A tuneful Christmas

So that was it then. A good time was had, lovely company, excellent presents, lots of very rich food, and Mr Chalk and I found the inn to be quite comfortable and peaceful to retire to after each busy day (see my previous blog for details of sleeping arrangements).

There has been a bit of a musical theme to this Christmas. To their delight my son Olly entertained our elderly guests with some wonderful jazz piano standards on Christmas Day, as Mr Chalk and I cooked the dinner. It did feel a bit like an old peoples home at times, but at least everyone was happy. On Boxing Day evening we all sat down to enjoy that wonderful Victoria Wood comedy musical 'That day we sang'. A real 'feel-good' piece, such clever lyrics, I particularly liked Enid, the heroine's song when she was lamenting about her boring, narrow life, with gems such as 'no Kenya, certainly not when ya, tights are 45 denier. Marvellous.

Also, quite spookily, Mr Chalk and I bought each other tickets for musicals, as part of our Christmas presents to each other - Dirty, rotten, scoundrel from me to him and Miss Saigon from him to me. Make of that what you will. They are also on consecutive nights, so warranting a little stay in London which will be lovely.

Music is such a powerful thing, and I am a particular fan of musicals for that amazing feeling of being uplifted and energised - wrapped up in a great big musical hug.

Musicals are also a wonderful energetic contrast to the music I play in my therapy room, which is very calming and peaceful, and promotes those 'alpha waves' which occur in hypnosis. I love this sort of music too, and it has a very important part to play in my hypnotherapy sessions.

One of the things I shall be doing over the holidays is looking at my therapy room playlist, and possibly revising it a little. I shall look forward to playing these for my clients in 2015, helping them to achieve a deep state of calm and serenity, a wonderful antidote to the stress and anxiety of modern life.

Happy harmonies,
Wendy x

Plenty of room at the (Premier) Inn

We hadn't planned it this way, but - having a house full over Christmas, and realising that our spines are not made for air beds any more - Mr Chalk and I shall be staying at a nearby budget hotel over the festive season - and, it may seem strange but you cannot guess at how relieved I am. Having checked the website yesterday we were pleased to find that, contrary to the well-known and loved Christmas story, there was actually plenty of room at the inn, so on Christmas Eve night we shall make our way to that little town beginning with a 'B', in this case Bramford and not Bethlehem. It should not take us quite so long as it did Mary and Joseph, as we will be Volvo riding, not donkey. I am also hoping that the inn will be fairly comfortable, having seen the adverts with Lenny Henry, I feel reassured that this will be the case, and there will be a minimum of livestock that we shall be sharing our room with.

Some people hate to be away from their homes at this time of year, but I must admit that I am quite looking forward to having our own space to sleep and get showered and dressed will be quite wonderful. We have enjoyed the years spent with the boys climbing into bed with us when they were little on Christmas morning, and now that they are 18 and 21, the Christmas holiday period takes on a different hue. So, Mr Chalk and I will have the luxury of freshly laundered sheets, and our own bathroom, while our guests can enjoy the chaos of our house. This will mean that we can go back to our house each day feeling refreshed, not having to share a bathroom and also then escape the throng in the evening. This will make for a calm Christmas and although I shall still be doing the cooking and hosting (which I do enjoy as a matter of fact) there is this wonderful in-built escape plan. Bliss.

However you are spending Christmas, I do send you my best wishes for the holiday season, and a very health and happy 2015.

Wendy x

Hypnotherapy for depression

The desperately sad news of Charlotte Bevan and her new baby daughter being found dead in the Avon Gorge, after disappearing from hospital highlights the all too common problem of depression in new mothers. As Charlotte already had a mental health problem, it is baffling that she was able to leave the hospital so easily and unnoticed by staff, but we cannot know all the circumstances.

As someone who has suffered from post-natal depression myself, I can identify with that despairing feeling which descends on you at a time when the world expects you to be on cloud nine. This is often what makes it so much more difficult, and the horrible thoughts that can go through your mind at this time make you question your ability as a mother.

We cannot know what was going on in poor Charlotte's mind, but it is clear that much more support should be given to people like herself, and indeed anyone suffering from depression or mental illness.

If you feel that you may have depression, it is vital that you seek help, and going to your GP is the first important course of action to take. It may then be suggested that you take a course of anti-depressants and perhaps some therapy.

Hypnotherapy treatment can be taken alongside conventional treatment, and I regularly see clients who are taking some sort of medication. What I find is that the calming nature of the hypnotherapy as well as the powerful positive suggestions are very effective at helping people to begin to feel better very quickly.

If you would like to know more about how hypnotherapy can help you, do please contact me on 01449 780352 or 07817158429, or email me - wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

The 'C' word

I have to confess that I am not a great lover of Christmas - it could have something to do with the fact that my boys are now grown up, so the excitement that was once experienced through their little eyes is no longer there.  The over-commercialisation (as well as the rich food) also makes be slightly nauseous, you only have to look at the scenes witnessed on 'black' Friday to already be sickened by it all.

So this year I have decided to do things slightly differently.

I have decided not to make a big fuss.

After all, you have to admit that, really, it's just a glorified Sunday roast but with presents. So, with that in mind, I am keeping everything as simple as I possibly can. For one thing, I have decided not to put up the tree till just a few days before Christmas Day. I am also keeping costs of presents down, but buying things that I think people will really love. We do not buy for the adults in our family anyway, so it's already relatively easy and I shall do all the shopping on-line.

