Chenara Hypnotherapy, Taunton Blog (official)

New website launched

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:52:00 +0000

A new 3 page website has been created at http://taunton-hypnotherapy.vpweb.co.uk/ to convey Cary's hypnotherapy work in the locality of Taunton, Somerset, in a more personalised and simple way.
The feel is a bit less formal, but more information is to be found at the main Chenara Hypnotherapy website at http://www.chenara.co.uk
The new site aims to convey the fact that sessions can help virtually any member of the public as well as businesses and healthcare teams, and whilst perhaps a bit more friendly, still conveys the professionalism which informs Cary's work.

Hypnosis Myth 1: Being hypnotised against one's will

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Stage performances, movies and books are full of scenes in which people are hypnotised against their will, losing personal control. Such is dramatic, but the reality is that entering hypnosis is a voluntary process; the client chooses it at each stage. It is lighter than sleep. At any moment, s/he can interrupt the process. Some clients sadly miss out because they fight a potentially helpful solution, wrongly fearing it is something magical or that they might be controlled. It is a birthright and only about giving you back your own sense of control and empowerment. Hypnotherapy can only happen when you choose to enjoy the solutions it offers, which are plentiful! Anyone can block it - that's easy. The real journey begins when you experience it's treasures . . .

Used car salesmen and NHS care

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:59:00 +0000

On hearing that UK Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has been likened to a 'used-car salesman', I was first amused, then recalled my own NHS experiences.

While training in adult nursing and working in London as a practice nurse, I encountered several who fitted the aforementioned description with similar perfection. Possibly even moreso. Indeed, previous to my practice nursing in 'Sarf Lundun', I was warned by several nurses and a community matron to avoid the prospective employers like the plague, precisely because they were more focused upon playing the system than actually feeling any genuine sense of connection or caring with their patients.

Sadly, experience proved this to be utterly true. The lack of professionalism of a 'Sister' who oversaw the partners' many practices was staggering, in that she was often witnessed grimacing and rolling eyes behind patients' backs during consultations, and her respecct (or lack thereof) for patients was typified by a visit to a local home for the elderly to administer flu injections. She was supposed to assess each using what is called a 'Mini-Mental' assessment. On being asked about it later, she lied (in front of students who knew she hadn't assessed at all) that she found them all without full mental faculties, then concluded boldly, "well they are all demented anyway. They always are in those homes."

Had I not been in such a professionally vulnerable position at the time, I would have taken this further, but you see, she 'played' the system and her employers relied upon her to do just that . . . whilst keeping enough distance that if she got caught, they could feign a lack of knowledge.

I can only hope such 'playing' of the system stays far away from clinical hypnotherapy. I suspect it is catalysed and promoted by ridiculously unrealistic expectations which come from the political-financial arena and 'companies' which place profit, polyclinic prestige and standing next to David Cameron on TV news ahead of genuine care.

I recall a Partners' meeting in which the overseeing Partner was concerned about embarrassingly low ratings on patient questionnaires. "So how can we make them 'think' we are giving them more, when we are giving them less?" he wondered aloud. That final meeting turned my stomach and revealed so much. Our services exist to help patients, not to 'seem' to help patients. This is but one reason why so many leave the NHS and nursing training each year, at a cost of millions. We had to work alongside this and it offended the very notion of what care should be about. Thinking needs to extend beyond the mindset of the used-car salesmen and the bullies who depend upon hierarchies they can mismanage. It needs to have some heart or true caring is rendered a myth.

A thought for potential ex-smokers

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Imagine the trail of discarded cigarettes behind you.
It wasn't hard to get rid of them.
You got rid of them without a thought.
Throwing them away was totally automatic.

Lighting up took more effort.

Realising this is how change begins now.

Smoke and mirrors: why NHS smoking cessation often isn't enough.

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 22:43:00 +0000

An incredibly comprehensive review of over 600 studies involving 72,000 Europeans and Americans identified the most successful smoking cessation therapy as hypnotherapy (30%), followed by aversion therapy (25%), acupuncture (24%), nicotine patches and replacements (10%), books and other advice (9%) and finally willpower (a paltry 6%).

Given these findings, it is very odd that NHS smoking cessation mainly promotes drugs (including patches), advice and willpower. Even their combined total is less than hypnotherapy and more or less equal to acupuncture, which probably triggers an endorphin release similar to that caused by smoking.

Of course, pharmaceutical companies do not benefit from these therapies. Could that have something to do with it? The review was referred to in 1992 by New Scientist and completed at Ohio University.

