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Welcome to March’s Blog.

Not long now to Spring, 20^th March and I’m looking forward to it.  Hopefully you are keeping well and have fared well with the weather we have had recently.  As our weather improves and evenings are lighter we can start to enjoy getting out and about more.

This month I wanted to share with you the following article of how some of the foods we eat can effect our sleep.  We know how important sleep is to us and should anything in our lives not be quite as we want it to be, it can be the first and main thing to be affected.

Eat Your Way to Better Sleep  – by Janet Adams a fellow Solution Focused Hypnotherapist.

Are you looking to lose weight, have you fully embraced the power of sleep in attaining your goals? If you are struggling with sleepless nights are you gaining weight? Are there foods that people with chronic pain can be mindful of?   I/We are not dieticians or nutritionists, but knowing some background can help.

How Poor Sleep Can Impede Weight Loss

• Regularly sleeping less than 7 hours a night means we have more of a tendency to put on weight and increase our chances of becoming obese.
• Poor sleep makes it harder to make wise decisions when it comes to food choices. We’re more likely to give in to cravings for unhealthy food.
• Lack of sleep increases cortisol levels in our body, leading to weight gain (particularly belly fat) and more cravings.
• The more fat we have, the more appetite-regulating leptin we produce, but it’s less effective. This unbalances the relationship between leptin and ghrelin (the ‘hunger hormone’), and your appetite increases.

How Diet Can Impact Sleep

• Gut Brain Axis – our stomachs and brains are connected. The more unbalanced our gut brain microorganisms etc are, the harder it is for our central nervous system to cope with stress, and the more difficult it is to sleep. What helps? Fermented foods, olive oil, probiotics and omega 3’s (the Mediterranean diet).
• Carbohydrates – High amounts of ‘carbs’ do make us sleepy. But if we eat them late at night chances are that we can wake up more often, and not get enough deep sleep. This restricts our body’s time to recharge and re-energise, boost the immune system, recover and repair. A moderate amount of unrefined carbs helps us sleep. They stimulate insulin, which clears the way for tryptophan to reach the brain and help us produce serotonin.
• Protein – Too much protein in the evening or at night, because it’s hard to digest, stimulates the brain and lowers our ability to sleep – it also reduces the quality of our sleep when we do nod off. Better deep sleep is good for muscle growth, so if, for example, you are working out, less protein later in the day might actually give you better results as well as aid sleep.
• Fat, sugar, salt – Vegetable cooking oils, processed meats, cakes etc can worsen inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation, for example fibromyalgia, can be too painful to sleep through. REM sleep produces pain-relieving endorphins. Less fat, sugar and salt = less pain.

Foods to Aid Sleep

There is a very simple way to break down how some foods aid sleep.
The Five Steps

1. Tryptophan, an amino acid, helps us make serotonin. We can only get tryptophan by eating or drinking certain foods.
2. Calcium helps process tryptophan (and melatonin which signals the body to sleep). Magnesium boosts serotonin and potassium regulates it, helping us stay asleep.
3. We use serotonin to make melatonin.
4. We can also eat foods containing melatonin.
5. Melatonin controls our sleep cycles

Here’s a list of some foods with most or all those vital ingredients in varying degrees

 

 

 

 

It’s also worth bearing in mind not to eat a few hours before bed – this will give the body time to get the benefits of sleep-inducing foods and avoid heartburn/acid reflux. Research also suggests that it might be best to have our largest meal in the morning.

The Take Away

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help improve:

• Sleep
• The ability to focus on long term goals, eg weight loss, not short-term rewards.
• The ability to make healthier lifestyle choices.

It can be useful to have an awareness of how our diets can influence our sleep patterns however some people have certain health conditions or take medications that mean certain foods should be avoided therefore I’d recommend that you discuss it with your GP or a qualified dietician or nutritionist.

Further Reading
Ian Taverner lives with fibromyalgia and approaches dealing with chronic pain with a mindset of maximizing what you can achieve, boosting your overall wellbeing, and embodying how nutrition, mindset, action and mental health can be optimized (you can find him on Facebook, Instagram). I also recommend Laurann O’Reilly’s blogs on her Nutrition by Laurann  (https:// nutritionbylaurann.ie).

