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Positive Changes Hypnosis: News to Learn From!
Panic Attacks Can be a Fearful Experience
By Mazine Marz — Metro News
Published Wednesday, October 26, 2015
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately two million Canadians suffer from some form of panic disorder.
This can include agora-phobia, or a panic attack, where the affected person is overcome by a sudden rush of intense fear.
In the case of a panic attack, this feeling is accompanied by a least four of the 13 following symptoms that develop abruptly and can reach a peak within 10 minutes.
- Heart palpitations, pounding heart or increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- Feeling of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Dizziness, unsteadiness, light-headiness or fainting
- De-realization or de-personalization
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of dying
- Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensation usually in face or hands)
- Chills or hot flashes
For many, the first panic attack can be particularly frightening because the onset of physiological symptoms closely mimics symptoms of a life-threatening medical condition.
Often, the individual having an attack will rush to a hospital seeking medical assistance, convinced they are having a heart attack, stroke, a neurological disorder, respiratory problems or gastrointestinal condition.
Some even fear they are dying or going crazy. On an average, a person suffering from panic attacks will see as many as 10 different doctors and undergo many extensive tests trying to determine what’s wrong with them.
Many believe the attacks indicate an undiagnosed illness, even after test results come back negative. Some even change their behavioural patterns by avoiding places where a previous attack happened in the hopes of preventing another one from occurring.
There are three basic types of a panic attack:
- The cued or “situationally bound” panic attack that always occurs in a specific situation where the person is usually most fearful. This can include high places, crowds, driving on a highway or over a long bridge. In turn, such situations become associated with a panic attack and later easily trigger another occurrence.
- Panic attacks can also occur unexpectedly and outside the realm of a particular situation. In this scenario, the attack is identified as uncued. Its random sudden occurrence can be particularly overwhelming, often leading the person to question their sanity.
- The third category of panic attacks is a hybrid of the cued and uncued case scenarios. It is referred to as the situationally predisposed attack where the individual only occasionally experiences a repeat attack in a particular place or situation.
- In extreme cases, panic attacks if left untreated can lead to their debilitating phobias, including social and specific phobias. It’s imperative to seek treatment early before the condition adversely affects behaviour and quality of life.
Hypnosis Lessens Surgery Pain and Post-Op Side Effects
SHERYL UBELACKER, TORONTO — Canadian Press
Published Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007 12:00AM EDT
Women who undergo hypnosis just before breast-cancer surgery need less anesthetic and experience lower levels of pain and other side effects after the operation, a study has found.
The U.S. study also found that patients who had a hypnosis session with a psychologist an hour before surgery spent less time in the operating room, resulting in significant cost savings, mainly because of reduced operating time.
"Breast-cancer patients are a population in need," said Guy Montgomery, a clinical psychologist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and lead author of the study, in an interview from New York. "They're going through a lot both from a psychological perspective as well as a physical perspective from the surgery itself. ...
"Our patients at discharge had less pain intensity, less pain unpleasantness, less nausea, less fatigue, less discomfort, and they were less emotionally upset about the whole experience," Dr. Montgomery said of those who were hypnotized.
To conduct the study, published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 200 women scheduled for surgical breast biopsy or lumpectomy were randomly assigned to have either a 15-minute session of hypnosis or a short period of empathic listening with a psychologist.
Those assigned to hypnosis were first reassured about the technique, with psychologists debunking myths about hypnosis popularized in movies and television, Dr. Montgomery said.
"We answer any patient questions and the typical 'Will I cluck like a chicken?' "he said, laughing. "We explain that hypnosis is not mind control; you're not going to be asked to do anything embarrassing. It's not like taking a powerful drug that leaves you zonked out. ... It's more like focused attention, focused concentration, where you're able to let yourself relax and you're the person in charge."
Each woman was asked to close her eyes and imagine herself in a special place, perhaps lying on a beach on a warm summer day. The psychologist then directed the patient to become deeply relaxed. Once hypnotized, the women were given suggestions specifically related to recovery from surgery.
"We say: 'You might experience some pain after surgery, but your special place will protect you and ... it will hardly bother you,' " Dr. Montgomery said.
"We do tell the patient this is not magic. It's not like we're going to make 100 per cent of everyone's pain go away. But, rather, it's a way to reduce your pain. So if your pain might have been an eight [on a sale of zero to 10] we want to get it to a four."
Researchers found that because those in the hypnotism group experienced reduced side effects, they spent less time in hospital recovering, while less time in the operating room resulted in an average saving to a hospital of $773 (U.S.) for each patient.
"The most important point is this is an easy thing we can do for patients, it saves institutions money, so basically it's a win-win," he said. "We can reduce side effects of surgery without using basically any health-care-dollar resources. It pays for itself."
David Spiegel, a psychiatrist at Stanford University's medical school in California, said the "impressive study" builds on other research that has shown the pain-modulating potential of hypnosis.
