis than at rest.”
Are you suffering from chronic pain? Are you suffering anxiety and anticipating pain from a surgical procedure? Would you like to learn ways to manage it? Hypnotherapy may be the answer.
Nov 03 2009
Hypnosis for Pain Management
Pain Management: Olafur Palsson, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va., states that hypnosis can help you manage pain by changing your perception of the pain sensation. According to Palsson, hypnotism can help you block out pain. It can help change one sensation into another. It can let you turn down the intensity of pain, which may have a lasting, even permanent, effect. And it can be used to move pain to a place in the body where it’s more tolerable. (Natural Health, January 1999, “13 Ways to Wipe out Pain” by Claire Horn)
“Twenty-three experts in fields that included behavior medicine, psychiatry, and pain medicine presented to a National Institutes of Health panel both scientific and anecdotal evidence to support the use of behavioral and relaxation approaches to treat chronic pain. In particular, the panel found strong evidence for the use of hypnosis to alleviate cancer pain.” (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 1996).
Headaches: The January 2001 issue of Psychology Today references a 2000 study from the International Journal of Clinical Experimental Hypnosis in which self-hypnosis was largely successful in alleviating chronic tension headaches in 169 patients.
Pain & Grief: The National Hospice & Palliative Care Association (NHPCO) of Alexandria, VA in its reference manual Complementary Therapies in End-of-Life Care states “Hypnosis is an effective tool that empowers a patient to take control of her/his response to the physical pain and the psychosocial/spiritual pain of the dying process”.
Childbirth: The Journal of Family Practice (May, 2001) published Effects of Hypnosis on the Labor Processes and Birth Outcomes of Pregnant Adolescents which states “Hypnotherapy has been found to be effective in providing pain relief, reducing the need for chemical anesthesia, and reducing anxiety, fear, and pain related to childbirth. Hypnosis has also been helpful in both managing various complications of pregnancy (such as premature labors), and reducing the likelihood of premature labor and birth in high-risk patients.”
Nov 03 2009
The Gift of Inner Exploration…priceless…
Hypnosis and Imagery are very powerful tools for your health and well-being. They are also tools for your enjoyment and exploration.
During hypnosis your physical body benefits from the natural effects of endorphins, the pleasure hormones that suppress pain sensations. You may feel as if you’ve experienced the benefits of a massage. The hypnotic state calms your emotions. It allows you to release tensions and reinforce positive feelings. Using Imagery, you can experience heightened senses by creating a sanctuary, a vacation for your spirit. Your mind becomes more focused, allowing you to create your future. Energy flows where your attention is directed. Your subconscious mind is a goal-achieving machine.
Consider the gift of a Hypnotherapy or Imagery session for that special person who has “everything”. Perhaps someone who could benefit from scheduled relaxation? How about someone who would like to improve their golf game? Or talk to their Inner Guide? Perhaps someone who wants to explore the possibility of a past life? Maybe someone who is about to celebrate a birthday or graduation or retirement?
Within an altered state of consciousness and a dreamship powered by unlimited imagination, it is possible to travel to any place on the planet… or beyond. It is possible to travel to any time…the past…the future…the in-between. Create a journey of your choice.
Nov 02 2009
Benefits of Imagery for Sports Performance
Researchers at the Center for Sport & Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University examined the effects of relaxation, imagery and trigger control procedures and found that “hypnosis can improve golf-chipping performance and increase feelings and cognitions associated with flow”. Findings were reported in Perceptual & Motor Skills (December 2000).
The Journal of Sports Science (April 1993) reported that researchers at the School of Kinesiology at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, investigated the effects of imagery on the soccer playing of both skilled and novice players. Performance on the post-test as measured by response time (the time to complete the soccer task) revealed a significant improvement for both the skilled and novice players in the imagery group.
Nov 02 2009
Sleep Loss Impact on Body Weight
Are you unsatisfied with your present weight and body condition? Did you know that your sleeping habits play a major part in your ability to maintain and lose weight?
The National Sleep Foundation, 2002 “Sleep in America” Poll states that sleep loss is a common problem in America, with 74% of respondents experiencing at least one symptom of sleep disorder a few nights per week or more. Science has shown that sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body’s metabolism. “Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity,” said Dr. Michael Thorpy, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Monroe Medical Center in New York.
