David

Can People Really Change? The purpose of this article is to provide a context to understanding how people can change. How much can a person change? As a hypnotist I get asked to help people make changes in their lives. The changes I'm asked to help with vary in size, depth and dimension. Here is a list of things I've been asked to to help people change: Quit smoking Improve eating habits Stop abusing alcohol Build a Feeling of Confidence Improve athletic performance ... the list goes on... In spite of the amazing changes I've seen people make, I still wonder "Can People Really Change"? The Ship of Theseus The Ship of Theseus is a thought experiment about whether an object (or person) that has had all of its original components replaced remains the same object (or person). If a car continues to be repaired until all it's original parts are replaced is it the same car? Likewise, is a person who committed a horrific crime in their youth still the same person at the age of 80? That final questions goes to the heart of our personal ability to see people as more than an accumulation of actions. No Simple Answers One way of addressing the question is to agree that a person is different/more than all their components and all their history of actions and behaviors. My personal experience is that a person can be identified for having done something good or bad in their life but they should be seen as something more. I'm Not That Person Anymore Years ago I used to smoke. I quit many times but would start back up after a few weeks. How I finally quit was not about changing my behavior, but changing how I thought of myself. As much as [...]

To People Suffering with Trauma and PTSD This could be for you. Trauma happens to anyone who is exposed to pain or violence so dramatic they have no way of understanding it. They may be physically healthy but have no way of understanding what they have experienced. The external world may seem "normal" but their internal world has not found it's way back. It can feel that life has changed forever and there is no peace of mind. Are you trying to recover some peace of mind? My heart goes out to you in your distress.  I do have something that I think can be of great benefit to you. This is a simple exercise you can do that could give you some real peace of mind. This very simple exorcize has a strange way of quieting the mind and turning ones attention away from the emotional pain. It's simply called "The Loving Compassion Meditation" and it has given me some wonderful solace when I was going through stressful times. I've also shared it with several of my clients going through PTSD and it's made a big difference for them. Here it is. 1) Find about 20minutes of time where you can sit without distractions. 2) Close your eyes and focus your attention inward. 3) Think of a person or pet whom you love and hold them in your mind as you mentally say "I wish you to be happy and healthy and free from pain and suffering". 4) Acknowledge your love and caring for them. 5) Think of another person or being you can say those words for them and repeat the process. Advice and Recommendations: You're not giving them a blessing or invoking a higher power. Simply recognize the love and care you feel. All you are doing is [...]

6 Ways to Practice Self-Care When you pour all of your time and energy into caring for others, you are more likely to be overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life. Finding time to practice self-care is crucial for your overall well-being. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to make time for yourself if you have a hectic schedule. A strict budget can restrict self-care even more. Using these six habits can help you work self-care into your daily routine without blowing your budget. 1. Try Hypnosis Learn Hypnosis at this Seminar Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility. It can be used to help us change our habits and improve our self-care. For example, we can use hypnosis to motivate ourselves to exercise more, eat healthier, or get enough sleep. We can also use it to overcome negative brain patterns that prevent us from taking care of ourselves. New Hampshire Hypnosis can help you improve your health and well-being and be better equipped to take care of those around us. 2. Get Outdoors Exercising is one of the best ways to practice self-care, but you don't have to spend hours in the gym each day to reap the benefits. If you make time each day to get outside and take a walk, you will feel better both mentally and physically. Spending time outdoors gives you plenty of vitamin D to boost your overall health. It also makes it easy for you to get the recommended number of daily steps. Make it a habit to take an evening walk with your family each day. You can also spend time outside doing mundane tasks such as reading or gardening to boost your intake of vitamin D. You don't have to run a marathon or do a lot of [...]

What is Hypnosis? Hypnosis, as defined by the dictionary, is a special psychological state with specific physiological attributes, resembling sleep superficially and marked by a functioning of the individual at a level of awareness other than the ordinary conscious state. We all have seen hypnosis in cartoons and movies, but does that happen in real life?  Hypnosis is a reality that many are aware of. Although different from how we perceive it from movies, it could is used as a treatment method in medical sciences. Kirsch's ideology on weight loss and hypnosis  Irving Kirsch is a lecturer and director of the Program in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School. He emphasizes that hypnosis can be a therapy to treat conditions like obesity, anxiety, stress, and surgical pain. Hypnosis can reduce weight without any pain or unease. Many women across the globe have faced the issue of hormonal imbalance due to drug therapy for weight loss. They not only gained weight afterward but also had to experience painful cramps and abnormal behavior because of the imbalance. On the other hand, cognitive behavior treatment- CBT is a non-drug treatment that can reduce an individual's weight by 20 pounds after six months. CBT is a form of psychological therapy that deals with issues ranging from emotional affairs to severe mental illness, while CBT is the integration of hypnosis with psychological treatment. It is a method of training community mental health providers in four Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI). The therapy is based on counseling one's life and the integral part that affects behavior most. So, CBT  improves your physical and mental well-being when the drug therapy increases irritability. CBT+ is comparatively more efficient than CBT since the patients tend to gain some weight after an undefined period from the latter, but CBT+ has known to [...]

