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The National Council of Psychotherapists

is one of the longest established societies of its type in the United Kingdom, being formed in 1971 following the “Foster Report” on the statutory registration of psychotherapists.

 

1. Relaxation Hypnosis
2. Stress Hypnotherapy
3. Confidence Hypnosis
4. Depression Hypnotherapy
5. Public Speaking Hypnosis
6. Hypnotherapy Counselling

#1 - Relaxation Hypnosis

Life is busy, filled with deadlines, commitments and must-dos.  Even if we thrive on living at such a fast pace of life, the constant state of physical and mental high alert that results can take its toll on our minds and bodies, influencing how we feel, what we think and, ultimately, how we behave.

Stress, in the form of pressure, can be useful.  It can focus the mind, improve motivation and, ultimately, lead to goal attainment.  In this positive light it tends to be referred to as ‘ustress’.  But, excessive pressure over prolonged periods of time can lead to stress and feelings of distress. 

Individual’s body responses to stress/pressure (the fight and flight response) tend to vary, but typically people are left feeling physically tense, unable to sleep or unwind, out of control, feeling helpless, unable to cope and vulnerable to ill-health.  Often emotions, perceptions of self-confidence and feelings of self-worth are also negatively affected, ultimately influencing choices and behaviour.  Ability to work, relationships and quality of life in general tend to be impaired.

Relaxation is nature’s great restorer.  By simply relaxing, we can go a long way towards counteracting the negative side effects of our hectic lives.  Whether feeling stressed, under pressure, tense or tired, or simply in need of a bit of luxury, we could all benefit from allowing ourselves to relax more.

Relaxation hypnosis is a fast, effective and enduring way of achieving all the physical, emotional and cognitive benefits of deep relaxation.

Generally speaking, hypnosis, as used within clinical hypnotherapy, involves the induction of a deeply relaxed physical and mental state, a state in which the critical faculties of the mind are temporarily suspended.   But relaxation hypnosis goes that little bit further.  It focuses exclusively on counteracting those negative physical, emotional and cognitive side effects of worry, stress and tension. 

Relaxation hypnosis uses positive suggestion to progressively relax the physical body, encouraging waves of warm comfort to flow through the body, soothing, smoothing, releasing and relieving tired, tight muscles; relaxing the body from head to toe. 

Direct positive suggestions guide the body’s internal mechanisms to effortlessly slow and regulate breathing and heart rate, to allow stress hormones to subside, body organs to work effectively, and to stimulate the body’s natural immune system. 

Visual imagery is a vital part of the relaxation process.  It encourages and deepens relaxation, using the power and creativity of the imagination to divert attention away from negative thinking, providing tranquil rest and sanctuary for the mind. 

Beneficial post-hypnotic suggestions (constructive, often therapeutic suggestions given to a person whilst in a state of hypnosis, that are carried out post hypnosis) are also made, for remaining calm, peaceful and relaxed even after the relaxation hypnosis session is over

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#2 - Stress Hypnotherapy

Stress, in the form of pressure, can be useful.  It can focus the mind, improve motivation and, ultimately, lead to goal attainment. In this positive light it tends to be referred to as 'ustress'.  But, excessive pressure over prolonged periods of time can lead to feelings of distress.

Stress can be result from any number and combination of sources such as work demands, insecurities, change and uncertainties, long-term pain or ill-health, family expectations and financial concerns.

No one person's cause is quite the same as the next. People interpret and react to things differently; what one person might consider an exciting challenge, another might find altogether overwhelming.  Whether a person will react negatively or not to specific situations, people or events, depends largely upon their life experiences; what has happened to them in the past, how they have interpreted those events, and, most importantly of all, the nature of the emotions around the stored memories of those events.

Too much stress experienced over prolonged periods of time can be damaging both physiologically and psychologically.  Individual's body responses to stress (the fight and flight response) tend to vary, but typically people are left feeling physically tense, unable to sleep, out of control, feeling helpless, unable to cope and vulnerable to ill-health.  Often emotions, perceptions of self-confidence and feelings of self-worth are also negatively affected, ultimately influencing choices and behaviour.

