» Listings for 2014

1. Can Hypnosis help with Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

   Posted on 10:22am Friday 15th Aug 2014

   Hypnotherapy can help you alleviate your symptoms of Fibromyalgia

   

   Because the Stress of having Fibromyalgia can make symptoms worse having hypnotherapy sessions can make a real difference to your life. As a Clinical Hypnotherapist based in Redditch and also working on Skype I see many people who as me if Hypnosis can help with alleviating symptoms and dealing with the stress that they can cause.

   If you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, you may be looking to find ways that you can help yourself with the issues that it causes you. The feelings that you suffer of pain can be because your central nervous system is affected. Those feelings come from subtle changes in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. This oversensitivity to pain signals can also cause a great deal of mental stress and anguish. You may have recently been diagnosed or you may have been suffering for a long time and only recently stumbled on the fact that Hypnotherapy could give you some much needed relief. You may also suffer fatigue, and IBS alongside sleeping problems.

   How common is Fibromyalgia?

   Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

   Studies show that around 2% of the population experience symptoms of Fibromyalgia. It is more commonly seen in women although men can also be affected.

   Symptoms normally appear between the ages of 25 and 50, and the pain and tenderness can be felt all over the body, often particularly concentrated in the back and neck area.

   Because stress plays a major it is important that your mental health and well-being is looked after. Other contributory factors can be cold conditions and carrying out strenuous activities. For this reason you may suffer more in the winter than the summer.

   You may suffer fatigue and feel tired all of the time, struggling to motivate yourself.

   The first step if you feel that you may be affected is to visit your doctor for a diagnosis. As part of any treatment plan any good doctor with discuss with you the aspect of looking after your mental health. With any pain issues we can often find ourselves feeling angry and resentful..Thinking “Why me?” and this can make the pain worse for you until those feelings are addressed.

   Exercise, such as walking or swimming should also be recommended alongside any medication to help control the pain. Antidepressants may be prescribed in some cases, whilst in others your doctor may suggest that seeing a therapist to talk through your options could be a better idea for you instead.

   Hypnosis for Fibromyalgia – Clinical Studies

   Hypnosis is known to be one of the best alternative therapies in alleviating the pain of suffering. The National Institute of Health in the US conducted a study showing that Fibromyalgia sufferers who used hypnosis to manage their symptoms reported 80% fewer painful episodes as opposed to those who did not use hypnosis. In the UK NICE The National Institute for Clinical Excellence have approved Hypnosis for many years for a great many illnesses. One Study by the University of York sought to look at the Efficacy of hypnosis/guided imagery in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials

   In 1991 The Journal of Rheumatology published a study which took 40 subjects and gave half of them hypnotherapy and the other half physical therapy. Those who were given hypnotherapy saw ‘significantly’ better outcomes than those who’d only been given physical therapy.

   Hypnosis can be used to alleviate many of the associated symptoms experienced by sufferers allowing them to better manage the frequency and intensity of flare ups.

   

   How can I help you with Fibromyalgia Hypnotherapy?

   When working with me we can teach you how to let go of any anger and stress that can make the pain worse and even go so far as to learn how to turn down and control the pain. Often just being able to speak with someone who can understand and offer a helping hand helps before even getting started on therapy. I always record any sessions of hypnotherapy that we do as well. This means that if you are working with me you will have something that you can listen to at home any time that you need an extra helping hand.

   Many people find that Fibromyalgia often develops after a very stressful or traumatic experience. Hypnosis can deal with the root cause of the problem which can then clear the way to a clearer mind and aid recovery. Learning to let go and think about the future you want really can help you more than you may imagine. When addressing the co-existing symptoms like anxiety and stress, hypnosis can help you to feel better and more equipped to deal with Fibromyalgia as you learn to take control of the condition and manage your pain. Learning a positive approach can make a real difference to your long term prognosis.

   Another common symptom of Fibromyalgia is sleep deprivation. Your quality of sleep can be poor leaving you feeling continuously exhausted. As someone who suffered insomnia and sleep issues until I first came to Hypnosis, I know exactly how well it can be used to enhance your quality of sleep.  

   Learning to let go and relax can make a real difference to your life. You can contact me and ask about sessions by emailing me on [email protected] or you can call me on 07980 233160

    

    

   Hypnotist for Fibromyalgia on Skype
   

    

    

2. Two things The Speakmans did that were negative

   Posted on 8:46am Wednesday 13th Aug 2014

   Nik and Eva Speakmans or "The Speakmans" to give them the title of their ITV TV show have been helping a variety of people with fears and phobias. As self dubbed "Celebrity Therapists" they have had a great deal of success on this TV show. 100% success rate to be exact. I watched an episode all about OCD and saw a couple of things that I do not think were helping. I was surprised but perhaps that's what sets them apart from registered and qualified therapists (apart from their £1000 fee!)  Here's what they were..