Enjoy March, stay safe

Best Wishes

Louise

Hi and Welcome to Feb 2022’s Blog,

Already, I can see signs of Spring, baby lambs, tulips starting to sprout and the snowdrops are out already.  It’s so nice to have the evenings drawing out and getting a bit lighter every day, we are getting about 15 minutes a week, not that I’m counting !!! Yes I’m excited for Spring on 20^th March.

Its been a busy month and I’m seeing a variety of clients, young and old with many different issues and conditions that solution focused hypnotherapy can help with.

I thought this month I’d write about autism and how hypnotherapy can help.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Autism is a neuro-developmental condition, which means an individual’s brain processes, thinks, and responds to people, information, and the world around them slightly differently.  One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. It is more prevalent in males than females with 1 out of every 88 children being diagnosed. Whilst the associated difficulties are well documented, it also brings with it many strengths, which is why I promote a strength-based, solution focused.

Here are some difficulties autistic people may share.

• Social communication and social interaction challenges
• High levels of anxiety
• Shutdowns and meltdowns
• Repetitive and restrictive behaviours
• Highly focussed hobbies/interests
• Sensory sensitivity – smell, touch, light, sound or taste

The characteristics of autism vary from one person to another.  Autistic people do not have any visible disabilities, its hidden and people who do not understand autism or recognise the signs may say, for example, that a child is simply being naughty when it is expressing frustration etc. The majority of people both adults and children with autism often have communication and anxiety issues to some degree.
Autism is not an illness or a disease and cannot be ‘cured.’ Despite that there are many interventions that effectively help autistic people with their lives.

Hypnotherapy is one of these and involves guided relaxation and stress reduction which helps reduce and manage anxiety allowing the mind to be open to suggestions, to create new thinking patterns and habits allowing new positive progress at a pace that suits the client.

Hypnotherapy can help build self esteem, confidence to cope better with every day living and deal more calmly with the ups and downs of every day life. We promote and encourage self regulation, provide tools for managing and controlling the symptoms that autism has enabling a person to function better in society.

I often help and advise parents of children with autism how they can assist their children. A parent who is calm and relaxed, rather than frustrated and stressed can better encourage their child with autism to modify behaviour and encourage self-regulation. A parent may identify their child’s signs of stress and when this happens can help practise what has been learnt i.e. to practice the breathing exercises we did in session.

 

If you are interested in finding out more or booking a free initial consultation please do get in contact with me on 07516 962361.

Best wishes,
Louise

Useful Information links.

National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk)

Help and support (autism.org.uk)

Babcock LDP – COVID-19 resources from the communication and interaction team

Autism Education Trust

I hope you have enjoyed the festive celebrations over Xmas and are looking forward to the New Year.  New beginnings, new chapters to be explored and of course the good ole New Years Resolutions to make.

Its now when many people make a New Year’s resolution, but how many keep it for more than a couple of weeks? Surveys tell us that success rates seem to vary between 25-60%.

• What about you?
• Do you have a resolution?
• Will you keep it?

Most people try to stick to their resolution using will power, that’s why they soon fall by the wayside. We tend to be creatures of habit and often get stuck in a particular way of behaviour. To change something you need to be able to visualise the benefits of that change and to help your mind understand why you want to change, otherwise you just easily drift back into the old, familiar ways of behaving.

One way of improving your chances of keeping your resolution is to re-educate your mind into the new way you want to behave. You get rid of the old patterns and put in the new ones, a bit like having a good spring clean and getting rid of all the junk. Hypnosis is an excellent way of helping you to achieving this “spring clean”.

If you intend to stop smoking, lose weight, be more motivated, be more confident, exercise more or cut down on your drinking hypnotherapy can help you. Consider these questions to help you, take everything back to basics

• What is your current habit or behaviour giving you?
• Do you still need what it gives you?
• Could you get that from something else?
• Is there anything that is worth keeping about your current behaviour?
• What you will miss most if you change your current behaviour.
• Why do you want to make this change in your life?

Visualise what it’s going to be like. Write it down, draw it or tell someone about it. Make it real to yourself so you know you do want it and you know what it will be like.  Think about the benefits – what it’s going to be with your new behaviour, more healthy,  more money, the real you back again?

Importantly, if you don’t manage to stick to your resolution then don’t worry. Don’t give up straight away, pick up from where you left off and carry on. Allow yourself to learn from what didn’t work and keep it attainable.