If you are experiencing problems maintaining or losing weight, or suffering from sleep disorders, hypnotherapy can help. It can motivate you to make healthful choices about eating, exercise and lifestyle. It can increase your self-confidence and self-esteem. It can reduce stress and promote relaxation. It can also help you to become aware of your patterns and behaviors.
Are you ready to make changes in your life? Call for an appointment today to begin to change your tomorrows.
Nov 02 2009
The Beauty of Self-Esteem
beau·ty (by›“t¶) n., pl. beau·ties. 1. A delightful quality associated with harmony of form or color, excellence of craftsmanship, truthfulness, originality, or another property.
Beauty is an elusive concept, considering “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The American Heritage Dictionary defines beauty by its attributes. “Harmony of form” is important, but that is a matter of perception. “Truthfulness” and “originality”, which are also defined as “authenticity”, are equally important. Perhaps most important, is “another property”. Is this “property” the elusive quality that emanates from “beautiful” people? Is this “property” the intangible quality of self-esteem?
Every beauty kit should contain a smile and a sense of well-being. It should be packed with self-acceptance and self-confidence. When you feel good, you look good.
Body image and perception can change with your moods. While experiencing a difficult day, you may engage in negative self-talk. It may be “a bad hair day”, or you may think, “these pants make me look fat” or “my nose is too big”. These, or other negative comments, are the result of years of repetitive subconscious programming. Where did you learn to measure your value in terms of your physical body? What is another way to acknowledge your self? Letting go of judgment allows you to listen to the needs of your body and spirit. Become aware of thought patterns and negative self-talk about your body.
When you accept yourself as you are, you respect your thoughts and emotions. You develop a sense of pride and self-worth. When you accept yourself with grace and ease, you develop your confidence, your talents and your abilities. When you accept yourself, you develop an appreciation and respect for your physical body. You become less critical and more gentle with yourself. When you accept yourself, you experience self-love. You emanate the beauty of your spirit.
“Self-Esteem” by Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning (Third Edition, New Harbinger Publications, 2000) regards hypnosis and visualization as effective tools for building and maintaining self-acceptance. Hypnotherapy can help you set goals and provide motivation to achieve those goals. When goals are met, you nourish a belief in yourself and benefit from an increase in self-confidence. Imagery can help you to visualize your ideal self, reinforcing the positive qualities you possess, while enhancing behaviors that help to achieve your goals.
Using the power of your subconscious mind can increase your self-awareness. A Certified Hypnotherapist can help you to access that power. Your subconscious mind, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior, is available to you through hypnotic techniques. Hypnotherapy can also help you control unwanted habits that affect your self-esteem, and aid in the elimination of negative behaviors such as pessimism or worry. It can help you to achieve self-mastery.
When you possess self-love and acceptance, you are “beautiful”, in every sense of the word. You have the power.
Oct 29 2009
Enhance & Improve Sexuality
Anna Freud wrote that “sex is something you do, sexuality is something you are.”
There is a difference between the act of sex and the individual experience of our sexuality. Sexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are. Hypnotherapy, imagery and meridian tapping are very effective methods to help with problems of intimacy and sexuality.
Gender Identity
Hypnosis helps people with questions and problems about their gender identity. It allows them to explore and investigate their doubts and to experience what it would be like to be of the other gender. If the decision to have sex-change surgery has been made, hypnosis helps with motivation, being prepared for the surgical ordeal, to control pain and to adapt more fully to the new life.
Sexual Orientation
Hypnotic techniques help the person to accept what cannot be changed and adjust constructively to that situation.
Sexual Preference
In adolescence, we are faced with our sexual preferences, the “things” (activities, sights, scents, etc.) that arouse us and lead to our sexual satisfaction. These “things” include specific parts of the human anatomy and/or body type; physical sensations (including pain); emotional situations (such as fighting and make-up sex); activities and behaviors; scents, sounds, tastes, objects, places, and more.
Sexual preferences are always highly subjective and often culturally determined. Because the person with atypical sexual behavior, like most everybody else, usually imagines beforehand what is going to happen, hypnotic methods work well to help the person be more comfortable with their sexuality or let go of negative behaviors.