But much of this suffering is unnecessary. Stress hypnotherapy can help people to manage the physical and psychological ramifications of stress more effectively whilst positively influencing their perceptions of specific stressors.

So what might a typical stress hypnotherapy treatment programme involve?  At the outset, it is vital that the individual's unique situation is assessed to identify and explore the causes, symptoms and triggers of stress as they are personally experienced.  The physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural ramifications of that stress are then typically investigated in depth.

A stress hypnotherapy treatment programme tends to employ deep relaxation hypnosis to lower the physical stress response and counteract the damaging side effects of stress, easing away tension allowing the body the opportunity to rest and repair and so operate optimally.  By anchoring the physical and psychological sensations of deep relaxation, people can be taught how to re-create those feelings whenever desirable or necessary.

Direct positive suggestion and post hypnotic suggestion are typically used within stress hypnotherapy to re-educate the cognitive response to stress, and to instil alternative, more effective ways of dealing with specific stressors as they arise, so extending the ustress comfort zone.  Memories from the past that are interfering with the present are often re-visited and re-framed so that the emotional and cognitive influence on the present and future are de-sensitised.

A typical stress hypnotherapy treatment programme also applies techniques such as mental rehearsal, creative imagery, future pacing and pseudo-orientation in time to reduce stress, positively influence perceptions of stress, build confidence and boost self-esteem

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#3 - Confidence Hypnosis

'Confidence', as defined within Confidence Hypnosis, is not just a positive feeling in the body; it is also a state of mind, an approach to life, which tends to lead to self-acceptance and success.  It encompasses focus, effort and commitment as well as the ability to both accept and learn from mistakes made along the way.

Nobody comes into the world lacking in confidence.  Such self-perceptions develop over time, largely as a result of life experiences; what happened in the past, interpretation of those events and the nature of the emotions around the stored memories of those events.

Whatever the causes, the symptoms of low self-confidence can be severe.  At a physical level, the state of high alert that results from not feeling confident in a given situation, typically stimulates the internal fight or flight response, releasing detrimental stress hormones, creating breathlessness, tension, reddening of the face, shaking, sweating and so on.  Low self-confidence also affects a person at a cognitive level, encouraging negative, self-defeating thinking; at an emotional level, often leaving people feeling depressed, weak, unworthy; and, at a behavioural level, constraining choices and opportunities, ultimately influencing work, relationships, success and overall enjoyment of life. 

But much of this suffering is unnecessary.  Hypnotherapy in the form of confidence hypnosis treatment programmes represents a holistic, dynamic approach to helping individuals uncover, release and develop their true confidence potential. 

No matter how lacking in confidence a person may feel, everyone has experienced feeling confident at certain times in their life; so it's not that people feel completely lacking in confidence all of the time.  With this in mind, it's vital to identify and address each person's unique experiences of low self-confidence.  The initial consultation of the Confidence Hypnosis Programme identifies and explores the causes, symptoms and triggers of low self-confidence as they exist from the client's perspective.  The physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural ramifications of that self-perception are also explored in depth.

Confidence hypnosis treatment programmes typically employ deep relaxation hypnosis to counteract the damaging physical side effects of stress created by low-self-confidence.  Through anchoring the physical and psychological sensations of deep relaxation, people are taught how to re-create those feelings whenever desirable or necessary. 

Direct positive suggestion and post hypnotic suggestions tend to be used to adapt the cognitive responses to feelings of low self-confidence, and to instil alternative, more effective ways of dealing with specific stressors / situations as they arise, so extending the confidence comfort zone whilst also challenging self-defeating thoughts and beliefs. 

Past experiences that are interfering with the present are more often than not re-evaluated through confidence hypnosis.  Memories from the past that are interfering with the present are re-visited and re-framed, the emotional and cognitive influence on the present and future de-sensitised. 