In an editorial accompanying the study, he said neurological studies have demonstrated that hypnosis alters the perception of pain, rather than merely a person's response to pain.
"It has taken us a century and a half to rediscover the fact that the mind has something to do with pain and can be a powerful tool in controlling it," Dr. Spiegel writes. "It is now abundantly clear that we can retrain the brain to reduce pain: 'float rather than fight.'"
Dr. Montgomery said he would like to test hypnosis on men having prostate surgery and on patients slated for other operations. He would also like to see it become standard practice in hospitals.
"Hypnosis is easy to use. It can be administered briefly. It's a practical intervention that we can use with everything else that's going on in the surgical clinics ... It's something in addition that has no side effects that makes people feel better and you can do it in about 15 minutes."
Created: Mon, June 22 2015 - 11:05 AM
Last updated: Mon, June 22 2015 - 11:13 AM
Sound-and-Light Show as a Stress Reducer
by Howard Millman for The New York Times
Have you ever been lulled into serenity by the flickering firelight of a fireplace? Can machines that produce lights and synchronized audio tones similarly help you relax? Yes, say the users of sound and light machines, some of whom become so relaxed during a session that they fall asleep. What is less verifiable, however, are claims that the machines boost creativity and help alleviate attention deficit disorder, dyslexia and migraine headaches.
Sound and light machines, sometimes called mind machines or light-stim devices (as in light simulation), produce computer-generated patterns of flashing lights synchronized with binaural tones that practitioners claim can calm and agitated mind. The pulsing lights are generated by a ring of light-emitting diodes (L.E.D.'s) encircling each eye. The L.E.D.'s, embedded in the lenses of opaque goggles, are bright enough to shine through closed eyes. Sounds come from a headset.
The pattern and speed of the L.E.D.'s pulsations and the beat of the binaural tones are controlled by a palm-sized programmable module. Prices of most units range from $100 to $400.
While practitioners tend to agree that computer-generated lights and sounds can help people feel better, they do not fully understand why. They theorize that the lights and sounds influence the brain's four waveform states. Beta waves, in the 13-40 Hertz range, signal an alert mind; Alpha (8-12 Hertz) indicates a relaxed state; Theta (3-7 Hertz) suggest serenity; and Delta (0-5 Hertz) indicates sleep.
Curious to see if I cold sample some of the benefits the technology promises, I donned the glasses and plugged into a PHOTOSONIX Inner Pulse machine for three 20-minute sessions.
I liked the kaleidoscopic light show but quickly lost interest in the binaural audio. I fixed that by connecting a personal stereo player through the module's audio-in connector and listening to Brahms instead of beeps. The most noticeable result was that I slipped into a pleasant semi-consciousness and had to keep from falling asleep.
I was not overcome by a sense of increased creativity or problem-solving skills but I concluded that the machine could at least help me meditate more effectively because the flashing lights provided a focal point.
Dr. Budri Rickhi, a psychiatrist and association professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, affirmed that idea.
"These machines help stop your mind from wandering during meditation." Dr. Rickhi said of the light-stim machines. "We know that if you can stay focused during meditation your brain wave patterns will change. If these machines can accelerate, or help, someone to alter those patterns, that could be the relaxation mechanism.'
Whatever that mechanism, Robert Stinson, 35, says that light stim also helped him overcome a career-limiting shyness, including a fear of public speaking. Mr. Stinson, a salesman who lives in San Antonio, reinforces the machine's effect by mixing his own voice recordings in with the tones. "While I'm relaxing, my mind is open to suggestion," he said. "So, for example, I'll set a goal for the number of customer contacts I will make each day. When I do that, I find that i reach those goals."
The simplicity of sound and light machines may help people to relax where more traditional techniques fail.
"Light stim is passive; you need not do anything more than to relax and let the machines do the work," said Ruth Olmstead, 41, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Ms. Olmstead, a light-stim software developer and advocate, says that light stimulus raises the brain's phosphate levels, increases the brain's metabolism and helps build new neural pathways, a process called entraining.
Jim Radican, 50, initially bought a machine to overcome dyslexia. "I tried it as an experiment," Mr. Radican said. "It worked. Then I went on to use it as part of an overall program for well-being." Lately, he and his wife, Patricia, who are both flight attendants for United Airlines, have been using the machines for stress reduction.
Copyright® 2003 by The New York Times Company
Created: Wed, June 17 2015 - 08:10 AM
Last updated: Mon, June 22 2015 - 11:10 AM
Control Fears and Phobias Using Hypnosis
Posted on November 17, 2010 by Admin
Many people suffer from fears and phobias. Fear is an emotion that can manifest itself as a small worry, or it can be as severe as a phobic experience or panic attack. Fear can be specific when there is a known trigger such as an airplane, elevator or heights. Fear can also be non-specific; some people experience general anxiety and they are not sure why.