I am intending to make everything as easy as I can for myself, so I have already ordered my food shopping to be delivered on 23rd December and I have ordered the bird from a local supplier.

Whilst I do appreciate that some people absolutely love Christmas, I think it does put a lot of pressure on people (women especially, not being sexist here but you know I'm right) and there is the assumption that everything has to be absolutely perfect.

Well, it really doesn't, so do things in your own way, and make it easy on yourself.

Remember, less is so much more.

Wendy x

A healthy relationship with food

I have recently been reading a great book called 'Have your cake and your skinny jeans too' by Josie Spinardi. Those of us who have read Paul McKenna's 'How to be thin' may well remember those 4 rules of getting and remaining slim:

- eat when you are hungry
- eat what you really, really want
- eat mindfully, enjoying every bite
- stop when you are full

This is all very well, but these rules go against the habits of a lifetime of dieting, and sometimes we need to know exactly how to do these 4 things, when all of our conditioning goes against them (particularly the first two). Josie Spinardi's book goes into the detail of how to do this from someone who has been there, and ultimately found it to be easy and truly liberating.

Having had a particularly busy (and quite stressful) time of it lately, I have been aware of wanting to get back to a simple, but healthy way of eating which involves listening to my body. What I have found is that following these guidelines (I prefer to call them this, rather than rules which are often there to be broken) I feel absolutely wonderful, and also surprising in that your body will tend to chose foods which may not seem to healthy, but it's important to realise that they are what YOUR body is asking for at a given time.

This really make sense to me. I have known for years and years that diets are not the way to go but sometimes, with all the hype and silliness out there about what we should or should not be doing, it is very easy to lose touch with what your body is telling you it really wants.

If you would like to find out more about how hypnosis can help you to establish a healthy relationship with food, do give me a call on 07817158429/01449780352, or you can email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Warmest wishes,
Wendy x

Hypnosis for better quality sleep

We all know how rough we can feel after just one night's interrupted sleep. And even though insomnia is not really thought of as a 'disease' in itself, insufficient sleep is linked with several chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.

Researchers have found that slow wave sleep (that's the deep sleep, as opposed to REM - rapid eye-movement sleep where we are dreaming) has a positive impact on memory and immune system function, and during this period of sleep, the body secretes growth hormones, promotes cell repair and improves brain plasticity. They have now found that hypnosis can specifically improve this type of sleep.

The researchers found that slow-wave sleep increased by 80% in women who responded well to hypnosis

Although patients with sleep conditions have been successfully treated with hypnotherapy in the past, the researchers say that until now, objectively measurable changes in sleep have not been proven.

In order to further investigate, the team conducted a study with 70 healthy young women who came to the sleep laboratory for a 90-minute nap during midday.

During their nap, the researchers objectively measured their sleep by recording electrical brain activity with an electroencephalogram (EEG). The team says slow-wave sleep is characterized by an even and slow oscillation in electrical activity in the brain.

Hypnosis yielded 80% more slow-wave sleep for those who respond to it.


All I have to go on is when my clients report back feeling 'calmer and just generally more rested, sleeping much better' but it's great to have solid evidence for this.

Sleep well,

Wendy x

Empty nesters

With this being the time when loved ones are being waved off to university, I thought I would write a quick blog about those of us left behind.

My nest isn't quite empty yet as, although Olly - our eldest - is in his third year at Birmingham Conservatoire, our youngest, Joe, has decided to stay local and started an apprenticeship in sales and business administration. But, as we see a lot less of Joe due to his long working day, it does seem extremely quiet in the house, and I can sympathise with those of you left with that deathly stillness after the teenage maelstrom of the summer.

As parents, we know that one day our children will step out into the wide world, but it doesn't stop us worrying about them. It sounds silly now but one of the things I worried about when Olly went away was his road sense. His Halls of Residence in Birmingham were on a really busy road, and he had to cross over the Aston highway on the way to lectures, several lanes of busy traffic, and he helpfully told me that sometimes the pedestrian traffic lights didn't work! Living in the tiny village of Cotton, he wasn't prepared for these sorts of hazards! But somehow he obviously managed, and now is so street-wise, a real city boy who finds us all extremely provincial.

Although those first few weeks were hard, I realised that I needed to just get on with my own life, trusting in the knowledge that Olly would be ok, he was doing what he loved to do in a city that he felt comfortable in. No doubt there have been hard times, but he has gained so much in maturity over the last two years and is incredibly independent now. Maybe not financially, however, but that's another story!

For those of you who are packing off their loved ones as I am writing this blog, I send you - and them - my very best wishes.

They will be fine.

Wendy x

New beginnings

Having just returned home from a wonderful holiday in Mauritius with Mr Chalk and it also being the start of the new academic year (even though it was a very long time since I was at school, it always seems like a new beginning) I am filled with a renewed sense of energy and optimism for the future. I realise how lucky I am to have the opportunity to do a job that I love in a beautiful part of the world, with wonderful family and friends to support me.

The past few months have been difficult and sometimes very stressful with worries about elderly parents, children and work commitments, but many of these things have now resolved themselves - temporarily at least - and I believe much calmer waters are ahead.

Sometimes clients tend to think that I don't have the same problems that they have, that I never feel anxious or stressed, that I never have cravings for fattening food and /or alcohol, that I don't have phobias (I do,it's moths, but I have managed work on this). I am, in fact, human, like the rest of us, and I believe that it helps me to understand what others are going through if I have had the same concerns as they have had at some time or other. The difference is that, with my training and understanding of how our minds work, I can sometimes - not always, though - find ways to make myself feel better.

