Looking Forward to Christmas?

What does Christmas mean to you – a joyous time to be spent with family and friends, or a complete nightmare that you can’t wait to be rid of for another year?

The media and television portray it as a joyous time, but for most people it can be a nightmare. Cold dark nights, busy shopping and getting ready, the pressure of looking good and socialising at parties, family arguments, unable to afford the latest toys for the kids. Not a nice scenario.

And then January comes immediately after that. The cold dark nights are still there, the summer holidays feel a long way off, the family arguments aren’t patched up yet and the credit card bill comes through the door…

Is it any wonder that it can be a therapist’s busiest time of the year?

A therapist obviously can’t do anything about your financial situation or awkward family members, but good mental and emotional health can help you cope with anything that may come up. Some of the problems experienced at Christmas are actually due to underlying issues such as low self-esteem, SAD, lack of confidence or general anxiety. And they can be dealt with.

So be nice to yourself this year. Take some time to look at what causes the problems, either by yourself, with a trusted friend or a therapist and think about how to deal with them. Think about what causes the problems in the run-up to Christmas, the event itself and afterwards. A therapist can also help you to think about, and identify, what the problems might be.

Christmas doesn’t have to be a nightmare and there’s lots of helpful advice about. You can give yourself the greatest gifts possible - peace of mind and a little happiness - and there are plenty of people who can help you to achieve it. All you have to do is ask, but beware of therapists offering guarantees, as I pointed out in Unethical Practitioners Claiming ‘Guaranteed’ Cures.

Regards,
Neil

Unethical Practitioners Claiming ‘Guaranteed’ Cure

As regular readers will know, ethics in hypnotherapy is a passionate topic of mine. I recently wrote about hypnotherapy qualifications in A Cat Registered as a Hypnotherapist.

Some therapists claim to provide ‘guaranteed’ results. I believe this claim to be misleading and highly unethical as no one can guarantee human behaviour. Doctors don’t offer guarantees as they can’t predict what will happen after the patient has left the surgery. Hypnotherapy is the same. It’s a wonderful tool for quick change based on psychology and an understanding of the mind, but it’s not supernatural magic or clairvoyance.

The area where guarantees seem to be the most common is Smoking Cessation. I have seen various guarantees offered with unrealistic success rates quoted, but my favourite is the lifetime guarantee of not smoking, which I find totally absurd.

Don’t get me wrong, Smoking Cessation using hypnotherapy is extremely successful. But as with anything in life, there is no guarantee.

People smoke for different reasons and no one can predict what will happen to you in your life. Horrible things may well crop up in the near or distant future. When they do, people can go back to what they feel worked for them in the past and for some people this will be smoking. So how can a therapist offer a lifetime guarantee for smoking cessation? Maybe they can also guarantee that nothing horrible will ever happen to you in life.

Smoking cessation works by removing the desire to smoke, not by changing the future.

The terms of the guarantee may state something like; ‘I will see you as many times as it takes for you to become smoke free’. This may sound attractive at first, but most people’s belief system and confidence will have been damaged by the first unsuccessful session and will therefore be less likely to succeed by the 3rd or 4th session. Not only are these guarantees misleading, they can provide false hope which leads to greater depression further down the line and additional issues they may need to resolve.

Until I develop clairvoyance and an ability to predict the future, I won’t be offering guarantees. But I will be offering simple, effective and ethical techniques that help you move on with your life and achieve what you want.

Regards,
Neil

A Cat Registered as a Hypnotherapist

Did you see the recent BBC article about a cat being registered as a Hypnotherapist with what the cat owner says are leading Hypnotherapy Organisations? The Organisations mentioned in the article are the British Board of Neuro Linguistic Programming, The United Fellowship of Hypnotherapists and the Professional Hypnotherapy Practitioner Association.

These are NOT ‘leading’ Hypnotherapy Organisations. However, it is a sad fact that there are vast differences in the level of qualifications and skills between UK hypnotherapists. This is both damaging to the general public who use the services of one of these poorly qualified Hypnotherapists and the Hypnotherapy profession as a whole. Some people can train for a few days or take online courses to qualify as hypnotherapists, which is frightening when you think about the damage it can cause to the unsuspecting public who come to them in all good faith.

A lot of you will know how passionate I am about my work and hypnotherapy as a whole, as well as the ethical guidelines I practice. Along with this story, there are a number of things currently happening within the Hypnotherapy profession that just don’t sit well with me, such as unethical practitioners claiming ‘guaranteed’ cures which I’ll cover in future blogs.

So how do you choose an ethical, qualified hypnotherapy practitioner?