When someone is having a fearful experience, it is extremely difficult to control their emotions or stop them, because fear manifests from the subconscious mind. This subconscious fear is why there is little or no success when we try to talk ourselves out of a fearful experience. We lack the ability to control fear because our intellectual or conscious mind is not capable of handling a subconscious reaction of the nervous system.
When you enter a situation that frightens you (or even if you are just thinking about going into that situation), you get a fearful reaction. At that very moment, your subconscious mind is pulling all kinds of memories, ideas, assumptions and negative thoughts from the files of your mind and your nervous system reacts by creating a fearful feeling. A major quality of the subconscious mind is that it cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality. This quality is why, for example, a person can be frightened even a week before they go on a flight, react to seeing a snake on television, or be nervous about an upcoming interview. Although they are not in the actual situations, the subconscious mind cannot tell the difference and believes that it is already in the scary situation.
Hypnosis is an extremely effective tool to resolve fear because hypnosis works directly with your subconscious mind which is at the root cause of fears, phobias and anxieties. The idea of hypnosis is to have you enter a trance state and the fear is worked on at that level of consciousness. The trance state is accomplished by giving your mind a more positive frame of reference, such as positive thoughts, constructive ideas and pleasant images. You will now have a better outlook on yourself and your surroundings. Those fears that used to haunt you will not happen anymore because you will be able to enter situations with a newfound optimism, calmness and confidence.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:10 PM
Last updated: Mon, June 22 2015 - 11:09 AM
Research Re-examined Uncovers Effectiveness of Hypnosis to Stop Smoking, Lose Weight
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on October 28, 2010 by Admin
More than one out of every five American deaths results from cigarette smoking, and an estimated 300,000 deaths a year may be attributed to obesity. In fact, the US Department of Health and Human Services reports that “individuals who are obese have a 50-100% increased risk of death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy weight.”
With all the advances in modern medicine, you would think doctors would have discovered a way to keep us from killing ourselves with cigarettes and food, but they haven’t.
So it may sound strange to learn there’s a technique as old as mankind becoming rediscovered today to help cure the ills of modern society. What technique is this? Hypnosis!
The American Medical Association approved hypnosis as a legitimate treatment tool in 1958 and the National Institutes of Health followed in 1996. They recognized hypnosis as an effective intervention. The benefits of hypnosis have remained largely unexplored by the medical community until a short time ago. Recently, the power of hypnosis has been the focus of increasing attention at prestigious institutions like Harvard, Stanford and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Hypnosis, long misunderstood by the public and misrepresented by the media, is another name for relaxation and visualization techniques that help the subject envision a future outcome (for example, living tobacco-free). While in your day-to-day life you may battle with your conscious mind about wanting to quit, hypnosis helps you tap the power of your subconscious mind, which rules decision-making.
In the interest of public health, researchers at the University of Iowa set out to determine which treatment program for smoking cessation was the most effective. One way to compare the effectiveness of various programs is to conduct a “meta-analysis.” As described by Irving Kirsh at the University of Connecticut, meta-analyses allow comparisons of outcomes among different studies. In other words, the results of many studies can be combined to determine which method of treatment is the most effective.
What they found was surprising.
Analyzing data from 633 studies, only 6.4% of the smokers could be expected to quit without any intervention. Only 15% quit with “self-care,” self-help books or mailing campaigns. On the other hand, hypnosis was found to be three and a half times more effective than self-care, and more than twice as effective as nicotine chewing gum.
A similar research project at the University of Connecticut re-examined studies measuring the impact of hypnosis on weight loss. It was discovered that including hypnosis in the treatment program increased treatment efficacy by 147%. In terms of the amount of weight lost, subjects who had the benefit of hypnosis lost more than twice as many pounds as those without hypnosis, and they kept it off longer. Researchers concluded hypnosis has “a significant and substantial effect on the outcome and this effect increases over time.” Because of this effect of hypnosis, “it is especially useful for long term maintenance of weight loss.”
It was also found that the benefits of hypnosis “can be maximized by individualizing the hypnotic component of the treatment,” or giving personal hypnosis sessions as opposed to a group setting.
These findings further support the research of Helen Crawford of Virginia Tech, who told the Wall Street Journal, “The biological impact [of hypnosis] is very real and it can be quantified.” In fact, hypnosis works so well that close to 15,000 doctors today combine hypnotherapy with standard medical treatment. Not only does hypnosis help people quit smoking and lose weight, but also hypnosis can be used to manage pain, reduce stress and aid with other health issues.
So where does one go to get hypnotized? Positive Changes is one place you might consider. Founded in 1987 by Patrick K. Porter, PhD, North America’s leading provider of hypnosis services is tapping into the power of hypnosis to help people lose weight, quit smoking and more. They say their success is due in large part to their exclusive, comprehensive Six-Point System, which is designed to ensure people safely and successfully achieve their goals. In every program the client receives personal hypnosis sessions to help them target the exact issues they’re facing in order to achieve the changes they desire.