It does seem to be that we often go through different phases in our lives and I believe that I am entering a new chapter where I can gain an even deeper understanding of how I can best help people through their particular challenges, and end up feeling so much better about their situation. I am really looking forward to starting a course in the autumn with the wonderful Penny Simmonds, a local reflexologist and healer, which is about energy healing. This is an area which fascinates me but one which I tend to remain sceptical about, but nevertheless I do believe that this teaching will help with my hypnotherapy practice.

Whatever new areas of study I focus on, I always still remain committed to my core belief in the power and efficacy of hypnotherapy. This is something that I will always remain faithful too, but it doesn't stop me learning new things, and thereby enriching my practice.

This time of year often sees an influx of new clients, and I really look forward to being able to meet and help as many of you as possible.

Warmest wishes,
Wendy x

Not the end of the world

With A level results being out today, my heart goes with those students who do not get the grades they wanted. Of course, congratulations must go to those who do well, along with best wishes for their continued studies at their chosen university. A level exams are incredibly hard and I do not hold with the view that standards have been dumbed down - maybe a few years ago it seemed that A grades were being handed out like smarties, but this no longer seems to be the case.

But, to those of you whose future plans seem in tatters due to grades not being achieved, please take stock, this is the beginning of your life and there is so much out there that you can do, things that do not require the requisite As and A stars, and although your life may now go in a slightly different direction, you will one day see that this may have happened for a reason.

My lovely son Joey got his results today, but was a little indifferent, as he has been offered an apprenticeship anyway, but we are exceedingly proud of him for achieving two A levels, even though they are not A grades. He is a wonderful chap and will work hard at his new job. That's all we ask.

My warmest wishes to all of you whatever was in the envelope this morning. You are very special. May you have a truly happy life.

Wendy x

Eating to combat stress

Although I tend to enjoy a wide range of foods, every so often I do like to try different ways of eating and my current interest is Paleo. Basically this means eating like a caveman in the Paleolithic era, so entails a diet which includes meat, fish, berries, nuts, fruit and vegetables. Grains are not included, as these were only introduced relatively recently, and neither is sugar or processed foods. Dairy can be included, if tolerated, but lots of 'Paleos' prefer to keep away from dairy too.

My attraction to this way of eating comes from a desire to eat very little processed food, and it has been a real voyage of discovery finding out how, far from being boring, you can start to discover and experiment with all types of foods and ingredients. As readers of the blog will know I adore baking its almost like a meditation for me (so pleased and excited that the Bake Off is back! Yay!) so have been finding ways I can make cakes, biscuits and sweet treats without the normal flour, sugar and butter. It is a challenge sometimes, but after a lot of experimentation I have found good substitutes, resulting in some delicious bakes which go down really well with the family. Although I have to say the chocolate beetroot cake was not a hit, it was just too, well, beetrooty ....

It's really interesting to explore different ways of eating, but I would always urge you to never go on fad diets. What's great about Paleo is that you are eating so healthily, all the foods are unprocessed and you do feel better for it.

What I love is the feeling that whatever stress I encounter, I am treating my body well and not putting extra stress into it in the form of junk, horribly processed, foods.

And, talking of stress, I must recommend a lovely lady called Tracey Hardy who runs Suffolk holistic massage, and who I go to see every once in a while for massages. I went the other morning and came away feeling incredibly calm and chilled out, ready for a quiet afternoon, when I then had a call from my mum to say that my dad needed to be taken urgently to Bury hospital as a wound from an operation had started to bleed profusely. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted .....

I do hope you are all enjoying this wonderful weather,

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Caring for the elderly

My apologies for having been woefully absent from my blogging post of late but family commitments, most notably tending to my lovely mum and dad, have meant that time has not been on my side.

It has been quite a difficult month, beginning with a day spent with my dad in A & E at Ipswich Hospital, after taking him for a birthday meal to Felixstowe, when he was suddenly taken ill with chest pains, initially thought to be caused by a heart attack. This was later found out not to be the case, but the whole episode was quite traumatic nevertheless, and I am so grateful for the support of my family during this time.

What the event has done is brought up the question of care for my mum and dad, who are - amazingly - approaching their nineties, and till now have been able to manage independently and look after themselves in their own home. This is even more incredible, when you consider their exhaustive list of health problems, including failing sight, heart disease, prostate cancer, IBS and a few others.

My family all agree with me that it is important that mum and dad can stay in their own home, so we have organised, through a local private care agency, a carer to come in and help them for a couple of mornings a week. This can then be increased later on if needs be.

Knowing mum and dad, they will be making the carer cups of tea and coffee, so I am going to have to remind them that they need to take it easy and enjoy being looked after themselves for a change!

It is a tremendous weight off my mind that we have now put something in place, and I hope that it will allow them to feel reassured and comfortable having a bit of extra help. I will still be very much involved in their care, and helping them out, but I do feel the burden is lighter for me now, and I can enjoy the nice moments with them more, not just the regular 'duties' like hospital visits.

I do feel for anyone going through the challenge of caring for an elderly relative. It is not easy, and what often gets forgotten is that the elderly often experience both mental and physical health issues, which can be very upsetting and worrying for their children. Also, many of their illnesses get put down to 'old age' and are therefore not given the attention or treatment they need, and you end up having to continually fight their corner.

I consider myself blessed at having the most wonderful parents, and supportive family around me.

