I am currently reading an excellent book by Miriam Akhtar 'Positive Psychology for depression'. Miriam was one of the first UK graduates of the Masters programme in Applied Positive Psychology, and she works a great deal with youngsters with mental health issues.
One of the techniques which she advocates as a way to build positive emotion and resilience is to savour those moments of sheer joy which we experience - and this can include anything from a warm hug with a friend, that first taste of a creme egg, or feeling the warmth of the sun (I know, the latter is not so frequent). The more you do this, really luxuriating in the moment, savouring it with as many senses as you can, then what actually happens is that:
- you find yourself experiencing a greater sense of wellbeing
- it shores you up against stress and depression
- you start to find yourself noticing more of those moments
So this Easter, make sure that you notice those moments whether its time with family and friends, a nice chilled glass of Sauvignon blanc or luxuriating in bed on Monday morning.
Have a wonderful Easter everyone.
Best wishes,
Wendy x
Thursday, 28 March 2013
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Getting to the root of the matter
I often find that people come to me as a last resort. They have tried all sorts of different treatments, therapies or medication in order to feel better, but to no avail, so they then think about trying hypnotherapy as there seems to be little else left to try. After a successful outcome, which happens in the majority of cases, the client then confides in me that they wish they had come to me first.
Why would hypnotherapy work, when nothing else has?
In my view the reason is that, by and large, none of the other treatments or therapies have dealt with the root cause of their particular issue. Hypnotherapy, by contrast, deals with the unconscious mind and therefore tackles the condition at its base level and so does not simply treat the symptoms, but the origin of the problem. When we weed a garden, if we simply cut the weeds down, they will come up again very quickly, and perhaps even stronger and thicker. It is only be pulling the weeds out by their roots, and then tending the area carefully can we ensure a rich fertile area, ready for those plants and shrubs that we actually want to have in our garden.
So, if you feel that you need treatment for a particular issue, why not try hypnotherapy first - it may save you an awful lot of time (and weeding).
Best wishes,
Wendy x
Why would hypnotherapy work, when nothing else has?
In my view the reason is that, by and large, none of the other treatments or therapies have dealt with the root cause of their particular issue. Hypnotherapy, by contrast, deals with the unconscious mind and therefore tackles the condition at its base level and so does not simply treat the symptoms, but the origin of the problem. When we weed a garden, if we simply cut the weeds down, they will come up again very quickly, and perhaps even stronger and thicker. It is only be pulling the weeds out by their roots, and then tending the area carefully can we ensure a rich fertile area, ready for those plants and shrubs that we actually want to have in our garden.
So, if you feel that you need treatment for a particular issue, why not try hypnotherapy first - it may save you an awful lot of time (and weeding).
Best wishes,
Wendy x
Monday, 4 March 2013
You are feeling very sleepy ......
It's National Sleep Awareness Week this week and anyone who knows me well will know that I cannot get enough of the stuff. I actually love sleep, but, I hasten to add it is really important to get good quality sleep, not just alcohol or sleeping pill induced coma-type snoozing. So this means that you need to get the right balance of REM sleep - this is rapid eye movement sleep or dream sleep - along with the deeper kind. A good mix of both and in addition ensuring you get between about 7 and 9 hours will usually be sufficient.
To me, there is nothing better than a good night's sleep. And in the same way, there is nothing more energy-sapping than not sleeping well. If this then continues night after night then it can lead to all sorts of health problems, both physical and mental, and it sometimes seems that the more you long more sleep, the more elusive it becomes.
The phrase 'sleep-hygiene' is often used nowadays, (and this doesn't refer to making sure you are really clean before you go to bed), what this actually means is having a good look at your daily routine and perhaps tweaking it a little in order to see if this could help you get into the habit of experiencing good quality, restful sleep, most nights. Some of these things are obvious, so excuse this but they should still be mentioned:
- caffeine - check that you drink no more than 3/4 cups of coffee or tea per day, and ideally none after midday
- try and get a little bit of exercise and fresh air during the day if you can, but do not exercise just before bed
- alcohol may get you off to sleep quicker, but you will be more likely to have a poor quality sleep, and/or wake up during the night
- try to have a light meal in the evening, ideally before 7pm - if you eat a big meal before bed, then you will tend to not sleep very well
- do something relaxing in the evening, such as reading, sewing or listening to music. Television is ok, but try to watch something soothing or uplifting before bed if you can
- learn self-hypnosis/relaxation techniques, simple ones that you can use just before bedtime
I often find that many of my clients, as a side-effect of the hypnotherapy treatment they receive, start sleeping much better and this happens even if they have not come to me initially with sleep problems.
If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you to sleep more soundly, then do contact me on 01449 780352 or 07817158429, or email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.
Sweet dreams,
Wendy x
To me, there is nothing better than a good night's sleep. And in the same way, there is nothing more energy-sapping than not sleeping well. If this then continues night after night then it can lead to all sorts of health problems, both physical and mental, and it sometimes seems that the more you long more sleep, the more elusive it becomes.
The phrase 'sleep-hygiene' is often used nowadays, (and this doesn't refer to making sure you are really clean before you go to bed), what this actually means is having a good look at your daily routine and perhaps tweaking it a little in order to see if this could help you get into the habit of experiencing good quality, restful sleep, most nights. Some of these things are obvious, so excuse this but they should still be mentioned:
- caffeine - check that you drink no more than 3/4 cups of coffee or tea per day, and ideally none after midday
- try and get a little bit of exercise and fresh air during the day if you can, but do not exercise just before bed
- alcohol may get you off to sleep quicker, but you will be more likely to have a poor quality sleep, and/or wake up during the night
- try to have a light meal in the evening, ideally before 7pm - if you eat a big meal before bed, then you will tend to not sleep very well
- do something relaxing in the evening, such as reading, sewing or listening to music. Television is ok, but try to watch something soothing or uplifting before bed if you can
- learn self-hypnosis/relaxation techniques, simple ones that you can use just before bedtime
I often find that many of my clients, as a side-effect of the hypnotherapy treatment they receive, start sleeping much better and this happens even if they have not come to me initially with sleep problems.
If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you to sleep more soundly, then do contact me on 01449 780352 or 07817158429, or email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.
Sweet dreams,
Wendy x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)