All Positive Changes hypnotists go through extensive professional training and are certified by the Society of Psycho-Linguistics. This training is approved and certified by both the American Board of Hypnotherapy and the National Guild of Hypnotists. With 15 centers, these hypnotists help thousands of clients create lasting positive change each year. Hypnosis for positive change—it may be exactly what the world’s looking for.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:10 PM
Last updated: Mon, June 22 2015 - 11:09 AM
PROMISES ARE MADE TO BE KEPT
Link to the newsletter: http://www.positivechanges.com/testimonials.php?i=...
Another year rings in and more resolutions are made. This time last year it may have been the same- vowing to eat right, exercise more and to get more rest. If you are already a Positive Changes client then you are already on the right track for keeping your resolutions. If you aren’t yet, take a moment to think about what has held you back from accomplishing your goals. Willpower? Temptation? Distraction? Negativity? Stress? Whatever the excuse is, it is in the past. It’s a new year and it’s time for new beginnings.
Sticking with your hypnosis program creates positive thoughts and in result 2012 will be different, starting with healthier choices. Truly focus on the promises that you make to yourself and remember that you made them because you want to do it!
Success Story - Stacey D
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
"I have lost an amazing 91 pounds in only 10 months!
My name is Stacey Duke and I live in Santan Valley, Arizona. I drive a school bus Monday-Thursday and work as a cashier at Wal-Mart part-time. Thanks to my weight loss program at Positive Changes, I have lost an amazing 91 pounds in only 10 months! Before hypnosis, I was wearing a size 1-2X and I am now in a slim size medium. I still can't believe how easy and effortless it was!
When I was overweight, I felt heavy and fat and to be honest, I had spent most of my life feeling that way. When I finally went to Positive Changes Hypnosis, I realized I was ready to get off of the diet roller coaster and begin making permanent changes in my life. I wanted something natural and easy; no more gimmicky diets, no more diet pills and no more self-sabotage.
It's funny, when you're really overweight, like I was, you don't want to think about it because it's so depressing. I never wanted my picture taken either because I knew I wouldn't have liked what I saw, which was the reality of being almost 100 pounds overweight. I can't believe I looked that bad! After my program and I lost 91 pounds in 10 short months, I noticed I could walk faster, breathe better and I had much more energy! On my walks, I noticed that my legs didn't rub together anymore! Things like that seem small but those were the things that really made big differences in my life.
* By following our program, our clients lost more than 4 lbs. on average in their first 3 weeks. Results from a study commissioned by Positive Changes and performed by researchers at The Ohio State University.
Created: Wed, March 14 2012 - 07:03 PM
Last updated: Mon, July 30 2012 - 10:53 AM
Stop Smoking with Positive Changes Hypnosis Toronto
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
The use of hypnosis is sweeping the nation. Valid, clinically tested, and proven effective, hypnosis is a fresh approach to eliminating problems and modifying behaviour. Hypnosis is becoming so popular that hundreds of thousands of people are taking advantage of its benefits daily.
Why People Smoke:
Since smoking is both mental and physical, success in stopping smoking relies on affecting both aspects of the habit. That so many chain smokers have stopped smoking within one or two sessions of hypnosis shows that modern advertising has given us a grossly exaggerated picture of the contribution the physical addiction to nicotine plays. Not everyone will stop after one session. As people vary, so will the time that each individual will need to make the appropriate changes.
The greater part of the smoking addiction lies in the forces of our habits and repeated behaviours. Also, smoking often occurs as a way to replace some deficit in life (lack of companionship, love, acceptance, self-esteem, security, independence, etc.), to replace some pre-existing habit such as overeating, or to deal with such issues as anxiety, boredom, etc. People also smoke because they derive sensual gratification from smoking – they enjoy touching or feeling the cigarettes, tapping the pack, seeing the flame of a lighter or the curling of rising smoke, or the smell of burning tobacco. Often the lighting of the cigarette (or cigar or pipe) in itself becomes a ritual.
Traditional methods of stopping smoking do not address this side of the problem, and that’s why they’re almost always destined to fail.
Hypnosis Works and It Lasts!
For most people, the absolute worst way to attempt to deal with a smoking habit is through use of willpower. Like moods and emotions, willpower fluctuates. One day it is strong, but the next day may be a down day and willpower fades. It is usually neither consistent nor effective.
Hypnotherapy is so different from more traditional methods of change because it does not rely on willpower. Instead, it helps you completely eliminate the desire for the cigarettes, so that lighting up truly is the last thing on your mind. With our guidance, it is possible for you to change the taste of a cigarette from pleasurable to undesirable.
Additional benefits of hypnosis include a greater sense of relaxation, stress reduction, a return of energy, and better sleeping habits. In addition, most people that use hypnosis to stop smoking do not feel the need to replace the habit with another, such as overeating. There are no negative side effects to stopping smoking with hypnosis and you will not experience any withdrawal symptoms.