Sexual Response
Different from sexual preference, sexual response focuses on what is normally expected, both physiologically and psychologically, when the person has no medical conditions and enjoys good health. There are five progressive stages in human sexual response: Desire, arousal, foreplay, orgasm, and cognitive processing.
The use of visualization or mental rehearsal has shown to be more effective than cognitive therapy. Using visualization techniques, it is possible to substitute and “correct” the negative images that may keep a person in a cycle of unfulfilling or damaging behavior.
People with low libido are better served by proceeding slowly, from sensuality to sex. The person is invited to imagine any physical contact that might be acceptable, or even appealing. Once this is identified, mental rehearsal is centered on it.
Entering into the sexual fantasy as if it were real is helpful for those with an inability to create positive sexual images. This inability could be due to very painful sexual encounters in the past, including sexual abuse or trauma.
Most sexual arousal problems are the result of anxiety and tension, so it’s easy to accept the value of hypnotic relaxation. The imagery is not necessarily sexual at first, but helps the person to have a clear experience of natural relaxation. Then, once they are able to control their anxiety about sexual performance, other feelings that produce stress such as fear of intimacy, anger or guilt can be addressed.
Problems in foreplay often indicate both ignorance and poor sex education, or boredom, lack of emotional excitement, or distracting thoughts unrelated to the sexual situation.
To improve problems in sexual foreplay, the person is helped to have a vivid and detailed mental experience involving all the inner senses, so it is imagined as if it were real and happening right now. After repeated visualization, it becomes so natural that it is expected to happen the way it has been imagined.
Sexual climax or orgasm is the healthy, normal, inevitable, outcome. The inability to reach this physiological conclusion may be due to unresolved problems in the relationship. It may be due to a lack of self-esteem or confidence. Personal beliefs and limitations affect our ability to experience pleasure. All of these problems can be addressed with the use of hypnosis, imagery and meridian therapy.
After sex, we process. The mental activity going on during sex and, especially after it is finished, is very rich. It consists of both mental images and statements, subconscious memories and programming. Hypnotherapy can help the person to focus more on positive aspects of the sexual situation and let go of any negativism related to the experience.
Sexual Mores
Our culture and historical moment allow or forbid, encourage, or discourage sexual behavior. The expectations and rules are established by the economic, political, ethnic, family, social, and religious values and roles. Sexual role rebellion can be expressed in nonconformity in dress, make-up or customs. Those uncomfortable with their rebellion can be helped through learning to accept themselves.
Choose your thoughts. Choose the good ones. And your body will respond.
Your body is your subconscious mind.
Oct 29 2009
Change Your Mind. Change Your Body.
“The key to permanent weight loss is changing the attitudes, feelings and habits that determine what, when, why, how often and how much you eat.” (“You Can Think Yourself Thin” by Dianne Hales, Parade Magazine, January, 2005).
Dr. Dean Ornish, author of Eat More, Weigh Less, says, “People don’t overeat because they’re hungry, but as a way of meeting their emotional needs and making it through the day.”
Behavioral techniques such as visualization and affirmations are very useful tools to change your thinking. Visualization can break the habit of emotional eating. When you imagine yourself as slender and physically fit, you’re less likely to reach for an unhealthy snack to make yourself feel better. You are also more likely to exercise to maintain the visualized level of fitness. In addition, decades of psychological research has shown affirmations (positive, motivational phrases) can serve as an effective tool and create a positive mind-set, which is the key to creating change.
Would you like to discover how to identify and feed your emotional needs? Would you like to learn to nourish yourself in a loving and healthy way? Are you ready to make changes in the way you think about food? Would you like to love and accept your body? Hypnosis can help you to visualize your ideal self. Behavior modification can help you to make the right choices. Are you ready to help yourself change?
Oct 29 2009
Emotions Can Make You Fat
Are you reaching for cookies or ice cream when you feel lonely, stressed or upset? There is a biological reason we reach for sweets when we’re feeling low. Elizabeth Somer, R.D., in her book Food & Mood says “The very taste of something sweet on the tongue immediately releases endorphins, our body’s natural morphine like chemicals that can produce feelings of euphoria and satisfaction.”
In Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise, Robert Thayer, PhD., a psychology professor at CSU Long Beach, says he believes the key to breaking the emotional eating cycle is finding some way to deal with stress.