Enjoy this lovely sunshine,
Warmest wishes,
Wendy x

Give a little whistle

I absolutely love a story in the paper today about an acclaimed choirmaster Barry Todd, who, having been in a coma after an aortic aneurysm, was awoken by a tape of his choir singing the song from Pinocchio 'Give a little whistle'.

Mr Todd, choir leader of Midland Voices, was taken ill very suddenly, and doctors gave him a 1 in 100 chance of waking up. His wife Carol, not one to give up easily, spent days by his side, playing tapes of his choir to him. How she must have felt when he began whistling to the song 'Give a little Whistle' we can only imagine.

Mr Todd, whilst still quite poorly and having had to have his leg amputated, will be going back to his role as choirmaster later this month.

Some would call it the power of the sub-conscious mind, others a simple faith and hope in our ability to triumph over adversity.

Whatever it is, its quite wonderful.

Warmest good wishes to Barry and Carol,

Wendy x

Naughty at ninety

I love the story about the wonderful D-Day veteran Mr Bernard Jordan who, having been told he couldn't go on the British Legion trip to the 70th anniversary of D-Day, decided to make his own way there, and 'broke out' from his old people's home in Hove.  It shows such devilment and determination, and apparently Mr Jordan had a wonderful time with old comrades, before having to come back to face the music.

So often, when people reach a certain age, they lose their confidence, and end up having a life that is very restrictive and confining. Unfortunately, this becomes a vicious cycle, as the less they do, the less they feel able to do.

I regularly meet with people who find that, on reaching retirement, they lose their confidence in their own abilities, and find any little thing becomes anxiety-provoking. Even people who have had high-powered careers somehow find that, once they retire, they lose their sense of self and end up fearful and anxious about the most basic things.

Once again, it is all about balance. Of course, when we get older, we look forward to having an easier and less stressful life. That's important, but equally is the sense that we still have some structure and meaning to our lives, whether this means working part-time, finding absorbing hobbies or doing voluntary work. Above all, it is essential that we still have some contact with the outside world, otherwise we can find ourselves retreating into a lonely, tedious world.

Mr Jordan clearly has got the balance right, even though it must have been a little worrying for his care home. He is determined to still 'get a part of the action' for want of a better phrase, I do hope he will not get into too much trouble, and that they have booked him onto next year's trip.

Hope I'm still naughty at ninety.

Wendy x

D-day

This week marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, a pivotal moment in World War II which then lead to the allies defeat of Germany in 1945.

Whilst my dear dad, who will be 88 soon, was not there at the time, he did sail to the Normandy beaches sometime after the landings on a Royal Navy minesweeper, with the object of finding the undetonated mines and clearing this area of them. We cannot comprehend the bravery of the troops who served in this war and WWI, and in the many conflicts since. This is impossible, even with the many films, accounts and images that are relayed to us as, unless you are actually there in the situation, you do not go through the experience. Many of these boys were not yet 20, and yet had to endure the most traumatic experiences, that if they survived, would still leave them with severe emotional, if not physical scars.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is thankfully now recognised as an illness, but it was not always so. I am currently reading a wonderful book 'Regeneration' by Pat Barker which is about the First World War Hospital Craiglockhart and the psychiatric treatment of shell shock under the direction of Dr W.Rivers. Rivers was reasonably enlightened in terms of his understanding of how war mentally damaged young soldiers, but was caught between this empathy with the men and his duty as a war doctor to get troops back to the front as quickly as possible. Amongst his patients were the First World War poets Siegfried Sasson and Wilfred Owen, who wrote so descriptively of their experiences, so that we are able to still have an insight into this brutal conflict. Another patient, an emaciated soldier called Burns, was sick every time he ate, as he had been blown up by a mine and had landed on the dead body of a German, which was bloated with gas, and the impact of Burns had made him explode. As I write this, I feel sick myself, these are terrors that would have caused the most resilient person to break down. And yet, at the time, shell shock was not fully recognised and thought by some to be a cowardly way to avoid service.

Thank goodness that we are now so far from this, yet we still have to make sure that we find the most effective treatments for post-traumatic stress, and make them available for all those affected by the traumas of war.

I am signed up to the National Council for Hypnotherapy's 'Help for Heroes' campaign, which means that I offer one free session of hypnotherapy to any serving armed forces men or women who have experienced PTSD and feel that hypnosis would help them.

Do please get in touch if you, or anyone you know would like to find out more. My telephone number is 01449780352 or 07817158429 or you can email me at wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Love food

I do hope you have enjoyed our recent May bank holidays. This last weekend I had the dubious pleasure of organising the cricket tea for my son's team, which he sprang on me Thursday evening. Having to provide sandwiches and cake for 22 hungry men turned out to be a quite enjoyable exercise, as I do love baking and - only having immediate family to make cakes for - I tend to only do it occasionally, as we would all be the size of houses. So, the idea of being able to bake a whole range of cakes for others was strangely satisfying.

As I worked in my kitchen over the weekend, happy in my meditative cake baking trance, it did occur to me that there had been a time when I couldn't have done something like this, due to my dysfunctional relationship with food. In the past, I tended to bake and cook much less than I do now, as even though I loved it I knew, surrounded by all that food, I would be tempted to gorge on it (either in its unbaked or baked state) and end up feeling sick and disgusted with myself.