As a minimum, look at the qualifications the practitioner holds, where they got them from and how long they studied for. With so many hypnotherapy ‘qualifications’ available, it is hard to know which ones are legitimate. You can claim to be a ‘master’ hypnotherapist but only ever have trained for 4 days. Look for a nationally recognised qualification such as the HPD (Hypnotherapy Practitioners Diploma). This diploma is externally marked, rather than by the training establishment where the student trained.

I would also want see if the Therapist is a member of any of the recognised leading Hypnotherapy Organisations such as the National Council for Hypnotherapy. They have a strict code of ethics, a formal complaints procedure and strict entry requirements. Practitioners who are members of the NCH are required to have completed and passed the HPD before they allowed membership.

Before I join any organisation, and I am a member of most of the Leading Hypnotherapy Organisations, I ask myself if the terms of their code of ethics is something I can agree with. The organisations I am a member of are The LEADING ORGANISATIONS in their field with a strict code of ethics and a strict application policy. The reason I am involved with these organisations is that I fully agree with their ethics and standards.

I offer prospective clients a free 20 minute meeting where they are encouraged to ask questions in order to help them make the decision if I am the right therapist for them. There is no obligation or pressure in these meetings and I quite often ask people to make their decision after they have left the office, to alleviate any pressure they may feel.

It’s such a shame that ‘cat becomes hypnotherapist’ is in the news, when there is so much positive research going on into the results of Hypnosis and how it can help issues such as IBS and dementia.

Regards,
Neil

New Wirral Office

Due to demand, I am now spending more time helping my clients over on the Wirral. Requests have become more and more frequent from clients asking for help from the Wirral, especially those affected by the recession.

A lot of people are now finding themselves in unchartered waters with the worst economic downturn in living memory and many have mentioned how much more convenient it would be if they didn’t have to travel into Liverpool for our sessions.

To help meet the needs of our clients, we are renovating an office at our home on the Wirral to ensure that local receive the same quality experience and comfortable surroundings as our main office in Rodney Street.

The new office will have state of the art facilities including recording facilities to allow clients to purchase a bespoke CD for them to further strengthen the hypnotic parts of the treatment in between sessions and CCTV cameras are being fitted to record all child therapy sessions. This provides great peace of mind for parents and also enables them to observe their children in therapy without interrupting their son's or daughter's concentration.

Using NLP, Hypnotherapy and Coaching, clients are able to start taking control of their lives and get a clear picture of where they are and where they need to be. The emphasis of these sessions is to encourage my clients to take the necessary steps to help themselves out of a difficult situation.

We are striving to offer a first class environment for each and every client, as well as offer a Hypnotherapy, NLP, Psychotherapy and Coaching service which is second to none.

If you would like further information about the kind of services we offer or how hypnotherapy works, please visit our website at http://www.transformationhypnotherapy.co.uk.

This new project really excites me and I look forward to working with many new clients from the Wirral area.

We hope to keep everyone informed of the renovations by posting regular updates and pictures, so we’ll bring you more news soon.

Regards,
Neil

The Anti Obesity Drugs

It is my opinion that the new generation of anti-obesity drugs coming onto the market could have a detrimental effect on the emotional health of a significant number of overweight individuals.

According to research, the new diet pills available over the pharmacy counter and without prescription will enable users to lose only a modest amount of excess weight.

In our heart of hearts, we all know that taking these tablets is no substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle.

People turn to food for countless reasons – boredom, low self esteem and lack of confidence are a few examples. Clients who come to me for weight-loss therapy are often unconscious of the real reasons for their problem.

Hypnotherapy can be so beneficial because it helps individuals establish the true reason for their weight problems.

My fear is that without understanding your own personal reasons the temptation of a one tablet, quick-hit approach, is a solution doomed to failure.

Not losing weight whilst taking these tablets or piling the weight back on after stopping them, can seriously affect your mental and physical health. Feelings of failure overwhelm you and so the spiral continues.

We all know that tablets are not a replacement for knowledge and education, nor do they replace the need to take responsibility of actions and behaviours. But once you understand the reasons why you over eat, you can find the right solution that works for you.

Hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming are excellent tools in balancing the conscious and the sub conscious self which is vital in helping people gain their desired body shape and weight.

To help each individual find the right solution, I’ve teamed up with professional Personal Trainer, Jane Ezra. We can offer clients a complete weight-loss package, combining both Hypnotherapy, NLP, EFT and coaching with practical physical private, one to one, gym or home based support to enable clients to lose weight and keep it off permanently.

For more details on how hypnotherapy works, please visit our website at http://www.transformationhypnotherapy.co.uk/.

