Hypnotherapist Warrington

Is Blue Monday just another day?
If we are told that today is the most miserable day in the year, does that automatically make us feel more blue? If you didn’t have a clue that today was blue Monday, has today felt any different?
Is it just the power of suggestion?

Hypnotherapist Warrington updated their business hours.

Hypnotherapist Warrington updated their business hours.

Feeling proud to be working with 'The Manchester stress institute', hosting three webinars a week, helping the 'North West Ambulance service' with the "Beat the Burnout" series throughout this month and next.

Try ‘Box breathing’ to help you balance your blood gasses and calm your nerves.
All through your nose.. breathe all the way out.. then breathe In to the count of 4.. hold breath for 4.. breathe out for 4.. hold for 4.. breathe in for 4. And continue for five mins. Often used by the Navy seals! Give it a go.

Congratulations to team GB for their amazing efforts, by equalling their medal count from the London games in Tokyo 2021. What an achievement!!

Just in case there is confusion as to whether you can still see a therapist during the lockdown, please read the below statement.

The businesses that can remain open include “dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health.” Under the legal advice we obtained during the November 2020 national lockdown in England, CNHC Registrants in England meet the definition of “other…health services, including services relating to mental health” contained in Section 17(o), Schedule 3A of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020.

I offer Zoom and other platforms to see people safely. However, My office also adheres to the Covid Safe guidelines.

Best wishes
Chris.

I am running a COVID-19 safe environment at my office. Not only do I follow all the government guidelines, I also take a COVID-19 test every two weeks to ensure safety. My office is cleaned in between clients. I have several hand sanitisers in the office. And there is 13 feet between myself and the client as we talk. I also use a triple filter air filtration system that filters out particles as small as 0.1 microns and expels fresh clean air. This filtration has been researched by NASA As an effective way of removing pollutants, including viruses, from the room.
Your safety is paramount for me.

Just to let you know that I am now taking face to face bookings.
I am following the current Covid-19 guidelines.

It looks likely that from the 4th July, therapists may start to see clients face to face, if they want to, and as long as they follow strict government guidance.
When I reopen, I will provide hand sanitiser outside my room so you may clean your hands before entering. I also have sanitiser inside the room.
I am approximately 12ft from my clients. I may also leave the door ajar to aid ventilation. I sanitise the chair and card terminal in between clients. my chairs are angled away from each other.
You may also wear a mask. I can also check your temperature as a precaution. These are the guidelines for therapists returning to work who can keep the correct social distance.

If anyone is suffering at the moment and is waiting until face to face therapy becomes available again. You don't have to wait and suffer! Online therapy is equally effective!!

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that online treatment was just as effective as face-to-face treatment for depression.

A 2018 study published in the Journal of Psychological Disorders found that online cognitive behavioural therapy is, "effective, acceptable and practical health care." The study found the online cognitive behavioural therapy was equally as effective as face-to-face treatment for major depression, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalised anxiety disorder.

A 2014 study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that online cognitive behavioural therapy was effective in treating anxiety disorders. Treatment was cost-effective and the positive improvements were sustained at the one-year follow-up.

So, don't suffer alone or wait until lockdown is over, if you need to speak with someone, there are many therapists out there to chat with.

What are thoughts really?
They are words, images, fantasies, voices or sounds, created in your mind.
They can be true but also false
Sometimes important and oftentimes not
But, we don't have to listen to them, nor obey them or follow their advice.
Thoughts are not real, but they can seem real when we pay too much attention to them!
So always ask yourself these questions - How do I know this thought is true? Do I actually have proof or evidence that what I am thinking is correct?
If the answer is NO (and it usually will be in terms of worry) Then you are spending far too much time investing in this thought.

Do you worry about stuff?
I'll let you into a secret... we all worry!
But most of our worries pass us by, they can be fleeting. But for some, worry is very big and very scary. The reason it's scary is because of our belief in the worry. If we believe in a worry very strongly, then we are likely to feel rather rubbish.

So it's worthwhile asking yourself two important questions.
1. Where is the evidence this worry is true
2. Is there evidence that goes against my worry

Worry is pretty much made up stuff with insufficient evidence. Normally when we have evidence we launch into coping mode. Here's an example.
A person is waiting for test results from the hospital. They are terrified about the results and tell themselves all manner if scary stories, they convince themselves they have something awful and it's the end. But they are making it up because the results aren't in yet! Theres as much chance things will be fine. However, if the test results prove that there is something wrong, what tends to happen is the person now has the evidence, so the worry about the results has now gone... They now look at their options, they get more evidence and learn to cope!
Our ability to cope with things in reality should be noted. When we worry, we see ourselves not coping.
So remind yourself that worry is nearly always made up stuff without sufficient evidence!

