Professional Memberships

I am a registered member of various professional, reputable, world-wide organisations. Each organisation requires me to adhere to a Strict Code of Ethics. This means that I am committed to a high level of professionalism, on-going training, and supervision ensuring that my clients always receive a safe, sound therapy.

My memberships are with:

• The Association of Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP).
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The British National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists (NRAH).
  
  





• The National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP).
  
  





• The UK Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations (UKCHO).
  
  
  

Please visit these websites if you require further details.

Therapy > Stress Management with Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is the crème de la crème of therapies for treating Stress, Anxiety and Panic Attacks for permanent relief from your symptoms.

With the ever increasing demands of work and modern day living, it is vital that we manage our stress levels wisely both in the workplace and at home. With my specialist help you too can lead the healthy, happy and fulfilling life that you deserve!

What Stress is

Stress is anything that makes you feel tense, anxious, worried, scared, angry, frustrated or unhappy. As a general rule, any event that significantly changes your daily routine is a potential trigger for stress. I say ‘potential’ because a lot depends on your natural inherited instincts, personality type and general attitude towards life and change. This explains why people react differently to stress.

Common Causes of Stress

Stress can be brought about by something relatively routine like the ringing of a telephone, thinking about next month’s driving test, a visit from a difficult relative, pressures of work, moving house, getting married, getting divorced, to something life threatening such as a car crash, serious illness or bereavement in the family.

Test yourself: What causes you stress?

Recognising the Signs

When normal every day events that you would usually take in your stride feel like too much of an effort (maybe a ‘disaster/crisis’) and start to get you down then you are probably suffering from stress. Feeling physically tired, mentally drained (known as ‘burn out’) and constantly suffering from recurring minor illnesses such as headaches, stomach upsets, colds, sore throats, aches and pains, mouth ulcers etc. are all signs that you are run down and that your immune system is struggling to cope.

Help yourself by recognising the signs of stress.

The ‘Fight or Flight Response’

As soon as we perceive a situation as potentially threatening, our primitive stress response of ‘fight or flight’ springs into action. Stress hormones are released into the blood stream causing the following:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure.
• Raised blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• Faster breathing and perspiration.
• Increased muscle tension.
• Disruption of digestive processes.
• Suppression of the immune system.
• Emotional tension.
• ALL OUR SENSES ARE ON RED ALERT!

These spontaneous physical responses are very useful if your house is on fire, as they enable you to run faster and get away from danger more quickly. However, when you have the same automatic reactions when you are only thinking about an exam, tomorrow’s meeting at work, or going out with friends then you are in trouble.

The Panic Attack

The extra physical energy and tension created by the ‘Fight or Flight Response’ has nowhere to go when you sit and worry, so the stress hormones continue to go round and round your body, keeping everything buzzing in overdrive mode. This is what is often referred to as a ‘Panic Attack’ which simply means an extremely high level of fear, stress and anxiety experienced for an intense period of time. If you feel that you are prone to unnecessary stress reactions then you should seek help, and Hypnotherapy is an excellent way to start overcoming your anxiety.

Some Stress is good for us

A small amount of stress is useful and good for us because it’s motivating and makes life interesting. Facing up to challenges and overcoming them stops us getting bored and keeps us on our toes.

A Healthy Balance

It is important to have a healthy balance, as too little stress is equally as damaging as too much. It can cause us to feel listless and unstimulated, so we perform slowly and inefficiently. This is why many people create mild stress in their lives to overcome periods of dull routine.

Work Stress

Stress in the workplace is the single most important cause of stress throughout the developed world. It is the major cause of ill health, poor productivity and human error. Stress, anxiety and pressure experienced at work lead to increased rates of sickness absence, high staff turnover, poor performance and some accidents in the workplace. In a recent survey of financial institutions, 64% of employers regarded excessive office stress as the principal health threat facing their companies.

As companies compete to survive, employees continue to work longer hours with less job security. It is therefore essential that employers and employees work together to tackle the sources of stress and make the appropriate changes to provide permanent relief and maintain good health.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Most people associate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with battle scarred soldiers (and military combat is the most common cause for men), however any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD especially if the event is perceived as unpredictable, uncontrollable and has threatened a person’s safety making them feel vulnerable and/or helpless. Some of the main causes are: War, Rape, Natural Disasters, Car and Plane Crashes, Kidnapping, Violent Assault, Sexual or Physical Abuse and Medical Procedures (especially in kids). After a traumatic experience, the mind and body goes into shock. PTSD sufferers usually find it extremely difficult to get back to their normal, regular everyday lives, struggling to reconnect with others and negatively affecting their relationships and family lives.

