Hypnosis and psychotherapy For over two hundred years the technique of hypnosis has been used in medicine to treat a wide range of physical, psychological and emotional disorders. It has also long been recognised that hypnosis may successfully be combined with other approaches and techniques in counselling and psychotherapy.

In 1997, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) formally endorsed the new term hypno-psychotherapy as ‘the branch of psychotherapy which uses hypnosis.’ Generally speaking hypnosis forms only part of the therapy session itself. The client is invited to relax in an armchair or couch and is then guided into a state of deep physical and mental relaxation. Whilst in hypnosis clients are generally aware of their surroundings and can choose to come out of hypnosis at any time. No responsible therapist would attempt to hypnotise anyone against their will, or encourage an individual to act against natural inclinations whilst in hypnosis. At the end of the hypnosis session, the client will be gently returned to the normal waking state. Most new clients find the experience deeply relaxing.

Mind-body therapy

Hypnosis and psychotherapy recognise that there are many ways of looking at how the mind works. Cognitive therapy takes the view that our behaviour is affected by the beliefs we have about the world around us. Analysts believe that we are driven by our subconscious mind, which is taken to be the store of all our past experiences and emotions. However since ancient times healers have been aware of the effects of words and ideas upon our physical well-being. Current mind-body therapy uses this so-called ideodynamic approach to focus on the well being of the body in order to bring about practical therapeutic change. Here the client will be asked to combine visualisation and correct breathing with other exercises such as correct posture, or to focus on the physical pain of their symptom such as backache or IBS. Clients can learn to exercise control and change symptoms previously experienced as unchangeable.


Stress Management

What is Stress? Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help motivate us into action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective.As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of inability to cope, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, panic, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives. In so doing stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it.

How Can I Eliminate Stress from My Life?
Positive stress adds anticipation and excitement to life, and we all thrive under a certain amount of stress. Deadlines, competitions, confrontations, and even our frustrations and sorrows add depth and enrichment to our lives. The purpose of stress management is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage it and how to use it to help us. The goal of therapy is to find the optimal level of stress which will motivate the individual and the group but not overwhelm.

How Can I Tell What is Optimal?
There is no single level of stress that is optimal for everyone. As such, what is distressing to one may be a joy to another. And even when we agree that a particular event is distressing, we are likely to differ in our physiological and psychological responses to it. Illness is related to unrelieved stress. If stress symptoms are beyond optimal stress level then stress needs to be reduced the ability to manage it improved. With therapy and training stress requirements and tolerated stress levels can be fine tuned and balanced.

How Can Therapy Help?
Just as there are many sources of stress, there are many possibilities for its management. How does therapy proceed? Identifying unrelieved stress and its effects is the first step. Reducing its harmful effects may be achieved by combining disciplines taken from many sources. Deep relaxation, hypnotherapy, meditation, the Marshall Arts, Pilates, life-style and diet change and exercise programmes are the main focus which will be looked at in structured ways unique to each individual or group.

Therapy is guided through six stages
1. Become aware of stressors and emotional physical reactions.
2. Recognize what can be changed.
3. Reduce the intensity of emotional reactions to stress.
4. Learn to moderate physical reactions to stress.
5. Build physical reserves and maintain emotional reserves.
6. Plan to maintain well-being.

Therapy is most effective when there is a commitment to follow through all six stages for both individual and group or corporate work.