Programming for Success
At Positive Changes Hypnosis, we recognize that each person is unique. We therefore offer the most comprehensive programs tailored to your specific needs. To offer you any reinforcement you may need. Every session you have with the hypnotist will be recorded live for you to enjoy at home. All that we require of you is for you to come in on a regular basis to enjoy your sessions.
Through different processes, we will also teach you how to be self-reliant, so that once you get to your goal, you will be confident, independent, and in control. Soon, you will no longer need us or a maintenance program.
You should also know that there are only positive side effects to hypnosis, and many of our clients report increased motivation, greater relaxation, and greater satisfaction with their lives as a whole. Be smoke free – naturally and effortlessly.
Call Positive Changes Hypnosis now for your free, no-obligation consultation.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:10 PM
Last updated: Wed, March 14 2012 - 07:33 PM
FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN HEART MONTH
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Link to the newsletter: http://www.positivechangestoday.com/newsletter/201...
Keeping your heart strong and healthy is vital. Becoming more active and improving your diet can make a tremendous difference. More exercise and less stress help reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and boost metabolism--all of which can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. If you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke. By following these simple tips, your heart will thank you.
Listen to a self-hypnosis process in the morning before you get out of bed. It's simple to set your alarm 15 or 20 minutes early, then click on your iPod and let yourself doze while the positive suggestions flow through your subconscious. You will awaken feeling refreshed and energetic…ready to take on whatever your day has to offer.
Listen to self-help and motivational books on tape during your commute. Drivers who do this say that the drive goes faster, they feel calmer when arriving at work, and they feel good about how well they are managing stress.
If you prefer to listen to music, avoid rock music—it's proven to raise stress levels. A better choice for managing stress is light jazz or classical which produce alpha and theta brainwave frequencies. These are the brain waves associated with creativity, inventiveness, and stress relief. Plus, classical music has been proven to lower blood pressure.
Listen to a self-hypnosis process as soon as you get home in the evening. That 20-minute catnap can create miracles in your life you will be more relaxed throughout your evening and will be much less likely to overeat, and your family will probably enjoy your company more.
Success Story - Greg Buckey
I'm Greg Buckey from Dublin, Ohio. I am an executive who has lost 47 pounds and 5 inches thanks to my program at Positive Changes Hypnosis. In the first week of my program I lost 3 pounds and by the end of the first month lost a total of 15 pounds! I hit my weight loss goal in 6 short months, and then, to my surprise I continued to lose weight! I lost 7 more pounds exceeding my original goal! So far I've lost a total of 54 pounds and I feel awesome!
Before Positive Changes, I was so embarrassed of how I looked. I would avoid the camera and anyone wanting to take pictures of me. When I did get in a group picture, I would hide in the back (or thought I was hiding) because I was so embarrassed and frustrated with my weight. I never looked at pictures of myself. I felt so uncomfortably large that it was difficult to walk. When I was younger I looked at myself completely differently and was happy with who was looking back at me in the mirror. As time passed I avoided mirrors unless I was getting ready for the day and had to watch myself shave.
Before I decided to come to Positive Changes I was overweight for years. I quit smoking in 1983 and my weight gain started. I reached my breaking point a couple of years ago( when my weight gain started); causing me health issues. I was borderline anemic and always felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen. Just walking caused me shortness of breath and I felt like everyone could hear me coming because of all the huffing and puffing.
* By following our program, our clients lost more than 4 lbs. on average in their first 3 weeks. Results from a study commissioned by Positive Changes and performed by researchers at The Ohio State University.
Created: Wed, March 14 2012 - 07:13 PM
Last updated: Wed, March 14 2012 - 07:33 PM
Losing weight with Positive Changes Hypnosis Toronto
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on November 18, 2010 by admin
Why People Overeat
Most people overeat to fulfill a need – real or imagined. Some people overeat to help deal with an unpleasant past. Others eat excessively to reward or entertain themselves. Some want to be noticed and may use a large body to offset a small ego. Eating can be used to compensate for lack of love, offset fear, overcome frustration, deal with boredom, or to avoid sex. Sometimes overeating dates back to childhood, when you may have been told many times to finish your plate of food and not to waste it.
Helpful to the hypnotist are lists answering such questions as WHEN overeating usually takes place, what psychological or emotional activity is associated with excess eating, and at what usual time of day or night. WHERE the overeating is done is important – at home, at parties, in restaurants, while watching television, etc. And WHY (for what purpose or to satisfy what need) is also a factor in understanding the problem. Once we know the nature of your habits, we can give you the personalized attention needed to alter these habits to better suit what you want out of life.
No diets, no changing foods, no willpower
We all know that the key to weight control is to ingest only as many calories as your body needs. But if this were as simple as it may sound, no one would be overweight! The reason so many people have trouble taking control of their bodies is that while their conscious mind knows what to do, their subconscious is struggling to operate on a different agenda. You can tell yourself you don’t need to eat that last slice of cake, but some part of you will still desire it.