Hypnotherapy addresses the whole person, while NHS methods neglect the psychological factors which drive the habit.

Expectation and Phobic Responses

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:35:00 +0000

If you ever wondered how powerful expectation was, or how it bypasses the conscious mind at times, take a look at these two wonderful video clips. In addition to giggling, anyone with a phobia or trauma will empathise with the men involved:

In both instances, perceptual priming was the cause. A recognised stimulus (e.g. rattle snake / fear of being shot in a bad neighbourhood) is associated with a fear response. Proximity brings that response to the foreground until a harmless sudden stimulus, (e.g. a jumping lizard) occurs. The presenter is not really scared of lizards, but reacts according to the stimulus his brain has recognised as having greatest significance ( the rattlesnake.) Thus, a harmless jumping lizard became a rattlesnake lashing out at him.
Hilarious to watch, horrendous to experience.

How does this apply to hypnotherapy?
Well, it hwas to be said that we don't change responses which are life-preserving or useful. We want you to stay safe. However, we can change or adapt associations so that later responses are normal, restoring control and balance . . .

Conditioned Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:40:00 +0000

Well Christmas is here once again and as most of you celebrate with family, history tends to repeat itself. Old responses tend to resurface, having been conditioned over the years. Good or bad, I wonder if you will notice how automatically and instantaneously they flow . . . this is because they come from your unconscious mind, a vital and potentially helpful resource, whether you notice it or not.
So next time you have an issue, remember this flow, and remember hypnosis is simply the skill of working with it, reshaping it, recreating it and enhancing your life. The new you doesn't have to be in a manger to be born . . . it can begin with that simple decision that it is time to find answers, time to change so 2011 will be a better year than ever . . .
Happy Christmas!

On Automatic Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:32:00 +0000

Like many, I have a non-dominant hand that makes a bad job of drawing or writing - it struggles to do a simple straight line or mere arc with any precision. Yet during hypnosis this last weekend, that same hand drew a very smooth and fluid spiral and this reminds me of a simple truth: Each of us can achieve things outside our beliefs and expectations . . . we just have to find the opening to allow such things to happen.
Of course, my drawing was an example of 'automatic writing' - a phenomenon which can occur when the usual hypnotic 'splitting' of consciousness' (conscious alongside unconscious) is directed in a way that dissociates the hand from conscious control. Amusingly, it took me about two days to piece together (consciously) what my unconscious was presenting: The spiral is a symbol of extremely purposeful change in my life - indeed it was the very symbol of major life-changes that led me to the field of hypnosis itself. No wonder my unconscious wanted to share it! A single symbol can have so many levels of meaning . . . and I have to wonder . . . what will your unconscious share with you? . . .
- Cary

Chenara.co.uk is GO!

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 19:42:00 +0000

Finally the new website is up and running . . . you can view session information and more anytime now at www.chenara.co.uk . . .Initial problems for users of Google Chrome and smartphones are now resolved . . .
We hope you find the site useful.
Cary Charles

Sleep boosts thought organisation

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:47:00 +0000

New research suggests the night after a hypnotherapy session may play a pivotal role regarding organisation and recall of new information.

Researchers exposed two groups to new words, one group in the morning and one during the evening. The evening group's recall was tested afterwards, then they slept and during the morning were tested again. The morning group were tested immediately during the morning then after the same duration as the other group but without any sleep. Test results revealed that the sleep group recalled more, faster. Only when tested a week later (e.g. after 7 nights of sleep) did the other group show similar results. Researchers concluded that sleep "spindle activity appears to be particularlyimportant for overnight integration of new memories with existingneocortical knowledge." The abstract for the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience (October 27th, 2010), can be read here.

During sessions, we work with memory and also present familiar and new information in very creative ways. This research suggests that getting a good night of sleep directly after therapy would optimise benefits from therapy. Perhaps this is a good reason not to drink alcohol until the next morning too . . . processing needs to be as clear as possible.

Audio hypnotherapy downloads will feature on the new website

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:40:00 +0000


'Synchronicity'

Good news! Now that a BT Broadband crisis appears to have cleared, we can reveal that our imminent new website will feature exclusive hypnotherapy and meditation related audio content for download and purchase. Recording will start soon after site launch and the downloads promise to incorporate techniques which will amplify the shift from conscious to unconscious processing . . . Cary will also be adding some of the original Chenara visualisations as recorded for Becoming Light and the as yet unpublished 'The Mechanics of Expansive Healing' . . . . We can't wait! Just to celebrate, this pic is accompanied by a meditation inspired painting by Cary from that time . . .

