Counselling

Overcoming Dental Fear with Hypnotherapy

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Does the thought of visiting your dentist fill you with dread, fear or anxiety? This is a highly common problem that many of us suffer without resolution throughout our lives. Some can manage it of course, but for those of us that can’t, then Hypnotherapy can be a very powerful way to manage your thoughts and feelings regarding the whole process and allow you to get the treatment you need with the least amount of stress.

Phobias in general can often be dismissed as a sort of weird thing; people can be phobic of just about anything. For those of us that suffer with a Phobia, can literally be in fear of their lives.

So why does this happen?

Well, the dictionary will define a phobia as something that is an irrational fear of an object or circumstance. However, fear can be perfectly rational. If we are confronted with a charging rhinoceros for example, it would be perfectly acceptable to be afraid. Our fight or flight response kicks in, so that we might save ourselves.

If our distant ancestors experienced a life-or-death situation, they needed a way to ensure their survival. Imagine if one of our ancestors is ambushed by a sabre-toothed tiger. If they escaped, they might associate the rustle of tall grasses with a fear response in future preparing the body for a fight or flight.

Unfortunately, this learned response can be inexact, meaning that as people we can’t afford for the exact circumstances of the first attack to happen, before we trigger the fear response, because that might be too late. So, we can continue to irrationally process the similar circumstances, such as rustling of tall grass.

The same can be true of visiting the dentist. Rationally we know we will be well looked after by a professional, but on an unconscious level our fight or flight response is being triggered.

Hypnotherapy can help here, because it can relax the mind to a state where we can alter the way the mind processes the association with a visit to the dentist. We can reduce the threat response. This is also true for other phobias, we just need to re inform the subconscious mind that it is ok, to reimagine a visit to the dentist without the trauma or stress.

Phobias are never necessary; they cause distress, drain energy and stop people living full lives. Nobody should have to live with them.

If this sounds like something that might help you, please get in touch and we can start the process of making the situation manageable for you.

Overcoming Anxiety: How Solutions Change Your Mindset

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It may seem an obvious notion that by finding solutions to our problems we would immediately start to relieve worry and anxiety that can build up in us over time. However, for many suffering with anxiety often all we can see are the problems, and the idea of finding a solution can sometimes seem insurmountable.

The important thing to be aware of here is that when we look to find a solution, however big or small, we switch to a more positive part of our brain, the pre-frontal cortex. This is the part that is unique to humans, and where we are at our best. It is very difficult to feel both stressed and anxious while be completely present in thinking of ways to make solutions.

Think about that for a moment!

We can be anxious one minute, think of a solution and then go back to feeling anxious, but what we can’t do is feel both at the same time. The more time we spent focusing on thinking of solutions, the more time we spend away from our anxious feelings. Then when we find a solution and apply it, we have achieved something that makes us feel good.

So, with this information we learn that it is sensible to dedicate some time each day to sit down, break down our problems and try and come up with a solution. We may know what we want to achieve ultimately, but what we don’t sometimes apply is the idea that when problems are too large, we may need several steps to break this down, and so part of the solution might be just a very small thing that leads to the ultimate resolution.

If you are having trouble with this process, Solution Focused Therapy or Counselling is a very useful modality in which you can start this process for yourself. Solution Focused Therapy uses a variety of techniques, tools and questions that help refocus the mind to help you step away from your problems. Over time and with practise this then becomes your new normal.

Sounds like you?

Reach out and take the first step on the journey to finding your resolution.

The 6 Benefits of an Early Bird Sleep Pattern on Mental Health.

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Most of us know just how important a good restful nights’ sleep is to our feeling of well-being the next day. What many of us don’t know is the impact of when we choose to sleep can be just as important on how we feel.

I want to share with you the powerful impact waking up early can have on our Mental Health.

Now for those of us who aren’t ‘Morning People’ the thought of waking up early can seem horrifying, but with a bit of discipline we can re-organise our day and reap the benefits on both our body and mind.