At Positive Changes Hypnosis, we operate on the belief that you cannot control your conscious desires if there is subconscious resistance. Hypnosis can make weight control, possible where every other approach has failed, because it does not depend upon willpower. Instead, hypnosis helps you change the way your subconscious mind works, bringing it into alignment with your conscious desires, so that the slice of cake is the last thing on your mind.
With hypnosis, weight loss can become as easy–as natural–as weight gain. You will be compelled to eat less, eat smarter, and exercise more–all without much effort. You will feel energized every day and develop skills and knowledge about yourself that you will use through the rest of your life.
Changes in the mind lead to major changes in life.
Programming for success
Your hypnosis program will work in several different ways. We will help you modify your food interests and tastes to increase your desire for healthy foods and reduce your desire for foods high in fats and other harmful elements. In addition, we will give you the tools necessary to eliminate any other factors like stress or anxiety that may be compounding your weight issues.
Your self-esteem will be evaluated and fortified as necessary to achieve a positive outlook towards your ability to attain your perfect, desired body structure and appropriate weight. Finally, greater self-esteem will help you remove any potential beliefs that excessive food does something positive for you.
It should be kept in mind that at Positive Changes Hypnosis we believe the healthiest and most permanent weight reduction takes place in a gradual fashion. Weight should and will come off at a rate of about 1-3 pounds per week on average. It has been scientifically proven that not only is slow and steady weight loss more healthy, it is also more permanent.
At Positive Changes Hypnosis, we recognize that each person is unique. We therefore offer the most comprehensive programs tailored to your specific needs. To offer you any reinforcement you may need, every session you have with the hypnotist will be tape recorded live for you to enjoy at home. All that we require of you is to come in on a regular basis to enjoy your sessions.
Through different processes, we will also teach you how to be self-reliant, so that once you reach your goal, you will be confident, independent, and in control so that you no longer need us or a maintenance program.
You should also know that there are only positive side effects to hypnosis, and many of our clients report increased motivation, greater relaxation, and greater satisfaction with their lives as a whole. Look and feel the way you’ve always wanted – naturally and effortlessly.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:10 PM
Last updated: Wed, March 14 2012 - 07:03 PM
Self Confidence, Self Esteem and Motivation
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on November 19, 2010 by Admin
You can achieve your ultimate goal–your personal best. Regardless of background, education, financial position, etc., every individual is subconsciously induced to move onward and upward, to be their best.
Three main factors are essential to your positive progress are:
- Self-Esteem
- Confidence
- Motivation
Origins of low self-esteem
Self-esteem influences nearly everything you do. When your self-esteem is low, working, socializing and loving are made more difficult.
Maybe you are extremely critical of yourself, or are afraid to try anything new. Maybe you minimize your successes with comments like, “I was just lucky,” or, “Anybody could have done that.” This kind of self- depreciation is not accidental; low self-esteem does not materialize out of nowhere. It reflects conditioning in the past. Unfortunately, low self-esteem is most often programmed unintentionally by judgmental parents or role models.
Depreciating labels and negative comments program young minds during their formative years. Labels thought to be buried and forgotten still reside deep in the subconscious mind and contribute to the way you perceive yourself. The worst scars can be the invisible ones. You can learn or inherit the negative “thinking style” of your judgmental parent. The negative thinking appears as a critical inner voice that produces fear to try anything new, change, failure or success, as well as a lack of self-acceptance.
Napoleon Hill demonstrated six basic fears that diminish self confidence in his book Law of Success. Overcoming these fears will enable you to have self-confidence:
- Fear of poverty
- Old age
- Criticism
- The loss of the love of someone
- Illness
- Death
Hypnosis and Self-Esteem
Increased self-confidence is accomplished through hypnosis and positive subconscious reprogramming. Specifically, you need to:
- Rid Yourself of Past Negative Programming
- Improve Your Self-projection
- Increase Your Confidence and Self-acceptance
- Change Your Perspective on Your Relationship to a Given Problem
- Pinpoint Your Goals
- Establish a Sequence of Goals
- Experience the Sense of Completion
Motivation
Once you’ve improved your self-esteem, you must improve your motivation. There are six main elements in the process of motivation:
- Decision (You Must Make a Conscious Decision on What to Aim For)
- Determination (You Need to Be Able to Repeat the Habits Which Are Necessary to Get There)
- Discipline (It is Critical to Pay the Price Even when it is Not Easy)
- Focus
- Direction
Increase motivation by linking your goal to a reward
- A sense of pride
- A sense of satisfaction
- Accomplishment on an intellectual, emotional or social level
- The satisfaction of experiencing growth
- The development of your skills or talents
Programming for succes
- You need a positive outlook and attitude about yourself
- You need to program yourself to achieve specific goals
- You need to assimilate success into your life and enjoy it
Be willing to make some lifestyle changes
- Self-knowledge is the key to self-motivation; keep a success journal
- Give yourself positive self-suggestions at bedtime
- Exercise and eat nutritious food
- See yourself as healthy and capable
- Associate with positive people
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:17 PM
Last updated: Fri, October 14 2011 - 09:38 AM
Reduce Anxiety Using Hypnosis
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on November 17, 2010 by Admin
What would your life be like if you could manage your pain? Knowing that you could feel better, have control over your life, and be happy again would be incredible.
