Do you want something in your life to be different? Perhaps to overcome a habit, increase self-esteem, improve a situation, develop a skill or manage stress more effectively? All change has 5 phases, according to the work of Prochaska and Di Clemente. It’s worth knowing these to see a) where you are and b) where you want to be. This article will help you to understand that.
Continue Reading >As I write this, Mental Health Awareness week is coming up. But I find the term Mental Health unhelpful and creates a stigma which belies the real-world problems which many of us face at some time or another: stress, anxiety, depression and grief. The antonym of Mental Health is Emotional Resilience.
Continue Reading >Another year, another set of New Years’ Resolutions! Each year most of us make resolutions which we fail to keep. Why is this? Often we have what is called “secondary gains” to a problem. This means that, even though there is a part of us that wants something, there can be another part of us that is actually benefiting from the problem in some way. Secondary gains can be unconscious – something we are not aware of – and very powerful in sabotaging our best intentions.
Continue Reading >Willpower myths are what stand in the way of long-term change for many people. One thing I dread when meeting a client for the first time is if they ask for more willpower. It’s not that I don’t think having willpower is valuable – it is. It helps you overcome impulse and achieve goals. But the reason I am not a fan of it being the thing is that it’s an awful lot of work, isn’t it?
Continue Reading >Choosing a hypnotherapist is both difficult and easy. This article helps you understand how to choose a hypnotherapist so you make the right decision for you. Let’s do the easy bit first. If you Google ‘hypnotherapist’ you will see hundreds of them. Even if you narrow it down to your area, you will see many options. So finding one is not the hard bit.
Continue Reading >Co-dependency is a psychological state characterised by the need to protect or control other people and is often accompanied by self-neglect. People who suffer from co-dependency live a life that is based on others and their needs without taking care of themselves.
Continue Reading >I can imagine how tough it is to be a journalist. You have to sell papers and you have to report the news. And you have to do it at speed. It can be a challenge, I’m sure. I had an incident last week where a reporter was doing some undercover research which resulted in a report which did not have the time or space to reflect a balanced perspective. I was pretty impressed that her appointment with me was Friday at 3pm and the article was in the Sunday papers. Impartial news isn’t very interesting – I get that. But it isn’t fair on you not to have the information which was missed out.
Continue Reading >Stage Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy – What's the difference?
A new TV show has been launched which usually raises questions about the difference between stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy. There are a number of important differences which I am going to share with you here.