For now, Enjoy New Years Eve, look after yourself and look forward to creating your future, you are in control and it can be negotiated.

Best wishes,

Louise

Seasons greetings to you.

It’s been a busy time and work has been going really well, however, I must admit I’m looking forward to some time off over Christmas to recharge my batteries, spend some quality time with family and friends and catch up on my Level 5 work, I’m getting closer and closer and the end is in sight.

As we enter December there are a wide range of experiences to deal with, excitement, dread, pressure, social gatherings at work and with family and all those sensory differences too, what a minefield !  This can make us feel especially anxious and it’s very common.

The financial implications of Christmas can also cause a great deal of anxiety, with presents to buy, new outfits and festive ‘essentials’ such as wrapping paper, food and tree decorations etc etc etc.  We should be aware that we don’t all have family and friends to spend Christmas with and anxious thoughts that are triggered by family conflicts or even the loss of a loved one, can make us feel isolated and as a result, more anxious.

So, here are a few tips on how you can get through this difficult time and where you can get help if needed.

• Don’t Over Indulge
  We can be tempted to “treat ourselves” over the festive period, however, it is important to remember that food can have quite an impact on our mood. If we have too much sugar and/or caffeine it can cause us to peak and crash and often impacts on our emotions.
• Drink Responsibly
  Its often said that alcohol helps to relax their anxiety however, drinking too much and the following hangover can often lead us to feel worse. It wipes out the serotonin we create, so keep hydrated by drinking water and other non-alcoholic beverages, above all know your limits and stay safe.
• Keep Active
  Its great to go for a walk or maintain our exercise routines, it helps clear our head, give us time to think or some peace and quiet.
• Take Your Time
  Don’t feel pressured to get caught up in the festive whirlwind and rush of Christmas. The reality of Christmas isn’t what we see on Social Media and TV, make it what you want it to be and be happy.
• Make time for yourself
  It’s a busy time so look after YOU, listen to your favourite song or album, watch a good film, read a book, listen to music or take a long soak in the bath or a few extra minutes in the shower. Be kind to yourself and relax!
• Rest
  Try and get plenty of sleep and rest during Christmas. Feeling tired can lead to us feeling less able to cope. Grab yourself an early night or a nice lie in, you will be glad you did.

Its important to look after yourself, especially over Christmas and do what you can to enjoy it, be kind to yourself .

Have a lovely Christmas and a very Happy New Year,

Best wishes to you all,

Louise

Welcome to Novembers blog,

How are you doing?  There have been a few changes this month with the weather getting much cooler and wet than we have been used to , the clocks have changed and we start to have less daylight but nice to see the vibrant colours of Autumn , the berries on the tress and the starlings making those wonderful patterns in the sky, murmurations, fascinating to watch have a look !! https://youtu.be/EDVUm8oghMg

Halloween was last night and then we have Bonfire night at the end of the week as much as I love the patterns and colours of the fireworks our family dog hates the bangs so goes and hides.
It can be the same for some of us, those loud bangs that are expected and unexpected can really throw us off track.  It might be that we are struggling with anxiety or PTSD so I’m asking for us all to be mindful and to support local organised events that are planned, safe and help us plan for ourselves, our pets and its not so disruptive for the wildlife who also find it difficult.

If we are caught off guard there are some breathing exercises that can really help in the moment.

Firstly spot a rectangle, there will be one around you somewhere, you can always use your phone as many of us have these nearby.

• I want you to breathe in through your nose as you look along the short side,
• then breath out through your mouth on the long side,
• in on the short side , out on the long side etc,

This can help to reduce anxiety and reduce panic attacks.

Some might like to count in for 5 and then out for 8, in for 5 and out for 8 and these numbers can get bigger as you practise and it really does help to practise, maybe go for 7 and 11 as a small goal to aim for.  It will help, give it try !.

SAD – At this time of year its also good to be aware of SAD,

“In the weeks before the clocks go back I start to feel sluggish and down, it’s harder to keep to my morning routine of going out for a walk before breakfast because it’s wet, cold and dark”

What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that you experience during particular seasons or times of year. Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life. If you have SAD, you’ll experience depression during some seasons in particular, or because of certain types of weather.
If SAD affects you during winter, there are particular things you could try that might help. You could:

• Make the most of natural light. It might help to spend time in natural light, for example going for walks, spending time in parks or gardens, or simply sitting near a window. This seems to be helpful if you experience SAD in winter.
• Plan ahead for winter. For example, try to make meals in advance and freeze them if you know you are likely to lack the energy to do this during the most difficult period.