Pain control with self-hypnosis for an injured paraglider - Daily Mail

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 02:42:00 +0000

A recent Daily Mail article opened with a riveting account of a paraglider falling to ground and controlling injury pain with a simple self-hypnosis technique he learned as a child. The later focus shifted to increasing medical interest in hypnosis being used for surgery, with acknowledgement of understandable commonplace medic fears of looking daft because their training didn't adequately cover the potentials of the mind. Until one has a reliable personal experience, preferably with a reputable clinical hypnotherapist, the topic is ripe for entertainment myths and distortions . . . cue swinging watches and hyping up the fear that hypnosis is being controlled, here linked to soldiers (e.g. trained killers) being made to kill ... ooh, very out of character I don't think . . .

The article is a superb read, however, and even details various historical uses that usually elicit enough pain to rule out any kind of fakery. One medic (obviously a bit naive about the subject) expresses that some people feel very little pain, so those may be the people who can undergo such experiences. It is amazing how many medical minds are built upon limited facts regarding hypnosis. As with film critics, the safest stance appears often to be to trash it and they are too busy to uncover the real facts through experience. I wonder what he would make of the fact that hypnosis is a learnable skill which improves with repetition, including when it is used for analgesia. Such pain relief is a natural capacity of the brain . . . don't be fooled into thinking otherwise. Learn by experience . . .

Hypnosis improves self-efficacy and sports performance (soccer wall-volley)

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:19:00 +0000

During every Chenara Hypnotherapy session, we make use of the fact that the unconscious is more receptive. Every session features a segment called ego-strengthening. Far from being about making someone egotistical, this is actually about increasing the balance and sense of capability. Read aloud in normal consciousness, the words would seem really basic, yet time and again they have great effect. In recent research, ego strengthening was the only hypnotic therapy given to 30 participants, the aim being to test whether or not their soccer wall-volley performance improved. This contrasted with a control group of 29 participants who watched edited videos of professional matches. The results: those who experienced even this simple form of hypnosis improved their performance beyond the control group . . . such findings could apply to many sports, such as golf, rugby, horse riding, marathons, athletics and even darts. Indeed there is potential to help anywhere where performance increase is desired. Hypnosis won't make you bionic. It isn't magic, but it will very probably make you better . . . possibly a lot better!
This 2010 study's details can be accessed here.

The brain's 'fear gate'

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:50:00 +0000

The success of hypnodesensitisation to de-condition anxiety, fear and phobias is explained in part with this new research that builds upon understanding that fear is controlled by the amygdala in the brain. Imagine a 'fear hose' always ready to output fear and get you moving . . . then add an inhibitory circuit that 'leans' on the 'hose' to stop fear flowing when inappropriate.
Therefore, the aim of therapy becomes to re-condition the unconscious and the body into knowing when to inhibit and when not to. As hypnodesensitisation is based upon 'reciprocal inhibition' in which a relaxation response overwhelms a stress response, the therapy obviously is VERY appropriate.

Age, attention and self-hypnosis

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:48:00 +0000

A new study has found that our ability to filter out distractions decreases with age. Older people are often regarded as less easily hypnotised on first attempt, but as hypnosis is a skill, this can certainly develop especially with self-hypnosis deepening the effects of actual sessions. With this study though, I wonder . . . is it diminished focus or underlying learning from years of general experience that it generally gives an advantage to be aware of as much as possible across a broad spectrum of experience. I hope future research will reveal more . . .

Pleasure beats stress

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:46:00 +0000

Backing up the remarkable potentials of hypnodesensitisation, new research confirms that pleasures such as comfort eating and sex counteract stress related neural pathways in the brain - with benefits including improved pulse rate lasting beyond the activity itself. Just getting the pleasurable taste is enough, for instance, without taking in the calories. I wonder . . . on this matter, would a big meal have greater lasting impact than several small meals? Given the previous post's emphasis upon regularity, I suspect smaller meals win out. As for sex . . . well I will leave that to you to find out :)

Cortisol rhythm and resilience

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:43:00 +0000

If stress resilience is an issue for you, read on! Cortisol gets us moving fast, saving lives in danger, but too much takes its toll. Too little is linked to depression. This research links regular hourly release of cortisol to stress resilience, and although it points typically toward drug interventions, I wonder how regularly shifting between total relaxation and cortisol releasing activity would balance anxiety problems. For instance, you could do 5 mins self-hypnosis on the hour, combined with a minute of jogging on the spot (cortisol release) on the half-hours. Perhaps establishing such a normal pattern would reset the hormonal balance, or at least help . . . if you try it, let me know if it helps . . . but of course, be sensible with your exercise - no sudden shocks to the system! How would this affect resilience and mood, I wonder?

