" Since most problems are created by our imagination and are imaginary all we need are imaginary solutions."

Richard Bandler*

Our thoughts and attitudes have actual bodily consequences. Anxiety, anger, stress manifest themselves in bodily states, though this can easily be hidden from us.

Illness can serve as a 'permission giver' that allows people to engage in behaviour they would not normally engage in if they were well. When you are ill you may get more love and attention, time away from work, reduced responsibility, reduced demands, and/or may gain an incentive for personal growth. We all have responsibility to ourselves as well as to those dear to us. 

We experience our world through the five senses and this sensory information stimulates areas in the brain. When someone is in hypnosis and given suggestions through imagery, the areas of the brain which are stimulated are the same as if they were actually experiencing the events of the guided imagery. The mind does not know the difference between what is perceived by the senses and what our imagination can experience in a deeply relaxed trance state.

Hypnotherapy is very effective in combating a range of issues that may have been holding you back. For instance,

Insomnia

This may be related to fear, stress or worry. Verbal cues in the hypnotherapy session will put you in a deeply relaxed state - like day dreaming -similar to the kind of feeling you get when you are deeply absorbed in reading a good book, watching tv, or just about to fall asleep. In this state you will become more aware and realise there is no need to be on high alert day and night.

Anxiety/Stress

Anxiety is a 'mind-made movie' about something that has happened or could happen. The aim of hypnotherapy is to make you think about the moment and not focus on the future or the past. Hypnosis encourages a natural relaxation response, thus reducing the high adrenalin levels that are caused by an anxious brain going into overdrive. This boosts self confidence and reduces levels of fear and intense worry, thereby slowing breathing and creating a sense of well being.

IBS

Can be caused by some experience that has become 'locked' in the body. Hypnosis can make you aware of the experience lying behind the unconscious anxiety creating the IBS. It can also provide soothing imagery and sensations that encourage progressive relaxation that can alleviate symptoms.

Chronic Pain

In a hypnotic state, using visualisation techniques you can gain control over the severity of pain you may be experiencing.

Smoking

Nicotine is addictive and generates a 'feel good factor'.  Hypnosis can be very effective in breaking negative behaviours and thinking patterns associated with smoking; e.g. smoking to relieve stress, boredom, and other uncomfortable emotions. It can also be used to associate smoking with undesirable feelings; e.g. an unpleasant taste - or unpleasant odour - from smoke, thus breaking the urge to even want to smoke.

Weight Loss

Often we eat because of boredom, to distract us from difficult emotions or to help us in social situations.  Once in a relaxed state, with guided visualisations, the aim is to enable you to understand more about your attitude to food and to change your negative thoughts about eating and exercising. 

Phobias

Phobias are commonly caused by trauma, learned behaviour or conditioning. Hypnosis can help you recognise unconscious belief patterns and fears, confront them and eventually enable you to manage them by dissociating from the problem.

Self-esteem

Emotional problems stem not just from what you think about yourself, but also from how you misuse your imagination. Hypnotherapy utilises your own imagination to increase self confidence; to realise your unique qualities and the beauty that is already inside you.

Motivation

Lack of motivation, laziness and fear of success can be treated in hypnosis by using third person motivational visualisation technique, where the client watches themselves, as in a movie. Here we can change how we view things. It is simple but very effective.

Depression

Depressed people have high amounts of the stress hormone cortisol and hypnosis can help reduce this. It can recoup lost energy, build motivation, reduce anxiety, improve self esteem and confidence.

Anger

Anger is very damaging to relationships as well as your own peace of mind. It can be generated purely through the imagination. Imagination and recall are processed in the same parts of the brain. You can generate angry feelings by remembering past anger or even imagining you are angry. Both processes create very real physical changes, so it makes sense to use hypnosis constructively to stop anger being triggered too easily or too often.

* Richard Bandler, co creator (with John Grinder) of neurolinguistic programming and methodology to understand and change human behaviour patterns. Bandler also designed neuro-hynotic repatterning.