This year’s show was the last one to be held on its current historical site and, though it will be a shame to move the show away from the town I am pleased that the event is continuing on a new site near the Cannard’s Grave (Sheep) roundabout. Setting up first thing was akin to a 1970’s comedy. Every time we put one side of the gazebo together the opposite side fell apart. That plus the wind and rain trying to scupper our attempts, it was with a mixture of determination, laughter and gaffa tape that we managed to get everything in its place and ready in time. The morning was quiet so I took the opportunity to visit some of the trade stands handing out leaflets to offer Stress Awareness talks. I was pleased with the feedback I got from the people on the stands. It is good to know that businesses are taking mental health seriously at last. Here’s hoping I get some response. The afternoon was much busier and we had a good number of enquires at our stand and, despite the intermittent rain and gusty winds we had a lot of fun. It was nice to get to know my fellow therapists in this environment. We are already looking forward to next year’s show. If you didn’t get the chance to visit our stand or come to the show then please pop into Mendip Chiropractic in Shepton Mallet High Street to find out what we offer. Additionally if you would like to know more about the Stress Awareness talks I offer for businesses or groups please do get in touch via alanwoollard@merryfield-hypnotherapy.co.uk or contact me on my mobile 07718975185.
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If you struggle with anxiety, you may want to consider hypnosis. That’s because a recent study appearing in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis shows hypnotherapy may be highly beneficial. Investigators at the University of Hartford in Connecticut analyzed 15 studies incorporating 17 trials where clinical hypnosis was used as a tool for anxiety reduction. Remarkably, the findings showed a 79% reduction in symptoms for those who took part in clinical hypnotherapy. Over the long term, the study also showed an 84% reduction in anxiety symptoms in 7 of the trials. Finally, the research revealed that clinical hypnotherapy is most effective when combined with other psychological interventions. Continue reading. Originally posted on Men's Variety. When something upsetting happens, my 100-year-old grandmother always suggests that I might feel differently about it the next morning. It turns out that her folk logic could be totally in line with current science. A small new study from the Netherlands shows that “sleeping on it” is a scientifically sound strategy when you’re dealing with stress. The study’s researchers put participants in an MRI machine and exposed them to a smell that they found upsetting. (The findings don’t specify what the smells were, but I’m so curious. Poop? Toxic waste?) Scientists saw that the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions, was activated by the presence of the odor. Participants then slept a full REM sleep cycle. REM is the sleep phase in which the brain is most active — that quality sleep often produces vivid dreams, many of which you can actually remember. When the people in the study were exposed to the smells again, the amygdala remained inactive, meaning they no longer had as much of an emotional response to the odors. It wasn’t that the participants had gotten used to the smell, it was that their brains had processed the emotions they associated with the smell and no longer found it as upsetting. This means that these people re-wired their negative emotional responses overnight I asked some sleep experts to explain how this works. Continue reading. Originally posted on Mic. I often get people who are interested in trying hypnotherapy but are concerned with the ‘mind control’ aspect of it. So I thought I’d write a article in an attempt to clear this up once and for all. For those who don’t fully understand what Clinical Hypnotherapy is their knowledge of hypnosis tends to come from what they have seen in the movies or on a night out with stage hypnotherapy. The movies tend to portray someone who is a ‘Sleeper Agent’, trained to kill a specific target once their ‘trigger’ word has been given by the controller, causing them to go into an hypnotic trance. When in this state they look completely unresponsive until they are out of the trance mode and then they look very vulnerable and scared. With Stage Hypnotherapy the hypnotist is there to entertain you. Using carefully selected compliance test they will whittle out the volunteers to select the 2 or 3 who are the most suggestible. Then the fun begins and the hypnotist is able to get the volunteers to do almost anything. In this situation it must be remembered that the ‘victims’ have volunteered for this. They are really up for letting go and having a laugh and usually, they are the sort of people that like to let themselves have fun anyway, even if you were not aware of that side of them. During all of this the hypnotist would still not be able to get any of the volunteers to do something that they would morally not normally do, such as to strip completely naked for example. Also, the hypnotherapist makes sure that, when the entertainment is over the entertainers are left feeling on top of the world. In some cases it can be a life changing experience. The Clinical Hypnotherapist uses methods that help a client relax in order to quieten the primitive mind (where the Fight, Flight, Freeze part of the brain is held) and instead to access the subconscious and the intellectual mind in order for the client to come up with their own solutions to their problem, and to initiate change. During the relaxation phase there will be suggestions put to the client by the Clinical Hypnotherapist to help them relax. Suggestions