The Healing Mind Blog

Loss of Identity in Later Life: How to Find Purpose After Retirement, Empty Nest & Life Changes

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:27:49 GMT

Understanding why many people feel invisible, lose a sense of purpose, or struggle with identity as roles change in later life

Loss of Self and Identity as We Age

Ageing brings wisdom, perspective, and often a welcome slowing of pace. Yet many people experience a loss of identity in later life, feeling invisible as roles change and familiar routines fade. It is common to struggle with a loss of purpose after retirement, when children leave home, or during other major life changes in later life.

For decades, our identity is shaped by roles — the professional, the parent, the caregiver, the busy partner, the friend whose days are full of responsibility and meaning. When these roles shift, it can leave us wondering who we are now, and why we sometimes feel overlooked or less visible in the world.

For much of our lives, our identity is built around roles. We are the young one, the parent, the professional, the caregiver, the partner, the busy person whose days are full of responsibility and meaning. These roles help structure our lives and give us a sense of purpose and belonging.

But as we move through different stages of life, those roles can begin to change.

Youth fades in a culture that often celebrates youthfulness. Many people notice a gradual sense of becoming less visible or less acknowledged in society. This experience of feeling invisible as we age can quietly affect confidence, self-worth, and identity.

Work also plays a powerful role in shaping who we believe we are. Careers often provide routine, community, achievement, and meaning for decades. When work slows down or stops through retirement or changing circumstances, it can leave a surprising gap. Many people find themselves asking a deeply personal question:

If I am no longer what I did, who am I now?

Family life evolves too. Children grow up, leave home, and build independent lives. Although this stage can bring pride and happiness, many parents experience the emotional adjustment known as the empty nest transition, where a sense of purpose or identity may temporarily feel uncertain.

For those who have spent years caring for a partner, parent, or loved one, the shift can be even more profound. When the person we cared for passes away, the grief is not only for the person themselves but also for the role that shaped daily life and meaning.

These experiences can lead to what many people describe as a loss of identity in later life. It rarely happens suddenly. Instead, it often emerges gradually as familiar roles fall away or change.

Yet identity is not fixed.

Beneath the roles we have played lies something deeper — our values, our compassion, our curiosity, our creativity, and the wisdom gained through experience.

Later life can become a time of rediscovering purpose and meaning after major life transitions. It may involve reconnecting with interests that were once set aside, exploring new activities, deepening relationships, or simply allowing space to reflect on what matters most.

The self does not disappear with age.

It evolves.

And sometimes, in the quieter spaces left by what has changed or been lost, there is room to discover a new sense of meaning, identity, and direction.

When Support Can Help

Life transitions such as retirement, bereavement, children leaving home, or changes in health can sometimes leave people feeling uncertain, lost, or disconnected from their sense of self.

Talking to a counsellor or therapist can provide a supportive space to explore these feelings, rediscover personal strengths, and develop a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

Approaches such as counselling, clinical hypnotherapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can help people process change, rebuild confidence, and reconnect with a deeper sense of identity and wellbeing

If you would like to find out how I can help you, then please get in touch.

Finding Freedom

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:17:54 GMT

How Hypnotherapy Can Help You Overcome Your Fears and Phobias

Most people carry a fear of something. For some, it’s the flutter in the stomach when looking down from a height. For others, it’s the dread of public speaking, the tension of stepping onto a plane, or the sudden rush of panic at the sight of a spider.

Fears and phobias are incredibly common—and yet many people silently endure them for years, believing they simply have to “live with it.” But you don’t.

Your Fear Is Not Your Fault

Phobias often develop from a moment your mind interpreted as threatening. Sometimes you remember the moment clearly, and sometimes you don’t—but your subconscious does. Its job is to protect you, and it works hard… sometimes too hard.

What begins as a single stressful experience can evolve into a pattern of avoidance, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm.

But the good news is this:

Patterns can be changed.
The subconscious can be re-taught.
And you can feel safe again.

Hypnotherapy: A Calmer Path to Change

Hypnotherapy works gently and compassionately with the subconscious mind—the part of you that stores old fears, emotional memories, and automatic reactions.

In a relaxed, comfortable state, your mind becomes more open to new possibilities. You’re not “asleep,” and you’re not out of control. Instead, you are deeply focused and receptive, allowing therapeutic suggestions to reframe old beliefs and dissolve emotional triggers.

Clients often describe the experience as:

“Deeply soothing”
“Surprisingly empowering”
“Like my mind finally had permission to let go"

(If you would like to read about some personal hypnotherapy experiences - click here )

This isn’t about forcing yourself to be brave. It’s about rewiring the internal response so the fear simply loses its hold. Imagine If…

The spider that once caused panic becomes nothing more than a passing inconvenience
Heights stop triggering that familiar rush of dread
Public speaking feels manageable—or even exciting
Flying becomes uneventful instead of overwhelming
Everyday situations stop feeling like battles
Your body remains calm even in moments that used to feel unbearable

These shifts often happen much more quickly than people expect, because hypnotherapy works with the root—not just the symptoms.

I'm here to help

Whether your fear is mild or overwhelming, whether it’s new or something you’ve lived with for decades, if your fear or phobia is affecting your life—your relationships, your choices, and your wellbeing—you deserve support that is gentle, effective, and compassionate. Clinical hypnotherapy offers:

A safe, non-judgmental space
Evidence-based techniques
Tailored sessions that meet you exactly where you are
Tools you can use in daily life to stay grounded and calm
Long-lasting change, not temporary coping

Your Next Step Toward Freedom

You are not broken. You are not weak, you are someone whose mind learned to protect you in a way that no longer serves you—and that can be changed. If you’re ready to feel lighter, calmer, and more in control, then your journey can begin today—one calm breath at a time.

If you are interested in finding out more, then please get in contact for a free 30-minute telephone consultation.

Riot Women, Menopause, and the Power of Counselling

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:45:46 GMT

The Emotional Landscape of Menopause

The BBC drama Riot Women has struck a chord by portraying women in mid-life with honesty, humour, and energy. Following five menopausal women who form a punk rock band, the show highlights struggles that many women experience during menopause — from emotional ups and downs to shifts in identity and self-confidence.

Why Menopause Can Be Challenging

Menopause isn’t just about hot flushes or hormonal changes. Many women report:

Feeling invisible or overlooked

Brain fog and feeling like someone else entirely at times

Heightened anxiety or low mood

Difficulty managing stress from work, family, or caregiving

Frustration, anger, or a sense of lost purpose

These experiences can affect relationships, work, and overall well-being. Seeing these struggles represented on screen, as in Riot Women, can be validating — it reminds women they are not alone.

How Counselling Can Help

Counselling offers a safe, confidential space to:

Explore changing identity – rediscover who you are beyond societal roles or expectations

Manage emotions – understand and express anger, sadness, or frustration in healthy ways

Build resilience – develop coping strategies for stress, anxiety, or low mood

Find support and community – connect with others experiencing similar life transitions

Just like the women in Riot Women find strength through music and friendship, therapy can provide tools and support to navigate the menopause journey with confidence and clarity.

Help Is Available

Menopause is a natural stage of life, but it can feel overwhelming without support. Counselling helps women process the emotional impact, reclaim agency, and embrace this transition with empowerment.

If you’re struggling with menopause symptoms or the emotional challenges of mid-life, please get in touch, and I can help you feel seen, heard, and supported.

Finding Calm and Clarity as the Evenings Draw In

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:56:00 GMT

Professional, non-judgemental support for life’s challenging moments

As the nights draw in and the days grow shorter, it’s common for life’s challenges to feel a little heavier. Anxiety, stress, family tensions, or the grief of loss can feel more intense when daylight fades, and the pace of life slows. This is a time when self-care and support can make all the difference.

I understand how important it is to have a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space nearby — somewhere you can talk openly and begin to make sense of your experiences. My approach is warm, professional, and person-centred.

Therapeutic counselling forms the foundation of my work, providing a space to explore emotions, relationships, and challenges. For those looking for complementary approaches, I also offer hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) to help release tension and support emotional resilience. For gentle energy support, Reiki healing can bring calm and restore balance.

During this season, a few practical steps can help maintain wellbeing:

Stay connected: Make time for friends, family, or supportive community groups.
Keep active: Even short walks outdoors can boost mood and reduce stress.
Mindful moments: Pause daily for quiet reflection, deep breathing, or journaling.
Nourish yourself: Regular, balanced meals and adequate sleep support mental resilience.
Seek support early: Speaking to a professional doesn’t wait until problems feel overwhelming.

Every journey is unique, and my role is to help you find understanding, tools, and inner strength to navigate life’s challenges with greater peace and confidence.

I offer a welcoming, trusted space to start that journey — a place to be heard, supported, and cared for as the season changes. If you would like to find out how I may be able to help you, then please get in touch for a free, 30-minute telephone consultation, or to book an appointment.

10 Things to Do to Stop Your Inner Critic

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:38:19 GMT

How to quiet negative self-talk and build a kinder, more supportive inner voice

We all have an inner critic — that voice that tells us we’re not good enough, smart enough, or doing enough. While it may think it’s protecting us from failure, it often just fuels anxiety and self-doubt.

The good news is, you can quieten it. Here are ten ways to turn down the volume on your inner critic and nurture a kinder inner voice:

1. Notice the voice – The first step is awareness. Pay attention to when that critical inner dialogue appears and what triggers it. Awareness gives you choice.

2. Name it – Give your inner critic a name or persona. It helps create distance between you and the voice. “Oh, that’s just ‘Judge Judy’ again.”

3. Challenge the evidence – Ask yourself: Is this thought actually true? Look for facts that support and contradict it. Most of the time, it’s not based in reality.

4. Reframe mistakes as learning – Instead of beating yourself up for getting it wrong, remind yourself that mistakes are part of growth.

5. Use compassionate self-talk – Speak to yourself as you would a good friend. Replace “I’m useless” with “I’m doing my best and learning as I go.”

6. Practice mindfulness – Stay in the present moment. When the critic drags you into past regrets or future fears, gently bring your attention back to now.

7. Limit comparison – Comparing yourself to others fuels self-criticism. Focus on your own progress and values instead.

8. Write it out – Journaling helps externalise the critic’s voice. Once it’s on paper, you can challenge it more clearly.

9. Use techniques like Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or hypnotherapy to help release the emotional charge behind self-critical thoughts.

10. Celebrate small wins – Notice and acknowledge what you do well each day. The more you recognise your strengths, the quieter the critic becomes.

Quieting your inner critic is an ongoing practice, but each time you respond with self-compassion, you strengthen a more supportive inner voice — one that helps you grow instead of holding you back.

If your inner critic feels hard to silence, please reach out for support.

Gentle, effective approaches like counselling, hypnotherapy or EFT can help you release old patterns and reconnect with confidence and calm. Please get in contact to explore how this support could help you find more peace within.

Asking for Help Isn’t Giving Up — It’s Refusing to Give Up

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 20:06:10 GMT

Why Reaching Out Is a Powerful Step Toward Healing

So many people believe they should cope with everything on their own. But asking for help is not a sign of weakness — it’s an act of courage. It shows strength, self-awareness, and a willingness to move toward positive change.

When you reach out for support, you’re not giving up. You’re choosing not to struggle alone. You’re choosing to face challenges with guidance, compassion, and clarity. Counselling offers a safe, confidential space to explore what’s weighing you down and to find new ways forward.

Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, low mood, or feeling overwhelmed, talking to a professional can make all the difference. You deserve support. You deserve to feel heard. And you deserve to heal.

Asking for help is the first step — and it might just be the one that transforms everything.

If you’re ready to take that step, I’m here to support you.

Please get in contact for a free 30-minute telephone consultation, you can call, email or fill in a form, or if you prefer you can book at a time that suits you here, and I will give you a ring at your chosen time.

Menopause Awareness Month 2025

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:31:06 GMT

Finding Calm Through Change

Menopause brings many changes — physically, emotionally, and mentally. For some women, it’s a smooth transition. For others, it can feel overwhelming. Fluctuating hormones can affect mood, sleep, confidence, and focus, often leaving you feeling stressed, anxious, or not quite yourself.

In my counselling and hypnotherapy sessions, I support women to find calm and confidence during this time of change. Together, we focus on easing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and helping you feel more balanced and in control again.

Counselling offers a safe, supportive space to talk openly about what you’re experiencing, while hypnotherapy helps your mind and body deeply relax — releasing tension and promoting emotional wellbeing.

These gentle approaches can help you:

• Manage stress and anxiety

• Rebuild confidence and self-esteem

• Improve sleep and relaxation

• Feel more grounded and in tune with yourself

Menopause doesn’t have to feel like a battle. With the right support, it can become a time of renewal — a chance to slow down, care for yourself, and rediscover your strength.

Please get in contact for a free 30-minute telephone consultation, you can call, email or click the button below to book at a time that suits you too, and I will give you a ring at your chosen time.

Counselling, Hypnotherapy & EFT in Gnosall: Find Your Way Back to Steadier Ground

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 21:27:37 GMT

Professional Support for Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Wellbeing

Talking Therapies in Gnosall, Stafford

Life can sometimes feel overwhelming. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, stuck in old patterns, or simply craving a quieter mind, you don’t have to face it alone. Based in Gnosall, Stafford, I offer counselling, hypnotherapy, and Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) to help people who are ready for change but aren’t sure where to begin.

Together, we create a safe and welcoming space where you can:

Breathe a little deeper and find moments of calm
Bring clarity to what’s troubling you and better understand your emotions
Rediscover what helps you feel more like yourself

Therapeutic Counselling

Counselling provides a supportive, non-judgmental environment to explore your thoughts and feelings. Whether you are experiencing stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, or life transitions, talking with a trained professional can help you feel heard, understood, and empowered to make positive changes.

Through regular counselling sessions, you can gain tools to cope with difficult emotions, identify patterns, and gradually move towards a more balanced and fulfilled life.

Hypnotherapy for Calm and Change

Hypnotherapy is a gentle, guided approach that works with your subconscious mind to uncover patterns, reduce stress, and create meaningful change. People often find hypnotherapy helpful for:

Reducing anxiety and stress
Improving sleep
Letting go of unhelpful habits
Building confidence and focus

Combined with counselling, hypnotherapy can accelerate personal growth and support lasting emotional wellbeing.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) for Emotional Balance

EFT, sometimes called “tapping,” is a practical method to release emotional tension and calm the nervous system. It is especially useful for:

Managing anxiety and stress
Supporting emotional resilience
Navigating challenging life experiences

Using EFT alongside counselling or hypnotherapy helps many people regain a sense of control and balance in their daily lives.

Take the First Step Towards Support

If something inside you is saying it might be time to seek support, you are warmly invited to reach out. You can send a message, ask a question, or give me a call. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Together, we can find ways to bring more calm, clarity, and confidence into your life.

For the People-Pleasers

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:08:19 GMT

Finding Your Voice

Do you ever catch yourself saying “yes” when deep down you want to say “no”?

Or notice that you’re putting everyone else’s needs first, leaving little energy for your own?

Many caring, thoughtful people fall into the pattern of people-pleasing. It often comes from a good place—wanting to keep the peace, avoid conflict, or make sure others feel happy. But over time, this way of living can become heavy. You might feel unseen, unheard, or even disconnected from who you really are.

Why People-Pleasing Feels So Draining

When we focus so much on pleasing others, we can lose touch with ourselves.

• Decisions become stressful because you’re worried about disappointing someone.

• Boundaries blur, leaving you tired and stretched thin.

• Even simple choices—like what you’d like for dinner—can feel complicated.

• It can feel as though you’re constantly “performing,” instead of living in a way that feels natural and authentic.

How Counselling Can Help

Counselling provides a gentle, supportive space where you can:

• Explore your patterns — understand where your people-pleasing comes from, without judgment.

• Rediscover your voice — practice expressing your needs in small, safe steps.

• Build healthy boundaries — learn that saying “no” can be an act of self-care, not selfishness.

• Strengthen self-compassion — replace guilt and self-criticism with kindness and understanding.

Bit by bit, counselling helps you reconnect with the part of yourself that longs to be heard, respected, and valued.

Living More Authentically

Letting go of people-pleasing doesn’t mean you stop being kind or caring. It means you start including yourself in the kindness. When you honour your own needs alongside others’, your relationships grow stronger, your energy returns, and life feels more balanced. You move from living for approval… to living with authenticity.

A Gentle Invitation

If any of this resonates with you, counselling can be a safe place to begin. You don’t have to change everything at once. Even the smallest step—talking it through with someone who understands—can bring relief and clarity.

Your voice matters. Your needs matter. And with help, you can begin to live in a way that feels true to you. Please get in contact if you would like some support.

Navigating the School Holidays

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 19:13:53 GMT

Finding Calm Amid the Chaos

For many parents and caregivers, the school holidays can be a double-edged sword. While they offer precious time with children and a break from routine, they also bring a host of challenges—disrupted schedules, constant demands for attention, increased financial pressure, and the mental load of keeping everyone entertained and safe.

It’s no surprise that stress levels can rise during this period. The usual structure disappears, personal time can vanish, and feelings of overwhelm are common. But with a little awareness and some practical strategies, it is possible to navigate the school holidays with more ease and even find moments of calm and connection.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Let Go of Perfection:

The pressure to create a “perfect” holiday for your children can be immense. Remember, your presence matters more than packed schedules or expensive activities. Children often value small, shared moments over grand plans.

2. Carve Out Time for Yourself:

Even 10–15 minutes a day to reset can make a difference. Whether it’s a quiet cup of tea, a short walk, or a few mindful breaths, prioritising small breaks can help you stay grounded.

3. Share the Load:

If possible, ask for help—from partners, friends, or family. Playdates and shared childcare can give everyone a much-needed breather.

4. Manage Expectations:

Not every day will be smooth. Some days will be tough—and that’s okay. Self-compassion is key. You’re doing your best, and that’s enough.

5. Talk It Through:

If the strain feels too much, talking to a counsellor can offer support and clarity. Sometimes, just having a space to offload and reflect can make all the difference.

The school holidays will pass, but your wellbeing matters all year round. By taking care of yourself as well as your family, you lay the foundation for a more peaceful and connected break—for everyone.

Being Different: From Exclusion to Empowerment Through Counselling

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:12:10 GMT

Finding Belonging Within Yourself

Feeling different from those around you can be a deeply isolating experience. Whether it's the way you look, the way you think, your background, your sexuality, your values, or your personality – when you feel like you don’t quite “fit in,” it can lead to feelings of exclusion and rejection. This sense of being on the outside can chip away at your self-worth and leave you questioning your value and place in the world.

For many, these feelings begin early in life, perhaps at school, within family dynamics, or in social settings where conforming to a certain norm is rewarded and difference is quietly – or not so quietly – judged. Over time, you might start to believe that your uniqueness is something to hide, rather than something to honour. You may even find yourself trying to change or shrink who you are in order to be accepted by others. But what if your difference is actually your strength?

The Role of Counselling

Counselling offers a safe, non-judgemental space to explore these painful experiences. Through talking therapy, you can begin to unpack the layers of rejection, shame, or insecurity that may have built up over time. Together with a counsellor, you can start to understand where these feelings originated, how they affect your current life, and – most importantly – how to gently challenge them.

One of the most empowering aspects of counselling is discovering that what you think about yourself matters more than what others think. This shift in perspective can be life-changing. When your self-worth no longer hinges on the approval of others, you begin to reclaim your confidence and identity on your own terms.

Counselling can help you:

• Recognise the value in your individuality

• Understand and process past experiences of exclusion or rejection

• Reframe negative self-beliefs and build self-compassion

• Develop tools for emotional resilience and self-acceptance

• Strengthen your voice and sense of self

As your self-awareness grows, you may begin to see your differences not as something to be ashamed of, but as something to be celebrated. The qualities that set you apart might be exactly what give you depth, creativity, empathy, or strength. What once felt like a source of pain can become a source of pride.