Tetris decreases trauma flashbacks

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:42:00 +0000

Next time you indulge in a bout of the computer game Tetris, you can enjoy it with a clear conscience. Recent findings suggest that the organisational game can decrease traumatic flashbacks if played within 6 hours of a traumatic event.
Hypnotherapy is often about reorganisation, and we often deal with trauma. It will be interesting to see how this kind of processing can assist beyond the six hour window . . . but at the very least, you now know there is something you can do after an upsetting event in order to prevent or minimise distressing flashbacks.
The full study is at http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0013706

Time is an illusion to your brain

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:39:00 +0000

A very interesting study, this one. Until recently, science didn't realise that the SAME neural pathways your brain uses to visualise FUTURE events are also used to recall your PAST... no wonder we so often work with great success interweaving past and future during hypnotherapy. Understanding this contributes to better therapy. It is one reason why reframing the past is so important - in doing so, the concept of the future can change too. Experience suggests it is a reciprocal balance . . .
I am also reminded of repeated mystics writings about living in the now . . . maybe that is the only real time there is, and we interpret through other time projections.

Nausea, reviews and self-hypnosis

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:36:00 +0000

NAUSEA sufferers might be disenchanted with the recent Cochrane review which found little assistance with various treatments for pregnant women, including several prescribed drugs, acupuncture, vitamin B6 and ginger etc. Oddly, they didn't explore hypnotherapy.
I often experience nausea on accidental exposure to foods containing gluten, and yes, I can reduce or remove the symptoms with a few minutes of invaluable self-hypnosis, thus avoiding side effects from anti-emetic medications etc. I wonder when understanding of this possibility will filter through to the Cochrane reviewers! As they are so highly regarded, it is unsettling that they miss the boat on this one, and thus cause others to continue with symptoms which could be well managed. My repeated experience suggests it is very easy and effective . . .

Knee surgery without anaesthetic.

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Here is a good reason to do your self-hypnosis! According to this article, 67 year old pensioner hypnotised herself for knee surgery without use of anaesthetics. It was her third operation using this technique. In Belgium they get faster healing times, less drug toxicity and happier patients discharged faster. We take widely accepted 'habits of limitation' for granted, but I wonder . . . can you imagine what hypnotherapy might do for you? After all, being pain-free like this is not something that can be faked. The results are utterly real, just poorly understood by many in the medical communities . . .

Ethics and Mel Gibson's hypnotherapist

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:27:00 +0000

Hmmm . . . what are we to make of the fact that Mel Gibson's hypnotherapist has publicised giving therapy to Mel, even including a rather cheesy fan-like photo. If it came from Mel, I would be happier but here it could really be a breach of confidentiality, an added stress for the patient. On the other hand, is Mel behind it? Supposedly, Mel's seeking therapy demonstrates both he and his wife are seeking help - possibly advantageous in court.

Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:19:00 +0000

As this recent BBC news article states, clinical hypnotherapy for IBS is currently very successful, recommended by NICE (National Insitute for Clinical Excellence) and typically involves a very pleasant course of about 10 sessions which also boost resilience and ability to handle stress. We offer these sessions NOW!

Smoking increases Dementia risk by 100%+

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:59:00 +0000

In case you are harbouring any illusions, a recent study has found that heavy smoking during midlife years is associated with a greater than 100% increase in risk ofdementia.

Hypnotherapy remains a major tool in freeing yourself from this habit. The evidence base is sometimes superb, sometimes dubious, but hypnotherapists see people succeeding with sessions every day . . . and get to imagine their clients enjoying all the benefits including having more money for other pleasures such as holidays, increased fitness for more years, better sexual performance, improved relationships, increased social independence, improved stress management . . . and so much more.

Excited neurons

noreply@blogger.com (Chenara Hypnotherapy) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Hypnotherapy is often about attracting unconscious and conscious attention, then directing that attention powerfully towards the client's goal.
This news article adds some understanding to how this attention moves from subject to subject and relates how one neuron might get excited about a picture of Johnny Cash, while another might get excited about Halle Berry. Now . . . imagine what would happen if in hypnotherapy we created a shift so that something uninteresting became fascinating and motivating! This is the kind of thing we can definitely facilitate.