Self-hypnosis may be the answer. When you are in the hypnotic state, you experience a sense of calm and well being and the body naturally produces endorphins. Self-hypnosis can help you to imagine your ideal self, your ideal body, and create the mind-set which will help you to achieve that image of yourself. This process involves concentration on your breathing, which has a stronger effect on emotional change than any other function of your body.
Like any new skill, the degree of success one achieves with self-hypnosis conditioning is determined by the amount of practice time involved. I have found that once a person is conditioned to the hypnotic state through hetero-hypnosis (induction by another person), it is far easier to achieve the self-hypnotic state.
If you would like to learn self-hypnosis techniques to achieve your ideal body or your ideal life, I can help.
Oct 29 2009
Hypnotherapy & The Theory of Mind
When we understand something, we’re better able to take advantage of its features or qualities. I’m sure some of you have a VCR you’re unable to program. Perhaps a camera or computer with enough bells and whistles to create a symphony and you’re only able to make it play “twinkle, twinkle little star”? At least with gadgets, we’re able to look at an instruction booklet to figure things out. Unfortunately the human mind comes with no such manual. However, behaviorists have come up with a concept or a model of the mind. Would you like to better understand your subconscious mind and how it controls your behavior, your motivation, and your ability to set and achieve goals? I’d like to share the Theory of Mind with you.
The Conscious Mind retains and remembers the events and feelings of only the last hour and a half – just 90 minutes. Awareness is one of the functions of the Conscious Mind. The others are logic, reason and willpower. Information or message units enter the Conscious Mind from the environment and the body. However, the most influential source of message units comes from the “knowns” in the Subconscious Mind.
The Critical Area of Mind is part Conscious Mind and part Subconscious Mind, and contains memories of approximately the last 24 hours. This area of the mind, developed from birth to approximately 8 years old, is where we analyze information based on education and conditioning. Before this Critical Area of Mind is developed, everything we experience just is. We accept it all as Truth. About the time we begin to question Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, the permanent filter has been installed.
The Critical Area of Mind first analyzes and then releases the information, or message units, into the Modern Memory Area of Mind. This occurs when sleep takes place or when consciousness is in abeyance, as in the hypnotic state. When you sleep, the accumulated message units are immediately dropped into the subconscious mind. Some are allowed to go into Modern Memory; others are discarded through dreams.
The Modern Memory Area of Mind is Subconscious Mind. It holds memory from conception to the present. If the Critical Area of Mind accepts information, it becomes a “known” in the Modern Memory.
A “known” is something that has been learned or experienced before; you understand it and are comfortable with it. An “unknown” is just the opposite. Because it is strange to you, it creates psychological and physiological reactions that are unfamiliar. These reactions threaten the body and the brain and the resulting fear brings pain. The “known” gives pleasure only because of the absence of pain. It will be accepted by the Subconscious Mind because it has been experienced before. A “known” can be a negative or a positive. It might not be a pleasurable experience but it represents pleasure because it is “known”. Motivation comes from “knowns” in Modern Memory. These positive and negative “knowns” create your lifescript.
The Primitive Area of Mind is subconscious mind. It includes all primitive memory, including genetic heritage and evolved learning and conditioning. It operates the survival mechanisms of life triggering the fight/flight reaction when needed. It also controls the autonomic nervous system which operates the automatic functions of the body such as heart beat, respiration, digestion, cell reproduction, growth and healing.
Now that your Conscious Mind is overloaded with message units, consider that your Subconscious Mind has everything under control. It has been busy with the extraordinary job of keeping you alive, and is now in the process of analyzing the information as it creates a new network of “knowns” in your Modern Memory. This process will be completed when the Conscious Mind becomes unconscious during sleep.
When the Conscious Mind is asleep, it is not capable of receiving. It is only dropping the message units into the Modern Memory and venting them through dreams. In hypnosis, the Conscious Mind is not unconscious, so it is able to receive as well as drop and vent message units. The release takes place instantly and the venting process begins through hypnotic suggestion.
A suggestion given in the hypnotic state is much stronger than one given in the conscious state because it moves quickly from the Critical Area to the Modern Memory. Hypnosis creates a path that allows access to the Subconscious Mind. It can create changes in your behavior by changing your “knowns”. It can replace pain with pleasure. It can re-write your lifescript.