“I try to get some natural light during the day just by being outside, maybe tidying up the garden or taking my dog for a walk. Exercise in natural light is really helpful but is not always possible.”

Here’s a link to the Mind website for more information, About SAD | Mind, the mental health charity – help for mental health problems

For now I say good bye, I’m off to find some sloes to make sloe gin for Xmas presents and I’m sure Thorn will be keen to join me as he rushes around in the fallen leaves.

Take care and best wishes,

Louise

Welcome to Octobers Blog.

Wow, where is the time going? I trust you are all well and enjoying the lovely colours of the tress as we head in to Autumn, those ruby reds, golden yellows and rustic oranges’, I love this time of year, picking blackberries for a pie or crumble, with custard or cream? and maybe I’ll pick some sloes for some gin making, ideal for Xmas presents !

I’m glad to be 80% of the way through my Level 5  Advance Hypnotherapy Diploma, the highest level available in Hypnotherapy, its so interesting, fascinating and  natural, the power of the mind really is fantastic and powerful. The finish line is in sight !

Also I’m very pleased to do my bit for conservation and we have released a rescued hedgehog into the hedgerow opposite  our house and hopefully he will set up home.

 

I was thinking about how so many people are struggling with sleep and how it’s the first thing to be affected when anything goes wrong in our lives whether its a big or a small thing.  You know those nights when you can’t stop your thoughts going round and round or waking you up at night and then cant get back to sleep,  so I thought I’d add sleep in this month.

How does a lack of sleep impact our emotional brain? Why does that lack of sleep make us so emotionally irrational and hyper-reactive? It’s not just your imagination — you’re more irritable when you’re low on ZZZZZ’s. Sleep scientist Matt Walker explains how our nightly slumber affects the emotional centres in our brains, and why we can think of sleep as first aid for our feelings.  It well worth a watch and is just under  4 mins. Click this link Matt Walker: How sleep affects your emotions | TED Talk

If you don’t already have my audio to help sleep at night please email me or text me and I’ll send it over.  Louise 07516 962361, or info@louisebarneshypnotherapy.co.uk

So Lets Talk About Serotonin.

What about it, well it make us feel braver, less fearful, enables us to cope better with day to day ups and downs and can help with physical pain.  Maybe you  have negative thoughts racing through your mind? Do you notice that you are more lethargic, irritable, or sad for no reason? Our brain requires a balance of vital neurotransmitters that help to control our feelings of happiness or positive mood.

You may have heard about dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins as being contributing factors to feeling happy. Similar to these neurotransmitters, serotonin plays many important roles in the brain’s biochemistry and is intimately involved in facilitating sustained and deep sleep, maintaining healthy mood and self-confidence, even supporting a healthy appetite and social engagement.

So what is Serotonin?  Its a naturally soothing neurotransmitter  that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happi

ness. Additionally, it helps decrease our worries and concerns and is associated with learning and memory.

People who are clinically depressed often have very low levels of serotonin and some studies suggest that women produce 52 percent less serotonin than men. Levels seem to fluctuate with menstrual cycles, which may explain why women are more prone to depression. Less sunlight may also cause a drop in the neurotransmitter (chemical messengers that help the brain to function) serotonin, which in turn can initiate low mood. While serotonin levels may dip with less exposure to sunlight, many people suffer from low serotonin year-round.

When your serotonin levels are too low you’re more likely to become irritable, anxious, and perceive the world as unfriendly. You may feel depressed, pessimistic, and have irregular appetite and sleep.

The good news is serotonin can be increased in the brain, here are some tips how?