Pain is something that we all tend to live with, but don’t think we can do anything about. By using hypnosis or self-hypnosis, you can achieve a pain free life. By managing your pain, you have more time for your family, and will feel more like yourself. Even your friends will notice a difference. Your job may improve as well because you will have more focus during the day. You will also notice it is easier to stay at work, rather than having to leave early due to chronic pain.
Pain management with hypnosis is all about offering you relief where you couldn’t find it before. Pain can be mentally devastating. You can’t think clearly, your dexterity is impaired, and you feel totally out of control. While hypnosis cannot solve the physical pain, it can help you combat it mentally.
Self-hypnosis therapy is something you can do in the privacy of your own home. You do have to be in control of the sessions. You can’t just seek the self-hypnosis therapy when you are in too much pain. Instead, you should have a regimen.
Managing pain with drugs is certainly an option, but what happens when drugs begin to fail? By using hypnosis, you can perhaps stop taking some of the medications and give your body a rest. Oftentimes, doctors give you a medication for one issue, then offer another to counterbalance side effects.
What happens if you can get rid of the drugs all together or at least those for side effects? Side effects like some pain can be psychosomatic. By using a crutch like drugs, you may feel pain that is not always there because you are so used to it being there. You are, in other words, dependent. When using hypnosis you can learn to differentiate between pain levels, and solve your lesser pains by the therapy technique.
Self-hypnosis is an excellent way to help you with managing pain, but you also have hypnosis through a hypnotist. These hypnosis sessions will include self-hypnosis CDs, allowing you to follow up at home. You also have a more personalized therapy session.
First, the hypnotist offers you personalization and then they incorporate that into the CDs they give you. If your hypnotist doesn’t do their own CDs, you can find them online or they can suggest the appropriate follow-up CDs.
Managing pain will seem easier with the hypnosis because of the different techniques you are able to use, as well as the results.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:10 PM
Last updated: Fri, October 14 2011 - 09:36 AM
Weight Loss Using Hypnosis
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on November 30, 2010 by editor
Why weight loss through hypnosis?
The escalation of obesity rates in this country has sparked a flurry of activity to discover the perfect weight loss method. Hypnosis represents one of the more appealing methods dangled before the eyes of those who are hungry for an easy solution to a complex problem.
Unfortunately, hypnosis is frequently misrepresented by those with a penchant for profits, capitalizing on the widespread ignorance regarding the mechanisms of action of hypnosis. A careful review of the scientific literature exposes many of the claims about weight loss through hypnosis as overly optimistic, at best, and openly fraudulent, at worst.
How d oes hypn osis work?
Considerable controversy continues to swirl around the mechanisms by which hypnosis contributes to weight loss. Leon (1976) suggested that hypnosis can help obese people attain healthier eating patterns and retain them. One author remarked that the hypnotic state is characterized by heightened concentration, suggestibility, and relaxation (Mott, 1982). Certain individuals are thought to be capable of achieving this state more readily than others. A so-called hypnotic “induction,” whereby a hypnotist uses certain procedures to bring an individual into the hypnotic state, is not a prerequisite for achieving the state (Mott, 1982). Hypnosis, contrary to the claims of some, cannot magically reprogram people’s minds. In short, methods of hypnosis run the gamut, from simple relaxation techniques, to formal inductions administered by hypnotists. Hypnosis should not be considered supernatural in its effects.
The effectiveness of un-supplemented hypnosis for weight loss
Studies showing weight loss as a result of hypnosis alone are few and suffer from methodological problems. Andersen (1985) reported that, following eight weekly treatment sessions and 12 weeks of practicing self-hypnosis, subjects lost an average of 20.2 pounds. Unfortunately, the findings of this study are questionable, as no control group was utilized and the number of subjects (n=45) was small. Cochrane and Friesen (1986) concluded that moderate weight loss was obtained by subjects using hypnosis, but there was no difference between the group using audiotapes as a supplement to hypnosis and the group without audiotapes; therefore, claims regarding the effectiveness of audiotapes seem to be misleading. Both groups, however, lost more weight than the controls and maintained the weight loss at a six month follow-up. The authors’ conclusions cannot readily be generalized to men, as the subjects were all females.
Mott (1982) stated that “although hypnosis is sometimes referred to as a method of treatment, it is more accurate to regard hypnosis as a facilitator of a number of different treatment methods.” Use of hypnosis alone for moderate weight loss may be possible, at least for women, but the studies in support of this usage of hypnosis lack rigorous attention to methodology.