Since having had hypnotherapy many years ago for weight loss, I have been able to indulge my love of cooking as I now have a balanced and healthy relationship with food. No longer in that vicious cycle of fad diets followed by massive binges, I enjoy food so much more, as I realise that I am the one who is in control and I CAN be free to eat whatever I want, at any time. Bizarrely this ultimate freedom from destructive patterns if thinking and behaviour makes for a much more disciplined mindset around food, not in a restrictive way, but just finding that it feels better to eat smaller quantities of healthy food, and allowing for occasional treats too!

So, I did really enjoy my few days baking for the cricket team, and what was really lovely was how well it was appreciated by the players. Mr Chalk was there to help me, so we had a good time, not sure that I would like to do it every weekend, however!

If you have been thinking of hypnotherapy for weight loss, as you really feel ready to try something different, do contact me on 07817158429 or 01449780352. I would be happy to tell you more about it and how it could make such a lasting difference to your life.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Exam stress

As a mum of a worn-out teenager currently revising for exams, as well as getting course work completed, my heart really goes out to those in a similar situation. Whether you are the student or the parent, this time of year can be so difficult. Whatever we say to our youngsters to help calm them down and ease things for them, it is still a really challenging time. Add to that the miseries of hay fever, the uncertainty of future plans, the worry about leaving home and it can all seem overwhelming.

I have found with my own son that hypnotherapy can be incredibly beneficial, so if you - or your child -feels that a relaxing hypnosis session to calm those exam nerves would be a good idea, then do get in touch. I can also create for them their very own hypnosis recording which can be downloaded onto their phone for a boost at any time, but especially useful before an exam.

Do contact me on 01449 780353 or 07817158429.

Warmest wishes,
Wendy x

Addictions, good and bad

Apart from swimming, I have to admit that I am not a great lover of exercise, and for a long time I have been trying to find some physical activity that I can almost become addicted to, that I actually want to do instead of feeling that I have to do it.

Well, I think I have found it.

Mr Chalk very kindly bought me a lovely new hybrid bike last week, with a light alloy frame and the difference between this and my old 'sit up and beg bicycle' is quite amazing. On the new bike I am finding it so much easier to navigate the roads (and yes, there are hills in Suffolk) that I am gradually increasing the distances I go. Today we went out on a most enjoyable 14 mile bike ride round Suffolk, and what I most appreciated, apart from the endorphin-high I got which has lasted the rest of the day, was being able to notice so much more in terms of wildlife, beautiful properties around here, and in addition the sounds and smells of the countryside. We really are blessed living in such a beautiful part of the country, but I don't think I have fully been aware of this until now.

I am certainly not going to be the next Victoria Pendleton but I think that cycling may well have me hooked, which as a healthy addiction, I am quite happy about.

Sometimes people talk about having an addictive personality and I think we all have the capacity to become addicted to something. When you find something which gives you a high, you inevitably want more of it. Where the brain can play tricks on you however, in the case of a negative addiction such as drugs, alcohol, overeating or gambling is making you deny how bad you inevitably feel after the initial fix has worn off. You continue to 'forget' about how destructive this habit is, as you only remember the high it gives you.

When I treat people with destructive addictions, we look at how they can access the good feeling, the buzz, but in a natural long-lasting way. Hypnosis itself can make people feel really good, calm, incredibly relaxed, as well as more positive. In addition it can open up the mind to finding new healthy activities which will provide the feel-good factor, but without the disturbing consequences of a destructive habit.

It is not always easy, but once you can experience the freedom from a negative addiction, you can start to fill your life with good, healthy options that still give you that exhilarating 'high'.

Like cycling ....

Wendy x

Have your cake and eat it

Hello. My name is Wendy, and I'm a food addict. There. I've said it.

When I tried hypnotherapy for weight loss many years ago I was lucky enough to encounter a lovely lady called Marguerite who practised quite near to where I lived. That first experience was really positive, and, armed with a recorded cassette (those were the days) I managed to lose a quite substantial amount of weight, which has stayed off. This was around 20 years ago.

I had no idea what to expect from the hypnotherapy, but was surprised and delighted with how good it made me feel, and how I lost weight so easily. Not only that I established a really healthy relationship with food which has continued to this day. No more bingeing, no more fad diets, in fact enjoying food more than I ever had in the past.

As I get older, it does seem that the metabolism grinds to a halt, and I need a little bit less than I did 20 years ago, but I am happy that I can still fit into size 12 clothes. I will never be a skinny minny, but I think I have accepted and embraced the body shape that I was born with.

When I see clients for weight loss now, it is really important that we look at the long-term view, making smart changes to our lifestyle which will make a positive difference for good. My own view - as a self-confessed foodie - is that food can still be enjoyed, it is one of those pleasant things that we do that can make us feel good - but by making small changes, keeping an eye on portions, having a food diary, upping our activity levels, we can also make sure that we achieve and keep to a healthy weight.

The hypnotherapy treatment seems to take us back to our 'sensible self' who actually knows exactly what to do in order to get to our ideal shape and weight, as well as making us feel incredibly relaxed and positive, and no longer needing to eat for emotional reasons.

If you are fed up with the endless diets, not losing weight and beating yourself up when you can't fit into summer clothes, let me help you find the 'sensible self' within. We can work together to help you to be the person that you want to be. You will never look back.

My very best wishes for a wonderful Easter,
Wendy x

Peaches Geldof

My heart goes out for Bob Geldof and his family following the recent death of his daughter, Peaches. We cannot know the full circumstances but it does seem that Peaches was suffering hugely from the loss of her mum to whom she was very close.