• Positive Action /Get the heart rate up – Daily if you can!
  Exercise is a serotonin intervention – it boosts serotonin in your brain, exercise is very effective and a consistent daily physical activity is one of the best ways to improve your serotonin levels and your overall brain health.
• Eat Healthily To Keep Your Gut in Check
  Much of the serotonin in your body is produced in your gut, eat a healthy diet , hydrate well to help optimise your mental health.
• Think Positively
  When we increase serotonin, you may begin to see the incredible benefits in your life including increased calmness, positive mood, and healthy weight management.
• Achieve a Goal
  However small a task is , when you achieve it you feel good and this can be a real motivator for doing the next task. If it’s a big task break it down into smaller more achieve able steps, take the first step you will be glad you did.
• Connect With People
  Keep talking to
• people, seeing them when you can, chatting on the phone whatever works for you do it , ideally face to face but its not always possible. If Covid has taught us anything its how important interaction is with other people, so go on pick up the phone.

Have a great October, Halloween too,

Best wishes,

Louise

Welcome to September’s blog,

Where has the year gone? I hope you have enjoyed the Summer and the good weather we have been having as well as relaxing with friends, family and loved ones.

I’m feeling lucky to have visiting hedgehogs!  They are so cute and they are in such decline so I’m supporting them with fresh water and food each night, just kitten biscuits as these are suitable for them.  I was able to recharge my batteries too as we went camping with Thorn and two other families and their children and a good time was had by all and we were very fortunate with the weather, not too hot or cold , just right.

There are lots of changes happening as we enter Autumn, the children and young people are back to school, many starting school for the first time or starting a new chapter at secondary school, for them and for their parents/carers this can have its challenges.

How can we help children (and their parents) who are feeling anxious?

When a child is feeling very anxious they may feel frightened, agitated or worried and have physical reactions to this such as sweaty palms, fast breathing , a tightness in their tummy to name just a few of the symptoms, every one is different. The important thing to do in the moment is to help them calm down and feel safe.

These strategies can help to calm these feelings down:
Breathe slowly and deeply together. Longer to breathe out than in! For example you can count slowly to four as you breathe in, and then six as you breathe out. If it works for them, gradually encourage your child to breathe out for one or two counts longer than they breathe in, as this can help their body relax.

• Sit with them and offer calm physical reassurance. Reassure them that it is ok ? Some anxiety is ok, and it will pass.  Feeling you nearby, or holding your hand or having a cuddle if it’s possible, can be soothing.  If you cant be with them perhaps draw a heart or a kiss X on the underside of the wrist that they can press when feeling anxious t remind them of you, this works well and is discrete.
• Try and use all their five senses. Ask them, What they can see, touch/feel,  what can they hear, smell and taste to help reduce the intensity of their anxiety.
• Ask them to think of a safe and or relaxing place or person that makes them feel safe, relaxed or happy. It can be anywhere or anyone and sometimes a memento of this can help, perhaps a seashell, a pebble, a photo for example.
• Encourage them to do something that helps them to feel calmer. Maybe listening to music, drawing or colouring-in, reading a good book, writing in a journal, or watching a favourite film.
• Exercise can really help too, going for a walk or a run. At the moment there are lots of blackberries to pick whilst out on a walk.  Maybe do some baking together to use those juicy blackberries or make a nice fresh smoothie !

Remember that everyone is different and over time your child  and you will find the things that work.

For each and every one of us it’s important to keep our brains fit and healthy and here’s a few tips how-

• Get some sleep – at night, ideally 8 hours !
• Stay active with some form of exercise.
• Connect with other people, interaction is key.
• Eat well , a good balanced diet will help enormously.
• Learn and challenge yourself however small it may be.

For now I say goodbye, Enjoy the month, stay safe,

Best wishes, Louise

 

Hi,

I trust you are well and for those with children I hope you are enjoying the Summer holidays, the occasional lay in and not to have to worry about the school run!

As we begin to venture out more from Covid restrictions and a very difficult year, many people are experiencing feelings they have not had before, or feelings have returned in a more severe way than ever before. Some are deciding to get fit and healthy, re-assess how they want to be, what they want to do whatever that might look like.

I was really pleased to help a client give up his 40 year smoking habit who recently survived two heart attacks.  He has decided to live life to the full, addressing eating habits, getting some exercise in order to grasp life with both hands and live every moment to the full.  Life is too short for regrets so live for the moment.  I was proud to be a part of his journey.

With this in mind it made me think and ask the following:

• Do you want to take back control?
• Do you need to feel ok with saying NO?
• Do you need to rebuild those personal boundaries?
• Are you allowing other people to live your life for you?