  1. Organise your day & be more productive

The first benefit of waking early is that you can use this extra time when few of us are awake to start to plan your day and create a to do list. By creating a plan for your day, you can get yourself in the right mindset to go about and complete your tasks, you will also experience less anxiety and worrying unnecessarily. When you direct your mind towards your goals you start using the Reticular Activating System. This is a built-in part of the brain that filters content that is related to what you want and think about in life, So, if you are in a positive mindset, it will look for all the things that confirms your aspirations. An example would be if you decided you wanted a specific car, you will find that you suddenly notice this car in adverts, on the roads, in car parks etc.

A study that was published in the Journal of General Psychology in 2008 highlighted that “those who woke up early procrastinated less than those who woke up late. Individuals tend to be more disciplined and focused on their goals, thereby improving productivity”. Studies also indicate that individuals that rise early tend to be more agreeable and cooperative, they were more determined to achieve projects and tasks.

2. Time for Quiet, Calm and Silence

Studies indicate that when you wake up earlier than most people, you have time that affords you some quality peace and quiet in a noisy busy world, an invaluable commodity.

During those quiet moments you have time to hear your thoughts. It gives you quality time to relax, read a book, do some exercise or even meditate. These quiet moments have positive effects on the brain, and some of these include:

Reducing blood pressure

Increase oxygen levels in brain

Reduce migraines

Boost mental health.

3. Time for Breakfast

When you wake up early you give yourself time to eat a good nutritious breakfast. The benefits of eating a nutritious breakfast are numerous and some of these include:

  • Provides energy for the day
  • Help you focus
  • Reduces risk of being overweight
  • Lowers negative cholesterol
  • Reduces risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes
  • Maintains a healthy bodily rhythm
  • Improves mood and positive thinking.

4. Improved brain clarity & function

According to a study carried out by Christoph Randler biologist at Germany’s University of Education, if you suffer with a foggy mind throughout the day, starting to change your sleep patterns to waking early can improve your brain function.

Those who wake up early tend to find they are more creative, engage with work more and are funnier. The have improved problem solving and critical thinking skills and have an increase in memory function, all vital skills that improve your effectiveness at work and play.

5. Become more positive and improve mental health

The biggest benefit of waking up early is on your mental health. This is as a result of the collective benefit of all of the above. Those who don’t get up early are at a higher risk of developing depression and other mental disorders.

By waking up later it increases the chances of developing negative thoughts which can overwhelm those who suffer with this, by readjusting your sleep patterns and sticking with it can gradually improve your outlook to a more positive way.

6. Better Sleep & gives you more energy

By shifting your sleeping patterns and going to bed earlier and waking early in the morning, evidence points to deeper sleep patterns. You get a better quality of restorative sleep. Once you have established a set routine of going to bed at a set time and getting up the same time every morning, your natural body clock readjusts so that you can feel sleepy when its time and get up refreshed when its time. It is also important to continue this routine at weekends to maximise the benefits. The importance and benefits of getting a deeper sleep pattern established include:

  • Tissue repair
  • Bone repair
  • Lowered blood pressure
  • Relaxes the body
  • Increased blood supply
  • Releases growth hormones that can build muscle and tissue.

Waking early conclusion While acknowledging getting up early can be difficult for some, including the writer of this blog, with a determined effort and some strategies to maintain your discipline I can add my own experience to confirm the benefits are worth the effort.

Welcome to Illuminating Minds

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What is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy ?

This form of Psychotherapy is designed to reduce anxiety and Stress related symptoms. It is called Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and as the name may imply during our sessions we focus on the solutions for future, rather than dwelling on and analysing the past. It is structured to empower people to change the way they think, and as long as a person is committed to this change and follows the process it can be highly effective in relieving symptoms of stress and anxiety.

By focusing on the solutions and not dwelling on the past problems we instead ;

  • See where you are currently.
  • Highlight and illuminate where you want to be going forward.
  • Empower you with the tools to make the changes required.

When it comes to the mind we say ‘Use it or lose it’. We are looking to lose the ruminating on painful memories part and rewire and fire the brain with positive actions that can only move us forward.

Famous quote

“You can’t effect the cards you are dealt, but you can determine how you play them “ Milton Erikson

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy uses practical, modern, well-researched strategies to help people make significant and beneficial changes in their lives.

It is an extremely effective treatment for Fears, Phobias, Giving up Smoking, Anxiety, Weight Loss, Depression, IBS, Sports Performance and many more.