Confidence hypnosis treatment programmes also tend to apply techniques such as mental rehearsal, creative imagery, future pacing and pseudo-orientation in time to further develop confidence in the present, and both establish and cement understanding of future success and acceptance of self.

Whatever the causes, the symptoms of low self-confidence can be severe, constraining choices and opportunities, ultimately influencing work, relationships, success and overall enjoyment of life.  Confidence hypnosis represents a holistic, dynamic approach to helping individuals uncover, release and develop their true confidence potential

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#4 - Depression Hypnotherapy

Depression, as understood within depression hypnotherapy, is not a passing low mood, nor is it a sign of personal weakness or a condition that sufferers can spontaneously ‘snap out of’. It can destroy lives - not only the life of the sufferer themselves, but also the lives of those close to them.

Depression comes in many different forms, and from a wide range of causes. Some types of depression run in families, indicating genetic pre-disposition or psychosocial conditioning. Other forms can be triggered by organic causes, as a reaction to medication, a chemical imbalance, or result from interpretations of past experiences.

The cost of depression in human suffering cannot be over stated. People with depression typically demonstrate persistent sad or anxious moods, experience low self-confidence, negative thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, emptiness, guilt and worthlessness. They often display a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, demonstrate increased fatigue, have difficulty concentrating, remembering and making decisions. In extreme cases, depression can result in thoughts of death or suicide.

At a physical level, depression can affect sleep, either difficulty in getting to sleep, early-morning awakening, or a desire to oversleep. It can also affect the appetite leading to weight loss or weight gain. Long term depression tends to lower the immune system and typically results in persistent symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders and even chronic pain.

But much of this suffering is unnecessary. Appropriate treatment can help most people who suffer from depression. In Western societies, 7 to 12 per cent of men experience diagnosable depression, and 20 to 25 per cent of women. But, many people with depression do not recognise that it is a treatable illness, and so endure life without receiving help. The first step to getting appropriate treatment is to seek medical advice. Treatment choice will then depend on the outcome of that medical evaluation.

Depression hypnotherapy, a very specific and enduringly effective form of 'talking therapy', has been shown to be a highly effective treatment for overcoming depression and helping people find lasting emotional well-being.

Clinical hypnotherapy typically employs depression hypnotherapy to help individuals understand the source of their own unique emotional difficulties. Hypnosis is used to encourage relaxation, to focus the attention and then to identify and explore the causes, de-sensitise memories of the past, address the symptoms, and control the physical, emotional and cognitive responses to the triggers as they present themselves in the individual's life.

Depression hypnotherapy offers people the opportunity to identify and develop their own inner resources to lead a more positive, emotionally fulfilling life, counteracting the negative physical side effects of depression, rationalising self-defeating thoughts and beliefs, re-programming the mind and body to respond positively to situations, people and events, turning problems into goals, building self-confidence and feelings of self-worth along the way

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#5 - Public Speaking Hypnosis

Phobias are common.  But, glossophobia (the fear of public speaking) is the most prevalent of all, and is thought to affect as many as three out of every four people in Western societies.

As with most phobias, the fear of public speaking tends to develop in response to past experiences, either due to a single traumatic event or through gradual conditioning/association.  The fear is then compounded by both negative emotions attached to memories of the past and anticipation/expectation of future poor performance, failure and/or ridicule.  The fear of speaking in public is maintained and further compounded by avoidance of public speaking or fixation on it.

Symptoms vary, but typically include extreme anxiety prior to, or even at the thought of having to verbally communicate with any group of people.  The fight and flight stress response is triggered, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen intake, perspiration, stiffening the muscles, tightening the throat, and disturbing the thought processes leading to a greater incidence of “ums” and “ahhs”, forgetfulness and confusion.  The anxiety generated, in extreme cases, can lead to a full-blown panic attack.