Paula Yates was found dead when Peaches was just 11 years old, having never really got over the death of her boyfriend Michael Hutchence four years earlier. Throughout her teens and early twenties Peaches then did go a bit wild, but just recently it seemed that she had found happiness with a new husband and two little ones who she doted on. Perhaps having children herself reminded her of her mum and that sense of not being able to share this brought back an overwhelming sense of grief. Paula was a larger than life character, although somewhat controversial at times, she also had a vulnerability which seems to have been passed on to Peaches.

We cannot know the depth of pain experienced by the family at this time, but Bob's words 'we are beyond pain ... ' seemed so poignant. Having to experience the loss of a dear one is unbearable in itself, but when that person is your own child it is difficult to fathom how anyone can get through it.

My thoughts and prayers go out to them,
Wendy x

Hypnosis, by any other name

Witnessing the powerful effects of hypnotherapy first hand, I do sometimes become frustrated about the widely held scepticism towards this therapy, particularly within the mainstream medical profession. I am therefore heartened when a medical doctor working within the NHS endorses the benefits of clinical hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis has been around for centuries to treat a whole range of illnesses and to act as a poerful anaesthetic, but in the last century has been associated very strongly with stage hypnotists and machiavellian film characters intent on committing evil. So its quite refreshing when an NHS Consultant uses hypnotherapy as a first line of treatment. 

At the University Hospital of South Manchester, Professor Peter Whorwell, a gastroenterologist who heads the only NHS-funded hypnotherapy centre in Britain, has pioneered the therapy as a treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. He is convinced that people are put off by the name, and feels that if we could perhaps re-invent the treatment with a different name, perhaps 'neuro-modulation' then it would be better received. He feels, as do I, that sometime in the future people will suddenly realise that hypnotism is an amazingly powerful treatment tool, and that we have been put off using it simply because of its associations mentioned above. He even goes so far as to say that he believes hypnotism to be much more useful than cognitive behaviour therapy or psychotherapy in the treatment of certain conditions.

So, therefore, I do see my role as one of educating people and helping them to understand what hypnosis is, quite simply a deeply relaxed but focussed state in which the subject is able to absorb and use suggestions, which enable positive change (this could be helping a physical healing process, or perhaps allowing emotional or psychological adjustments to occur).

If you share the scepticism of those who believe hypnosis to be a form of dark mind control, then I urge you to re-consider and try it for yourself. If, on the other hand, you are like many of my clients who have witnessed how transformative it can be, then please spread the word!

Best wishes,

Wendy x

Hypno Fab

Apparently, the wonderful and very talented Jennifer Saunders is having hypnotherapy to help her to write the screenplay for a new Ab Fab film. It appears that she suffers from procrastination and negativity, so this has prompted her to seek professional help.

This is a really interesting focus for hypnotherapy treatment. It may well be that Jennifer is suffering from a lack of confidence in her abilities, perhaps rooted in the failure of the Spice Girls musical she had worked on. She has also been through a difficult period health wise, having had breast cancer. Its really encouraging, however, for someone in the public eye so well-loved and respected, to come out and admit their apparent vulnerability. And obviously I am really heartened that she opted for hypnotherapy as her treatment of choice.

Very often many people seem to think that hypnotherapy is limited in its uses, just helping people with addictions and phobias. However it really is quite limitless into how it can instigate change, whatever the issue is. In fact anything with an emotional or psychological root cause may be able to be treated with hypnotherapy.

So, you may not be writing the screenplay to a blockbuster movie, but perhaps you are working on a dissertation or essay and you are feeling blocked. Even just one session of hypnotherapy could make all the difference and allow the creativity to flow.

If you are interested in finding out more, do give me a call on 01449780352, or email me at wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Happy writing darlings,
Wendy x

The link between stress and weight

If you find it hard to lose weight, particularly around your middle, then it may be that you are under too much stress. When we are stressed the body produces a hormone, cortisol, which allows us to be alert to danger - this was fine when we were faced with sabre-toothed tigers and needed to get very quickly into fight or flight mode - but in modern life we don't have that sort of danger any more, so the stress hormone is left in our bodies.

The stress hormone cortisol layers fat around your middle of your body, almost like a protective cushion. The body stores fat here because it’s near the liver and the major arteries, and close at hand if you need that extra energy supply quickly. Obviously it may have come in handy to primitive man, but, now that we can get our food at the supermarket whenever we like, this is not needed, and in fact extremely unhealthy. 

Putting on weight around the middle is very unhealthy and linked closely with diabetes, heart disease, as well as some cancers.

For this reason it's a really good idea to link any weight loss plan with activities which you can do to reduce stress. Hypnotherapy can be a doubly powerful tool because it is known to help with weight loss, as well as being deeply relaxing, and helping to dissolve away the stress hormone.

Do call me on 01449780352 or 07817158429 if you are concerned about your weight, and would like a safe, comfortable and relaxing way to get rid of that tummy once and for all.

Best wishes,

Wendy x

The statin debate

Whatever your own personal views on the issue, the statin debate seems to rage on, with - on one side those who believe that we should all be given them as a preventative measure against heart attacks and strokes and on the other side those who feel that they are a drug which should only be prescribed when absolutely necessary, as their side effects are unpleasant to say the least.

Medical research continues to persuade us that these side effects occur only very rarely, but I'm not so sure as I know quite a few people who have suffered with the most appalling muscle cramps, depression and skin conditions, to name a few. My poor mum was put on statins (despite having no history of heart disease or stroke) and developed polymyalgia, a disease which affects the muscles. She had to be treated with steroids for this for a number of years. I believe that the statins triggered this condition.