Moving Towards Self-Confidence

With the support of counselling, many people find they are able to let go of the need to please or fit in, and instead begin to live more authentically. As you start to trust your own thoughts and feelings more deeply, self-confidence grows naturally. You become less defined by the expectations of others and more connected to your true self.

It’s not about pretending the pain of rejection never happened. It’s about healing from it – and realising that you don’t need to be anyone other than who you are. If you would like to find out more about how counselling may help you, then please get in touch.

Caring for Others Without Losing Yourself

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:44:39 GMT

Understanding Carer's Guilt

Caring for a loved one—whether they are unwell, nearing the end of life, or simply relying on you day to day—can be one of the most emotionally demanding roles you’ll ever take on. For many carers, especially those supporting a partner, parent, or child, feelings of guilt can quietly build over time.

You may feel guilty for wanting a break, for feeling frustrated, or for having moments where you long for your own life back. You might even feel guilt for thinking about your own needs at all. But these feelings are normal. Being a carer doesn't mean you're superhuman—it means you're human, with limits, needs, and emotions of your own.

It’s important to recognise that giving yourself permission to take time for you isn’t selfish—it’s essential. When you constantly put your own well-being on hold, resentment can creep in. That resentment can then bring even more guilt, creating a cycle that leaves you emotionally and physically drained.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. Looking after yourself is not a luxury; it’s a necessity—not just for your own health, but so you can continue to care for others with compassion rather than burnout.

Taking care of yourself might look different for everyone. It could be as simple as going for a peaceful walk, catching up with a friend over coffee, booking a de-stressing massage, or having time to talk things through with a counsellor. Small, intentional acts of self-care can help restore your energy and sense of balance.

Counselling can offer a safe, non-judgemental space for you to offload, to talk about the pressures you’re under, and to reconnect with yourself. It’s time set aside just for you—to be heard, supported, and understood. Sessions can be arranged to suit your needs, whether that’s weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or on an ad-hoc basis, offering flexibility around your schedule and commitments.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or struggling with carer’s guilt, you don’t have to carry it all alone. You deserve care too.

If this resonates with you, counselling could offer the time, space, and support you need. Reach out to take the first step towards easing the weight you're carrying—you don’t have to do it all on your own.

Navigating Menopause

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:46:08 GMT

Embracing the Second Spring

Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life, yet it often comes with significant physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. As a counsellor and therapist, I understand the complexities of this stage and offer compassionate support to help women navigate it with confidence and feel understood.

The Effects of Menopause

• Hot flushes and night sweats – Sudden temperature changes can disrupt daily activities and sleep.

• Mood swings and anxiety – Fluctuating hormones can lead to emotional ups and downs.

• Sleep disturbances – Many women struggle with insomnia, making it harder to feel rested.

• Brain fog and memory issues – A lack of focus or forgetfulness can impact confidence and productivity.

• Physical changes – Weight gain, joint pain, and reduced bone density can make this time feel challenging.

Challenges Women Face

Beyond the physical symptoms, menopause often coincides with other life transitions—empty nest syndrome, aging parents, or shifts in personal identity. Many women feel unheard or dismissed when they seek support, adding to the sense of isolation.

How I Can Help

Through counselling, clinical hypnotherapy, and emotional freedom therapy, I provide women with tools to manage stress, improve sleep, and embrace this life stage with a renewed sense of self. These therapies help:

• Reduce stress, anxiety and mood swings

• Improve sleep quality

• Manage hot flushes and physical discomfort

• Enhance self-esteem and emotional well-being

Embracing the Second Spring

In many cultures, menopause is viewed as the "Second Spring"—a time of renewal, wisdom, and personal growth. Rather than seeing menopause as an end, I help women reframe it as an opportunity for self-discovery and empowerment.

If you're struggling with menopause, know that you are not alone. With the right support, you can embrace this transition with confidence and vitality. If you would like to find out more, then please get in touch.

World Mental Health Day 2024

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 20:43:31 GMT

Take the First Step Towards Mental Fitness

As we approach World Mental Health Day on October 10th, it's essential to remember that caring for your mental well-being is just as important as your physical health. Mental fitness is about cultivating a healthy, balanced mindset that empowers you to handle life's challenges.

This year, the 2024 World Mental Health Day theme is focusing on mental health in the workplace. With increasing demands, deadlines, and pressures in the modern work environment, it's more important than ever to take steps to protect and nurture your mental well-being at work. Whether you're experiencing stress, burnout, or difficulty balancing personal and professional life, this is a reminder that you're not alone—and it's okay to seek help.

How You Can Help Yourself:

1. Set Personal Boundaries : Be aware of your own needs and know when to switch off from work and prioritise time for yourself.

2. Practice Self-Care : Regular breaks, go for a walk instead of working your breaks, mindfulness, and engaging in activities that relax you can improve mental fitness.

3. Reach Out for Support : Sometimes, overcoming workplace stress requires professional guidance. Counselling, clinical hypnotherapy, and emotional freedom therapy and other talking therapies can provide tools to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges that arise in work settings.

This World Mental Health Day, prioritize your mental fitness. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, this is the perfect time to take the first step towards healing, reaching out for support can transform your journey. I'm here to help you unlock your full potential and achieve lasting emotional well-being.

If you would like to find out more about how therapies could help you , then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation at a time that suits you here, or alternatively please email karen@thehealingmind.co.uk .

Understanding Andropause and Mental Health

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:27:11 GMT

How Counselling Can Help

Andropause, often referred to as male menopause, is a phase in a man’s life where testosterone levels gradually decline, typically starting in the late 40s to early 50s. While the physical symptoms—such as fatigue, reduced libido, and weight gain—are widely recognised, the mental health implications of andropause are equally significant but less often discussed.

The hormonal changes during andropause can lead to a range of emotional and psychological challenges. Men may experience mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression. The reduced levels of testosterone can also impact cognitive function, leading to memory issues and difficulty concentrating. These changes can be particularly distressing, especially when they are not well understood or if they are mistakenly attributed to other factors, such as work stress or aging.

Counselling can play a crucial role in helping men navigate the mental health challenges associated with andropause. Through therapy, you can gain a better understanding of what is happening to your bodies and minds, reducing the stigma and fear often associated with these changes. Counselling provides a safe space to express and explore these feelings, leading to greater self-awareness and acceptance.

As a counsellor, I can assist you in developing coping strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and depression and address negative thought patterns. I can support you in implementing healthy lifestyle changes, such as improved diet, regular exercise, and stress management techniques, which can positively impact both physical and mental well-being during this transition.

While andropause is a natural phase of life, if you have found it has brought about significant mental health challenges and you are wondering if counselling can offer you valuable support, helping you to maintain your mental fitness and emotional balance during this time of change, then please get in touch for a free 30-minute telephone consultation.

Embrace Your Unique Path to Mental Wellness

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 20:06:17 GMT

Tailored Therapies for Your Mental Health Journey

Each of us is a unique individual with distinct experiences, challenges, and paths to well-being. Understanding this uniqueness is essential when seeking mental health support, as different therapies resonate with different people. I offer a range of services, including counselling, hypnotherapy, emotional freedom therapy, and Reiki Healing, to cater to various needs and preferences.

Counselling provides a safe space to explore thoughts and feelings, offering clarity and strategies for managing life's challenges. It is ideal for those who benefit from talking through their issues with a trained professional who can offer insights and coping mechanisms.

Hypnotherapy taps into the subconscious mind to address deep-seated issues and alter negative patterns of thought and behaviour. This method is particularly effective for clients who are open to exploring their inner mind and harnessing the power of suggestion to facilitate change.

Emotional Freedom Therapy focuses on processing and releasing pent-up emotions, stresses and traumas that can hinder personal growth. This approach is suited for individuals who recognise the impact of unresolved emotional pain and are ready to confront and heal these feelings.

Reiki Healing, an energy-based practice, promotes relaxation and reduces stress through gentle touch. This therapy is perfect for those who seek a holistic approach to mental health, valuing the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit.

During therapy you are encouraged to choose the therapy that best aligns with your personal preferences and needs. Some people may find a single approach sufficient, while others may benefit from a combination of therapies to achieve holistic well-being. By acknowledging your unique differences, you can each find a path to mental health that truly resonates with you.

If you would like to find out more about how therapies could help you , then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation at a time that suits you here.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 19:48:36 GMT

Understanding Procrastination: A Path to Overcoming It

Why Do People Procrastinate?

As a counsellor, I often see clients struggling with procrastination. It’s a common challenge that affects productivity and well-being. If you’re reading this, you might be seeking answers and solutions to overcome this habit. Understanding why we procrastinate is the first step toward change. Three significant factors often at play are perfectionism, fear of failure and fear of rejection.

Perfectionism involves setting excessively high standards for yourself, leading to an all-or-nothing mindset. You might delay starting tasks because you fear you cannot complete them perfectly. This fear of not meeting your own or others’ expectations can paralyse you, causing avoidance of tasks altogether. The desire to produce flawless work and homelife creates immense pressure, making it difficult to begin or finish projects.

Fear of failure and fear or rejection are other critical components. Many people procrastinate because they dread the possibility of failing or receiving negative feedback. This fear can stem from past experiences of being overly criticised, or if doing something wrong led to criticism or disappointment. The anxiety associated with rejection can be so overwhelming that procrastination becomes a coping mechanism, providing temporary relief from stress.

How Counselling Can Help

I provide a supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can explore underlying fears and perfectionistic tendencies which will empower you to find solutions, foster self-awareness, self-acceptance, and effective action.

I can help you to navigate setting realistic goals, break tasks into manageable steps, and develop a more compassionate self-view. This shift can reduce the pressure to achieve perfection and make it easier to start and complete tasks.

I understand how challenging procrastination can be, but with the right support and tools, it is possible to break free from this cycle. If you would like to work together to understand and overcome procrastination, leading to increased productivity and improved mental health, then please get in touch.

Unlock Your True Self with Person-Centred Counselling

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 12:23:24 GMT

Empower Yourself to Achieve Happiness and Self-Fulfilment

The top picture is me, on a day off jumping out of an aeroplane to raise money for a local hospice. Normally I’d be helping clients to achieve their goals in life, whatever they may be.

You too can unlock the power within you through person-centred counselling, it’s a transformative approach designed to help you achieve true happiness and self-fulfilment which places you at the heart of the therapeutic process, recognising your innate ability to understand and resolve challenges best.

Imagine having the freedom to navigate your own journey to happiness. As designer Diane von Furstenberg wisely said, "You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness." With person-centred counselling, this powerful insight becomes your reality. You will uncover the strength within you to create meaningful changes and achieve profound self-acceptance.

I support people with several transformational therapies including counselling, hypnotherapy and emotional freedom therapy, where I provide a understanding, empathetic, and non-judgmental environment so you can explore your thoughts and feelings freely. This safe space empowers you to discover your own solutions and paths to personal and career or business growth, fostering a sense of autonomy and self-direction.

Imagine having the freedom to navigate your own journey to happiness, where carrying the passport to your own happiness becomes your reality. I will be by your side so you can uncover the strength within you to create meaningful changes and self-acceptance.

If you would like to take the first step towards a brighter, more fulfilling future and unlock the true potential within you, then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation at a time that suits you here.

Boosting Self-Belief and Self-Worth through Counselling or Hypnotherapy

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 23:28:03 GMT

Unlocking Your Potential with Therapeutic Techniques

Many people struggle with feelings of low self-worth for a variety of reasons. Past traumas, negative experiences, and critical self-talk can all play a part. Childhood experiences, such as neglect or harsh criticism, can leave lasting scars on self-esteem. Social pressures and constant comparisons, especially in the age of social media, often make people feel inadequate. Additionally, societal standards of success and beauty can create unrealistic expectations, leading to a persistent sense of not being "good enough." These feelings can hold us back from achieving our full potential and finding true happiness.

In counselling I offer a supportive space to explore your thoughts and feelings to help you to identify and challenge negative self-perceptions and unhelpful thinking patterns. Working in whatever way feels best for you, I can support you to replace negative thoughts with more realistic and positive ones. Over time, this shift in perspective will help you to enhance self-worth and encourage a more compassionate view of yourself.

Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and focused attention to reach the subconscious mind, where negative beliefs can be reframed, and positive affirmations can take root. This process, where you are always in control, helps to break the cycle of self-doubt, fostering a deep and lasting sense of confidence. I can guide you through visualising successful outcomes, reinforcing your ability to achieve goals and handle challenges, which in turn boosts self-esteem.

Both hypnotherapy and counselling provide safe, personalised approaches tailored to your needs (you can choose both or either therapy). They help uncover underlying issues, process past traumas, and develop effective coping strategies. By addressing the root causes of low self-esteem and reinforcing positive beliefs, these therapies empower you to believe in yourself, embrace your potential, and lead more a fulfilling life.

If you would like a free 30-minute telephone consultation to find out more about how you can start to believe in yourself, then please click the button below, or give me a call on 07939 865111.

Enhancing Sports Performance: The Power of Hypnotherapy and NLP

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 22:09:24 GMT

Unlocking Mental Mastery for Peak Physical Achievement

Whether you play sport or run for fun, or you are a super-competitive sportsperson, in sport it's crucial to care for the mind as meticulously as the body.

Hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can significantly enhance sports performance by optimising your mental state. Hypnotherapy can help you enter a deeply relaxed state, allowing you to visualize success, reinforce positive habits, and reduce anxiety. This mental conditioning fosters confidence, concentration, and resilience under pressure.

NLP techniques reprogramme the mind's responses to various stimuli. By changing negative thought patterns and reinforcing positive ones, you can overcome mental blocks, enhance motivation, and improve focus. Techniques such as anchoring (associating a specific stimulus with a positive mental state) and visualisation can create a more consistent and peak performance mindset.

Combining these methods can help harness the power of your subconscious mind, leading to improved performance, better stress management, and enhanced overall well-being.

You probably know that by integrating mental training into their routines, professional athletes achieve a harmonious balance, ensuring their mind and body work in unison for optimal performance. This holistic approach boosts physical capabilities while fostering mental clarity and emotional stability, essential for maintaining peak performance and achieving long-term success in sports.

You may not know that it is available to you too, so you would like to find out more and experience growth in your performance, then please get in touch.

What is Reiki?

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 19:39:31 GMT

Understanding the Ancient Japanese Healing Technique

Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing which offers numerous benefits for overall wellbeing.

By channelling universal life force energy through the practitioner's hands, Reiki promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and alleviates anxiety. It enhances the body's natural healing abilities, aiding in pain management and accelerating recovery from illnesses and surgeries.

Reiki also balances emotional and mental health, fostering a sense of peace, clarity, and emotional stability. Regular sessions can improve sleep quality, boost immune function, and increase overall vitality.

Because Reiki's has a non-invasive nature, it makes it suitable for all ages and conditions, providing a gentle, holistic approach to health. This ancient practice supports personal growth and spiritual development, helping clients to connect with their inner selves and cultivate a positive mindset.

Overall, Reiki offers a comprehensive, integrative method to enhance physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. If you would like to book a Reiki appointment, you can click the button below and book at an available date and time that suits you best. Or if you would like to find out more, then please get in touch.

Understanding the Various Types of Loss and Their Emotions

Fri, 24 May 2024 08:17:37 GMT

Navigating Grief, Sadness, and Transition in Counselling

Sometimes we can be feeling all the sadness and emotions of loss and grief, and not understand why. But in addition to the grief of losing a loved one through death, dementia, illness, divorce or separation, loss is felt in so many ways and each one can deeply affect us, for example, loss of our health or independence, employment and financial loss, loss of identity, purpose or your life’s dream, loss of friendship and empty-nest syndrome.

As a counsellor, I can help you navigate the complex emotions and challenges associated with loss by providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can express grief, sadness, anger, and other emotions. This validation can help you feel understood and less isolated, knowing that your feelings are acknowledged and normal.

We can explore coping mechanisms to manage the intense emotions and stress associated with loss and learning these skills, can help support you to better handle the waves of emotions that often accompany significant losses.

It is important to understand that your feelings are a normal part of the grieving process so together we can navigate and demystify grief and reduce your feelings of confusion or abnormality. This knowledge can be comforting and empowering.

Loss often impacts our sense of self and purpose, and when it is right for you, I can assist you in finding meaning in life after your loss, to identify your strengths, to build resilience and foster a sense of hope and adaptability, so you can begin to create a future that, while different, can still be meaningful.

If you would like to find out more about how I could help you to reduce worry, anxiety, or stress, then please get in touch. I offer a 30 minute complimentary telephone consultation, which you can book here at a time that suits you.

Feeling Seen and Heard : Counselling in Stafford

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:05:41 GMT

Remove the Mask of Invisibility

Photos by Majestic Lucaz and Caroline Veronez on Unsplash

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to feel invisible and unheard, where your presence and voice seem to fade into the background. This sense of invisibility can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, affecting your mental and emotional well-being. However, counselling offers a beacon of hope, providing a safe space where you feel seen, heard, and understood. This transformative process can profoundly impact your life, fostering recognition and understanding.

Counselling creates an environment of empathy and support, where you are encouraged to express your thoughts and emotions freely. As a trained counsellor I listen attentively, validating your experiences and helping you navigate through your feelings. This validation is crucial as it acknowledges your struggles and triumphs, making you feel valued and important. The act of being heard can be incredibly therapeutic, alleviating feelings of isolation and fostering a sense of connection.

One of the significant benefits of counselling is the development of self-awareness. Through guided conversations, we can explore your thoughts and emotions in a non-judgmental setting. This exploration helps you gain insights into your patterns and triggers, empowering you to make positive changes. Understanding yourself better can lead to improved self-esteem and confidence, as you recognize your strengths and work on your challenges.

Additionally, counselling provides practical tools and strategies to cope with life's difficulties. Whether dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, or relationship issues, I can offer you techniques to manage these challenges effectively. Learning coping mechanisms can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, making it easier to navigate daily life.

Counselling also promotes personal

growth and development. Working towards your goals, can help you achieve a sense of accomplishment and purpose, fostering resilience and motivation, encouraging you to strive for a fulfilling and balanced life.

Counselling can be a powerful tool that helps you feel seen and heard, transforming feelings of invisibility into recognition, understanding and confidence. It fosters self-awareness, provides coping strategies, and promotes personal growth, leading to a more fulfilling and connected life.

If you ever feel invisible or unheard, consider reaching out to me, you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation by clicking the button below. It could be the first step towards feeling valued and understood.

The Link Between Imagination and Fight or Flight Response

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:26:10 GMT

What is the Fight or Flight Response? - Unravelling the Impact of Worrying

It may be surprising to know that the human imagination holds remarkable sway over our physiological responses; one intriguing factor of this connection is the way worrying and imagining adverse scenarios can trigger the primal fight or flight response.

What is the Fight or Flight Response?

The fight or flight response is a finely tuned collection of physiological reactions. The release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol primes the body for quick and decisive action. Heart rate and blood pressure soar, while the respiratory system ramps up to provide ample oxygen for muscles. Glucose is released into the bloodstream, ensuring an energy boost for the impending challenge. Physical feeling can include tightening of the chest, shortness of breath, dry mouth, churning stomach or butterflies, and feeling faint, or potentially feeling on edge, tense and angry.

Setting the Stage for Stress

So when we allow our minds to wander into the realm of hypothetical dangers, the brain interprets these thoughts as real threats. Whether it's fretting about a future presentation or imagining worst-case scenarios, the brain cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality, and so it responds by activating the sympathetic nervous system which kickstarts a the fight or flight response to prepare the body for action.

Unveiling the Paradox: The Real Threat vs. the Imagined Danger

Despite the intricate physiological response triggered by worrying and imagining bad things, the paradox lies in the fact that the perceived threat is often not real. The body's readiness for action may be mobilised to combat a danger that exists solely in the recesses of the mind. This mismatch between perceived and actual threat can lead to chronic anxiety and stress, contributing to various health issues over time.