Adaptively speaking, there are two innate fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises.  But, the fear of public speaking serves no useful purpose.  In fact, as those who suffer from it will be only too aware, it is an overwhelming fear that constrains opportunities and enjoyment of life, influencing choices, negatively impacting the physical body and diminishing feelings of self -confidence and self-worth.

Thankfully, glossophobia is very responsive to hypnotherapy and can be swiftly and enduringly transformed through Public Speaking Hypnosis.

At the outset, the individual’s unique situation is assessed, identifying and exploring the causes and triggers of the fear of public speaking as they exist in the individual’s life.  The physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural ramifications of that fear are also investigated in depth.

Typically, a public speaking hypnosis treatment programme employs deep relaxation hypnosis to counteract the damaging side effects of the fight or flight response, easing away tension, re-educating the body to respond calmly and operate optimally.  Direct positive suggestion and post hypnotic suggestion are used to change the cognitive responses, and to instil alternative, more effective ways of dealing with specific stressors, re-educating the mind to respond to the feared stimulus in a more relaxed and controlled way.

Memories from the past that are interfering with the present are uncovered, re-visited and re-framed, the emotional and cognitive influence on the present and future de-sensitised. 

Public speaking hypnosis treatment programmes also tend to apply techniques such as mental rehearsal, creative imagery, future pacing and pseudo-orientation in time to further minimise the negative stress response, maximise innate abilities, boost self-esteem and build confidence in ability to communicate effectively with any group of people.

Through public speaking hypnosis, an understanding of future success is both established and cemented.

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#6 - Hypnotherapy Counselling

Hypnotherapy Counselling is counselling applied within the medium of hypnosis.  It falls under the umbrella category of “talking therapies”.  In October 2007, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said of talking therapies that they are “just as effective as drugs” in dealing with such things as stress and depression (but with the advantage of no chemically induced side-effects).

People require Hypnotherapy Counselling for a whole range of reasons: bereavement, depression, becoming a parent, sleep problems, phobias,  panic attacks, confidence building, stress, or perhaps even simply to understand themselves better.

As with counselling, Hypnotherapy Counselling involves talking and listening, but, because throughout the majority of the process, the client is in a state of hypnosis (the state of focussed awareness in which the critical faculties of the mind are temporarily suspended), the insights gained into a person’s situation often lead to rapid and enduringly effective problem resolution with little inner resistance and maximum commitment to change.

Hypnotherapy Counselling aims to discover and address the root cause of a person’s problem and to identify and develop the inner resources needed to overcome that problem.  Hypnotherapeutic techniques such as deep relaxation, direct positive suggestion, post hypnotic suggestion, regression, future-pacing, creative visual imagery and pseudo-orientation in time are employed to alter automatic physical and emotional responses, to change maladaptive behaviours and negative patterns of thought, and to provide support during the change process, minimising unconscious resistance, developing commitment, drive and focus, building self-confidence and boosting self-esteem along the way.

Hypnotherapy Counselling is not a magic solution, and is very much client-centred, moving at a pace that’s right for the individual, but positive results tend to become evident very quickly

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References: 
depression stat - (Tighe, 2008) - 18th Feb bbc.co.uk/health

hypnotherapy counselling stat - 10th Oct 2007, News 24 www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7037400.stm

AUTHOR’S BIO:

Christine Woolfenden DCH DHP reg GHR

http://www.echelonassociates.co.uk/

Chris is a clinical hypnotherapist at Echelon Associates Hypnotherapy Practice, Charlbury, Oxford, Oxfordshire 

• conversion degree in Psychology/Oxford Brookes University – distinction

• Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis (DCH) - distinction - Institute of Clinical Hypnosis (ICH), Kings College, London

• Advanced Professional Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy (DHP), ICH

• Member of General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), British Psychological Society (BPS), Associate of the ICH (AICH)

Chris employs Hypnotherapy Counselling to empower individuals to make necessary lasting positive change.