On the other hand my dad takes statins since having a heart bypass some years ago, and he now tolerates the drug very well - it is quite possibly keeping him alive as without it, his cholesterol level was very high indeed and good not be brought down by diet alone. However, when first prescribed it he did suffer from side effects too, notably a really distressing skin rash.

So, whilst it is true that - prescribed well, and to those who really need it - it can be a life-saving drug, what I tend to object to is the way that very little attention is given to lifestyle by our medical profession. It's almost as if it doesn't matter if we have an unhealthy lifestyle, drinking, eating too much and smoking, as there is a drug to counteract all of that.

A dear friend had to go into hospital for an operation recently, and she told me that the doctor was absolutely amazed when she told him about her healthy lifestyle, not drinking or smoking, eating a good diet and taking regular exercise, as well as being a healthy weight. It's almost as if the 'norm' is somebody who is overweight, very sedentary with a bad diet, and perhaps smokes and drinks heavily.

Conversely, I spoke to an acquaintance last week who was a heavy smoker, but believed himself to be quite healthy as statins had brought down his cholesterol level to 3.

This is quite clearly nonsense, but seems to be a commonly held belief. Live an unhealthy life, but whatever you do, don't let your cholesterol go to more than 4.

Until the medical experts start to really push home the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and this does not just mean having some orange juice and a couple of bananas every day, then sooner rather than later we are going to be faced with an almighty health crisis, which no amount of statins or gastric bands will fix.

As well as practicing hypnotherapy I have a particular interest in nutrition, so if you think that your lifestyle could do with an overhaul, do please get in touch on 01449780352 or 07817158429, or email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk, and we could work out an individual programme for you which you will find easy to stick to.

Modern drugs are amazing in what they are able to do, but the importance of a healthy lifestyle should not be ignored.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Performance anxiety

One of the areas where I have witnessed hypnotherapy working very powerfully is helping people to overcome performance anxiety. This can be related to exams, both written and spoken, as well as job interviews, work presentations, sporting competitions and also musical/stage performances.

It was interesting to speak to my son about this recently when he was back from university for a short trip. As a jazz musician and student at Birmingham Conservatoire, he is immersed in a highly-charged musical world where everyone around him has already achieved a certain level of excellence.   So the pressure, as you can imagine, is immense. I have learnt that jazz musicians can be particularly hard on themselves, as they have to be at one and the same time master of their craft, but also somehow get into that 'zone' where their creativity can flow freely. It's that unique combination of discipline and 'letting go' which is such a challenge. If they get the balance right, then it can be sublime.  As my son explained to me, someone who plays music simply for fun CAN relax and let themselves go. However, for him, it's so important, its his life and means absolutely everything, so one can understand how this balance can be hard to achieve. He has told me that sometimes he just says to himself 'it's only music', and then he allows himself to relax.

Hypnotherapy is an excellent way of calming the mind before a performance of any kind and in addition visualising how you would like things to go - as vividly as you can - in order to, in effect, give a preview of how the performance is actually going to be, can be extremely powerful. Sports people are particularly good at this, the golfer visualising where exactly he wants the ball to go, the footballer about to take a penalty and actually seeing the ball in the corner of the net, the runner seeing himself crossing the line first. These simple techniques do work - and when used in conjunction with hypnosis - can have the most amazing consequences.

Do get in touch if you feel that hypnosis could help you to overcome performance anxiety - I can be contacted on 01449 780352 or 07817158429. Alternatively, you can email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

The power of the placebo

If you saw the recent Horizon programme 'The power of the placebo' you may have been as amazed and fascinated as me to discover how some minds can be 'tricked' into actually believing that they are being given powerful drugs which will have a definite physiological effect, when all the time they are just being given a placebo or 'dummy' pill.

The most incredible example of how powerful placebo can be was the case of the man from Vancouver who had Parkinson's disease. He had been deprived of his medication for some time and was suffering from the crippling effects of the disease and then when he was treated with drugs he immediately felt better, could straighten up and be fully mobile. All this happened even though he had actually been given no medication at all, merely placebo.

Even people given placebo pills knowingly seemed to experience a relief of their symptoms, as in the case of the woman with IBS who actually tried to buy placebo pills from a health food store after the three week clinical trial was over. Whilst on the trial her IBS symptoms were completely eradicated, only to return again once she stopped taking the placebo pills.

Whilst watching the programme I had a strange feeling that in some sense I am a placebo operative, as, whilst I do not hand out medication, I do allow people to entertain an expectation that they will feel better. And, sure enough, the programme actually explored the use of hypnosis as a type of placebo, showing a dentist using a hypnotic trance as anaesthesia for surgical removal of a tooth. The man in question was asked about the level of pain he felt while the tooth was being pulled, and it was minimal - on a scale of 0-10, no more than a 4, whereas it would normally be about 9.

It was stressed during the course of the programme that part of the placebo effect comes from the patient's belief and trust in the medical practitioner. Treatments seemed to work much better if the patient was offered the right amount of care, attention and kindness.

I have a strong belief that we all have within us natural painkillers, mood chemicals, powerful in-built drugs which - given the right help and techniques - we can harness for our ultimate wellbeing.

I am ever hopeful that the mainstream are beginning to recognise this too.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Fat vs Sugar

I was really interested to watch Horizon this week which showed an experiment on twins, both doctors, Chris and Xand van Tulleken.