   This Episode was number 19 and appeared first on ITV on  Thursday 7th August 2014
   

    

   Jo has suffered from OCD for 17 years.  She hates germs and will not allow them in her house.  She has to keep her house, kids and car free of germs.  She insists that everyone takes a shower as soon as they enter her home.  She has three children and once they get home from school, she insists they have a shower.  Jo has a one year old daughter and she took her to the clinic earlier this week.  Jo felt awful because as soon as they got home,  she had to give the baby a bath.   Jo will not allow anyone in her home apart from her husband and children.  Jo's mother, has only been to her house once in the last year. "people don't come to my house anymore as they know it makes me very uncomfortable."  Jo hates touching anything dirty especially money. Anytime she leaves her house, she has to take anti bacterial wipes as she can't open doors without them.  When Jo goes outside, she will only use one of her hands to touch thing, the other hand is kept free from germs.   Jo would absolutely love to free herself and her family of this obsession.

    

   So, in this episode as we always see there was a family therapy session. The Speakmans then appeared outside their house and Nik Speakman stated that he wasn't sure they would be able to fix this problem in an afternoon. This appeared to be partly to explain that the show was going to be a rollercoaster of excitement and also to show that this is how they work. They will fix you in an afternoon. I would never claim that you can come and see me and be free of all fears, phobias or anxieties in one session. No registered therapist would claim this either. It is simply not a reasonable way to help people. If you come to see me with something that you have held on to for years why would you only want to lose it and get on with your life if you could only do that in a couple of hours? Also how could I possibly know that we had dealt with all of your concerns in that short a time span? You may not even know for yourself.

   I know of no therapist who would be making a claim like this. What I find hard to watch about it is the implication that it is the only way to get help.As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, hypnotherapy is a short therapy but even so, not just one session.
   

    

   If you speak to a therapist for help and they tell you they can do it in one session then you should avoid them as they may well just want your money. How can they know how long something will take? Of course the Speakmans charge a huge amount of money for a private session so it is likely to take a few hours. When you work with a therapist over a number of sessions you have more time to understand what can change and for that change to happen when YOU are ready for it rather than within the therapist's time frame.
   

    

    

   Ultimately, I am teaching my clients how to relax and let go and that is always much more effective when taken over a number of sessions. Most clients only see me for three or four sessions before they are ready to move on and do not need to work with me any longer. During this period I have recorded audio for them to listen to between sessions and taught them ways to help themselves when I am not around. This means that they understand that they can let go when they are ready.

    

   The other thing that I found very disappointing was that after they had helped Jo to overcome her OCD (which of course is fantastic and to be applauded!) they took her into a shop that she struggled to go into and helped her to help herself to a lot of chocolate as a treat. As they use NLP techniques they must be aware of the fact that they may well be starting to anchor the good feelings to her eating chocolate which seems a very bad idea indeed. I work with so many people who reach for the chocolate in emotional times that this seems a very dangerous thing for them to do.

    

   It is important to understand that the overwhelming success that the Speakmans have in helping people is not to be underestimated. Raising awareness of change is excellent. However, sometimes the fact that this is a television show, and the lack of adhering to professional standards does show and can grate a little. Nik Speakman in particular seems to have a habit of telling people how they feel rather than asking them. It can sometimes feel that people are being pushed into things before they are ready.

    

   If you are looking for help and advice I would suggest that you always speak to two or three Hypnotherapists or therapists of your choice, and make sure they are members of a body such as the NCH and that they have the training and experience that makes you confident in the fact they can help you. Almost the most important aspect of chosing is making sure that you feel the person is right for you, so take your time and when you chose wisely you can look forward to success in helping you to lose fears and anxietys, OCD, Phobias or whatever you are looking for help with.

    

   What is the difference between CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), Counselling and Hypnotherapy Read that here:

   http://www.markpowlett.co.uk/cbtandcounsellingvshypnotherapy.html

    

   You can email me with any questions that you have on [email protected] or call me on 07980 233160

    

   You can listen to a Free MP3 for relaxation on this site and also download my FREE "How to Stop a Panic Attack Download" to listen to whenever you would like. It helps explain your panic attacks as well as having a session to help you learn to start let go. I spend more time helping people with stress and anxiety than anything else so never feel that you need to live with overwhelming feelings that concern you. You can always ask for help to let them go and move on to the life you would really like.