Breaking the Cycle with Cognitive Strategies

Understanding the potent connection between imagination and the fight or flight response opens doors to managing some anxiety and stress. Counselling strategies, CBT, hypnotherapy, and mindfulness practices can help you gain control over your thoughts, redirecting the mind away from imagined dangers. By doing so, we can harness the power of our imagination for positive outcomes, fostering a healthier balance between mind and body in the face of life's uncertainties.

How to Train Your Brain to Boost Positive Mental Fitness

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:28:19 GMT

Neural Pathways Unleashed: 10 Ways to Boost Positive Mental Fitness

Unlocking the full potential of your brain involves understanding and harnessing the power of neural pathways . These intricate networks of connections within the brain dictate how information is processed, habits and memories are formed, and skills are acquired. Just as a well-worn trail through the woods becomes more defined with each passing, repetitive step, your neural pathways strengthen and adapt through consistent mental activities.

If you have developed negative thinking patterns over time, for instance if you have anxiety, if you tend to think the worse may happen, or if you constantly worry, it could be that you have embedded negative neural pathways, and it may feel hard to reverse them. It is always advisable to seek professional counselling and medical support if you need it.

You can help to improve your own mental fitness by fostering new, positive neural pathways. This involves promoting and reinforcing positive thoughts, behaviours, and attitudes to strengthen the connections in your brain associated with those positive experiences. Here are some strategies to help you do it, start with one or two and develop more as and when you can:

1. Positive Affirmations:

Use positive affirmations to challenge and replace negative self-talk. Repeat positive statements about yourself and your abilities to rewire your brain towards a more positive outlook.

2. Gratitude Practices:

Regularly express gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal. It can be as simple as writing down 1-3 things a day that you are thankful for, this fosters a positive mindset and reinforcing positive neural connections.

3. Positive Visualisation:

Engage in positive visualisation exercises. Imagine yourself succeeding, achieving your goals, and experiencing positive outcomes. Visualization can help reinforce positive neural pathways associated with success.

4. Positive Self-Talk:

Be mindful of your internal dialogue. Replace self-critical thoughts with positive and encouraging affirmations. Treat yourself with the same kindness and support that you would offer to a friend.

5. Break Negative Patterns:

Identify and work on breaking negative thought patterns. When you catch yourself dwelling on negative thoughts, consciously shift your focus to more positive and constructive thoughts.

6. Mindfulness and Meditation:

Practice mindfulness and meditation to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness can help you observe negative thoughts without judgment and redirect your focus toward positive aspects.

7. Social Connections:

Surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Social interactions and positive relationships can have a profound impact on your neural pathways. Positive social interactions can release neurotransmitters like oxytocin, which contribute to feelings of happiness and well-being.

8. Learn New Things:

Engage in activities that challenge your mind and encourage learning. Whether it's picking up a new hobby, learning a new skill, or taking on a new intellectual challenge, the process of learning stimulates the brain in positive ways.

9. Physical Exercise:

Regular physical exercise has been linked to improved mood and cognitive function. Exercise stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and growth factors that contribute to the formation of positive neural connections.

10. Quality Sleep:

Last and by no means least ensure you get enough quality sleep. Sleep is essential for memory consolidation, filing all of the positive practices, embedding those new positive pathways and for overall brain health. Lack of sleep can contribute to negative thought patterns and decreased resilience to stress.

Remember that fostering positive neural pathways is an ongoing process. Consistency is key, and these practices may take time to yield noticeable results. Regularly engaging in these activities can contribute to a more positive and resilient mindset over time.

If you need additional support either to help you start developing these new ways, or if you are interested in talking professionally to a counsellor, or developing new ways of thinking through clinical hypnotherapy, or Emotional Freedom Therapy then please get in touch. All the ways to contact me are on the contacts page.

What is a Neural Pathway?

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 17:54:59 GMT

"Unraveling the Wonders of Neural Pathways: The Building Blocks of Learning, Memory, and Cognitive Function"

A neural pathway is a connection between neurons (nerve cells) in the brain that allows for the transmission of signals. Neurons communicate with each other through electrochemical impulses, and these pathways enable the flow of information within the nervous system. The formation and strengthening of neural pathways are integral to learning, memory, and various cognitive functions.

Here's a simplified explanation of how neural pathways work:

Neurons

Neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. They have a cell body, dendrites (branch-like extensions that receive signals), and an axon (a long, slender extension that transmits signals).

Synapses

Neurons communicate with each other at junctions called synapses. Synapses are small gaps between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of another. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals across these synapses.

Formation of Neural Pathways

When neurons repeatedly send signals to each other, synaptic connections between them strengthen. This process, known as synaptic plasticity, is the basis for learning and memory. The more frequently a particular pathway is used, the stronger and more efficient it becomes.

Learning and Memory

Learning involves the formation of new neural pathways, while memory involves the strengthening and consolidation of existing pathways. When you learn something new or repeat a particular activity, the associated neural pathways are activated and modified.

Plasticity

Neural plasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new connections throughout life. This plasticity allows the brain to adapt to new experiences, learn from them, and modify existing neural pathways.

Positive and Negative Pathways

Neural pathways can be associated with both positive and negative experiences. Positive experiences and thoughts can strengthen positive pathways, contributing to a more optimistic mindset. Conversely, negative experiences and thoughts can reinforce negative pathways, leading to patterns associated with stress or anxiety.

Understanding neural pathways is crucial for fields like neuroscience, psychology, and education. In hypnotherapy, NLP, counselling, and through mindfulness I work with clients to influence and reshape neural pathways to promote positive mental health and well-being.

If you would like to find out more how I can help you by developing positive neural pathways, please get in touch via the button below or call/WhatsApp 07939 865111.

Enhancing the Power of Hot Stone Massage with Reiki Energy

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 20:56:12 GMT

Harmonizing Heat and Reiki Energy

My primary at focus at The Healing Mind lies in talking therapies, encompassing therapeutic counselling, clinical hypnotherapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). In addition to fostering mental well-being, for people that are looking for something different, I provide Reiki healing to promote holistic balance. The synergy of talking therapies and energy work creates a nurturing space for individuals seeking transformative and holistic healing experiences.

In the realm of holistic healing, the combination of Reiki and hot stone massage has emerged as a powerful synergy, offering a unique therapeutic experience that goes beyond traditional techniques. Hot stone massage includes placing heated stones on specific points of the body to promote relaxation and alleviate tension. When paired with Reiki, an ancient Japanese energy healing technique, the effects are heightened, creating a harmonious balance of warmth and energy flow.

So after enjoying a fabulous massage locally at Natural Therapies with Kelly Aston, I was really pleased when Kelly asked if I would infuse positive Reiki energy into the hot stones that she uses in massage therapies. This harmonious partnership blends the power of energetic healing with therapeutic touch, enriching our collective offerings to provide Kelly’s clients with a comprehensive approach to physical and emotional well-being.

Reiki works on the principle of channelling universal life force energy to promote healing and balance in the body, mind, and spirit. Integrating Reiki into hot stone massage adds an energetic dimension to the treatment, enhancing the overall experience. The stones act as conduits for the Reiki energy, amplifying the soothing warmth and promoting a deep sense of relaxation.

The combination of hot stones and Reiki can help release blocked energy, reduce stress, and improve the body's natural ability to heal itself. As the stones penetrate muscle tissues, Reiki energy complements the physical benefits by addressing the energetic imbalances that may contribute to discomfort or tension.

The synchronized dance of heat and energy creates a holistic healing environment, making the integration of Reiki and hot stone massage a compelling option for those seeking a truly transformative wellness experience. Kelly has let me know that her stones are retaining their heat more effectively now, and I am sure that her clients will report a profound sense of tranquillity and rejuvenation after experiencing this combined therapy.

If you would like to experience the energy and relaxed healing power of Reiki, you can book at a time that suits you on the button below.

Navigating Blue Monday and Beyond: The Transformative Power of Counselling, Hypnotherapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 13:44:46 GMT

Empowering Minds, Building Resilience, and Cultivating Long-Term Well-being.

Blue Monday, typically the third Monday of January, is often dubbed the "most depressing day of the year." It's a day when post-holiday blues, financial strain, and the gloomy weather converge, leaving many people feeling overwhelmed.

To improve mental and emotional health The World Health Organization's "5 Ways to Wellbeing" include Connect (build social relationships), Be Active (engage in physical activity), Take Notice (be mindful of surroundings), Keep Learning (continue personal development), and Give (contribute to others).

Sometimes though we may need additional support, and it is always good to reach out to a professional, if you feel that you need something extra. Counselling, hypnotherapy, and emotional freedom therapy offer powerful tools, not just for Blue Monday but for ongoing mental well-being, and these are the ways that I offer support.

Counselling provides a safe space for individuals to express their emotions and explore the root causes of their feelings. As a qualified counsellor, I offer support and coping strategies, helping you navigate challenges and build resilience. Whether it's addressing work-related stress, relationship issues, or general life concerns, counselling equips people with the skills to manage their emotions effectively.

Clinical hypnotherapy, on the other hand, taps into the power of the subconscious mind. It can help you break negative thought patterns, overcome phobias, and manage stress. By inducing a trance-like state (similar to day-dreaming), hypnotherapy allows me to access the inner workings of the mind and reframe perceptions, fostering a more positive outlook. A point worth noting is that during hypnotherapy you always remain in control.

In addition to counselling and hypnotherapy, I offer Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT), this is a valuable tool that you can experience with me and continue at home. EFT, also known as tapping, combines traditional Chinese medicine with modern psychology. By gently tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on emotional issues, I can support you to alleviate stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.

This combined holistic approach of encompassing counselling, hypnotherapy, and EFT can help you to not only navigate the challenges of Blue Monday, but also foster enduring mental resilience and a positive outlook on life.

If you would like to find out more about any of the therapies that I offer, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation, using the button below.

Unlocking Serenity: The Power of Hypnotherapy for Restful Sleep

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:48:58 GMT

Harnessing the Mind's Potential to Overcome Insomnia in a Fast-Paced World

In a fast-paced world filled with constant stimuli, achieving a good night's sleep can often feel like an elusive dream. Sleep disorders and insomnia have become prevalent issues, affecting the physical and mental well-being of many individuals.

Hypnotherapy is a holistic approach that harnesses the power of the mind to promote restful and rejuvenating sleep.

As a therapeutic technique it induces a state of deep relaxation and heightened focus, has shown promising results in training the brain to sleep well. By tapping into the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy addresses the root causes of sleep disturbances, such as stress, anxiety, and negative thought patterns.

One key aspect of hypnotherapy for sleep is the creation of a calm and serene mental environment. Through guided imagery and relaxation techniques, individuals undergoing hypnotherapy learn to visualize peaceful scenes, allowing their minds to detach from the day's stressors. This mental escapism promotes a sense of tranquillity, making it easier for the brain to transition into a restful state.

Furthermore, hypnotherapy targets the subconscious mind to reframe negative thought patterns that may contribute to insomnia. By identifying and altering these harmful beliefs, individuals can cultivate a more positive mindset, reducing the mental chatter that often keeps them awake at night. This transformative process empowers individuals to approach bedtime with a sense of calm and optimism.

The power of suggestion is another integral element of hypnotherapy. Therapists use carefully crafted affirmations to instill positive sleep associations in the subconscious, helping individuals rewire their brains for better sleep. Over time, these suggestions become ingrained, creating a more conducive mental environment for restorative rest.

I have been practicing hypnotherapy since 2006 and so along with counselling and emotional freedom therapy, I am able to offer this effective approach to training the brain for better sleep. By delving into the subconscious mind, addressing negative thought patterns, and utilizing the power of suggestion, through hypnotherapy I can equip you with the mental tools needed to achieve a restful night's sleep.

If you would like to find out more, then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation for talking therapies, by clicking the book here button below.

Alternatively, please WhatsApp message or call 07939 865111

Embrace a Smoke-Free Future in 2024 with Hypnotherapy

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:21:10 GMT

Empowering Change through Personalised Smoking Cessation

As we step into 2024, breaking free from the clutches of smoking and vaping takes centre stage, and hypnotherapy emerges as a leading approach. Offering a beacon of hope for individuals globally, hypnotherapy proves to be a powerful tool in the pursuit of a smoke-free life.

Hypnotherapy operates on the principle of delving into the subconscious mind to reprogram entrenched behavioural patterns. In the realm of smoking and vape cessation, this technique targets the root causes of addiction, providing a comprehensive and individualized solution. Unlike conventional methods, hypnotherapy prioritises the psychological facets of smoking, helping individuals sever the mental ties that bind them to tobacco and nicotine.

A significant advantage of hypnotherapy lies in its efficacy in managing cravings. By accessing the subconscious, this method empowers individuals to confront and conquer the triggers leading to smoking. Its personalised approach recognizes the unique journey each person undertakes to quit smoking.

In 2024, as the demand for more effective smoking and vape cessation methods grows globally, hypnotherapy gains recognition for its impressive success rates. Research indicates that individuals undergoing hypnotherapy are more likely to quit smoking and sustain abstinence compared to those relying solely on willpower or conventional methods.

So more people are turning to hypnotherapy to break the smoking and vaping cycle. Its ability to address both the physical addiction and the mindset surrounding smoking positions it as a transformative force for lasting behavioural change.

Amidst the push for a smoke-free future in 2024, hypnotherapy stands out as a beacon of hope. With proven efficacy and a personalized touch, it provides a transformative pathway to break free from smoking and embark on a healthier, tobacco-free future. It's time to let go of the smoke and embrace the freedom that hypnotherapy brings on the journey towards a smoke-free life.

If you would like to find out how hypnotherapy can help you stop smoking or vaping, then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation by clicking the button below. or alternatively, please WhatsApp, message, or call 07939 865111.

A Calm Christmas: Nurturing Your Mental Wellness Through the Festive Fizz

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 06:58:53 GMT

Strategies for Staying Mentally Fit Amidst the Festive Frenzy

The festive season can be a time of joy and celebration, but it can also bring stress and overwhelm. Maintaining mental fitness over Christmas and New Year is crucial for a balanced and enjoyable experience. Here are some tips to help you stay mentally fit over the festive season.

Firstly, prioritize self-care. Amidst the hustle and bustle, carve out time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Whether it's a quiet moment with a book, a walk outside in nature, or a soothing bath, these small breaks can make a significant difference.

Establish boundaries to manage social obligations. There are many ways to say no without feeling that you are upsetting people, and it's okay to decline invitations or limit your time at gatherings to prevent exhaustion. Communicate openly about your needs and prioritise your mental well-being.

Maintain healthy habits, including regular exercise and a balanced diet. Physical activity releases endorphins, which contribute to a positive mood, while a nutritious diet supports overall well-being,

Practice mindfulness and gratitude. Take moments to be present, savouring the joys of the season. Reflect on the positive aspects of your life, fostering a mindset of gratitude.

Finally, don't hesitate to seek support. If the holiday season triggers feelings of loneliness or sadness, reach out to friends, family, or a mental health professional. Talking about your emotions can be cathartic and provide valuable perspective.

By prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, maintaining healthy habits, practicing mindfulness, and seeking support when needed, you can navigate the festive season with a resilient and positive mindset.

Mental Health Support

If you are feeling low or suffering with poor mental health over the next week or any time, there are always people that are available for you. If you need help, then please ask for support; there are many organisations with people that can help you including:

https://www.thesamaritans.org call 116 123

https://www.thecalmzone.net call 0800 58 58 58

http://www.actionforhappiness.org

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://youngminds.org.uk

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Mental and Physical Fitness

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:30:23 GMT

The Therapeutic Bridge for 2024

Have you ever felt like your mind and body are on separate wavelengths? Turns out, they're not just neighbours—they're besties! So if you are still waiting until 2024 to make some health improvements, let's dive into how our mental and physical fitness go hand in hand, and how with a little help from talking therapies like counselling, hypnotherapy, and Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT), you can improve your overall fitness.

Imagine counselling as a supportive chat with a guide who helps you understand your thoughts and feelings. It's like having a personal coach for your mind. As you open up, you pick up insights, learn new ways to handle anxiety and stress, and eventually you could become a mental fitness pro.

Now, let's talk about hypnotherapy—it's not about swinging watches, it's more like a chill session where you tap into your subconscious to tackle anxiety and stress, fears and phobias, and leave bad habits in the past. The bonus? Less stress and anxiety often means a happier mind and a healthier body.

And then there's EFT, or tapping therapy. Picture this: tapping on specific points while talking about your emotions. It's like giving your feelings a little nudge in the right direction. This tag-team of talking and tapping can help with anxiety, phobias, and even pain. Plus, it's a great way to remind yourself that your mental and physical feelings are connected.

Whilst being safe and confidential, these talking therapies aren't just about cozy therapy sessions. They're like little life toolkits. The information you learn about yourself in counselling or hypnotherapy spills over into your daily life, influencing how you make choices, stay motivated, and yes, even how you tackle that workout routine.

So, the next time you're working on your physical fitness, remember your mind is right there, cheering you on. When you give a little attention to your mental fitness through talking, listening and tapping, you're building a stronger, happier you. It's like treating your mind and body to a spa day—a win-win for your overall well-being!

If you would like to find out more, then you can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation for talking therapies, and also book Reiki sessions by clicking the book here button below.

Alternatively, please WhatsApp message or call 07939 865111

How Can I Reduce Stress?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 19:08:42 GMT

International Stress Awareness Week 2023

What Is Stress?

Everyone experiences stress in some degree. It is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Distress can be defined as the perceived mismatch between the demands of a situation, and the person’s ability to cope.

Signs of acute stress that you may recognise are short temper, irritability, anxiety, tension, worry, impatience, aggressive behaviour, feelings of insecurity, tendency to judge or blame others, digestive problems, muscle tension, increased blood sugar and physical illness.

When stress becomes chronic, you may feel unable to see way out of a miserable situation, view situation as unrelenting, and have unhelpful thoughts, this can lead to increased mental illness, and increased physical symptoms.

Although it can be easy to ignore stress and muddle through, where possible, it is important to look after our mental health before it gets to a chronic state. Learning how to cope can help us feel less overwhelmed, and The World Health Organisation recommends keeping a daily routine, getting plenty of sleep, exercising, connecting with other people and eating healthy.

If you find yourself suffering with stress, and need more help, here at The Healing Mind I offer a number of support services to alleviate stress, these include:

Counselling - alleviates stress by providing a safe space to explore and manage stressors, develop coping strategies, gain emotional support, and foster resilience for improved mental well-being.

Hypnotherapy - calms stressful and anxious states and quickly embed new strategies into the subconscious mind, developing new neural pathways, enabling and speeding up stress relief.

Emotional Freedom Therapy sends safety signals to the brain by tapping on several acupuncture points, whilst focusing on a specific feeling. This disengages conditional memories and breaks the stress response.

Reiki reduces stress by channelling healing energy through touch or proximity, promoting relaxation, balance, and reducing emotional tension, leading to a sense of calm and well-being.

You can book a free 30-minute telephone consultation for talking therapies, and also book Reiki sessions by clicking the book here button below.

Alternatively, please WhatsApp message or call 07939 865111

How Can Counselling Help Me?

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 14:09:15 GMT

Five Ways Counselling Supports Emotional Wellbeing

In life, we all encounter challenges that test our resilience and leave us feeling overwhelmed. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or simply feeling lost and unsure of your direction, remember that seeking help is a brave and transformative step towards self-discovery and healing. Embracing the therapeutic journey through counselling can be the key to unlocking a brighter, more fulfilling future. Today, I invite you to explore the transformative power of counselling and discover five ways it can provide support to you, in your pursuit of your emotional well-being.

1. A Safe Haven for Your Thoughts and Emotions:

Picture a place where your thoughts find solace, your emotions are acknowledged, and your vulnerabilities are met with compassion and understanding. Counselling offers precisely that—a safe haven to explore your inner world free from judgment. In the therapeutic space, you are given the freedom to express yourself honestly, knowing that your counsellor is there to listen, guide, and support you unconditionally.