Anti Anxiety tip.

S.A.V.E.R.S
S - Spend a few minutes in silence
A - Repeat positive affirmations
V - Visualise positive outcomes
E - Exercise
R - Read
S - Scribble

Ok let me explain. Each morning, or at any time really, carry out the above, each lasting just a few minutes. Firstly, spend a minute or two just breathing in silence, even if you have to go into the garage to achieve this!
Then repeat a positive affirmation to yourself. A good example is 'every day, I grow more calm and feel stronger inside' - You can find affirmations all over the internet. Choose one that fits your needs. Repetition is key.
Visualisation is important, we do enough of this in a negative way (worry for example), so why not use a few minutes to visualise yourself looking calmer and stronger, or see yourself dealing with a situation in a way that makes you feel better. To your unconscious brain, visualisation is real! Ever wondered why you feel anxious when you worry? It's because your unconscious sees your worries as being real!
Exercise is the next one. Just do some running or marching on the spot for a few minutes, for example. Whatever your fitness level, just tailor it to yourself. I normally do pressups.
Reading is next. Just read something comforting or inspirational for a few minutes. I find that reading great quotes from histories greatest men and women to be particularly useful.
And finish with scribbling. This means either, write down your goals for the day or week, or write your worries down (when you write your worries down, it's actually very therapeutic, it somehow gives you some distance from the worry and you can see it differently).

Start by doing each one for a minute and build up slowly so that the whole exercise lasts 20 to 30 mins. My clients inform me that by doing these each day, it has lead them to a more comfortable relaxed life.
Why not give them a go - But remember.... Whatever techniques you decide upon, you need to do them every day for them to work!

Anti anxiety #3.
Try this one for when you feel tense or anxious.
I’m a sitting position (to begin with).
Take a deep breath in through your nose to the count of 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 5 seconds, and at the same time, tense your body. Almost like having a really big stretch.
Tense your, feet, legs, arms, shoulders, make fists with your hands etc.
Then breathe out to the count of 6. As you breathe out, say the words ‘relax’.
The tensing and then the release of tension help let go of stored up stress. It helps the muscles relax and releases endorphins. It stimulates the vagus nerve.
Don’t do this whilst driving!
If holding the breath and tensing for 5 seconds is a little too much to start with, then begin with 2 seconds and build up.
Do this when you’re really feeling the stress.
I tell my clients not to tense up their faces as you don’t want to put pressure into the small capillaries in the face or brain. Only from the feet to the shoulders.

Anti Anxiety #2, Another breathing technique!
This one is called the 4-7-8 technique.
This is very good at calming the nerves down and can actually help you fall asleep. Do it sat down or lying down.
Breathe in through your nose to the count of 4.
Hold your breath for the count of 7.
Breathe out slowly to the count of 8.
Remember...practice!! Doing this regularly will make a difference. Always remember to allow these little techniques to work. Don't demand or insist that they do, if you don't feel calm after the first try, simply accept that and give it another go a little later on.

Anti Anxiety #1 Breathing tip 1
Ok, I hear you all saying "I've tried that already"... And you may have done, but how many people do this several times a day, every day? The importance of breathing for anxiety is well documented and researched. If you do it regularly, you are stimulating the vagus nerve which is responsible for your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of you that calms you down. The 'out breath' is especially important - Why? Well, when you breathe in there is a slight increase in your heartbeat... when you breathe out you get a decrease in your heart-rate and it can drop to below your initial starting heart-rate!
Breathing also helps balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body. Sometimes anxious people report a numbing sensation in hands or their face, around the lips for example, and dizziness. So balancing levels of oxygen is important.

Sit down and breathe in through your nose and count to 4.
Hold your breath for a moment.
Then breathe out through pursed lips (this helps limit the speed of the exhale) and count to 6 as you do this.
Repeat! To begin with, do this several times a day for between 5 and 10 minutes.
If you are so anxious that you feel as if you cannot breathe, then one of my best tips is to begin by exhaling all the way out first - almost like you are trying to blow a 100 candles out on a cake. And then breathe in to the count of 4.
Tip number 2 - Don't insist that breathing this way takes away your anxiety, merely allow it to happen over a period of time. If a person demands that they feel instantly better while breathing this way, then they may get frustrated if they do not, this leads to further agitation and can heighten the worry! Give it a go and don't give up!