such as “You are feeling more relaxed” and “You will feel as deeply relaxed as you can ever imagine”. All the suggestions will be to help you relax so you are able to go into the trance like state required. When in trance there will be further suggestions to help you change how you think and to help you change. Suggestions like “..and focus your thought energy on how you want things to be, rather than how you don’t want them to be..” and “...when you leave here tonight you will able to deal with any situation calmly and in a positive manner”. During this time the person in trance is still in complete control and, should they change their mind during this stage they will be completely capable of opening their eyes, move off the couch and make their excuses and leave. So, is hypnotherapy mind control or not? I would say YES, but it is YOU controlling YOUR mind. YOU decide to book an appointment. YOU decide during the Initial Consultation whether you TRUST the therapist. YOU decide how many sessions to have and YOU decide when you stop the sessions. YOU are in control THROUGHOUT. A Clinical Hypnotherapist is a bit like a Travel Agent. You decide what journey you want to go on and the hypnotherapist helps you achieve that goal by providing you with the tools you need in order to do so. You end the journey once you are in a better place. Want to give it a go? Then give me a call and book an Initial Consultation on 07718975185 or send me an email via alanwoollard@merryfield-hypnotherapy.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you. This article first posted in Merryfield Hypnotherapy. On the internet, in newspapers, and in casual conversation, the brain can sound like an amusement park: reward centers “light up,” dopamine “floods” our system, we experience an “adrenaline rush.” In this simple world, depression is no longer a mysterious, devastating specter: it’s nothing more than a shortage of serotonin, the brain’s “happy chemical.” Unfortunately for those who suffer from depression, however, the truth is not nearly as straightforward as the internet might lead us to believe. Serotonin's association with happiness and depression recovery is so well known that the molecule has become lucrative. On Etsy, one may browse nearly 2,000 serotonin-themed necklaces, earrings, and trinkets. In loving homage to TV chef extraordinaire Ina Garten, Reddit user /u/annybananny coined a slogan that has since circulated widely on social media: Much like tomato sauce or pie crust, "If you can't make your own neurotransmitters, store-bought is fine." The motto has since been plagiarized by dozens of opportunists looking to make a quick buck. It’s tricky to know what to say to someone struggling. You know you should reach out, but you don’t want to say the wrong thing. So you let the silence linger and feel rubbish for doing so. The ALAN method is a tool developed by CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) to help get the conversation started, and make us all more comfortable checking in on someone who seems to be having a tough time. It’s easy to remember and just as easy to do. Learn it, remember it, and have it in your mental back pocket for the next time you’re nervous about bringing up someone’s wellbeing. Think of it as introducing a pal to a guy called Alan, then tick off each step. 1.Ask. Ask open questions, such as ‘how are you doing?’. Give the person time to open up if they need. It’s okay to say you’re worried, or that you’re not sure how to start the conversation but you wanted to see if they’re okay. Asking is the very first step in breaking down that wall and making a connection in someone’s time of need. Continue reading. Originally posted on Metro. As part of the Mental Health Awareness Week I took the opportunity to do a presentation on Stress Awareness at Mendip Rail Ltd, where I have my full-time job. An invite was put out to all employees to attend and I was grateful that a good number of them took up the offer. The talk lasted for about an hour and the attendees were fully engaged throughout. It was very pleasing for me to have a chat with one of the managers afterwards who stated that all the employees at MRL need to see this and that he would make arrangements so that this happens. This I will look forward to as I really enjoyed doing this. If anyone out there thinks their business would benefit from such a talk please feel free to contact me on 07718 975 185 or email me via alanwoollard@merryfield-hypnotherapy.co.uk We feel ‘stressed’ when real or imagined pressures exceed our perceived ability to cope. If things all feel ‘too much’, we experience the sensations of ‘stress’. But feeling stress is not always a bad thing. When stress is short-term and manageable, it motivates and facilitates learning and change. Stress only becomes toxic when it’s excessive or long-lasting. Long-term low level ‘hum’ of stress or short-term excessive stress can increase our risk of developing serious medical conditions such as high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke and autoimmune diseases. To enable the nuanced and very human responses to the diverse challenges that might come your way, the brain produces a highly coordinated and complex stress-response. Continue reading. Originally posted on Your Brain Health. It's Mental Health Awareness Week during 13th and 19th May. If you contact me during these dates to book a Consultation you will get £10 off the cost of the Consultation. Just to be clear, the Consultation does not have to take place between the dates mentioned, just the call to book. All bookings are subject to availability.
Call me on 07718975185 or email me via alanwoollard@merryfield-hypnotherapy.co.uk to make a booking. |
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June 2023
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