2. Empowering Self-Reflection and Personal Growth:

Counselling serves as a powerful catalyst for self-reflection, allowing you to delve deeper into your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Through meaningful conversations and thought-provoking exercises, you'll gain fresh insights into yourself, your relationships, and the patterns that may be holding you back. With this newfound awareness, you can embark on a journey of personal growth, empowering yourself to make positive changes and embrace a more fulfilling life.

3. Unleashing Your Inner Strength:

During difficult times, it's common to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of your inherent strength. Counselling acts as a gentle reminder that you possess untapped resilience and the ability to overcome challenges. As your counsellor, I will collaborate with you to identify and build upon your existing strengths, helping you develop effective coping mechanisms and resilience strategies. Together, we will unlock the potential within you, empowering you to navigate life's obstacles with confidence and grace.

4. Nurturing Healthy Relationships:

The quality of our relationships profoundly impacts our overall well-being. Counselling offers an invaluable opportunity to address conflicts, improve communication, and gain a deeper understanding of your loved ones. Through therapy, you can work towards building healthier and more fulfilling relationships, fostering a supportive network that promotes personal growth and emotional harmony.

5. Embracing Self-Care and Emotional Balance:

Self-care is not selfish; it is a vital aspect of maintaining emotional well-being. Counselling provides you with the tools and guidance to develop a personalized self-care routine that nourishes your mind, body, and soul. Together, we will explore various techniques and strategies to manage stress, enhance relaxation, and foster emotional balance. By prioritising your self-care, you can cultivate resilience and create a solid foundation for long-lasting well-being.

So, embarking on a therapeutic journey through counselling is an act of courage, compassion, and self-love. It is an investment in your emotional well-being and a step towards embracing the fullness of life. Remember, seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a testament to your strength and desire for growth. If you would like counselling guide you towards a path of healing, self-discovery, and transformation, reach out to me today and open the door to a brighter, more fulfilling future—a future where you can flourish and embrace the true essence of who you are.

The Power of the Subconscious Mind

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:50:47 GMT

What Are You Not Aware Of?

If it seems like you have been trying to overcome anxiety, a fear or phobia for some time, or maybe you have been trying to lose weight, but you can never maintain the weight-loss, this could be due the overpowering effect of your subconscious thoughts.

Conscious Thoughts

Our conscious thoughts are the day-to-day thoughts we are aware of, visible to ourselves and others, like the tip of an iceberg and they include our:

Short-term memory
Logical and critical thinking and
Willpower

Subconscious Thoughts

Whilst hidden beneath our conscious mind are our overpowering s ubconscious thoughts, some of which are close to the surface and some deep below. These subconscious thoughts control our outcomes and override the conscious mind; they include our:

Beliefs and expectations like I must be helpful/finish what is on my plate/work hard/money doesn’t grow on trees
Emotions
Motivators and drivers
Habits
Values
Long term memory
Imagination and intuition

When our mind is fearful, it can play a movie or thoughts over and again in our mind, without us being fully aware of it, but that subliminal movie can create knots in the stomach, dry mouth, panic attacks which can embed the fears further.

Breakthrough

Hypnotherapy takes place in a calm environment, with a trained therapist making positive suggestions and creating visual images. It can enable you to access and use the power of your subconscious mind, to heal psychological and emotional problems, to identify what may be attributing to your condition or block and reframe your thinking. This will help you to c alm stressful and anxious states, to develop and embed new neural pathways and strategies and break through what may have been holding you back.

If you would like to find out how hypnotherapy can help you to break through, please get in touch for a free telephone consultation. You can contact karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111 or message me though the contact page .

Can Hypnotherapy Help Me Change for Good?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:53:51 GMT

How Hypnotherapy Works

Have you ever wondered why you start off motivated to make a change in your life, but you can't sustain it?

You can have the best plan and the motivation to change and improve, but if you haven't instructed your subconscious mind and embedded the new desired pathway, it is probable that you will revert back to your same old patterns. This is because our minds work in habitual, neural pathways, and we find comfort in familiar patterns, even if they are destructive.

Drive and willpower are initiated by the conscious mind, but if your subconscious is influenced by old, outdated beliefs, or a lack of self-worth, they can out-way your conscious mind, reducing potential for growth; and so following an initial period of motivation, it is easy to slip backwards to a place of familiarity or comfort.

A few recognisable patterns include:

• Staying in the same job, or not stepping forward due to lack of self-worth, so being overlooked for promotion

• Keeping a business small when there is potential for growth

• Emotional overeating or unhealthy eating, resulting in weight gain or retention

• Re-entering familiar toxic relationships

• Under-exercising and being generally unfit

Working with a hypnotherapist enables you to overcome negative beliefs, focus the change you desire and embed new positive neural pathways, because hypnotherapy works with the subconscious mind to reset, initiate, and embed change, so creating a new normal.

As part of my service, following our initial session discussions, I record and securely send MP3s of each hypnotherapy session as they take place. This enables clients to replay the sessions and embed the changes they want to make, strengthening new neural pathways and bringing about lasting change.

If you would like to find out how hypnotherapy could help you achieve your goals, then please get in touch via the contact button or

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Call/WhatsApp: 07939 865111

How to Boost Your Feel-Good Hormones

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 21:19:39 GMT

Give Your Mood a Lift

As the days get shorter, we get less exposure to sunlight, which is thought to increase the brain's release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused, and so this can contribute to feelings of low mood.

Happy Hormones

Luckily there are a number of ‘happy hormones’ in the body that can promote feelings of happiness and positivity and they include the reward and pleasure hormone dopamine; endorphins which are our natural pain relievers; the aforementioned serotonin which helps regulate sleep, digestion, and mood, and oxytocin - sometimes referred to as the love hormone.

Here are some tips that complement the recommended NHS 5 Ways to Mental Wellbeing, to help boost the hormones and aid your mental health:

1. Connect with other people - good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. ...enjoying being with others, laughing, enjoying a funny film with others can help release oxytocin, as can stroking your favourite pet.

2. Physical activity is not only great for your physical health and fitness, but it helps with your mental wellbeing by releasing endorphins and raising levels of serotonin and dopamine.

3. Learning new skills - the feeling of learning and achievement can help to release dopamine which in turn can help with your motivation for other things.

4. Give to others - research suggests that acts of kindness can also release “the love hormone” oxytocin, giving your levels a boost, with the added bonus of lowering your blood pressure.

5. Mindfulness (paying attention to the present moment) helps to lower stress hormones, and by taking mindfulness deeper through meditation and hypnotherapy will also help to release dopamine.

If you are feeling low or suffering with poor mental health, there are always people that are available for you. If you need help, then please ask for support; there are many organisations with people that can help you including:

https://www.thesamaritans.org call 116 123

https://giveusashout.org/ Text Shout to 85258

https://www.thecalmzone.net call 0800 58 58 58

http://www.actionforhappiness.org

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://youngminds.org.uk

Change Your Life - Step One

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:58:01 GMT

Set Yourself Free

I had a lovely metaphorical moment of my own this morning, when I looked up from my work to see a butterfly attempting to escape from a window inside the porch.

The porch has a lot of glass and in the few moments that I noticed it; the butterfly fluttered from side to side banging into the glass repeatedly. Even though it had tried the same actions moments previously, it continued to try to break through the glass with its tiny body and beautiful wings.

I nipped out quickly and opened the door, cupped the butterfly in my hands and it immediately came to rest; then, as I opened my hands it paused for a moment before fluttering, then flying off to a nearby buddleia tree.

I almost felt the sense of relief that the butterfly experienced, in its short life I wondered what percentage of its time it had spent in the porch.

Like the butterfly many of us continue to bang our heads against the proverbial wall repeatedly – going to a job we don’t like, feeling stressed at work or at home and being unable to see the way out.

Having your head down, working long hours, juggling, achieving, stressing or being in a negative relationship is a self-perpetuating spiral. It is so hard to see the way out if you are ‘stuck in the locked porch,’ things pass you by and you can’t get to see them, it’s like being stuck in a jar without being able to read the label.

It can seem a massive undertaking to make life changes, when in fact there are many ways to make it easier; here is a small starter process to get you going.

First Steps to Achieving the Change You Want

1. It may seem simple but dentify your preferred way is to make notes – on your phone, tablet, laptop, a whiteboard, or pen and paper. Make sure it is something you have access to easily and regularly, that you will go back to.

2. Commit yourself to an initial two-hour period of time, where you can process what you want to achieve. If you don’t think you have enough time in a day to allow yourself two hours, what can you change? Alternately, get up earlier – it’s just two hours, one day, that could change your life.

3. Write down anything positive that comes to mind. Allow your mind to flow freely, what will make you happy? What is important to you for your immediate and long-term future? Where do you want to be? What do you want to be doing? How does it fit with your values? Today is to set your goal, your vision and it is important to keep the vision positive.

4. If negative thoughts or blocks appear, write them somewhere else, you can deal with them at another stage. If you find yourself writing 'I don't want to be doing this,' then cross it out and write what you do want to be doing. It is always best to go towards something to increase motivation, if you are moving away from something the further you get, the more your motivation will drop.

5. Close your eyes and visualise yourself having already achieved your goal today. See how it positively affects your work-life, home-life, and general wellbeing. Feel how amazing it feels being released from what has been holding you back, having achieved your goals.

6. Know now you have taken the first step that you can visualise this each night before you go to sleep, replay it like a film in your mind. Bring it to mind each morning when you wake.

So now your subconscious mind is open to what you want it to do, it will be much more aware of opportunities and openings for change that present themselves to you. You may go on with your daily routines and even if you are too busy to come up for air, subconsciously you will be on alert through your brain’s reticular activating system. All it took was 2 hours.

NLP strategies and hypnotherapy techniques are brilliant ways to help you leap forward in your career and in life; for those who like to do things themselves there are plenty of books and web content available.

If you want to move it forward a faster pace, would like more structure or steps, or if you have trouble identifying what it is you want to change and visualising where you want to be, then seek out help from an expert.

If you would like to find out more about or from me, then please do get in touch at:

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or 07939 865111; alternately use the contact button below and I will get straight back to you.

Stress and Stress Relief

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:05:22 GMT

Pay Attention to Stress

There are two different types of stress:-

Eustress, which could be termed as a good stress, it helps motivation, competition, and focuses energy, eustress is short term and managed with our coping abilities, feels exciting and improves performance.

Then we have distress, which is undesirable, it is unproductive and has negative implications. Distress can be short or long-term, it causes anxiety, concern, it feels outside our coping abilities, it decreases performance, and can lead to mental and physical problems.

Recognise the Signs of Stress

Acute stress presents as over-arousal, and if you have acute stress, you may find that you feel irritable, impatient, and tense, have a short temper, and maybe display argumentative or aggressive behaviour. Alternatively, or in addition, you may feel anxious and worried, feel insecure or tend to judge or blame others.

Physically signs of stress may manifest in digestive problems, muscle tension, increased blood sugar or other physical illnesses.

Chronic (long-term) stress can lead people to feel extremely low or depressed, and unable to see way out of a miserable situation, view the situation as unrelenting, leading to unhelpful thoughts leading to increased mental illness, and potential serious health conditions.

Pay Attention to the Signs

It can be very easy to ignore stress and allow it to build until your ‘stress bucket’ is full-to-overflowing, so allowing it to become a chronic condition. It is much better to recognise stress and take positive action to alleviate it.

There are many ways to alleviate the immediate feelings of stress, including mindfulness and meditation, breathing and physical exercises, getting lost in music, getting out in nature, and doing something for someone else. But if you feel that you need additional support, then here are some ways in which I can help you:

NLP focuses on individual reactions towards stressful events, and provides practical strategies to increase capacity and coping, changing negative thoughts & beliefs and enabling you to reframe thinking.

Hypnotherapy calms stressful and anxious states and quickly embeds new strategies into the subconscious mind, developing new neural pathways, enabling, and speeding up stress relief.

EFT sends safety signals to the brain by tapping on a number of acupuncture points, whilst focusing on a specific feeling. This disengages conditional memories and breaks the stress response.

Reiki relaxes the body and mind, whilst facilitating physical, mental and emotional healing. Reiki unblocks and balances the energy points (chakras) in the body, enabling stress to leave the body and mind.

If you would like to find out more how I can help you, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111.

You Can Stop Smoking Immediately with Hypnotherapy

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:25:17 GMT

Save Money and Save Your Health

My interest in hypnotherapy started when I stopped smoking 20 cigarettes a day with hypnotherapy over 25 years ago. Back then the price had gone up to over £2.00 per packet, and apart from not being able to walk upstairs and hold a conversation at the top, the cost was my main motivation.

Since October 2021 budget, those cigarettes would have cost me around £3,500-£5,000 per year.

If you are also smoking your money away and would like to be rid of the habit that leaves you both out of pocket, and maybe coughing, with shortness of breath, a tight chest, and a build-up of tar in your arteries, then please get in touch with me.

And, if you are fed up with the smell of nicotine on your clothes, hair, fingers and breath and your yellowing teeth, then you may be interested to know that you too can change immediately and for good.

Hypnotherapy works directly by addressing the subconscious mind to bring you the changes you want. I offer 2 different programmes at £135 and £195, to help you to overcome your reasons for smoking and get rid of the habit for good.

If you would like to find out more how hypnotherapy can help you, then please get in touch f or a free telephone consultation.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111.

You can also find out more at: https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/stop-smoking-quickly-and-effortlessly

How Does Hypnotherapy Work?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 14:56:07 GMT

Hypnosis Explained

Hypnotherapy helps you achieve a heightened state of awareness and access to the subconscious and unconscious mind, through guided relaxation and a range of other supportive techniques.

A hypnotherapist works with you prior to your sessions to identify your preferred way of feeling, thinking and being, and to check and what barriers need to be overcome to achieve the change you want. Then, when in hypnosis the subconscious mind (which is a very literal part of the mind), is able to bypass the critical conscious part of the brain, to enable you to move forward.

In hypnotherapy, your therapist can help you to focus your attention, whilst in this intensely relaxed state (often referred to as trance state), and to temporarily block out other things going on around you, so giving you the space and time to focus on positive change, and to address issues, problems and emotional concerns that may have been bothering you for years.

This is done by working directly with your subconscious mind - the part of your brain that stores memories, beliefs and your map of the world. Once you are ‘in trance,’ a hypnotherapist then makes positive suggestions to change your way of thinking, feeling and your subsequent actions and reactions.

Despite what you may have seen on TV or in hypnosis shows, during hypnotherapy you are always in control, you could open your eyes at any time you want to. A qualified and reputable hypnotherapist will never ask you to do anything unprofessional and will only ever be supportive.

There's lots more information at www.thehealingmind.co.uk/hypnotherapy and i f you would like to make positive changes, and are interested in finding out more about how I may be able to help you to make positive change in your life with hypnotherapy, then please get in touch for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

How Could Hypnotherapy Help Me?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 09:00:00 GMT

Hypnotherapy Facilitates The Change You Want...

If you are reading this blog, then you are likely to be either curious about hypnotherapy or you need to make a change in your life. Either way, it's probable that you are in the right place.

Many people come to me for hypnotherapy because traditional methods may not have worked, or because they are looking for the kind of support that will help them achieve what they want to achieve.

I work with clients to ensure that they have autonomy and confidence in their own abilities and to find their resources which may be buried in the subconscious mind.

Working in hypnotherapy helps a client to make positive change in their lives for example:

Reduce and overcome anxiety, worry and panic
Changing anxious or negative thought patterns
Overcome fears of relationship abandonment
Build confidence, self-esteem, self-value and self-worth
Excel at public speaking and business networking
Overcome past relationship hurt and look forward to future happiness
Release shameful experiences for good
Lose weight and
Stop smoking

Therapists may also offer complimentary techniques and tools for you to use outside of the sessions to embed the changes deeply in your mind, so you can create new and positive habits and ways of being; for example I offer all clients an option to record the hypnotherapy part of their appointment so it can be listened to again, to embed the new learning.

Hypnotherapy is extremely helpful in supporting people to overcome fears, trust, shame, abandonment and any other issues that may have started in childhood. By working with regression, timeline, and dissociation techniques, clients can safely release the emotions and concerns they have been carrying and walk forward into a life with a new perspective.

There is more information about the many areas that hypnotherapy can support you in at https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/hypnotherapy

If you would like find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you personally and to make positive changes, then please get in touch for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

Has Trauma, Stress or Anxiety Affected Your Physical Health?

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:46:21 GMT

Re-Programming Your Stress Response

I was interested to read an informative article from Harvard Medical School explaining the effects of stress and anxiety on our body, and how both past and continued stress or trauma can lead to chronic health conditions. It goes on to say how by eliciting the relaxation response we can improve health, by creating new neural pathways in our minds.

Harvard substantiates the theory that past trauma and stress along with on-going stress and anxiety in our busy lives, can cause our bodies can trigger the stress response to ‘fight or flight.’

It recounts how environmental situations, such as a forthcoming deadline, or psychological worry such as potential redundancy can trigger a torrent of stress hormones, producing physiological changes like heart racing or shallow, fast breathing resulting in muscle tension and possibly beads of sweat. These are historic, choreographed, survival reactions, automatically igniting a string of hormonal reactions together to ensure our survival.

Further research has identified that if we add this permanent stress or anxiety to our past traumas that have not been released from the body, then it can seem like the foot is permanently on the accelerator and break at the same time. So as the fight or flight stress responses have not assured our survival, this can result in the body triggering our third response - to freeze, or potentially shut down, resulting both psychological and physical stress to the body and mind, and cumulating in chronic conditions.

As hypnotherapy 'speaks' to the unconscious mind it enables us to dissociate with stressful events and address areas of chronic stress and anxiety in a gentler way to release blockages which have formed unhealthy pathways in the brain and body. It can help to address the causes of current and past stress, anxiety or trauma held in the mind and trapped in the body by stimulating the body to create new, healthier neural pathways.

By kick-starting autonomic change this way and learning the techniques you need to reduce the immediate affects of potential future stress, trauma and anxiety, it is possible to improve chronic conditions effectively.

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

Telephone: 07939 865111

Stuck in Sickness?

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:19:49 GMT

Find Your Way Out

When travelling from town this week, I was amazed to hear two women speaking about how the effects of the planet Mercury being in retrograde had brought them four weeks of ‘brain fog’ for the second time this year. Their belief was so strong that they had experienced brain fog for the whole period, until Mercury eventually moved and released them. What was more, there was still a third period of Mercury in retrograde to come this year.

Now since I was a teenager I have been very curious about the effects, the moon, the sun and planets have on our world and the population and accept everyone has the right to different beliefs; however, I also believe if a percentage of the world’s population allowed themselves to have brain fog, due to the position of the planets, for up to 12 weeks in a year, there would be a considerable effect.

The subconscious mind is a powerful thing; it is there to protect us and part of its protection is to ensure that we don’t feel silly. Have ever been in the situation where you say “I have lost my keys” you have looked in the house for ages and not found them? This is because the subconscious mind doesn’t want you to feel stupid and so it will not allow you to find them. Even if they are in the drawer you have looked in, they will not be visible to you. You take your spare set and when you return to the house, there are the keys where they should be!

So imagine holding a firm belief that you are going to have ‘brain fog’ because Mercury is in retrograde. The day it goes into retrograde you wake up and there is little chance that your subconscious will permit you to be bright, clear and focussed for the day. So, you wake up and you have ‘brain fog,’ this affirms your belief that it is because the planet is in retrograde and the fog continues for the day. No matter what you do to shift it, cups of coffee, tea, carbs, fresh air the brain fog remains, because your subconscious mind holds the deep belief it should be so. What’s more, it feeds into your belief that the planets are in control of you and tomorrow, the next day and the weeks after the belief embeds further and it is unlikely that you will have a clear day, until the planets move.

If you find this resonates with you and your beliefs could be affecting your wellbeing, then making simple changes to your own thought processes will help you release your ‘fog’ or whatever is holding you back from enjoying your day or life.