People use Kratom for relaxation, pain relief, anxiety, and several other reasons. In fact, in higher dosages, it is often used as a substitute for opioid drugs like morphine and heroin because it carries the same effect on the brain receptors. Unfortunately, like opioids, Kratom can also contain addictive properties, which you should be wary about.  Intolerance, dependency and cravings are some side effects that can come with using Kratom and can later lead to psychological and physical withdrawal when you eventually choose to stop using it. Though because of its easy availability, people may opt to take it to avoid symptoms of more severe opioid withdrawal.  What is Kratom? Kratom (Mitragyna speciose) belongs to the Rubiaceae (coffee) family. It is an evergreen herb found in the region of Southeast Asia and Africa. At low dosages, it makes users more active and energized. In contrast, higher dosages relieve pain, but taking above the recommended amount may lead to Kratom acting as a sedative, causing drowsiness and users to fall silent.  Symptoms of Kratom are usually not as severe as that of opioids. However, some signs to watch out for are: blurred vision, fever, seizures, muscle aches, and anxiety. The risk of becoming dependent on Kratom increases with the dosage. Usually, more than 5 grams or more than once a day will start giving unfavorable effects in the long run.  Everyone is different, and everyone who takes Kratom doesn't need to experience withdrawal after its discontinuation. Though more than often, you might get cravings and to counteract these effects, specialized hypnosis methods have become widely used. Does Hypnosis Work? The quick answer to that question is: yes. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of hypnosis in treating several medical conditions. Adding hypnosis to other methods only strengthens its ability to help people [...]

Since April 1999 I've been helping people make improvements to their lives with hypnosis. The first time I heard someone say "I don't believe in hypnosis" I was stumped. I didn't know how to respond. For a moment I felt like I needed to defend myself and the practice of hypnosis. But, I realized that wouldn't be useful. That got me thinking. Saying "I don't believe in hypnosis" isn't exacting and it's likely they mean one of three things. What Do They REALLY mean? Meaning #1 - Hypnosis is Fake. The most obvious way to understand those words is they are telling your that hypnosis is all fictional and fake. It's not real in the same way fairies and elves, and Harry Potter, are not real. Meaning #2 - Hypnosis is against my faith/value system. Many people are indoctrinated by religion or culture to consider hypnosis a source of evil. Some people have been told it will open the mind to malevilant forces. Meaning #3 - Hypnosis is real but don't do it on me! Yes, some people believe hypnosis is real but are seriously afraid of being hypnotized. This may be do to a fear of losing control. One person was fearful of "going under" as though they understood what that would be. Response to "I don't believe in hypnosis" The best response to "I don't believe in hypnosis" is one of curiosty and non-defensiveness. Anytime someone talks about their beliefs they are discussing something personal. Beginning a conversation with a defensive reaction or question makes it hard to create a sincere conversation. The best responce I have that is "Oh wow! Excellent! Can I ask you a few questions about that?" and make my tone of voice as curious and as non-defensive as possible. My purpose isn't to [...]

"Freedom is a journey, not a destination." When you’re suffering from anxiety, the world can feel like a very scary place. Not only will your thoughts race, but almost everything in your environment can become a trigger for your anxiety. Even something as simple as going to the grocery store can be seen by someone with anxiety as a horrible and terrifying ordeal that is likely to leave them hyperventilating. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to help reduce your anxiety and get back to living a normal life again. One of these methods is through the use of hypnosis. If you’ve never heard of it before, don’t worry; it’s nothing strange or mystical. In fact, hypnosis has been used by many people who want to quit smoking or lose weight—it’s just not talked about much in mainstream society. What is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a state of heightened focus that can be induced by a trained therapist or anyone who knows how to induce it. It’s a state of profound focus where you’re more open to suggestion and able to let go of any inhibitions or fears that might normally get in the way of progress. Hypnosis is not a form of sleep; it’s more like a heightened state of focus and visualization. Hypnosis is neither dangerous nor harmful in any way. No one can make you do anything that you don’t want to do while you’re in this state. How can hypnosis help with anxiety? In addition to helping you relax and focus, hypnosis can also help you reprogram your subconscious to create new positive habits and break the cycle of anxiety. Every thought and feeling you have creates a pathway in your brain, and these pathways (or neural pathways) get stronger and more developed the more you think [...]