For more details about Jane Ezra, visit her website at http://www.janeezrapersonaltraining.co.uk/.

Regards,
Neil

Trauma - PTSD

I was recently invited to talk on PTSD for a wonderful internet TV programme filmed at Toxteth TV - Inexcess.TV http://www.inexcess.tv/

Inexcess.TV is a TV programme produced for people struggling with excess & addiction; anyone concerned for a parent, child or friend or anyone trying to help others in their search for recovery.

On the show we discussed the effects of PTSD and the dramatic impact it can have on a person's life. We spoke to an ex soldier, Tom Fielding. Whilst listening to Tom's story it became apparent that Tom had suffered from the effects of seeing the horrors of war. Often the symptoms of PTSD appear for many years after the event and can become debilitating; with the sufferer having difficulty living a normal life.

If you would like to watch the show, view it at the Inexcess.TV website http://www.inexcess.tv/?p=4892&v=1

Trauma and PTSD doesn't just happen to soldiers, it can happen to anyone. I see many clients in my practice from all walks of life, who have been involved in traumatic incidents, including victims of crime, car accidents, members of the emergency services and hospital workers. Years later they know something is wrong but don't know what. I have listed at the bottom of this blog some of the common symptoms of PTSD.

As a Registered Trauma Specialist in Merseyside, I can help clients suffering from the symptoms of PTSD. There are a number of techniques that can be used;

• Counselling; allowing a client to release some of those feelings that may have been trapped for a very long time,


• Cognitive Behavioural Techniques, such as exposure therapy,


• Emotional Freedom Technique and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.

The aims of the latter techniques are to help the mind move the traumatic memories from the short term memory to the long term memory. All of these techniques are used with the upmost care not to re-traumatise the client.

As promised, here is the list of symptoms of PTSD.

Emotional/Cognitive

• Shock
• Loss of pleasure from hobbies, etc
• Reduced
• Concentration
• Confusion
• Anger
• Disbelief
• Terror
• Distortion of perception
• Guilt
• Repeated negative thoughts
• Grief
• Reduced self belief
• Self blame
• Irritability
• Helplessness
• Despair
• Disassociation
• Reduced efficiency

Biological/Psychosocial

• Tiredness
• Feeling of separation/being alone
• Insomnia Social withdrawal
• Sleep disturbance
• Nightmares
• Increased Personal stress
• Hyper sensitive in relationships
• Substance abuse
• Lowered efficiency of immune system
• Headaches
• Stomach disturbances
• Reduced appetite
• Lowered libido
• Easily startled

If you feel you are suffering from the effects of Trauma you are welcome to call me on 0845 643 0167 or email me at

neilfoster@transformationhypnotherapy.co.uk

Regards,
Neil

Recession Depression

The recession is causing many people to despair; ordinary people in the street are being affected by these challenging times, as well as business men and women.

We may not be in what economists would class as a Depression, but many people believe they are. I have seen the number of clients with anxiety and stress issues relating to the economic downturn increase over the last 12 months. These are people are worrying about losing their jobs, their homes and pensions. The worry and the uncertainty had triggered changes to sleeping patterns, eating patterns, headaches and nausea.

As a Hypno-Psychotherapist, I can help clients deal with some of the issues surrounding their lives. We can look at things such as how the recession has affected a client’s self esteem and their confidence or sometimes I will coach clients to take action, and help find new jobs or encourage them to find ways to help themselves.

Sometimes I will just help relieve some of the stress by using counselling and NLP techniques. I have a number of tools and techniques which my clients have found to be very useful in helping deal with their anxiety. I have listed below some hints and tips to help you.

If you think you cannot get through this difficult time on your own, it is crucial to seek help from others, e.g. friends, family, financial advisors or mental health professionals.

It is also very important to take the holistic approach to yourself in such difficult times. This means looking after your physical self as well as your mental and spiritual self. Make an effort to eat well, exercise, take walks when you need fresh air, sleep enough and do fun things that don’t cost much money.

Try not to become too negative. People often think to themselves that this or that will go wrong before it has even happened. Inevitably, when people begin to believe these things, they tend to happen.

Try to think objectively. Ask yourself the question; what is the worst that can happen and how likely is it?

Remind yourself that you can only control what you can control.

Hypnotherapy and NLP are wonderful tools to help you deal with your frame of mind. They can help motivate you, relieve stress and anxiety, as well as assist you in creating a positive mindset.

If you have any questions or queries, or would just like to enquire how I can help you, please give me a call on 0845 643 0167 in the strictest of confidence.

Remember the recession will not last forever!

Regards,
Neil