Do you put everyone else needs before your own because you think that everyone else’s needs are more important than yours? Do you say “Yes” as a habit because you need to feel needed?  Are you yearning for validation and approval from others?  Do you think other people will think you are lazy, uncaring, or selfish if you don’t say yes to their needs? Do you think that your friends, family and/or colleagues will dislike you if you say no to their requests?

Your reasonable needs are exactly equal to everyone else, and therefore giving your power away to others allows unscrupulous people the opportunity to exploit your good nature and to totally disregard and disrespect your needs.   Some may try and manipulate, flatter or coax you into saying ‘yes’ to them.

Give yourself thinking time, tell them you will think about what they have asked you and will get back to them.   If you truly do not want to do something, say no, you do not have to explain or excuse yourself, or apologise.   Respectful people will accept that you are unable to what they have asked you.

The benefits to you are that you will have put clear boundaries in place, and your self-worth, self-esteem and free time will increase.   You will no longer be normalising the abnormal, accepting the unacceptable and excusing the inexcusable. You will no longer be imprisoning yourself in the needs of others and ignoring your own needs. You will also learn to ask for what you need and ensure that you are treated with dignity and respect.  If you have been a people pleaser all your life you may need help to stop this automatic process.

Hypnotherapy will encourage and help you to make choices which best serve you instead of feeling that you ‘must’, ‘should’, ‘ought’ to put everyone else first. You are important and you need to look after yourself, you are number one.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy combines hypnosis and Psychotherapy. Unlike other talking therapies we do not focus on the issue, instead we give you the tools to be able to move forward so you can achieve whatever you want to achieve. Hypnosis creates a state of relaxation which enables us to access the subconscious mind – this is where the magic happens inside our brains.

Using hypnotherapy, we can gently and effectively teach you to relax and move out of the stress, worry and anxiety response, activating the parasympathetic nervous system to return you to a state of balance in body and mind. We can also make sure you are focusing on the positives in life, and therefore thinking in a much more constructive and helpful way. With repetition and practice, positive thinking will become a habit as we work to literally rewire your brain with new, more helpful habits. With positive thinking, you create calm, sensible assessments, rather than emotional stressful reactions. We also work to build up your confidence so that you know you are able to deal with whatever life has in store.

If you would like to find out more about what hypnotherapy can help with, please visit www.louisebarneshypnotherapy.co.uk

Have a lovely Summer, take care of yourselves and feel free to share the newsletter far and wide,

Best wishes, Louise

July 2021.

Welcome to Summer, its been a busy time for everyone as we begin to start getting out and about more.  Children will finish soon for the summer holidays and those that have year 11 students have already finished and they start their next steps as young adults into the wider world of adventure and experience, exciting times.

I have been busy training some more and I have decided to expand and offer sessions specifically around the subject of menopause.  I have found this to be a subject that is not openly talked about, so, I’m hoping to be a small cog in a bigger wheel of changing that.

Do you find yourself asking these questions?

• Can all these feelings really be the menopause?
• Why is it people only ever talk about hot flushes?
• How can I feel fine one minute then totally lost the next?
• What are the symptoms ?
• Why do I feel like this?

I will be offering support to those who may need it or want to find out more about the menopause and how hypnotherapy can be helpful.  As soon as its ready to launch I will let you know !

Its been lovely to get out into the town that now it has people on the high street exploring the shops and to walk in the dappled woods around, to see the wildflowers and see the baby animals and birds and see the bees collecting their pollen.  It’s good for exercise, general well-being and is great for winding from those busy days.  If you haven’t tried it give it a go, it’s worth it !

Enjoy July, the sun, the BBQ’s in the garden and seeing friends and family safely.

Keep well, stay safe, Best wishes,

Louise

For now here is how anger can affect us and what we can do about it.

Anger – Why do I get so angry?

I have worked with clients who find themselves getting frustrated and angry at work, or find that they are calm at work but lose it at the slightest thing when they get home.  We can also feel anger as irritation, annoyance, frustration, and lack of patience.

When we react with anger it is one of our brains responses to dealing with stress and worry in our life. The other types of responses our brain can have is depressive or anxious behaviour, it could be its just one element or it could be a combination of all three.(anger , anxiety, depression)

Clients that often exhibit depressive or anxious behaviour are met with concern and are encouraged to find help, however, anger is often viewed less favourably.