Hypnotherapy for weight loss is, in essence, the therapeutic application of hypnosis to assist with habit and attitude modifications to help you change undesirable ideas, behaviors, or emotions that might be influencing what and how you eat. A hypnotherapist employs several approaches to shift thought patterns, understand why you struggle to maintain or lose weight, and help you recognize ways you might be sabotaging yourself with unhealthy behaviour choices. Hypnosis is used to put you into a state of deep relaxation. Does hypnosis help people lose weight? Will hypnotherapy for weight loss work for me? This is one of the questions clients of hypnotherapy frequently ask during appointments. The response to that question is brutal to know unless you give it a try. Talking about forming good habits and breaking bad habits should help foster a new level of awareness regarding eating and exercise, even though it won't always work the same for everyone. Hypnotherapy is frequently suggested in addition to other forms of support like talking treatments (working with a counsellor) or group therapy since it is regarded as an alternative or complementary medicine. To lose weight, consulting a health coach or working with a nutritionist specializing in weight loss or control may be worthwhile. Hypnotherapy should be combined with a good food plan and exercise routine for long-term weight loss. Speak to your doctor or a nutritionist if you want suggestions on improving your diet and exercise regimen. Success is frequently the result of a coordinated effort between these factors. How many are weight-loss hypnosis sessions necessary? Most people who want hypnotherapy to help lose weight will attend about four weekly sessions. As a preventative step, some people continue to "check in" with monthly or bimonthly meetings for a more extended period. First step Before beginning sessions, clients [...]

Let's suppose there is someone in your life you care about who seriously NEEDS help.  They are engaging in a behavior you want them to stop. How do you talk to them so they are more likely to ask for help? Don't Do This... Nagging, lecturing, critisizing. It may feel good. It may feel like the only thing you can do for the people you care about. After all, you are watching them engage in behaviors that at best, are wasteful, and at worse, self-destructive. The problem nagging, lecturing and critsizing is that it creates an opposition for them to push against. No one likes to be told what they are doing is wrong even if they conscious know it's wrong. Guilt is not always the best way to encourage change. Do This Instead... Show support by letting them know, first, you are on their side. Ask them about their hopes and dreams. Ask them to talk about what is important to them. Ask them if you can make the first move for them and make the call. How About Seeing a Hypnotist? Over the course of two decades as a hypnotist. Yes, I've often gotten a call from a family member asking "Can you hypnotize my relative so they would (fill in the blank)?" The standard response is to explain how hypnosis works and that their relative would have to want to work with me. If the person is present I ask to talk to them. Because it's important they want to work with me I can't pressure them but I'll answer any questions they have about the process. Feel Free To Call Us If you want to know more about hypnosis, or about how hypnosis works, please feel free to call us at (603)589-8033 on from our contact [...]

As much as people use hypnosis to change behaviors like quitting smoking, fear of flying and the like, the truth is they want to be someone different. People want to be someone better than they are now. Our identities are not fixed.  In fact, your self-image is flexible and fluid. Consider how teenagers are noted for experimenting with their sense of identity. It is a central feature of becoming an adult. But formulating a new sense of self is not limited to the young. Anyone can reshape and form a newer and better personal identity. Our self-perception is a cognitive shortcut that helps our brains make what might be considered difficult choices in advance, thus shortcutting the decision-making process. Personal Story I often tell clients how I used to smoke. There were even things I liked about smoking. I tried to quit many times but I always started up again. Finally, I realized that the one thing I didn't like about smoking was "being a smoker".  That was when I decided to be someone different. I decided that regardless of any urge or want for a cigarette I would remind myself "I am NOT that person any more". Every time I said those words I was filled with a rush of strength and determination. Quitting smoking was easier (and more enjoyable) than I thought! Our sense of identity, how we see ourselves, has a dramatic effect on our behaviors, now and in the future. As a simple exercise, consider how an ideal version of yourself would behave. What would be their habits? What habits would remove? How would they feel about themselve? For a period of time (a minute, an day, a week) see yourself as that person and take note of what you are able to do and how you feel. If you [...]