You can still hold your core beliefs, but by choosing to change your mindset and providing your subconscious with new patterns of information, you can instantly make a change.

Try repeating some new phrases for example:

“I used to be affected by (brain fog or whatever your belief is), but I have found a way of overcoming that.”

“I understand this can happen to some people, but it doesn’t affect me.”

If you take the time to say new, positive affirmations, your brain will create new pathways and improve your wellbeing.

Another proven practice to improve wellbeing, is to visualise yourself enjoying tomorrow as your best self, clear-minded, bright, alert and confident (or however you would like to be) and do this just before going to sleep. By running a film of this through your mind a few times a night, it will embed the possibilities and preferences in your subconscious mind for when you awake.

So if you feel that you may have hidden core issues that may be made worse by deep routed beliefs, or you are battling with ongoing symptoms and you have tried everything and don’t know why they are not going away, please get in touch. I would love to help you identify and overcome what is holding you back from living your life to the full.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

How Can On-Line Dating Work?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 22:33:58 GMT

Find Your Dating Confidence

Many people find their new partners of the internet and yet the minefield of online dating can be overwhelming, take mental resilience and knowing where to start can be daunting.

The best place to start is with yourself, because if you go into a dating game pretending to be someone else, it’s possible you will never find true happiness because there will be a mismatch.

It is so important to be your genuine self, recognise your true qualities and love yourself first and if you currently struggle with that, then you owe it to your future happiness to become the person that feels that way.

People are drawn to positive people, and to be able put out positive energy and positive vibes, you need to be able to genuinely feel those vibes first, this can be hard if you feel hurt or rejected.

When finding that special someone, it’s crucial that you feel safe in yourself, relaxed and confident; then you will be able to be fully honest during signup, meaning the more compatible your matches should be.

I’ve supported many people find their dating and relationship confidence; here are a few things people told me at the beginning of their journey:

• “I’ve spent my nights mindlessly swiping through sites and never finding anyone”

• “He messed with my head – full on passionate talk and then ghosted me, then full on again…”

• “I found out that she was seeing lots of other people but I didn’t feel able to leave”

• “Online dating is brutal”

And after their sessions:

• “I can be my genuine self now and know if they swipe past me, they weren’t for me”

• “I feel like the person I was always meant to be”

• “Once I cut the ties, I didn’t realise I was hanging on to, I moved forward and met Charlie”

• “I needed to go through the healing process to get back out there”

If you would like to find out how combining Emotional Freedom Technique, NLP and Hypnotherapy could work to help you to find your dating confidence, then please get in touch for a free 30-minute telephone consultation.

New Relationship Confidence

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 21:17:36 GMT

Look at yourself, be yourself and love yourself.

If you are looking for a new romance or relationship but you are feeling underconfident after break-up or a long period on your own, then maybe you would like some support to get you back to feeling like your ‘best self’.

Even the most amicable of break-ups can leave you feeling empty or feeling like you have somehow failed in life, which can lead to loss of self-esteem or self-worth. And if you’ve stayed in destructive relationship too long because you thought no-one else would want you, or the thought of starting again seemed like too big a mountain to climb, your confidence and spirit can be sapped right out of you.

You can’t change what has gone before and you can’t change another person, but you can change how you want to be now and how you want to feel. So, it is important to heal your past, heal yourself and find who you truly are, then you can look forward and plan a bright and brilliant future.

If you are not sure how to trust someone again, then the first person to trust is yourself, the first person to love is yourself.

There are many self-help books, podcasts, and tips available or alternatively you may prefer face to face and to work confidentially with someone who can help you to see your true value, within a supportive environment, without judgement.

If you would like to find out how combining Emotional Freedom Technique, NLP and Hypnotherapy could work to help you to feel confident and help you to love yourself, then please get in touch for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.

Photos by Alex Iby and Caroline Veronez on Unsplash

Overcome Your Fear of Spiders

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 15:46:25 GMT

Eradicate Arachnophobia From Your Life

It's Spider Season.

September and October are recognised as the months that common house spiders are more visible and can be often seen scuttling across the carpet, as the males are in search for their mates.

For people that have a fear of spiders, this can range from being uncomfortable when they dart across the floor, being able to ignore or remove them with a glass and a piece of paper, right through to feeling and experiencing the symptoms of absolute panic.

For some people just the thought of spiders being in their home can be completely debilitating. Many people have told me prior to treatment they needed a friend or family member to check the house for them before returning home from work on dark nights.

As with any fear, the more it's left without finding support to overcome it, the greater the fear can become - often it can get to a point whereby just thinking about a spider can cause hands to become sweaty, breathing to quicken and fight or flight symptoms to kick in.

It may surprise you to know that hypnotherapy can rid your fear of spiders in on average between 1 and 3 sessions; so in the time it takes to do a large weekly shop, clean the house, watch a couple of football matches or go for a meal you can change your life for the better.

Here's a note I recived from a client from last September....

"Can’t thank you enough Karen I go home now and just now and again I might have a little look but nothing like I used to, also I managed to kill one. I did get some kitchen paper to pick one up too but then decided to get it in the dust pan and brush which is amazing for me .. "

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you rid your fear of spiders, then please get in touch. I offer a 30 minute complimentary telephone consultation.

Why Do I Need to Be in Control?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 10:35:53 GMT

10 signs that healthy control is turning to anxiety.

Being a good organiser, a professional, wanting to be good at what you do, and being a manager of your own life are all great and healthy attributes. But when you start to feel anxious if things aren’t going exactly to plan and that anxiety becomes constant if you are not in control, then it may be time to reflect on the escalation and see what you can do to reduce your stress and anxiety.

Here are 10 signs that healthy control is turning to anxiety:

1. If your need for being in constant control is stopping you from enjoying life to the full.

2. If you always have to know in advance what you are doing, where, how, what you are wearing, how you will get there and can’t rest until all things are planned meticulously.

3. If you are compelled to take control of any situation you are in.

4. If you feel anxious if your partner or friend is doing something and you can’t take over, then criticise others work or re-do their efforts your way.

5. If you feel okay as long as you are organising, but anxious doing things others have planned.

6. If you over-worry that something you have planned may not live up to expectations.

7. If you lie awake at night running plans over and over in your mind.

8. If you see yourself as a perfectionist.

9. If you need to work to your own schedule and get frustrated if others don’t want to meet your imposed expectations.

10. If the thought of letting go of control makes you feel that you may fall apart.

You may have found your need for control started due to something bad happening to you, or it could just as easily have been that you have succeeded in something by having a plan, or a format that worked, but then unconsciously you have embedded the memory and it has become an exaggerted, conditioned response for you to be more and more in control.

How Does Hypnotherapy Help Anxiety?

Hypnotherapy works by addressing the subconscious mind - the part of the mind that stores beliefs, memories, emotions, habits, values and protective reactions. Whilst in trance, strategies and healthy thought processes are introduced to help you overcome your need to be in constant control, resulting in feelings of anxiety and this helps you to get the balance back in your life. Sessions can be recorded and listed to again, which helps embed the new positive strategies, enabling you to get on with enjoying life once again.

Hypnotherapy is a process agreed between a therapist and a client, during which you will feel safe and relaxed. It is very much like that state of relaxation before dropping off to sleep. Although it is rare that anyone would chose to open their eyes, you are always able to at any point if you would like to, because you do have personal control. I would not you to do anything unethical and you would never do anything against your personal values and beliefs.

If you would like to read clients' experiences of sessions with me, then please head over to Testimonial and Reviews page, and if you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help to relieve your anxiety and live the life you would like to enjoy, then please get in touch. I offer a complimentary 30 minute telephone consultation.

Can Hypnotherapy Reduce My Anxiety?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 20:20:36 GMT

Feel Calm and Relieved with Hypnosis

One thing that I hear time and again from people with feelings of anxiety, is they like to be assured, to understand what is going to happen during hypnotherapy, so if necessary, they can plan for eventualities. In short most of my clients that come to release their anxiety need to feel in control.

So, I thought it was important for people that are browsing for solutions to overcome feelings of anxiety , to explain briefly what happens in a hypnotherapy appointment.

Firstly, it is importantto know that your subconscious mind is there to protect you and just as it helps your heart to beat and you to breathe without noticing, it would never permit you to do something against your beliefs and values, so there is no need to worry about losing control.

During consultation (and in subsequent sessions), a hypnotherapist will ask you a number of questions, for example how your anxiety affects your life, when and how the anxiety started, and importantly what you enjoy doing, and how you would like to feel in the future. Sometimes people with anxiety will find it hard to identify how they want to feel, but your therapist will be able to help you to discover preferences.

To help you to relax and move into a trance-like state, which is much like the moments just before sleep, the hypnotherapist will utilise your senses, maybe happy memories or places, or things you enjoy doing to help you relax, so for example if you enjoy time with your favourite pet or going for long walks, then they may incorporate that into the relaxation process to help you to feel at ease.

To embed your chosen ways of being whilst in hypnosis the therapist can give you what is known as a ‘post hypnotic suggestions.’ In this dreamlike state, your subconscious mind is open to positive suggestion enabling you to make the changes you want or need.

A programme of hypnotherapy enables people to access a very special part of the mind to help you to achieve what you would like to achieve, to move forward from feeling anxious to feeling however you would like to feel – whether that be calmer, lighter, happier, lifted or anything you really want, not just at that moment, but on an ongoing basis.

If you would like to read clients' experiences of sessions with me, then please head over to Testimonial and Reviews page , and if you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help you to relieve your anxiety and live the life you would like to enjoy then please get in touch. I offer a complimentary 30 minute telephone consultation.

Could Hypnotherapy Cure My Phobia?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 20 May 2021 20:28:18 GMT

Overcome Fears With Hypnosis

A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. Phobias are more pronounced than fears, they develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object

Phobias can start anytime, but often are initiated in childhood or early life, they can be due to a frightening experience/s or can be learned behaviour e.g., if a parent is fearful of spiders or perhaps flying, a child can pick up on this and develop their own phobia.

Additionally, if something has frightened you once, it is possible you may be wary of it in the future, for example if a fast spider has made you jump in the past, or you have been stung by a wasp or seen someone that was stung, you may be on alert waiting to be scared again. This becomes a conditioned response and neural pathways are created in your subconscious mind to have this automatic fear response.

Through hypnotherapy, phobias can be overcome in usually between one and three sessions (depending on what else a client has linked to their fear), by changing your thinking patterns and giving you the response you desire.

People are often amazed how something that has crippled them with fear and stopped them and their families enjoying their lives, can be overcome so quickly.

I offer a 30-minute free, no obligation, telephone consultation to find out what you are looking to change and to explain how I could help you achieve what you want.

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you, then please get in touch.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

How Can I Find Out More About Hypnotherapy?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 08:30:00 GMT

Hypnosis Questions Answered

If you are looking to find out more about hypnotherapy, most therapists will offer a consultation to explore what is bothering you with a focus on what you want to change and importantly what you would like that change to look like.

They can discuss many aspects of support from changing negative thought patterns that lead to anxiety states and insomnia to pain relief, weight loss, smoking cessation and much more.

A good therapist will explain how hypnotherapy works and ask you questions about your conditions, what you would like to change and your history. Once your needs and requirements are understood they should be able to let you know if it is something they can assist with and explain to you how the process works.

They are likely to ask if you have any other concerns that may be linked with the reason you are calling, and also if you have any fears or phobias; this is to ensure that your phobias are not triggered during your therapy.

It's good to have in your mind when you contact a hypnotherapist both the problem that you would like help with and also how you would like to feel and be when your therapy is complete.

When you call, your hypnotherapist should be open and clear about what hypnotherapy with them is like, there is no secret to it. I offer a 30-minute free, no obligation, telephone consultation to find out what you are looking to change and to explain how I could help you achieve what you want.

You can also find out lots more at https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/hypnotherapy

Hynotherapy directories are a good source of information. I am registered on the Hypnotherapy Directory, where I've had a couple of articles printed and there are many others from other professionals - https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/hypnotherapists/karen-hemmings

The General Hypnotherapy Register is a great place to find a trusted and reputable hypnotherapist, who can become members if they satisfy certain criteria with regard to both training and ongoing requirements by the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC). My GHR registration number is 8192.

If you would like to find out more about how I could help you with hypnotherapy, then please get in touch.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

What does Hypnotherapy Feel Like?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:05:35 GMT

A Blissful Journey Like No Other

People come to me for hypnotherapy for such a wide range of support and before they attend, most people are really interested to find out what hypnotherapy will feel like for them. So I have been asking clients for some time now to describe to me what it feels like for them; and one thing is really clear - whilst most people say the overall feelings at the time of hypnotherapy are calm and relaxed, a personalised hypnotherapy experience is different for everyone.

Some peo ple tell me that their hypnotherapy sessions feel like the best ever power nap they’ve had, others experience weightless, floating feelings whilst many say their body feels like it has been snuggled with a weighted blanket.

Some people say it’s like drifting in and out of a dream-like state. Others go so deep they remember nothing until we discuss the session, more often than not people say it’s indescribable, and amazingly calm and tranquil.

One client said to me last week "It can feel like you don't think you can move your body or open your eyes and yet at the same time you know you can".

Many people say once they are in hypnosis, even when they know it's time to come back to full conscious awareness, that they don't want to open their eyes as they are in such a blissful state.

Often hypnotherapy takes you initially on journeys to wonderful dreamlike destinations to help you relax, before the work begins and so imagery is often strong. Many people report they also see beautiful colours in their mind's eye.

What is most important is the therapeutic work that takes place directly with the subconscious mind during the experience, enabling people to make positive sustainable change in their lives.

With every session I offer a free MP3 recording so clients can experience the session again and embed the work we have done together.

There's lots more information about hypnotherapy and how it can facilitate change at https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/hypnotherapy

If you would like find out more about how hypnotherapy feels, and to make positive changes, then please get in touch for a free, no-obligation, 30 minute telephone consultation.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

Increase Self-Belief

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:05:44 GMT

How To Increase Self-Belief

My first ever experience of self-hypnosis or deep-discovery meditation has helped me so much through my life. When I have sought strength, resolve or determination, or I have needed guidance and felt I didn't have the right person to turn to, I thought about my discoveries through this hypnotic practice and used them used them as part of my self-belief system.

The session involves visualising being in a beautiful meadow and carrying a fine silver rope over your shoulder. This silver rope represents your timeline and your history. Through the practice you travel backwards in your mind carrying this rope remembering pertinent memories and times in your life, times that meant a lot to you and each time you arrive at a memory you tie a knot in your rope to remind you of that significant time or events in your life.

And through this self-hypnosis, you can enjoy the feelings and experiences of the good times and have gratitude for your strength in the times when you needed to be resilient.

And these times maybe brief or they may have lasted moments, minutes, hours or days or they may have been periods of your life that lasted much longer, but whichever they are, they made an impact on you, made you who you are today and contributed to your personal story.

The process conntinues to enable you to discover two symbols to help you through life - a personal power symbol and a spiritual symbol to help guide you.

I have recorded a track to guide you through the process, if you would like to try it, you can listen to it for free by following the link at the bottom of the page.

If you would like to find out more about ways to develop your self belief, or if you would like to find out how hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) or Emotional Freedom Technique can support you, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thehealingmind.co.uk/

Telephone: 07939 865111

Take the Bridge to Change

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 14:44:05 GMT

A Journey to Transition

A bridge is a wonderful metaphor for this time of year as we move from 2020 to 2021; we're in that period between Christmas and New Year …. some would say in Limbo, I like to see it as a chance to look back and reflect and to look forward and plan for positive change - a bridge to a transition.

I wonder how the many people in the world are planning transitional journeys. Some people may stride or run across the bridge, arms waving and delighted to be moving into the future; others may stop halfway and ponder, maybe drop some pooh-sticks into a running stream below and watch them gently meander, drifting downstream. From the centre of the bridge, perhaps they can see where they've been and also where they're going to.

Those more analytical or apprehensive may stand for a long time wondering whether to make the first step, unsure whether they want to make that change at all. Whereas many people may like to make the journey hand- in-hand and supported by someone else, possibly for guidance, security, or companionship.

In hypnotherapy we often use metaphorical bridges to enable people to safely link or let go of their past experiences and occasionally to experience saying goodbye, or give a comforting message to loved ones, that have passed-away. Most often we use them to help clients to take great strides forward into a brighter future.

Using metaphors enables us to access the subconscious, less critical part of the mind and understand more about ourselves. For example, i f you think about travelling on a bridge of change now…what bridge would you pick? Wooden, concrete, metal, suspension, rope, footbridges, railway bridges, bridges to carry gentle canal boats, or traffic over large expanses of water. All could be seen as similes to our potential future or past journeys in life.

As you think about a change you would like to make in 2021

Would your bridge feel sturdy or shaky?
Is it long or short?
What is the weather like – is it sunny or rainy, calm, or stormy?
What resources do you have with you?
Are you walking into an adventure or are you apprehensive?
Towards new beginnings or away from something?
Is the other side of the bridge clear or is it covered in cloud?
What do you need to do to make your journey easier and attainable?
What kind of traveller are you?
Will you travel that bridge alone or would you prefer someone to walk by your side?

If you feel apprehensive, or, if your vision of the bridge looks uncertain or unsafe, it could be potentially distorted by your experience of change in the past, or the unknown, a negative influence, or maybe you need help overcoming some fears or anxiety.

Alternately you may need some experienced guidance, to help you discover your confidence about change, self-worth and help you to paint a picture of how small or large changes can lay your path across the bridge.

If you would like to make positive changes in 2021, and are interested in how I may be able to help you, then please get in touch for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

Transformations in 2020

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 21:22:54 GMT

Thank you for trusting me with your life-changes

One of the first questions I ask potential clients when I speak with them for the first time is “What do you want to change?”

Some people don’t know exactly what they want, some people ask for help for something in particular, which then evolves into something they hadn’t identified before. Sometimes it takes a few sessions before something bigger is revealed.

My number-one driver is to help people successfully achieve the change they want to achieve, through a tailored blend of hypnotherapy, NLP and Emotional Freedom Technique; for some clients these are small changes and for others it’s a total transformation they would like.

Here are some of the answers I received to my question this year and a link button to some testimonials is at the bottom of the page:

I want to increase my confidence
To find myself again
Overcome my health anxiety and fear
Get rid of my anxiety and panic attacks
Cure my insomnia
Improve my drive
Career confidence and change
I don't know what it is -it's like a physical wave in my chest
Tinnitus
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - I’m stuck
To stop emotional eating
Overcome my food phobias and aversion
To improve my self-confidence
Fibromyalgia
Develop a positive mindset
Overcome fears from past experiences
Cure my Arachnophobia
Overcome claustrophobia and my f ear of being in small rooms in work
Chocolate addiction
Overcoming motorbike driving test nerves
Remove exam anxiety
Reduce alcohol
To trust again
Past-life regression
Labyrinthitis
Pass my driving test
Hypnotic gastric band weight loss
Smoking Cessation
Stop my negative memories and emotions afftecting me now
Low mood
People pleasing
Relationship change
I want to feel different
I want to find the old me
Be able to stand up and present my business

With such an array of support needed, it is really important that I understand what someone really wants, and this is why I offer an initial free, 30-minute telephone consultation.

I am truly honoured that so many people have put their trust in me in such an extraordinary year, and I thank any clients reading this, for entrusting me with so many important changes in your life.

My last client today told me that "Despite all of the challenges of 2020, I have ended the year in a better place than I started and I can move into the New Year, for the first time in years, feeling calm and enthusiastic about [what I was seeing him about]."

Another client told me earlier this year that the wished they'd known sooner that they could have been helped, as it would have saved them years of anxiety.

I hope in some way this post may give people an idea how they or someone they know can be supported, through hypnotherapy, Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).

If you would like to make positive changes in 2021, and are interested in how I may be able to help you, then please get in touch for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

If 2020 Has Turned Your Life Upside-Down

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 23:09:19 GMT

Start Your Bounce Back For 2021 Now

If like many people, 2020 has left you feeling out of control, anxious or helpless, you can bounce back faster in 2021 by setting out your goals for positive change now.