PTSD can also affect the people who witness the event and those who pick up the pieces afterwards e.g. Emergency Service Workers and Law Enforcement Officers. It can even occur in the friends and family members of the PTSD sufferers. If you suspect that you or a friend or loved one is suffering from PTSD you should seek help right away. It is only natural to want to avoid painful distressing feelings and memories, however avoidance will only ultimately harm your relationships, your ability to function, and the quality of your life. The key to overcoming PTSD is to deal with it as soon possible.

The Negative Effects of Stress

When too much stress affects our health and well-being it can interfere with our work, jobs, home and social lives. Prolonged periods of stress and anxiety can lead to Panic Attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Depression and exhaustion. The negative weakening effects of this vicious cycle can then sometimes make it more difficult to do anything about the factors causing the stress. In extreme cases, it can lead to a physical and/or emotional breakdown.

Getting help from an Expert

Clinical Hypnotherapy helps to get to the root(s) of the problem providing permanent relief from the symptoms. The important reprogramming work we do during therapy allows you to cope differently in future. There will always be a certain amount of stress in your everyday life, it is how you react to it that is important. If you really want to change your life then you can, you just need a bit of help!

Powerful Stress Stimulants

Certain things we do act as powerful stimulants to the nervous system activating the ‘Fight or Flight Response’ that actually creates stress and anxiety within us. If you are suffering stress and anxiety you should try to:

• Limit your intake of tea, coffee and cola type drinks.
• Limit your intake of sugar and chocolate.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, and try to have two alcohol-free days a week.
• Reduce the number of cigarettes/cigars you smoke or quit smoking if you feel you are ready to stop for good.

The Importance of a Balanced Body

Your body’s biochemical, structural and psychological functions are delicately balanced to enable good physical and mental health. Any disturbance or upset in any one area can lead to problems in others. Look after your mind and body to maintain a healthy balance.

Defences against Stress

Improving general health and fitness can protect against and lessen the effects of stress. However, it is important to address the subconscious mental defence mechanisms that can act as barriers to adapting and coping with stress. Hypnotherapy helps you strengthen your emotional defences so that you can lead a healthier more enjoyable life.

Sleep

Sleep is usually one of the first things to suffer when you are stressed, and too little sleep can leave you feeling tired, irritable and unable to cope. It is all too easy to get caught up in a negative cycle of sleeplessness that is difficult to break, from not being able to go to sleep, waking up frequently during the night or waking up too early in the morning. On the other hand, some people find that they sleep for hours and yet still wake up feeling tired.

A good night’s sleep is essential for your physical and emotional well-being. The stresses and strains of everyday life are much easier to deal with when you have slept well. This is often the best way to recover from illness or cope with stress, as the body repairs and regenerates itself when you sleep.

The amount of sleep needed to be fully rested varies from person to person, however most adults get by on seven to eight hours, though some Sleep Experts claim we need more. It is fair to say that in times of stress we often need more sleep than when life is running quietly and smoothly. Taking time to establish a calming routine that helps you unwind and relax before bedtime will go a long way to helping you get a good night’s sleep.

Diet

That annoying saying ‘You are what you eat’ is really true! Stuff yourself with junk food or drink too much alcohol, and you are bound to feel tired, irritable, stressed, bloated and sluggish. Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and you will feel much calmer, healthier and more energised.

Exercise

One of the first things people tend to neglect doing when they are stressed is exercise. However, research has proven that regular exercise is a tremendous relaxation aid as it can improve your mood, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, promote sleep, reduce high blood pressure and help weight loss. When you exercise, your body releases adrenaline which builds up in your body when you are stressed, so although you may not feel like exercising, you will definitely feel better for it afterwards. Any form of exercise is beneficial, just make sure it is something you enjoy doing otherwise you won’t stick to it.

A Useful Tip: Vitamins & Supplements

Vitamins can be a great way to help you maintain a healthy, balanced mind and body. Vitamins B and C are particularly good for stress and anxiety. It is certainly worth considering taking vitamins if you feel you are lacking certain nutrients in your diet or if your immune system needs extra support in times of stress. Your local Pharmacy or Health Shop will be able advise you accordingly.