I thought it was time for a guest blog – and as this time of year can be difficult, here’s some lovely, helpful information about how to deal with anxiety, written By Alison Ralph, hypnotherapist.
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Did you know that hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for anxiety?
Anxiety is something that has become more common in adults, adolescents and
children since the beginning of the pandemic and I am here to tell you that it can get
better! In this blog post I will talk about:
- What anxiety is and why we experience it
- What hypnotherapy is
- How hypnotherapy can help to overcome anxiety
- Who am I and how can I help you
- What is anxiety and why do we experience it
Do you have racing negative thoughts or just seem to catastrophize everything, or you
get feelings in the body which cause you to feel out of control and unwell? If you are this
person then you may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
People who experience anxiety can often feel alone, that they will never get better and
have an extremely low mood. So where does anxiety come from?
If we go back to the very beginning of mankind it starts with the fight and flight
mechanism inside of us. This is the part that is keeping us alive – the part that causes us
to pull back from the road when a car is coming and the part of us that gives us physical
reactions when somebody makes us jump.
At the beginning of mankind it was very useful because a person may have been faced
with an animal which could kill them and so the fight and flight kicked in. It prepared the
body to run away or to fight. It did this by pumping blood faster to the legs and the arms and away from organs that were not useful for fighting or running. Once the person had
reacted in whichever way they felt was best, the body went back to its normal way of
functioning.
Unfortunately as we have developed as a species this part of us has not, therefore we
still get these bodily responses for other reasons in day to day life. However, they
become a problem when a person starts to expect the worst to happen and these
feelings are almost a constant in their daily life.
Anxiety is a normal part of our bodily functions, we just have to learn to control them
again.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a relaxing treatment that uses the subconscious part of our brain. The
flight and fight that I talked about in the previous paragraph is also known as the
subconscious mind. This part of us is where we store all previous experiences and
memories and the part of us that keeps us alive. If this part of us used anxiety as a
response to something in the past and it seemed to work then it will repeat this
behaviour again and again for other situations which then creates a pattern.
In hypnotherapy, the therapist guides you into a state of deep relaxation, just before a
sleep state. When you are in this hypnotic trance, the brain waves are at a certain level
for subconscious activity. At this point the hypnotherapist can suggest changes in
behaviour patterns and put new ideas into the subconscious thinking so that new
patterns can be created.
When working with a hypnotherapist for anxiety you will also find that the therapist will
teach you other strategies and tools needed to help you in your daily life, as well as
creating an environment where you feel safe to talk about the ways you are feeling.
It is a therapy that really works and many people find that they wish they had turned to it
sooner!
How can hypnotherapy help to overcome anxiety?
In sessions that I complete with clients the first stage is to talk. When we talk to a
person outside of our family or friends, one who is there to listen, show understanding
and non-judgmental, it can feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. It can
also help you to recognise the reasons you may have feelings of anxiety.
There are many strategies that you can use to help overcome the feelings of anxiety
and you will find that your hypnotherapist will teach you the ones that will work best for
you. These will help you almost immediately after that first session and so the new
patterns of behaviour can start to set in.
Of course the other part of the hypnotherapy sessions for anxiety is the subconscious
suggestions. Using hypnotherapy behaviour patterns in the subconscious mind can be
changed so you don’t keep having these same reactions.
The process of hypnotherapy is extremely relaxing and this can also help because we
don’t tend to take time out for relaxation and this is something that the body and the
mind needs!
Cheshire hypnotherapist – Alison Ralph
My name is Alison Ralph and I am a practising hypnotherapist. I have a therapy room in
Macclesfield, with easy access from other parts of Cheshire, including Prestbury,
Wilmslow and Congelton. I am also soon to be a qualified counsellor and will combine
the two to give clients the outcome they need.
I have a great deal of experience working with clients who have daily anxiety, worry,
stress and phobias. I am a client led therapist and therefore make sure that each of your
sessions matches you as a person and the things you would like to achieve.
I ensure that I teach you as much as you need to know about anxiety to help you
understand it better and I show you strategies needed to overcome those physical
feelings. This is all before the work under hypnosis where I enter the subconscious and
work to change those behaviour patterns and I pride myself in giving you the best
possible outcome for you.
‘I can’t thank Alison enough for helping me manage my anxiety and showing me
some useful techniques to deal with daily situations. She made the environment
cosy and safe and I felt completely comfortable opening up to her.’
You can find more information about me and my practise by visiting my website
using this link. Alison Ralph
Or please feel free to send an email: info@alisonralphhypnotherapy.co.uk
Or call on: 07719032346
If you would like to find a hypnotherapist closer to you or you feel that I am not
the therapist for you, you can find other hypnotherapists using the National
Hypnotherapy website. Hypnotherapists can join this once they are qualified and
this is a regulated organisation.
I hope that this blog has helped to have a clearer understanding of the reasons
you may experience hypnotherapy and how it is possible to overcome these
feelings and lead a life in the way that you did before – free of anxiety!
I hope you can now understand how hypnotherapy can help you with anxiety and
reading this blog has given you the confidence to pick up the phone or email a
hypnotherapist to start your journey to changing those behaviour patterns.
Thank you to Alison, and hope you found that useful.
A great LJ tool for dealing with anxious feelings is the Sleep Spray or the Release Anxiety Blend.