Once your goals are set then your subconscious mind's radar (known as the Reticular Activating System or RAS) will be on the alert for opportunities to deliver your goals.

Maybe you would like to:

~ Improve career and income potential

~ Increase confidence and self-worth

~ Overcome anxiety, panic, fears and phobias

~ Lose weight or stop smoking

~ Break unwanted habits

~ Improve or make changes to a relationship

~ Conquer exam or driving test nerves

~ Reduce overall stress

~ Sleep well

Every successful invention, change or development starts with a thought or a vision, so an outline of what you want to achieve is fantastic. You don’t need to know ‘the how’ immediately, so don’t get bogged down with over-analysing, just let the thoughts build momentum, then visualise, day-dream or imagine what your change will look like for you.

Think about what you want as if you have already achieved it, turn up the brightness and clarity of what you can see, listen to what you can hear having been successful in your change and intensify any positive feelings your achievement brings for you.

The subconscious mind is like a computer and is responsible for 95% of what we do. It never sleeps. So each night when you go to bed, if you consciously visualise having achieved your change, for just 60 seconds (or more if you like), then whilst you sleep your subconscious will embed your requirements onto its hard-drive and each day when you wake, you will find it easier to see opportunities that lead you to your desired outcome, because your radar will be subconsciously set.

It’s never too early to start.

So if you would like to make positive changes in 2021, do try this technique, and if you would like further help to move forward in your life in any of the ways listed above, then please get in touch.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

Can Hypnotherapy Help Chronic Conditions?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 21:48:08 GMT

Take back some control

According to BMJ 1 up to 8 million people in the UK live with chronic widespread pain, including fibromyalgia and chronic neuropathic pain. In addition to traditional medical treatment, reducing stress and anxiety through hypnotherapy can improve the body in several areas including the hormonal, neurological, and physical aspects. By turning off the fight or flight response of the body, cortisol and adrenaline levels can be reduced and the body’s melatonin, the sleep hormone can be improved, so you can enjoy more restorative sleep.

Our belief systems and mindset are crucial elements for improving our health, and this is even more important when we look at people that suffer from chronic health conditions.

Leading scientific expert in placebo’s, Dr David Hamilton describes how the mind impacts the body; in his article the Amazing Power of the Placebo he explains 2 “....it’s what goes on in the patient’s mind that leads to the health-giving effects.”

The are many studies of the positive effects of mind-body connection and of how our bodies can heal our minds; these include Placebo examples of increased pain-threshold, reduced Parkinson’s tremors 3 , and reduced migraines to name a few.

People can further manage and reduce their health symptoms by changing their internal dialogue, for example saying you are 'doing' a particular illness (sounds strange I know), opposed to labelling yourself with the permanence of having (thus being) an illness can make a big difference. It means you have the option of waking with a feeling of hope, instead of automatic despair.

Although you may find it hard to change your mindset and self-talk, if certain patterns, phrases, and ways of being have been drilled into your mind for so long, they have become hard-wired; then through techniques such as hypnotherapy, NLP and Emotional Freedom Technique, it is possible to break the circuit, which are also known as the neural pathways.

Through these processes we identify where and how chronic conditions began, heal the history, release old patterns and thoughts and speed up change. What is more, hypnotherapy and EFT are particularly beneficial in reducing anxiety, stress, and tension, all which play a part in increasing the symptoms of chronic conditions.

Top Tips to Remember:

• Their is scientific evidence that your mind can reduce symptoms and help heal your body.

• Make yourself the most important person in your world and invest time in improving your health.

• Use any personal resources you have to overcome your condition.

• Be mindful of what food, drink and thoughts you put into your mind and your body.

• Keep a diary or list of the times you are well or don’t suffer from your condition, even if it is 5% of your day, it is progress; tomorrow it could be 10%.

• Keep a list of your negative self-talk and how you could re-phrase your thoughts , so:

"I can’t do that" could become "I can’t do that yet"

"I’ve never been able to do that" could become "I’ve never used to be able to do that"

"I have CFS" could become "I’m doing CFS at the moment"

"My conditions stops me from doing X" could become "I’ve not done X before because of my condition, but I’m curious about how I may manage to do it in the future"

If you are curious how you could improve your fatigue or chronic pain, and if would like to find out more how I could support you to reduce the symptoms of your chronic health conditions, through hypnotherapy, NLP and EFT then please get in touch.

Email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or call 07939 865111

Resources:

1. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e010364

2.https://drdavidhamilton.com/the-amazing-power-of-the-placebo/

3. https://www.apdaparkinson.org/article/the-placebo-effect-in-clinical-trials-in-parkinsons-disease

How to Stop Smoking When You've Tried Everything

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:14:59 GMT

Would You Like £3000-£4500?

The NHS reported in February 2020 that, every year, still around 78,000 people in the UK die from smoking, with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses. The illnesses directly linked to smoking include throat, cervical and stomach cancers, heart disease and strokes to name a few.

For those people who don't smoke, and those of us who have stopped, it could be easy to say "Well why don't they just quit?" It is astonishing to think if you smoke a pack a day, you could save between £3000 and £4500 a year if you stop. But many smokers will tell you that "It is not as easy as that, I have tried everything."

Did you know that on average nicotine only stays in the blood stream for 1-3 days?

Yet it so hard to quit. This is because along with the addictive drugs in cigarettes, when deciding to stop smoking, strong beliefs, habits and neural pathways have developed over years, and often people see smoking as part of the person they are. In addition, there are fears of weight gain to contend with, the 'marriage' of smoking and drinking or eating, along with potential risks of feeling socially isolated, if someone stops smoking and their friends or peers continue. This is potentially why old quitting methods may not have worked out.

Stop Smoking Easily and Effortlessly with a Combined NLP and Hypnotherapy Approach

If you are serious about becoming a non-smoker, then there is an effective and more permanent way to succeed. At The Healing Mind I offer a combination of Hypnotherapy and NLP to rid you of old limiting beliefs, your habit and cravings for good, so releasing you to take control of your life, and to be smoke free.

The programme runs over two or three sessions, with check in calls / messages in between, and MP3 recordings to keep you on track.

First session

This is to explore what drives you to keep smoking, why you haven't been able to quit so far, what are your secondary benefits are for smoking, and to look at who you want to be when you stop. You will receive a short hypnotherapy session to motivate you to stop, in preparation for your important next visit and be given an Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique to practice to relieve any cravings.

Second Session

This is your tailored hypnotherapy programme using both hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques, to embed deeply into your subconscious mind, that you have become a non-smoker. You will be given an MP3 recording to listen to over the next few weeks.

Additional Session (Combination Programme)

Stopping smoking through hypnotherapy is one of the most amazing things you can do. In my experience, the longer you have smoked, the more support you may need. So, t he third session can be used prior to starting the programme towork through emotional triggers, or afterwards if you have a special event coming up and would like a 'motivational top-up', or if you find that emotions that you have been supressing whilst smoking, have risen to the surface and you would like support. We will discuss your needs before the session and I will tailor a NLP, hypnotherapy or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) session especially for you.

Benefits

Becoming a non-smoker has so many on-going benefits, including:

Reducing health risks - https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/what-are-the-health-risks-of-smoking/

Health improvements

Saving £3,000 - £4,600 per year, for someone smoking a pack a day

Reduced stress - it is a myth that smoking reduces stress!

Better looking skin and hair

Improved mental health

Brighter, whiter teeth

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you stop smoking, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thehealingmind.co.uk/

Telephone: 07939 865111

What is Emotional Freedom Technique and How Does it Work?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 22:25:56 GMT

Find Relief in EFT

Emotional Freedom Technique, commonly known as EFT has been found to be helpful with variety of unpleasant, uncomfortable, or distressing feelings. Many people have found that it has helped them to relieve strong emotions, such as anxiety, stress, anger, sadness, or guilt.

EFT has established, positive results and many people have found an easing in troublesome physical sensations, such as chronic pain like fibromyalgia.

Sometimes called a psychological version of acupuncture, EFT involves making contact in a systematic way with a select number of points, usually by tapping , while you focus on a specific feeling, thought or image.

Initially we identify where the pain or emotion started, what was going on for you at the time and if it is pain that we are addressing, what the pain may represent to you.

Next we discuss your level of pain or emotion on a scale of 0 to 10; we identify any specifics that we can test e.g. you may not be able to lift your arm above a certain level; or the level of stress or anxiety you may feel in a certain situation and so we can continue to check your scores as we go. Then we are ready to make a difference.

If you would like to find out more about Emotional Freedom Technique, Hypnotherapy or Neurolinguistic Programming could help you, please get in touch www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

What Are Your Top Five Career Values?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:52:21 GMT

On the Precipice of Change – Will you Jump, Fall or Fly?

When you were a child, you may have admired somebody doing something really well and wanted to emulate them, that could be as simple as being a great Mum or Dad, and so you may have taken on the strategies you saw and admired and strived to be like them.

It can be hard to make decisions as a young person because we don’t know what we don’t know and, if we have only been exposed to small amounts of trades and careers, then our options can be limited. So, if someone you looked up to encouraged you to work as a solicitor, or to follow in your parent’s footsteps and take over their organisation, it’s likely it's the path you follow.

Sooner or later, this can lead to dissatisfaction in your job, feeling stuck and unfulfilled, you may not know why, as it seems you have everything you have been aiming for, but you are just not happy.

As we grow and develop, so what makes us happy also changes, new openings and also circumstances beyond our control arise. Some people may find themselves at threat of redundancy, or they may see it as being on the precipice opportunity – so the question is when on the edge do you jump, fall or fly? If you find yourself in this situation take time to really evaluate what your beliefs and values are telling you would bring you fulfillment.

It’s accepted through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that physiological needs come first, but putting that aside, it is possible to use the situation to your advantage.

Conflicting beliefs and values can stop you from enjoying a brilliant future, so by balancing your own beliefs and values, with what is required of you can bring the happiness you deserve. A great way to do this is to identify what is important to you for example:

1. Recognition

2. Financial security

3. Making a difference

4. Progression

5. Enjoyment

6. Trust

7. Learning and growth

8. Variety

9. Other

Then take the list your values and work out what is most important to you in order, you may be surprised that it’s not what you expected. Push yourself to decide a hierachy, based on your own values and needs, not what you feel is expected of you.

Does the path you have been following meet those needs, or is it time to take a new route? Once you know what you want, your brains reticular activating system (a whole other post!), will ensure relevant opportunities will be presented to you.

Speaking from experience, as someone that has had a fulfilling career path, I am happier now than I have ever been in work and in life, because I invested the time in me, to understand what makes me truly happy. Part of that was understanding my beliefs and values in business, relationships, family, health, in personal growth and spirituality. I understood myself completely, had my sights set on what I wanted and now I help others do the same.

If you’d like to find out more, I offer a free 30 minute consultation, so please get in touch.

How to Get Safer Face to Face Support

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:01:28 GMT

Protection for Your Mind and Body

If you have been putting off getting the support that you need, I’m pleased to say, that if you would like to face-to-face hypnotherapy, NLP or Emotional Freedom Technique, that following Covid-19 restrictions, I am able to see you in person again.

There are changes that I have put in place to protect us all, but as far as support is concerned, I can once again offer you a full personalised service.

My first client that I have seen since re-opening messaged me to say: “I am very happy with your approach. If everyone took the precautions you are taking the country would be in a better place!”

Your mental and physical health and wellbeing is very important to me and so I've put the same assessments in place here, that I would have put in place when I managed local authority programmes, and an addictions charity, because as we have found out, Covid-19 doesn't discriminate.

I have trained and can recommend the World Health Organisation's Covid Prevention Control course and carried out recommended risk assessments, I've also followed the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council's advice, and of course spoken with my insurance company.

All of this has helped me put safe precautions in place, so I can be confident that I am offering you the best and safest service possible.

Please message me, or give me a ring if you would like to book, either face-to-face or video support, I still offer a free 30 minute telephone consultation, so I can understand how I can help you best.

I will then send out an easy to read safety procedure to agree to, for when you attend your sessions. If it is your first appointment, I can also send you a video of how we get from the front door to the therapy room and how we will socially distance ourselves, whilst still feeling therapeutically close.

Have You Gained the 'Lockdown Stone?'

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 13:52:04 GMT

Take Control and Start Changing Today

They say that 90 days can make a habit, and as we have now been in lockdown for longer than that, it’s possible you have made new habits of your own, some great, others not so good.

I’m hearing a lot about the ‘Lockdown Stone’ and there are so many reasons that people have put on weight, from pure overindulgence to emotional eating and all in between.

Some examples I’ve been speaking with people about, you may recognise – they include weight creeping up from eating extra biscuits or cakes, making extravagant meals or puddings to compensate for not going out. Some have been increasing portion sizes and having second helpings. Others have lacked the motivation, as they have lost their reasons for weight-loss, with holidays and celebrations being cancelled.

As the pubs have been closed, lots of people have increased their at-home drinking habits, both regularity and amount of consumption. Along with the calories in alcohol, comes the loss of inhibitions that alcohol brings; and when it comes to reaching out for your favourite snack, unlike the pub, it is readily available in the cupboard!

The reasons people have been over-eating though is the important part. Often it is because there is something missing in their life, which leads to some form of comfort eating. When I support someone to lose weight through hypnotherapy, I offer two programmes – Weight Loss and Change and Hypnotic Gastric Band, and following consultation, both programmes start with a questionnaire as to why a client eats or drinks more than they need. It no longer surprises me when clients tick most of the boxes for their reasons for being over-weight.

Understanding, exploring and working through the reasons why we do anything is always a fantastic place to start; often boredom, sadness, grief, stress, anxiety and reward are reasons why people turn to food and drink for comfort and the short-lived dopamine kick. This quick spike often makes things lots worse afterwards as shame, anger and guilt kick in.

Through a blend of hypnotherapy, NLP and Emotional Freedom Technique we can make changes to unwanted habits immediately, and through continued support and practicing learned techniques for just a few moments a day, the changes can become permanent.

If you would like to find out more about weight loss, please get in touch for a free 30 minute consultation.

Dying to Get Back to Work or Dying at the Thought?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 09:41:18 GMT

Start Your Journey to Career Fulfillment

Are you dying to get back to work or dying at the thought?

Many of us have had that indescribable feeling of going back to work after being on leave, when you know you have to go back to earn money, but it is not really what you want to do. Maybe the job isn’t fulfilling, you have colleagues you don’t particularly want to see, possibly your work hours or time away is long and you want to spend more time with your children, in your home.

Whilst some people bite at the bit to get back to work or back to normality, others enjoy finding a new norm, or realise just how much their current role negatively impacts their lives and isn’t what they want long term.

To get true fulfilment and happiness in your career or home-life, it’s important to match your values and beliefs. For example, if you have a young family and really want to spend more time with them, but you are working all the hours you can to provide, there is a mismatch.

Of course there are things that you can do to ease your work situations, like asking to work from home part-time, but if you are in a situation where you want to make a big change, and either you don’t know where to start, or you don’t know what you could do, start asking yourself two simple questions.

How can I make a positive change in my life?

What resources will I need?

Asking ‘what’ and ‘how’ questions will open your subconscious mind to the answers. This is because we have a bunch of nerves in our brainstem called the Reticular Activating System (RAS), that filter out information, to allow the important stuff to get through. It is why if you are looking to buy a certain car you will see them everywhere, RAS is responsible for when we tune out in a busy bar, but snap to attention if we hear our name mentioned and it’s why we hear our own child’s cry or voice above all other children.

So, keep it simple, ask the two questions of yourself each day and your subconscious mind will be on the alert to find the answers for you. Once you have started the process, there are many NLP processes to draw upon, small steps or goals to get you where you want to be both short and long term, to take control of your future.

Karen Hemmings at The Healing Mind has helped hundreds of people improve their lives, enhance their careers, gain promotion, change jobs, and start businesses. Through the teams she has managed this goes into the thousands; this includes supporting top managers and business owners to 3rd generational unemployed households.

Through NLP techniques, Karen can help you to elicit the values and beliefs that you hold deeply, to understand what is truly important to you, because when you truly find your inner drive you will be able to move career mountains.

If you would like a free 30-minute consultation, please get in touch.

In Just 10 Minutes You Can Be Kind to Yourself and Others

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 21 May 2020 15:32:32 GMT

Look for the Person Behind the Mask

On Mental Health Awareness week there are easy things we can do, to help ourselves and to reach out with kindness and support someone else. The main thing is to understand that many people struggle with poor mental health in the UK, in fact 1 in 4 of us do every day. People you may think are confident, funny, or supportive of others, may also be struggling as much as anyone else. So, the easy answer is be kind to everyone and that includes yourself.

Our brains have positive psychological reactions with each act of kindness. Chemicals released during the act of helping someone else help us reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, decrease blood pressure, protect our hearts, lessen aches and pains, strengthen our immune system and slow aging.

A quick way to support yourself, is by taking just 5 minutes to write down all of the things that give you self-nurture. Try it now, think of your senses, what do you like to smell, taste, touch, listen to or see? Maybe the smell of bread, or the sea, listening to music or birds, feeling the sun on your face, taking time to enjoy the flavours of a great meal, the feeling of giving a gift or even some time to someone else; list as many as you can. Then aim to be kind to yourself and enjoy at least one thing on your list each day.

For someone else, imagine them sitting in the chair opposite you or walking towards you and as you do; imagine stepping into their shoes or sitting in their chair. Don’t think from your mind, think as if you are that person and then run through the same nurturing thoughts in your head, think like they do, use their senses see, hear, feel, smell and taste as they would. And you can wonder what small things would help them to feel nurtured, supported, involved or even just recognised that they exist in our world. Out of the list of things, what one small thing could you do to be kind today or tomorrow or both?

It maybe to say hello to someone you wouldn't normally acknowledge, or just smile at them. It could be the only acknowledgement they get today.

It could be pinging a message or an email or it could be starting a conversation to ask how they are doing, and that one conversation helps them to get help.

You may be suprised how quick it is to help someone and you could also be surprised how genuinely happy it makes you feel to give the gift of kindness, lifting your own mental and physical health and that of others. Maybe tomorrow you will be kind to two people and you never know they may also be kind to two people, who may be kind to two more.....

Mental Health Support

https://www.thesamaritans.org call 116 123

https://www.thecalmzone.net call 0800 58 58 58

http://www.actionforhappiness.org

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://youngminds.org.uk

And for people affected by addiction

https://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk

Accessing Inner Resources

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:57:40 GMT

Hypnotherapy Uses During Coronavirus Lockdown Period

Accessing Inner Resources - Free Mini-Hypnotherapy Session

I have been looking back over the positive changes I have made and the people I have ‘virtually’ met and made connections with over the first 6 weeks of the coronavirus lockdown.

Although I have been practicing a range of hypnotherapy, NLP, Reiki and latterly Emotional Freedom Technique from 2002 onwards, I am relatively new to self-employment and so government support is not available to me.

There’s no denying, it’s been challenging and for me, I have drawn on many of my personal resources to pull me through.

I am used to supporting and being supported by some fantastic, teams and becoming self employed often means you have a team of one; and so, since becoming self-employed I have looked to create a virtual team around me.

Around a year ago, I joined a new and small group of people with an interest in holistic therapies and consciousness, we support each other by offering treatment swaps, to ensure we feel as well as possible. The group is ultimately supportive, it is nurturing and nourishing to the soul.

Next, I joined a group in aid of the Shine Bright breast cancer charity, and this went to a new, virtual level as soon as lockdown started as the founder Sue Richards launched ‘Keep Calm and carry on Networking.’ It’s not as formal as BNI or other networking groups, but it is just as professional and above all supportive.

Mixing with other people in different boats yet sailing the same oceans, has given me purpose and learning. We all have something to offer and to give and we can share our resources, our ups and downs. Initially, I thought the twice weekly group would be enough for me, but I have found the virtual one-to-ones even more beneficial.

