It has now been two years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and while restrictions have been lifted many people still feel anxious and uncertain. In the last couple of weeks the invasion of Ukraine has been a devastating tragedy for all those involved and has heaped more uncertainty and sadness onto the world. If you feel you are struggling with all that is going on you are not alone.

‘I’ve always been a worrier….it’s just the way I am,’ ‘We’re all worriers in our family,’ ‘My mum’s always got stressed over things like this too,’……I often hear comments like this from clients as they tell me about their anxiety.  And the truth is we are all worriers to a greater or lesser extent!  We have to be for our own preservation. 

Many people feel confused, uncertain or cynical when they hear the word ‘therapy.’  Common feelings include ‘that’s not for me,’ ‘I don’t need to talk about my feelings to a stranger,’ ‘I’m more of a practical person’ or ‘I don’t understand what hypnotherapy can help me with.’  All these feelings are valid but are misinformed. 

Sometimes in life we have to take a chance to achieve more.  We have to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to take a new job, visit a new country or begin a new relationship.  But sometimes in life just getting by is all we’re focused on.  When life is difficult or uncertain (hello omricon) having a routine and structure to fall back on can help stabilise you, making life easier and helping you feel more in control.

The run up to Christmas can be exciting and fun but also stressful and busy.  This year take some time for yourself with my Tuesday night classes in Hayfield village hall.  Lasting just over 30 minutes each class provides a chance for you to really settle down and take some quality time out for you to destress and recharge your batteries. 

After Covid restrictions began to lift this summer I began to see clients face to face again but many people continue to see me on Zoom. Neither face to face therapy or online sessions are better. It is a matter of personal choice but there are some factors to bear in mind.

‘The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety.’ Deepak Chopra

I recently came across this quote and it made me stop in my tracks. We all recognise how our mind can run away with us, providing us with detailed visions of worst case scenarios. When anxiety takes hold our imagination can be relentless in showing us what terrible things might happen next. But the other side to this is positive; having a vivid imagination can be a real asset. Ask yourself how you can work with your imagination to provide you with a vision of just how good your life could be.

It’s been a busy month for me on the marketing side of things. I wrote an article on gratitude which has been published in the latest edition of the Hope Valley Journal, and I was interviewed on BBC Radio Derby about my work with clients with needle phobia and how this supports people in taking up the Covid vaccine. In 2021 publicity and (self publicity) can feel part of life and not always one that feels comfortable. So how can we make the most of ourselves without feeling that we’re showing off?

The CNHC was set up by the Government to provide an independent register of complementary healthcare practitioners that the public can refer to, confident in the knowledge that these practitioners are professionally and appropriately trained and qualified.

The CNHC has an important role in setting and maintaining standards for its members. This means that the public can feel secure in using its members, knowing that they will adhere to these guidelines.

At this time of year school halls up and down the country are usually full of teenagers taking their final A-level and GCSE exams. Older students sit their finals. Year 6 children sit SATs. This year (like the last) looks somewhat different but many young people have still been sitting tests to give teachers ideas of what their grades would look like or to consolidate learning at Key Stage Three, and I have recently been seeing a number of teenagers who have struggled with exam fears.

We all have an inner voice which provides a soundtrack to our actions, interactions and lives in general.  This is entirely natural.  It is our brain’s way of making sense of the world, of keeping us safe and planning the future.  Problems can arise when ‘cyclical negative thoughts and emotions turn our capacity for introspection into a curse rather than a blessing,’ as eloquently described by Ethan Kross in his book ‘Chatter.’

Following the success of my weight management course, I am happy to announce that I will be running further hypnotherapy group programmes in the coming months. Each programme consists of 4 separate sessions for a total cost of £60.

Procrastination is a common human behaviour but one you can learn to overcome. However before you can begin to change the pattern of procrastination it is useful to understand the reasons behind it.

Most people know that hypnotherapy could help them quit smoking or address a phobia, but are not aware it could also help them cope with the problems and stresses of every day life.

In recent years there has been a huge interest in the experience and practice of gratitude and how this can improve our happiness.  Gratitude journals have appeared on the market and the psychological and physical benefits of practising gratitude have been measured by universities including Yale.

Robert Emmons from the University of California describes a study where a wide range of people between the ages of eight to 80 were asked to write down a few things they were grateful for each day.  The study found that all the people in the study benefited psychologically which was great news, as Robert Emmons explained, because gratitude (unlike exercise) is something everyone can participate in on a regular basis.

My Sunday evening relax and recharge sessions have proved popular with adults and children alike. I set these free events up to offer support during lockdown but I have been touched by the positive feedback so have decided to continue them until the end of January.

Modern life can be full of stresses, but 2020 has dealt a challenge in Covid 19 that is unprecedented in our lifetimes. For many of us this has created huge problems as we worry not just about our own health and that of our loved ones, but the implications for our jobs, finances, leisure time and holidays.

There is something about this time of year, when the clocks change and the nights draw in, when you can feel a little like hibernating. Of course it's all very different at the moment when our hibernation is enforced, but you can embrace this and make your time at home feel cosier than ever.

Most people struggle with their confidence in one way or another. You may be confident at work but worry about what you look like. You may be body confident but social situations trouble you. You may be confident mixing with people but imposter syndrome holds you back. So what can we do to improve our confidence and live a life more free of doubt?

We all want to be happy, but this can mean different things to different people and at different stages in our lives. However there are broad rules that psychologists have identified that can improve our overall contentment.