Hypnosis plus behavioural weight management
A number of studies indicate that hypnosis combined with a behavioural weight management program contributes significantly to weight loss. Bolocofsky, Spinler, and Coulthard-Morris (1985) revealed that the addition of hypnosis to a behavioural program designed to alter eating patterns increased the amount of weight loss at eight month and two year follow-ups. Both the behavioural and hypnosis programs were tailored to each subject individually in the study.
Bolocofsky et al. (1984) acknowledged that “the less a person weighed at the start of the program, the more likely he was to lose weight and maintain the reduction.” Hypnosis, combined with behavioural weight management, seems to be more effective for small amounts of weight loss. Another study of 45 females found that supplementing a basic self-management program with hypnosis resulted in a slightly greater amount of weight loss at a three month follow-up (Barabasz and Spiegel, 1989). The group for which individualized hypnotic suggestions were developed lost more weight than those exposed only to a group procedure.
Kirsch (1996) noted a weight loss of 6.00 pounds without hypnosis and 11.83 pounds with hypnosis, based on a meta-analysis of six studies. Allison and Faith (1996), however, disagreed and maintained that hypnosis only enhances cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy slightly, if at all. Long-term individualized hypnosis, combined with a behavioural weight management program, appears to contribute to modest weight loss and helps maintain it.
How hypnosis aids behavioural weight management programs
Hypnosis operates mainly as a way to increase participants’ attention to suggestions of behavioural programs, as well as to reinforce their weight loss. Studies using behavioural treatments “typically have developed incentive systems to bridge the gap between the short-term reinforcers provided during treatment and the long-term goal of weight reduction” (Bolocofsky et al., 1985). Hypnosis can fulfill this role by stepping in as a psychological reinforcer.
Hypnosis may assist subjects in learning positive eating behaviours and creating healthy long-term patterns of food intake. Subjects are then more likely to incorporate the rules of a particular program into their behavioural regimes (Bolocofsky, 1985). Kroger (1970) points out the similarities between hypnosis and behavioural treatments which share an emphasis on visualization and imagination. The literature suggests that hypnosis is an ideal addition to behavioural weight management programs which tend to need supplementation to achieve long-term results.
Conclusion
When combined with a behavioural weight management program, hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment of weight loss. One qualification of this statement is that the hypnotic program should be tailored to each individual. Hypnosis is a process by which an individual enters a state of relaxation and heightened suggestibility. Hypnosis should be considered a time intensive program requiring considerable effort.
The only people who claim hypnosis is easy, simple, and quick are those trying to sell people on their program. The largest obstacle in weight loss is its long-term retention, but follow-ups of hypnosis as a weight loss treatment have been conducted after two years (at the longest). Weight loss through hypnosis has been largely ignored by scientists. More studies with control groups and large subject pools are required to understand its action and import.
Created: Thu, October 06 2011 - 01:14 PM
Last updated: Fri, October 07 2011 - 05:27 PM
Does Hypnosis Work for Weight Loss?
Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin
Posted on November 30, 2010 by Editor
Nowadays, no matter where you go, you tend to see plenty of books and magazines that talk about weight loss hypnosis. So does hypnosis work for weight loss? Well, to answer this question, there are plenty of people that try out hypnosis for weight loss and it works like a charm.
The hypnosis aspect works on the psychological area of people who are struggling with maintaining a healthy weight. A weight loss hypnosis program tends to work better than most of the fad diets that are out on the market. To succeed in weight loss and keeping off the extra weight, the individual must learn how to eat better. It’s not to say that you need to avoid junk food forever, but a lifestyle change is necessary for someone who wishes to prolong his or her lifespan. This means eating better and healthier for the long term.
Recently, there have been commercials about companies that have these customers claiming that weight loss with hypnosis works for them. If you have been struggling to lose weight all these years, then using hypnosis to lose weight could be the key to help you shed at least five pounds on average. Currently, there is no scientific proof against or for weight loss hypnosis.
In order for weight loss by hypnosis to work, you will first have to discipline yourself to eat healthy and nutritious foods, such as whole grain products, fruits, vegetables and less animal meat. Many people tend to go back to their old habits; this reversion to bad eating habits put to waste all of their hard work. Aside from weight loss, hypnosis could also work for addictive habits, such as smoking, drug or alcoholic abuse. Because hypnosis works on the psychological level, it can improve lifestyle healthier living.
There are weight loss hypnosis CDs that claim to provide a structured learning course on self-hypnosis for weight loss. As there are so many to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming to filter out the legitimate ones. The best way to find out more is to do your own research. My recommendation is to use Google to look up reviews on certain weight loss hypnosis CDs. You can even go on social networking sites to ask them by posting the question on bulletin boards and blogs such as on MySpace and Facebook. Social networking sites are great, since you can get other’s opinions on any program that promotes weight loss through hypnosis.
If you found a legitimate program that teaches weight loss using hypnosis, you should then let the whole world know about it. You could help someone else out with this problem.