It is in my nature and my business to be supportive, to help others thrive in career, business and life and so in March when I wrote “In a time when you feel you can’t do anything, do something,” increasing my connections has been my ‘something,’ my purpose.

Networking with others meets four out of five of the World Health Organisation’s Five Ways to Wellbeing , I am constantly learning , I am connecting , I am taking notice of what other small business owners say, need and want and I am giving to them both personal business and referrals. So added to my daily exercise , I have all five covered!

In return, I have received both direct business and referrals for people who need hypnotherapy, NLP and Emotional Freedom Technique, which I am able to offer remotely, via Zoom and Skype. I support the appointments with MP3 recordings of hypnotherapy sessions, so people can continue to progress in their own homes.

It has kept my small business The Healing Mind ticking over and importantly, as a therapist supporting others, has enabled me to stay grounded and be able to be there for my clients. I help people to control anxiety, interview, presentation and tendering nerves, I’m supporting people to stay healthy, to lose weight and whilst some have time on their hands, it is been an opportunity for them to overcome fears and phobias.

Following a presentation to the networking group yesterday, I recorded this short, guided visualisation to help them access inner resources, the personal resources we all have; you could call them transferable skills, used over years to help us overcome challenges. It was my gift to the group; I am also sending it to my current and past clients to support them and I’d like to share it with you here.

Sometimes we consciously forget our abilities, but our subconscious mind will have them stored, ready to bring forward when we need them. This short, guided session can help you to reconnect with personal skills, resources and abilities and so help you to overcome any current challenges you may be facing.

If you’d like to find out more ways to help your mind, your career or business start or continue to flourish, then please get in touch. If I can’t help you myself, it’s probable that I’ll know someone who can.

Thank You

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 15:52:10 GMT

You Are Amazing

If you have been asking 'what can I do to help during the Coronavirus Pandemic?'

I just want to say thank you to you.

The more I take time to look around and think about each and every person during the unprecedented time in our lives, the more my heart goes out to them. In every way possible, people are going the extra mile to give, to stay connected, to help and to survive.

It is wonderful and heart-warming to clap for our carers every Thursday evening, they deserve so much thanks and recognition for their personal sacrifices and work that they do. It is also important to recognise the change each person is making when sticking to the guidance and 'doing their bit' in any way that they can. So here's my thank you to you, it may only be from me, but I wanted to get recognition out there for everyone. I hope I haven't missed you out.

If during the Coronavirus Pandemic you are going out to care for people in nursing homes, hospitals, care homes and in the community, risking your own health every day. You are amazing. Thank you.

If you work in shops, warehouses, delivery, utilities, or any other essential work. You are also amazing. Thank you.

If like Captain Tom Moore, you have raised money for NHS, for charity or given money to good causes. Thank you for being amazing.

If you have been Furloughed and are living on 80% of your wage, battening down the hatches to make ends meet. Thank you. You are amazing.

If you are a business owner, losing money on a daily basis, not sleeping at night as you may have to lay staff off or close your business. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you are self-employed, unable to claim government grants, or ESA ,and have no income source at all. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you have lost your job, your training place, your education and have no idea at the moment what is going to happen. You are amazing. Thank you.

If you are a parent, home-schooling for the first time, maybe balancing it with a job and struggling on to ensure your children get the best you can manage. Thank you, you are amazing.

If your child or loved one has learning difficulties, special requirements and there is no support at the moment, but you are still trying to offer the best you can. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you struggle with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia or any other mental health condition and you are managing the best you can. Please hang in there and thank you, you are amazing.

If you have physical health conditions, are waiting patiently for an operation or treatment, worried you may not survive, if you are in pain or waiting for a diagnosis. You are amazing and thank you.

If you have changed your work and practices to fight Coronavirus, to discover cures, vaccinations, to make protective equipment, to deliver mental health support, to feed your community or anything else. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you are staying at home, looking after your family, looking after yourself, reducing the potential threat to the world. Thank you, you are amazing.

If your hobbies, interests and past-times are cancelled and you are feeling caged at the moment, thanks for sticking with it and maybe doing something to help others. You are amazing.

If you are sharing one room with other people and have been on lockdown for weeks, yet still have the resolve to stay put. You are amazing. Thank you.

If you have checked on neighbours in need, shopped for others’ food, medication or given your time to those in viral or social isolation. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you have not seen your loved ones, elderly relatives, new-born babies, grandchildren, children and anyone that would normally bring light to your life. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you have relatives with Coronavirus and are unable to see them, and you are going against your instincts to hold them and comfort them to minimise the spread. Thank you, you are amazing.

If you are struggling yourself with Coronavirus, feeling ill and isolated. The people above are doing the best they can do to support you. We are thinking of you daily, every minute; please continue to fight. You are not alone. You are amazing. Thank you x x x

Virtual Therapy Room

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 17:53:48 GMT

In the Comfort of Your Home

There is Always a Way to Receive Support

For some time now, supporting clients via telephone and video calls have proved to be effective ways to overcome travel, confidence and time barriers. Whilst there's no replacement for personal interaction, being able to sit in their own favourite chair, in familiar surroundings can assist many people to relax when receiving hypnotherapy. Many agoraphobic people have improved and overcome thier conditions, through hypno-therapeutic phobia-cure techniques, and time-pressed people have made changes in their sessions and also enjoyed additional valuable time by video meetings.

During challenging times and periods of uncertainty, like the current Coronavirus restrictions, we know if it is not possible to be in control of what is happening, it is important to be in control of how we react to what is happening. Focusing on how we can achieve the best outcome in a situation, opposed ruminating on why something is happening is going to be the best strategy.

Opportunities for Change

The world is changing, communities are coming together, and technologies are evolving, and whilst these times are definitely challenging, many people will see the situation as an opportunity. If you find during government restrictions, that whilst you have time on your hands, it is the perfect time to rethink your life, career or future, then t hrough NLP processes, together we can identify what changes you would like to make in your life, and create effective ways to achieve a brilliant and a brighter future.

W hether you would like to keep anxiety at bay, grasp this time as an opportunity or whatever reason you would like support, i f you would like to find out how hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) or Emotional Freedom Technique can support you, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thehealingmind.co.uk/

Telephone: 07939 865111

How Can I Get Over My Fear of Wasps, Spiders and Insects?

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:44:10 GMT

Phobias Are Real, All-Consuming Problems

How can I get over my fear of "spiders" "wasps" or "bees?" These are questions I hear on a regular basis, and as spring approaches, I expect the questions to increase, as insect-phobia anxiety blooms like the cherry blossom itself.

Phobias are real, all-consuming problems, with a range of symptoms from discomfort to full-blown panic attack. People who suffer from phobias can often start to associate their phobia with other things – like the blossom on the trees, the first daffodils or even the nights getting lighter; before they know it, their phobia has turned into a wider anxiety issue.

The sooner you address a phobia, the quicker it is to change your feelings, reaction and neural patterns and pathways; but even if you have had a fear since childhood, it is possible to make the change, overcome it, and start to lead a happier life.

Through hypnotherapy, I can support you in releasing your fear or phobia safely and without trauma, so enabling you to look forward to enjoying all spring and summer has to offer.

Exposure techniques, as seen on some TV programmes, which include bringing what you fear into the room, are a little out-dated and so I use more comfortable, effective techniques to help you overcome your fear or phobia, until you are ready to move forward yourself.

Depending on your circumstances, this can be addressed fairly quickly and once you are phobia-free, if required, I also offer accompanied trips to venues where you are guaranteed to see what used to bother you.

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy could help you, then please get in touch for a free telephone consultation.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thehealingmind.co.uk/

Telephone: 07939 865111

Enhanced Fertility Support

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 21:28:55 GMT

Can Hypnotherapy Help Fertility?

Whether it is taking you time to get pregnant together through natural conception, or you are about to undergo couple or single parent fertility treatment, there are a number of ways that hypnotherapy can help.

Putting on a brave face when a friend has a baby, continuing with work and relationships when feeling depleted of all energy and hope, and trying to be optimistic to create a positive environment in which a baby can grow can be daunting. Infertility can leave both women and men emotionally drained and spiralling in negative thought patterns. Online forums can be supportive, but are filled with people in the same boat, and as empaths, whilst we celebrate the joy of others, it is also natural to pick up on the stress and disappointment too, embedding feelings of hopelessness. It can be physically and mentally draining, and struggling month to month with negative pregnancy tests can consume your life.

When couples or singles are undergoing treatment, the fertility clinics look at the physical factors hindering conception (things such as abnormal ovulation, damaged Fallopian tubes and low sperm count), whereas at The Healing Mind I look at the mind and body connection and discuss and address emotional and lifestyle factors that may be affecting you.

A number of things can hinder fertility and hypnosis is a very effective way of helping people to become optimally fertile. The most common issues by far are stress and anxiety. Stress is extremely detrimental to fertility because it can delay the release of eggs and prevent the implantation of fertilised eggs as the ‘flight or fight’ response channels blood away from the reproductive organs and into the arms and legs to prepare the person to flee or fight. It also has a negative effect on hormones: boosting levels of fertility-inhibiting prolactin and reducing levels of progesterone, which is essential for building and maintaining the uterine lining. In fact an article published in medicalexpress.com evidenced that the chances of conception are reduced by almost a third with elevated levels of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone.

On top of current daily stresses, having difficulty conceiving or undergoing IVF are extremely stressful experiences; often romantic intimacy can become a regimented necessity, putting strains on emotional and physical relationships. Within the Enhanced Fertility programme, I will teach you self-hypnosis and self-nurturing strategies and, if it is right for you, I will also introduce Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) all of which can support you in releasing emotional feelings of guilt and loss.

Whilst people do everything within their power to conceive, with all other pressures associated with infertility, it is also common for men and women to ask for hypnotherapy support in losing weight, to stop smoking, for exercise motivation, or reducing their alcohol or caffeine consumption. Some women also have personal history of trauma, subconsciously creating fear which can be held in the body afecting the system; they subsequently benefit from a hynpnotherapy programme to release this.

If you believe that the mind and body should be well before conceiving, and have neglected the mental toll that infertility has taken on your body, then a course of hypnotherapy could be your answer. The earlier you start, the more beneficial it can be and aiming to schedule between 3 and 6 sessions (programmes tailored to your needs) prior to treatment is recommended. This means that when you try to conceive or before your IVF cycle begins, you will be mentally, as well as physically prepared.

Hypnotherapy sessions can be a sanctuary, reenergising and rebooting your mind, body and soul. Ultimately you will increase strength, resilience and optimism, so whether you are entering into natural conception or IVF, with your practiced hypnotherapy skills by your side, you will be wholly prepared to embrace the experience.

If you would like to book or find out more then please get in touch.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

References

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-role-cortisol-pregnancy-women-ivf.html

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-10-evidence-hormone-hair-affect-ivf.html

Decrease Child Anxiety with Parental Hypnosis

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 13:55:10 GMT

In Just 2 to 3 Minutes a Night

Hypnotherapy is different from most other therapies because it works directly with the subconscious mind. This is the part of the mind that thinks, feels and does things automatically without us even having to think about them, for example; breathing and swallowing.

The Hypnotherapist uses hypnosis to access the client's subconscious mind and avoid any conscious resistance. It is then much easier to find out why a client thinks, reacts and behaves in a certain way. By identifying the cause of a problem, without negatively affecting emotions means that it is easier for the client to accept the change at a subconscious level.

In hypnotherapy you remain in complete control of your actions. You can come out of hypnosis at any time you choose.

Child Sleep Hypnosis can be brought about easily and safely while a child is sleeping, by bringing them partially out of sleep just enough to be in the state of between sleep and wakefulness, the state of suggestibility, like working with the subconscious mind of a parent. This is usually conducted on small children with great success.

Please note if you believe your child may have deep-rooted issues or trauma, then it is always best to see a GP first and they may suggest a referral, potentially to a CBT therapist or a similar professional that specialises in supporting children.

Just 2-3 minutes a night for consecutive nights can help develop a new way of thinking for your child, and by doing this each night for 3 to 4 weeks you could change this thinking into a habit.

General hypnosis is suitable for children, usually from about the age of six, provided they can understand what is being said, they are intelligent and imaginative. Younger children can benefit from the relaxation. In 1981 self-hypnosis was introduced into the national curriculum in Sweden.

This technique of sleep hypnosis is ideal for children up to the age of approximately 10 years old as they are old enough to understand you. The parents, due to the trust factor are best to do this. Before beginning the sleep hypnosis session it is important that you already know what you are going to suggest to your child for and you have prepared a simple suggestion in advance.

Here’s how it’s done

It is important that you must speak to them while they are in a stage between being asleep and awake. It is also best to wait until evening until the child is asleep.

Quietly go into the child’s room and sit comfortably beside them. Use your index finger and begin to tap the child lightly on one of the child’s fingers while saying their name … such as “James/Jasmine, if you can hear me move this finger … if you can hear me move this finger.” (Continue saying this until you see their finger move). It is important to say this softly and calm enough so as to not startle them and wake them out of sleep. You just want to pull them out enough so that they hear you and move their finger.

Once they have done that you can begin reciting your suggestions. Remember to always be positive in your suggestions, to keep it simple, quick and to the point. Give plenty of positive reinforcement throughout the entire process. The entire process should take less than two to three minutes. You may want to repeat the process several nights.

Unless you are practiced in positive affirmations it is best to make a note of what you want to convey to your child and then follow the seven step criteria for creating suggestions or visualizations to get the most effectiveness.

Here are some suggestions for positive affirmations to say to themselves.

• There is no one better to be than me.

• I get better every single day.

• I am amazing (use relevant words that will help grow your child’s esteem funny, clever).

• I am loved, cared about and cherished

• I am safe

• I am well

• All of my problems have answers.

• I feel confident in school

• It is easy for me to learn at school and at home

• I am adaptable

• I find solutions

Many more positive affirmations can be found at

https://www.thepathway2success.com/101-positive-affirmations-for-kids/

The Steps

1. It is best to previously identify what it is that is causing the anxiety in your child, however the process can still help even if the trigger is not identified.

2. Keep your suggestions as simple and to the point as possible so as to be remembered while in hypnosis. If you include too much information or too many subjects, they may have a hard time imagining them all.

3. Believable - Here is where the “buying-in” principle comes into play. Before the subconscious will begin to act upon any suggestion you must have a belief or “faith” that it could happen. If it is so far-fetched that you don’t think there is any way they could attain it, you are wasting your time and could risk increasing their anxiety.

4. Measurable - Be as specific as possible. Break goals down to specific measurements. The more measurable and specific that you can make the tasks, the more attainable it will be. A simple example would be if you were to suggest they could star in the school play and presently the struggle reading out loud, then maybe you suggest they read out loud to you, then reading to a Teaching Assistant. Once you have attained that goal, then increase it to maybe reading in class, then and so on … If the goal is within sight, believable, then it is attainable.

5. Positive - NEVER, use negative statements. The subconscious mind doesn’t understand it. If I said don’t think of a pink monkey wearing a purple hat, both you and your child would probably be picturing it now. Likewise, if I said don't be anxious, the subconscious mind would hear 'be anxious.' So always use positive, upbeat, uplifting, promotional suggestions. The more positive the suggestion, the more readily the subconscious will act upon them.

6. Present Tense – They are doing it … See it in the now! If you use past tense, there will be no change, since it already happened. If you use future tense, the mind will wait.

7. Carry a Reward (Optional) - If you ask a child to change or to do anything out of their comfort zone, you may get much more of a positive response by offering a reward. You know your child best and understand what will make them happy. It could be their favourite meal, a trip to the park, a gift or a star on their chart.

We all want what is best for our children and when things aren't going right for them it can be a worry. Although it is easy to say, it is best not to display anxiety about your child's issue, concern or anxiety as your child could pick up on this and it could potentially make it worse. However, by practicing these positive-parental-affirmations through child hypnosis, you can help your child, without causing them more concern.

At The Healing Mind I do not directly support children, I do support their parents and care-givers and so, if you have your own anxiety or need to make positive changes yourself, I can tailor a programme specifically to support you through a combination of Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming and Emotional Freedom Technique. If you would like to find out more then please click through the website or get in touch.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

It's Really Amazing What People Can Do

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 11:57:25 GMT

Hypnotherapy Sessions - Giving You a Helping Hand

Walking the Walk

To find out more about the possibilities hypnotherapy can offer, you can't go wrong by understanding Milton Erickson. Erickson was an American psychiatrist who specialized in medical hypnosis and family therapy and was plagued with enormous physical handicaps for most of his life.

At age 17, he contracted polio and was so severely paralyzed that doctors believed he would die. Erickson used the time and subsequent years to extensively research suggestion and hypnosis. He never allowed his physical restrictions to dominate his life and went on to live until he was 78, when he was still delivering teaching seminars and seeing some patients.

N ot only did he believe he had the ability to do what he wanted to do, he overcame his challenges and proved it; he is a massive inspiration to me and may other people in the field of hypnosis and psychotherapy.

Erickson knew from experience that patients in physical or mental pain are unlikely to be able to focus at all. Thus, rapid hypnotic inductions are likely to be met with resistance and ultimately fail and so different apporaches were needed.

Most of us also accept now what Erickson also believed which is that trances happen every day to varying degrees – for example the mind wanders during a commute to work, during meetings, and day dreaming in general. Athletes even enter a trance sometimes referred to as “flow” or “runner’s high”.

Even if the subject is not in a deep trance, Erickson thought the unconscious mind could still be listening. He could make an indirect suggestion that, whether the patient realized it or not, would result in therapeutic change in the patient. Indirect hypnosis is a subtle, respectful method utilizing body language, stories, metaphors, and other hypnotic techniques to improve patient outcomes, whereas in 'd irect hypnosis' the therapist suggests patients enter a trance to change their behavior.

At The Healing Mind I offer a blend of both indirect and direct hypnosis to ensure each client specific needs are met. Different approaches are taken for whatever requirements a client has - for example a phobia, chronic condition or to stop smoking may all require separate approaches. In addition to the reason for the session, each client is an individual, with different histories, needs and requirements to enable them to move forward with their lives, and this is taken into account during our sessions too.

If you would like to find out more about how hypnotherapy can support you to make a change in your life, please get in touch.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

Telephone: 07939 865111

How can hypnotherapy help me

Make Happiness a Habit

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 15:30:22 GMT

Practice Positivity

Make Happiness a Habit

To become good at anything you have to practice and happiness is no different, to some people that comes easy, but then like me, they may have been practicing happiness all of their life!

Being grateful and appreciating the small things in life is a great start; seeing a child playing, a bird outside your window, maybe some recognition at work, or from the family if you have cooked a nice meal. The more you recognise and have gratitude for the small things that bring you joy, the more it will become habitual, you will attract an increased amount of positivity and the happier your life can become.

When you recognise and give gratitude to the small things, take time to understand what it is about it that makes you happy, so if it is a child playing, like the one above - is it the smile on their face, the whiteness of their tiny teeth, the giggle, the paint colours, the way they are looking up hoping for love and assurance? What is it that makes you personally feel good?

To bring more happiness to your life, detail in your mind, or make a list of the things and people that make you happy and the things you want in life. Then cross-check it to the people around you and the activities you undertake - do they match? If they do, that's great; see more of those people, do more of those things.

What else would make you happy too - is it a job, retirement, a partner, a house, a holiday? Be specific when you think about it, add detail. For example, if you are looking for a new partner, unless you have a clear picture in your mind what kind of attributes you want then how will you notice if they pass you in work, at the gym, or deliver your parcel?

Have you ever noticed when you are looking for something new - a particular car, TV, pair of jeans that you see them everywhere? This is because your conscious mind has informed your subconscious mind, and it is then constantly scanning to bring you what you want. So be clear about the things that make you happy and make a habit on focussing on your happiness and you will attract more in abundance.