I’m sure you have probably heard of the ‘fight/flight/freeze’ response, this is an automatic response that happens when we feel under threat/stress. Anger is the result of the ‘fight’ part of that stress/threat response, to defend ourselves or our family and loved ones.

When we experience anger, our body produces adrenaline and other stress hormones, and our upper body (especially the arms) can become flushed with blood to provide extra strength so we can fight. This is why people often go red in the face or neck when angry.

We are all individuals and we all respond differently when we feel threatened. The threat doesn’t have to be a physical, it can be an argument, feeling left out, feeling overwhelmed or guilt at making a mistake.  The part of our brain is responsible for keeping us safe from threats.  This part of the brain can’t tell the difference between a physical threat and an emotional threat!

When a client tells me they are easily annoyed, I treat them no differently than I would if they came to see me with anxiety or depression. The fact is their brain feels that they are under threat.  I’ll explain to my client how that works and what they can do about it.

We now know that venting anger does not help to relieve it. Put simply, anger leads to more anger and if anger gets out of control, it may lead to violence. Therefore, its important that we learn to control angry thoughts and feelings, to enable us to choose a more helpful way to deal with stressful or difficult situations.

Hypnotherapy helps to calm down the stress response, thereby reducing the amount of anger you are feeling. Hypnotherapy can help to put you back into control by teaching you how to remain calm, relaxed and confident enabling you to cope more effectively with day to day life and the ups and downs that life brings.

There is no need to delve into the past and I don’t need to explore why you may be angry.  Instead we will explore how you’d like life to be without anger.
If you or anyone you know needs support I offer a free initial consultation, to book you can call, text on 07516 962361.

June 2021

Well hello, I hope my blog finds you well.
Its so nice how the weather has started in June, it makes such big a difference to have the sun out, the blue skies, leaves and flowers blooming and the birds twittering and hopping from here to there, and when we are lucky enough its nice to see the hedgehog out in the evening scurrying around for food, hopefully for its hoglets !

I apologise for no blog in May, its been exceptionally busy with seeing new clients now I can see them face to face and to continue with the clean downs etc that are needed to keep us all as safe as possible and lateral flow testing.   It really is lovely working with people on line and hypnotherapy is just as effective, however, the interaction face to face with a client is so nice and I’ve missed it.

Many clients are contacting me saying things like:

• “I’ve never had a problem with this in the past”
• “ I’ve always been able to do…..”
• “I’m feeling different than I have before and I can’t put my finger on why or what has caused it”
• “I’ve never had tic’s before” or “my tic’s have got worse or are different”
• “My fear/phobia has come back and I’ve been fine for years”

Maybe you are feeling this too so don’t feel alone in this.  Covid has a lot to answer for.  Some of the strongest, confident, most determined people of all are finding themselves feeling different than they have ever imagined and they aren’t sure why and what to do.

As we begin to come out of the lockdowns and restrictions are slowly lifted we could start to feel a little anxious and this is ok and completely natural , but if its affecting everyday life then it’s not so helpful so it’s good to get some support and get back on track.  Maybe its you or someone you know, lets get a free initial consultation booked in.  In the meantime there some handy hints to help :

• Question your thought pattern. Negative thoughts can take root in your mind and distort the situation, try and think of three positives each day,
• Try focused deep breathing. Breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 6 counts for 2 mins or so,
• Do something you enjoy, listening to your favourite record, watch a film, have a long soak in the bath, self care is important.
• Get some exercise, go for a walk, do 15 minutes of yoga, getting the heart rate up especially outdoors can be so beneficial.
• Eat healthily really does affect our mood.

A couple of really nice tenants I like to use are this and they are very true.

“The future is both created and negotiable”
&
“No problem happens all the time”

During lockdowns I’ve have been completing various units for my L5 Advanced Hypnotherapy Diploma, its been so interesting and my most recent advanced training has been around working with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and Working with Children, just two of the ten units I need to cover.  I’m making good progress and am three quarters of the way through and I’m looking forward to getting it finished, I have four years to do it, hoping to do it in two, I’ll keep you posted !!

Anyway, a big well done to all of you reading this as you have done well, you are doing the best you can and no one can ask more than that so take some time for you, even if its only a few minutes you deserve it.

Stay safe and well and if you need help and support you can always give me a ring on 07516 962361,

Best wishes

Louise