Hypnosis is a great intervention for many of life’s problems, whether it is a fear or medical condition, a confidence issue or bad habit. The most common session I deliver is for anxiety. Anxiety is normal and has a purpose. It alerts us to danger and keeps us safe. However, sometimes people can suffer from extreme anxiety which can end up controlling their life, leaving them unable to leave the house or perform day to day tasks. The way we experience anxiety differs from person to person. It can be a thought, for example; “everyone is going to stare at me, everyone will be talking about me” or a physical feeling, perhaps a knot in your stomach, sweaty hands, shaking or a sore head.
We respond to anxiety by using either fight, flight or freeze. If we chose to stay and fight the fear, we can become aggressive and angry which is a secondary emotion. In this case the primary emotion is being scared or frightened or feeling shame. We often mask these emotions with another. If we chose to flight, we simply leave the situation or avoid it completely. Then there is freezer when we physically can not move. I have worked with many teenagers who physically can not move one foot in front of another to enter a room.
How can Hypnotherapy help with anxiety? Hypnotherapy can break through the firewall, directly to the problem. Once in the hypnotic state, the conscious mind is closed off and suggestions are made to the subconscious mind, where all of our thoughts, feelings and behaviors come from, our beliefs. By making new suggestions, it changes the way we think about ourselves and about situations. Another bonus to hypnotherapy is that any sessions increases confidence and helps with sleep.
A great visualization I get my clients to use is firstly identifying where in your body you feel anxious. Is it in your stomach, your neck, head, heart? Wherever it is, close your eyes and imagine shrinking the anxiety into a small ball. Roll that ball all the way to your shoulder then down your arm. Then hold it in your fist for a few moments and finally throw it away. Throw it far away or in a bin. Really visualize it all and the more you can use all of your senses for this, the better it works. Give it a try!
Carina Macmillan Hypnotherapy
Carina Macmillan is a hypnotherapist and SEBN (social, emotional and behaviour needs) teacher. She has worked with teenagers with behaviour needs for over 12 years now. She also currently is half way through her masters degree program in Autism. Her hypnotherapy services can be accessed by anyone worldwide! Check her out at http://www.carinamacmillanhypnotherapy.com/
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