For a period of about one month one twin had to consume just fatty, high protein foods and the other carb-rich sugary food. During and at the end of this research they took lots of tests which measured their level of fitness, weight, cholesterol and blood sugar.  What was really surprising was the twin who had enjoyed the sugary diet remained roughly the same in terms if body composition, weight and fitness, but the other twin - although he more weight - ended up losing a significant amount of muscle mass and also was dangerously close to becoming diet. For the doctors and I would imagine for most of the general public this was contrary to what they had expected, as it would generally be thought that a diet high in sugar would tend to lead to diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses.

The conclusion that was eventually drawn was that the major reason for our current obesity crisis is down to both sugar and fat in equal measure. A large proportion of processed food contains almost half and half sugar and fat and apparently it is this combination which is highly addictive. These types of food are difficult to resist and can lead to an addiction which can be as strong drugs or alcohol.

As we all probably realise deep down there is no magic solution to the obesity crisis. In a society which tends to favour extremes and quick fixes, we have to ultimately realise that what is needed is balance and a return to wholesome natural unprocessed food.

I remember my mum telling me what she used to eat as a child and a lot of it sounded really unhealthy, bread and dripping, heavy puddings, dumplings, butter and the list goes on. However there wasn't a huge problem ith obesity at that time. Of course, people tended to do more physical activity  and this is something which needs to be addressed too.

At a basic level it is really quite simple: exercise more and eat good quality, unprocessed food in reasonable quantities. Unfortunately, this seems to be something that many of us find so difficult to do.

My very best wishes for a healthy February,
Wendy x

Sustainable health and fitness

How are those New Year's resolutions going? With a certain amount of smugness I can say that Mr Chalk and I are managing to stick to our dry January, although I do keep wondering how it is that January seems to be passing so very slowly and the thought of that nice glass of red that I will have on 1st February seems to be calling me.

At this time of year I tend to see a lot of people who want to start the year with a health kick, whether this is losing a bit of weight, giving up smoking or alcohol, or just getting a bit fitter. With each client it is important that they aim for something which is going to be sustainable in the longer term and which they can stick with. As our subconscious mind does not like the thought of giving something up, it is essential that the client is able to recognise the significant gain they will receive. In addition to this, we can identify certain healthy comforts or treats which can be added which help to reinforce this feeling that we are gaining, not losing during this process.

Each person is different in terms of what they want to achieve and how they can get there, so the whole process is very much tailored to the individual, with a specially recorded CD being made for each client. You could think of it in terms of an individual coaching and hypnotherapy treatment combined.

It is certainly not a case of one size fits all.

If you would like to find out more do please contact me on 01449780352 or 07817158429, or you can email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

The long walk to freedom

Last night Mr Chalk and I went to see 'The long walk to freedom', a wonderful film which chronicles Nelson Mandela's life from a young man up until the time, after his many years in prison, he became President of a democratic South Africa.

I felt that Idris Elba did a wonderful job of portraying 'Mandiba' and really captured the essence of him, although I know that some would have preferred a more well-known actor to have taken the role.

Mr Chalk and I - being roughly the same age - compared our memories of apartheid, and realised that  it was something we remained largely unaware of at the time, in fact it almost seemed that it was something happening way way back centuries ago, and not in a time when we were children and teenagers. It was something that was covered in school, but then somehow glossed over, and to think of this now it is unbelievable that such a thing was allowed to happen so recently in time.

Many people often complain that the world is a more sinister place with the advent of the Internet, but we both agreed that in today's society people are able to communicate more freely, and so unjust regimes are flagged up (not necessarily dealt with however) but at least there is much more of a sense of knowledge and transparency.

The injustice that was happening in South Africa filtered through to the rest of the world, but took an incredibly long time to do so. With today's technology, news can travel so fast and that's a good thing.

Mr Chalk and I both remembered the concert that was held for Nelson Mandela's birthday - a really joyful, happy affair - not long after which he was released. One official said to him the day before he turned 70 - it's your birthday tomorrow, will you be doing anything to mark it, and he replied 'Nothing of any consequence' at which point we saw the thousands of people in London singing and dancing.

A truly wonderful man who was able to forgive those who had wronged him, we do miss him.

My very best wishes,
Wendy x

Curious about hypnotherapy?

I do hope that you have all enjoyed the Christmas and New Year break, and that you can begin 2014 with a renewed sense of energy and optimism. Whether you have made resolutions for this year, or quite simply want to focus on a more healthy lifestyle, you may be interested in trying hypnotherapy in order to increase your motivation, and help you stay on that healthy path (and not just for January either!)

If you have not tried hypnotherapy before, it can sometimes seem like a bit of a 'dark art', with the common misconceptions being that you lose all control, the hypnotherapist will get you to do things that you don't want to do, you will fall asleep and not wake up, or maybe that you 'cannot be hypnotised'. I have therefore constructed a list of what hypnosis isn't when practiced by an experienced, competent hypnotherapist:

It is not sleep
It is not loss of consciousness
It does not make you lose control
It is not mind control

What hypnotherapy is, however, can be described thus:

It is extremely relaxing, a little bit like meditation
It is a focused state of mind, allowing you to look at things from a different perspective
It is a way of guiding you to a more positive, happy mindset
It is an excellent way to reduce anxiety
It is a technique which you can learn to do for yourself
It is a natural, proven and effective way to deal with emotional trauma
It is an extremely powerful, life-changing therapy

So, if you feel you would like to try hypnotherapy for yourself, do call me on 01449 780352 or 07817158429, or perhaps you would prefer to email me at wendy@wendychalk.co.uk. I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes for 2014,
Wendy x