If something or someone is making you unhappy, then work out how it or they are negatively affecting you, and then consider what you may be able to do to make a change, who could help you and what resources you have. Maybe you can't identify why yourself and you may need to reach out for help to a friend or family member, a work colleague or professional to help you.

If you would like to find out more about developing a mindset that will serve you better and bring you more happiness, The Healing Mind can support you and tailor a programme specifically to support you in making happiness your habit, through a combination of Neuro Linguistic Programming techniques, Hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Technique. If you would like to find out more then please get in touch.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind

Helping you to be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Instant-Calmer

Sat, 21 Dec 2019 12:53:53 GMT

Give yourself 10 minutes

Instant-Calmer

Looking after your mental health is very important at any time of year and as the festive period has additional pressures that may trigger additional anxiety or stress, so it can be helpful to be prepared and recognise your trigger points. You can then help stop your inner tensions building by taking a short break, or time-out to reduce the chances of experiencing a heightened episode in overwhelming times. It can be helpful for you to visualise releasing tension and welcome in positive thoughts.

Unless you are practiced in mindfulness or meditation, it may be difficult to visualise releasing anxieties, tension and frustration on your own (after all, if it was easy everyone would be a picture of calmness!); so I have recorded a short 10 minute visualisation and I hope this may help you through. In the hubbub of festivities and whilst people are consumed in their favourite things, most of us can find time to slip off for 10 minutes.

Although it may be beneficial to lie or sit down in a quiet room, if you are visiting friends or relatives, you could listen when going for a walk after Christmas lunch; a lternatively, you could step outside or sit in the car (stationary/engine off). If you’re not comfortable explaining to others how you are feeling, you could listen on your mobile and it can seem to others that you are making a 10-minute phone call. Alternatively pop in some ear-phones and offer to do the dishes!

Wherever you may be, find yourself a space to gather your thoughts to treat yourself to revitalise, regenerate your inner calm and peace; to turn off from the busyness of the day, the people and noise of every-day life, the noise in your mind.

If you would like more ways to reduce anxiety or stress levels and make positive changes to your life, please get in touch, and i f you would like to listen to a free MP3 of this exercise, then please click the MP3 link at the bottom of the page or contact:

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind

Helping you to be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Mental Health Support

https://www.thesamaritans.org call 116 123

https://www.thecalmzone.net call 0800 58 58 58

http://www.actionforhappiness.org

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://youngminds.org.uk

And for people affected by addiction

https://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk

World Kindness Day

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 18:19:41 GMT

The Circle of Kindness

I was so proud last night to hear my stepdaughter tell me that she and a friend were going to paint another friend’s new shop for her, because they didn’t have time to do it themselves. Such a gesture of loyalty and love for her friend in this act of kindness. It made me think today about the small things we can all do on World Kindness Day.

Since its launch in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day is celebrated annually on 13th November; its mission is to create a kinder world by inspiring individuals and nations towards greater kindness. On this day, participants attempt to make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds and pledging acts of kindness, either as individuals or as organisations.

Living your life from a place of kindness is rewarding and fulfilling and takes little effort; it is being aware of others around you and being generous at heart in what you do.

So today I have offered a complimentary NLP session to someone I’ve just met to celebrate World Kindness Day and I’ve raised some money for Alzheimer’s Research, but I’ve done some little things too - I swerved away from a big puddle so I didn’t soak a couple of children walking to school and have taken the dog for an extra walk – he’s very happy!

The more we bring kindness into our daily life the easier it becomes and the more tuned-in we become at noticing and anticipating the happiness of others. Kindness isn’t just about giving money or a lot of time, we can:

• Include someone we wouldn’t normally include in an event or game

• Send a quick note to a colleague if they’re having a bad day

• Offer to help someone less fortunate than ourselves

• Take Mum a cup of tea in bed

• Pop in to see an elderly neighbour to say "hi"

• Engage with someone who looks sad, you never know how that could change their day

• Being kind to the planet – turn the lights you don’t need off, use less chemicals

Kindness Day UK is organised by Kindness UK, a not for profit organisation and the event has continued to grow since its launch with increasing numbers of individuals, schools, charities, institutions and businesses taking part www.kindnessuk.com

No matter how small, acts of kindness can counteract negative characteristics of stress. Whether performed, received or observed, kindness releases endorphins in the body which reduce stress levels.

As you go to bed tonight, give yourself a minute to think about the kind things you have done today, the small gestures that may have meant a lot to something or somebody. As you do, you can use an NLP technique to re-run the event as a film in your mind - make the image brighter, turn up any sounds you heard at the time and use all your senses to re-live the moment and focus on how that small gesture can have changed someone's day. Then notice any changes in your own body, how maybe your body relaxes slightly and allow the feeling to lift your mood and reduce your stress levels.

And maybe as you drift off to sleep, you can wonder if you inspired someone else to be kind today and hopefully that ripple effect will grow and grow.

For more ways to reduce stress levels and make positive changes to your life, please get in touch:

www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

Emotional Freedom Technique

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 15:25:49 GMT

What is EFT?

Emotional Freedom Technique, commonly known as EFT has sometimes been called a psychological version of acupuncture, in that it involves making contact (in a systematic way) with a select number of acupuncture points. Usually this is by tapping on these points, while you focus on a specific feeling, thought or image. The specific points to tap are the endpoints of the major meridians (meridians are believed to be channels of subtle energy which flow through our body).

The technique has been found to be helpful with variety of unpleasant, uncomfortable or distressing feelings. Many people have found that it has helped them to relieve strong emotions, such as anxiety, anger, sadness or guilt. It can be helpful both with feelings that would be expected to ease naturally over time and with long established feelings such as phobias or post-traumatic stress. In addition, some people have found it helpful with troublesome physical sensations, such as pain, dizziness or cravings.

It is common whilst tapping for other emotions and issues to rise to the surface and occasionally your feelings temporarily become even stronger or other distressing feelings may temporarily rise. So, although it is possible, with instruction to use the EFT technique on yourself, many people feel more comfortable seeing a trained therapist, who are able to tune in and ask the right questions to release each element and emotion.

By combining Hypnotherapy, NLP and EFT together we are able to make considerable changes and free our clients from emotions and beliefs that may have been holding them back for years. If you would like to find out more about how we can help then please get in touch via:

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact or

https://www.facebook.com/thehealingmind.co.uk

"No Human is Limited"

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 10:38:12 GMT

History in the Making

It was an amazing spectacle to watch this morning as Eliud Kipchoge broke the record and re-wrote history books by running a Marathon 26.2 miles in1 hour 59 mins 40.2 seconds in Vienna this morning.

Eliud, who has won 11 of the last 12 marathon's he has ran, started his running when he had to run 2 miles to school each day, as a child in Kenya. Now, today the world watched him as he beamed with joy and elation and said “No Human is Limited.”

This was Eluid's second attempt at achieving a Marathon in under two hours and it now puts him in the history books with Sir Roger Bannister.

As he saw the finish line, with 300 metres to go he kicked forward and his amazing team dropped back in a line behind him; truly having his back covered. At the end of the race he said that he did it “In order to inspire other people to tell other people you know your mind is limited, you can do it. I expect everyone will start to run under 2 minutes in the future.”

His belief that it was possible, coupled with an amazing team around him, including elite and Olympian pace-makers, meticulous planning and specialist pacing technology, all ensured he was where he needed to be to achieve the record.

Not all of us can be visionaries like Eliud Kipchoge and we may hold some beliefs that limit what we can, or can’t achieve. In NLP terms, Eliud's achievement enables the rest of the world to see possibilities and model (or copy) his brilliant techniques. By opening our minds to possibilities and studying people at the top of whatever game they excel in, can enable us to get and be where we want to be in life.

The unconscious mind will support you in changing your beliefs and pushing your limits. So prior to today, runners may not have attempted to run 26.2 miles in under 2 hours, because they may have thought it possible. Now they know it is possible and so if it is achievable for one person it's achievable for others.

Outside of sport, if for example, you have to stand up and give a presentation for work, or for an interview and you are nervous at the thought, you could focus a time when something has gone really well for you, in a previous interview or presentation and replicate your thoughts at the time, your stance, voice tone and method of presentation, then practice over and again, until it becomes habit.

Alternately you can choose somebody you know or have seen do a fantastic presentation and model what makes them successful. This does not mean to become that person, but to take on the attributes that help them engage with an audience, and could include their stance, voice tone and pace of delivery and how and what was said. What makes them so engaging or successful?

You can then visualise yourself stepping into their body and feel how it feels to be them, see and hear what they may hear, what and how they do things. You may like to study someone via their blogs or YouTube channel and immerse yourself in their strategies, really tune in to what makes them so good and replicate their brilliance.

Once you feel you have nailed the techniques you want to achieve, then practice makes perfect. Visualise yourself in the future achieving your goal and getting better and better.

Eliud Kipchoge will have visualised himself breaking the record time and again in his mind, embedding the possibility that it was achievable. He will have visualised passed the time he achieved the record and identified exactly what he needed to do to achieve it, perfecting his stride, bringing in the right team, maybe as far as ensuring the weather conditions would be favourable.

As Kipchoge proved today, once limitations are removed, a positive mindset is achieved and strategies are in place, so much is possible.

If you would like some support in achieving your goals, then please get in touch.

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind

Helping you to be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Find the Light in Your Darkness

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 09:37:14 GMT

Sunrise in your Soul

If your world feels dark at the moment, it may help you to visualise some lightness and brightness shining through. I hope this free visualisation exercise may help you…

Close your eyes and imagine being in a place that is comfortable to you and looking to the night sky, take a few moments for your eyes to adjust and gradually, you will start to see the stars, at first there may be one that shines brightly, but after a few moments more and more stars may become visible. And take some time to wonder at their brilliance, like tiny diamonds on black velvet.

There may be one star that you decide to focus on, one star shining brighter than the others. The star that will always be there, no matter how dark your nights may feel. And you may like to give that star a name which is personal to you, or you may like to call the star Hope.

There is always Hope that life can get better for you, even in your darkest nights. You were not born feeling dark, or anxious or frightened; it is something you have developed through experiences in your life, so please know that it is possible to change the way you are feeling, because you have felt different before, and, so it is possible for you not to feel your darkness in the future, to see and feel the lightness that you were born with.

As day follows night, light will always follow dark.

And if you would like to go further now, you can visualise yourself early one morning awakening to a beautiful sunrise, breaking through the dark, the black, turning to an array of colour, hues of pink, crimson, yellow and orange. Bringing some colour to your life again and that colour can represent anything you need now from life – a lift in spirit, some motivation or determination to do something, just for today, that you may not have done for a long time, or you may not have done before.

And allow the colour of the sunrise to fill your vision and feel its beautiful glow penetrating your body, your soul, softening muscles and releasing some tension – as much as you can today, right now.

Allow yourself for a short moment to feel an enjoyable, positive feeling that you may not have felt for a while, it could be hopefulness, it could be relaxation, it could be calm, it could be happiness or belief that you have the ability to change something in your life, if just for a moment, a minute, a few minutes. It could be the realisation that now is the time to reach out and ask for help or support. Whatever it is, make the feeling right for you.

Visualise the beautiful colours of the sunrise and turn the dials up on the colours to make them so vibrant they penetrate every part of you with a positive anticipation that the future could be brighter, enveloping you in protection. Maybe you can picture yourself doing something you would love to do in the future and doing it with ease. Enjoy the image for as long as you would like.

If dark descends again, look for your star, visualise thousands of beautiful stars penetrating the dark, stars representing change is possible in your life, invading your darkness with light and focus on your star of Hope.

Use your thoughts and imagination for a few moments each day, or when you can, to visualise your bright star in the darkness, your sunrise, your possibility of change. You can visualise them at any time you need and allow the feeling to fade as you turn up your brightness and Hope.

Maybe you will find yourself drawn to look out for the stars each night, or to download a starry night or a gorgeous sunrise screensaver on your phone or computer. Maybe you will be drawn more to wear the colours of a sunrise.

The subconscious mind cannot differentiate between imagination and reality and so if you have been able to visualise just a small part of this exercise, then there is a possibility you can change your life in a bigger way.

Here’s hoping you have stars in your night and a sunrise in your soul each day.

If you would like to listen to a free MP3 of this exercise, then please click the MP3 link at the bottom of the page or contact:

https://www.thehealingmind.co.uk/contact

email: karen@thehealingmind.co.uk

Facebook: @thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind

Helping you to be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

For Further Support

If you are feeling low or suffering with poor mental health and you need help, then please ask for support; there are many organisations with people that can help you including:

https://www.samaritans.org call 116 123

https://www.thecalmzone.net call 0800 58 58 58

http://www.actionforhappiness.org

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://youngminds.org.uk

And for people affected by addiction

https://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk

Break Your Record

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:47:24 GMT

Don't allow limiting beliefs to hold you back

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.” Sir Roger Bannister

If Sir Roger Bannister had listened to the doctors and scientists, he may never have broken the four minute mile.

Limiting beliefs are what hold us back. They are patterns we run which restrict our thinking, often producing negative emotions and thoughts.

Examples are:

I’m not worthy, good enough, lovable enough.
I don’t deserve good things.
Something terrible will happen to me.
Others won’t approve of me, will criticize me, judge me.
It’s not right to shine or to stand out.
I need to take care of everyone else before me

By practicing NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), we can change limiting beliefs to

It is possible
I am capable
I am worth it

People can go for years, or even their life-time accepting what they have been told in childhood, as being a limit that they cannot overcome. In reality, if they had the knowhow to change their mindset and reprogramme their patterns they could achieve much more.

Because of barriers, blocks and fears of being hurt, the emotional cost of hanging onto old beliefs can cause relationship breakdown, or can even stop you from starting an amazing, new relationship.

It could also result in being over-looked for promotion and not even being able to see what jobs are on offer; because if you don't feel worthy, you may not see the opportunities you are capable of achieving. Even if friends say " you should go for that," you could dismiss the thought of applying for fear of rejection. Has that been you?

What would your preferred belief be?

The Healing Mind specialises is helping people see their potential, removing limiting beliefs and enabling you to be your best self, and accomplishing what you deserve. If you would like some help changing your mindset and your life for the better, then please get in touch.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Make the Days Count

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 08:31:55 GMT

Are You Waiting for a Perfect Moment?

Are you waiting for the perfect moment before you change your job, start a diet, start a new hobby, ask someone on a date or make a major change in your life? Or are you waiting for something external to happen to create the opportunity for you to change your life?

If you still haven't made the change, then ask yourself what little thing you can do now or today that will help you move forward in your goal for example, stop buying one item of fattening food that you find hard to resist, or look up where the nearest activity is to start a new hobby; it can be small or significant, but once you change your mindset from saying "I am going to do this" to saying "I am doing this," then you will notice that you are making the days count.

Your subconscious mind will then be open to opportunities that will enable you to make the change faster and with ease.

Once you have changed your focus from 'thinking about' to 'doing' then ideas will start to flow easily, creating a much more positive mindset and soon you'll be in the zone of being. If you really want a change in your life then give it a try - what one small thing can you do today?

If you find it hard to make changes, it may be that somewhere in your subconscious that your limiting beliefs are sabotaging your own efforts. You may or may not know where this self-sabotage comes from; maybe you don't think you deserve your goal or there is a long-held belief that by not achieving your goal that you are protecting yourself it some way.

By safely accessing your subconscious mind through NLP and hypnotherapy we can identify limiting beliefs, help you understand and acknowledge your value, your values and help you make the positive changes you deserve.

If want to stop counting the days and would like help, advice and support to create your change and transform your life then I'd love to hear from you.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you to be your best, through clarity, confidence and change

Could our dogs teach us strategy?

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 10:07:19 GMT

Seizing Opportunity

While walking with my dog this morning, I was struck by his profound animal instincts and his ability to take in everything around him using all of his senses to make the most of every opportunity. As he walked along I watched him sniffing, watching and pricking his ears, moving from pavement to feeling the grass beneath his feet and when the opportunity arose, grabbing long grass in his mouth and devouring its juiciness, before I could pull him away. A bit further on, in true dog fashion he made a dart to roll in a cowpat - not quick enough though, as now I was aware of the opportunity and was one step ahead. Saved from the hose for another day!

In NLP and hypnotherapy practices we learn to utilise our senses and their submodalities to enhance our experiences, embed affirmations and open opportunities by creating shortcuts in our brains. In contrast we can reduce the impact of fears and phobias by identifying causes and reprogramming memories by turning down the impact of the same submodalities.

By using these submodalities and by heightening our senses, we can also develop a better understanding of others' communication patterns and preferences and by tuning in we can reduce misunderstandings, improve relationships and even be top on the list in an interview or business presentation, to seize our own opportunities.

These and other NLP strategies can also help if there is a family member, friend or colleague that you are not getting on with, if the job you really want keeps evading you, or if you are feeling indecisive and need support to make a strategic change in your life.

As for the dog, well he managed to 'read' a local walker correctly and sidled up to him to say hello, this resulted in receiving two dog biscuits. Opportunity seized!

If you'd like to find out more about positive changes you could make through NLP, hypnotherapy or Reiki then please get in touch with

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Reiki Principles

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:08:03 GMT

Morning Affirmation

These lovely Reiki principles, if practiced on a daily basis in a short morning affirmation, can help people who tend to worry or struggle with anger, become more aware of patterns and lessen their chances of the unwanted negative thoughts and actions.

Just for today, I will not anger

Just for today, I will not worry

Just for today, I will be grateful for all of my blessings

Just for today, I will work with honesty and integrity

Just for today, I will be kind to all living beings

Practicing or receiving Reiki is also a wonderful way to clear blocked or negative energies from the body. If you would like to experience a Reiki treatment please get in touch.

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you be your best through clarity, confidence and change.

Mind Over Matter

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 20:12:31 GMT

Is there something you would love to do or 'bee' (couldn't resist!) and haven't got the confidence or know-how? If what you really want has been done by someone else before, then it is possible for you to do it too.

NLP has researched and practiced strategies, that's helped world leaders, sports people, vloggers, bloggers, parents and top business people achieve and be their best.

If you would like to take flight in a new direction and want some support, then please get in touch

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you to be your best, through clarity, confidence and change

Time-Short People-Pleaser?

183:792005141 (Karen Hemmings) — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 11:36:19 GMT

Help in at hand...

How many times have you agreed or even offered to do something for others at home or work, which has left you depleted, short of time, or unable to do something you really wanted to do? Sometimes the least selfish thing is to say no.

There are many ways to say no, without upsetting someone and still leaving you in favour with the boss or work colleague and your friends happy with you. Here are a few:

I appreciate your time, but no thank you.

Thanks for thinking of me, but I have too much on at the moment.

No thanks!

I know this isn't the answer you're hoping for but I can't, sorry

Not today, thanks.

Aw, I would have loved to – but I’m afraid I can’t

Not for me, thanks.

I’m afraid I can’t.

I’m not really into X, but thanks for asking!

I’d rather not, thanks

You know I would help you if I could - but I can’t, I’m sorry

I think I’ll pass.

If you could ask someone else to do X, I would happily help you with Y.

Sometimes validation is all the other person needs. Saying something like,

‘I know that’s a bit rubbish – but I can’t, I’m sorry.’

There is no need to make elaborate excuses either, but did you also know that people are much more likely to accept the 'no' if a reason is given? So maybe try 'I'm afraid I can't because....'

If the real problem is not valuing your own time, or valuing yourself, then maybe it's your internal belief system that needs some support, to help you realise what an amazing person you are; after all people always ask those they can rely on!

If you are limiting yourself in getting what you want and what you want isn't hurting anyone, then it is probably time to change the way you think and change what you do.

NLP is a fantastic way to help you identify and overcome limiting beliefs and make positive life-changes. If you would like some support to make change, to value yourself more, feel confident saying no to things you don't want to do and yes to those you do, and if you want to take control of a positive future then please get in touch

karen@thehealingmind.co.uk or message me through Facebook@thehealingmind.co.uk

The Healing Mind - helping you to be your best, through clarity, confidence and change