I have always found the link between the stomach and the brain fascinating, the magical vagus nerve which joins these two parts of the body an incredibly powerful connector. Buddhist philosophy is known to use the term ‘the second brain’ for the gut and indeed this can often be the case as we are sometimes ‘guided by our gut’ when we need to make hard decisions.

We also know a lot more now about the gut’s micro biome, this refers to the delicate balance of gut bacteria which is an essential factor in our general health and well-being. In order to achieve a healthy micro biome it is important to eat a huge variety of different fruits and vegetables, also to consider taking a probiotic and to consume as many fermented foods as possible.

These are all useful, practical ways in which we can improve the health of our gut.

However, what many people are not so aware of is how hypnotherapy can be an incredibly powerful gut healer. Gut directed hypnotherapy is actually recommended by NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) for people suffering with IBS. It is very disappointing that GPs are hesitant about giving this advice to their patients, often preferring to prescribe medication instead.

I have had the opportunity to help many people with IBS symptoms and they have found that, not only do they feel better in terms of their gut health but also that they are feeling so much calmer and happier too. When your digestive system is settled and calm, the message goes right up to your brain via the vagus nerve allowing for a relaxed, serene mind.

I think you could call that a ‘win win’.

Do get in touch if you feel that I could be of help to you.

Keep warm folks,

Wendy xx

I have been thinking of doing this for a while now but have decided that now is the time: my weighing scales have got to go. For good.

It’s not easy to throw away something which has been a constant in your life since at least the teenage years, if not earlier. But I have at last realised that I don’t need them anymore and my life will be so much happier without them.

I do realise that I could probably do with losing a few pounds but actually I have reached a point in my life when I am quite happy with my body and that checking that number every morning is doing absolutely nothing for my well-being.

By getting rid of the scales it is possible to be much more aware of how your body actually feels and how good it is to be able to eat intuitively, move mindfully and treat yourself with kindness. Yes, I know, these are all things that I advise my clients to do but sometimes us therapists need to give ourselves a good talking to as well. What is it they say, healer heal thyself?

I love my food and eat a largely healthy diet of unprocessed foods and this is what I will continue to do, eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full. I am also a fan of intermittent fasting so I will continue with that. I absolutely love baking, avoiding gluten and dairy (but not sugar!) and this is something that I will always do, it’s in my DNA. In fact, a few days after my recent foot surgery I made a bakewell tart, even though I was still hobbling and obviously unable to do any other domestic jobs! Mr Chalk is an absolute gem, by the way.

I would be so interested to hear from you if you feel that you could benefit from some support with your well-being, whether this is related to nutrition, confidence or perhaps a simple acceptance of yourself as the wonderful person you are.

Off to find a sledgehammer, bye bye scales …..

Wendy x

Having had a little bit of time on my hands recently due to foot surgery I have been able to indulge in some reading. I have found that it’s quite easy to get out of the habit of reading and I was finding that in my spare time I would just be going down various internet rabbit holes. This tends to lead to feelings of being somewhat overstimulated, but not in a good way, in fact more like bingeing on fast foods – delicious at the time but then leaving you feeling quite nauseous.

I have therefore been delighted to have rediscovered the healing value of a really good book. To become totally immersed in the characters and story of a beautifully written novel is such a joy and is really quite calming for the soul.

I have just finished reading Demon Copperhead, the wonderful new book written by Barbara Kingsolver. This was a gift from my brother for my birthday and I hadn’t read any of Kingsolver’s books before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

Well, readers, it was a banger of a book, a beautifully written saga narrated by Demon himself about his life as a ‘trailer trash’ child, then into his teenage years. He experiences endless abuse, cruelty, drug addiction yet also has the good fortune to encounter wonderful, generous souls along his way. If you read the book, you may find some of the characters sound familiar and this is because Kingsolver very cleverly bases the novel on Dickens’ David Copperfield, the issues of Dickensian Britain being still very much in evidence in parts of middle America. I can truly say it is one of the most absorbing books I have ever read and I am thrilled to now discover that there are many more Kingsolver novels to devour.

If you used to love reading, but haven’t done it for a while, I urge you to give it a try. It really does have the power to calm and heal the mind and soul.

Best wishes to everyone,

Wendy x

One of the most satisfying interventions that I have had the privilege to do in my years as a hypnotherapist has been to help people give up smoking.

Many clients have come to me in order to quit, as they have been faced with a health crisis – this could be a diagnosis of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a recurrence of chest infections or maybe a heart condition.

Stopping smoking is one of the best, if not THE best thing that you can do for your health. Within a few days your body will begin to be healthier and stronger, you will feel so much fitter and you will be free of that never ending anxiety in the back of your mind of the harm you are wreaking on yourself.

I am also now seeing people who wish to stop vaping. Initially thought of as a way to ‘come off’ smoking, many people are now becoming just as addicted to vaping, which carries with it it’s own health risks. Whilst it is viewed as a lesser evil than smoking, we still do not really know all of the long term risks.

My stop smoking or vaping programme consists of an initial consultation (this is very important and means that I can personalise the treatment for you), the main hypnosis session and then a follow up session which can be taken any time. I also record a hypnosis relaxation download for you which you can use at home. The cost is £250 and this can be paid by cash or bank transfer.

If you are ready to do something truly wonderful for your health, please do get in touch. I would love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Wendy x

Being laid up after my foot operation, I have had the opportunity to do lots of reading which has been lovely. I do admit to have been watching some TV too but also trying to limit it – endless episodes of ‘Married At First Sight’ can make you feel a bit nauseous after a while!

One of the books I read was by Matthew Perry entitled ‘Friends, lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’. If you were a Friends watcher, like me, you will no doubt remember Matthew as the hilarious (and troubled) Chandler Bing. The role was quite literally made for him, you could say a case of art imitating life, although he almost missed out on it as he was contractually bound to another series but, fortunately, a way was found for him to take up the role.

Although Matthew was a uniquely talented actor and achieved his goal of superstardom, he had a huge addiction problem. It started with alcohol and then went onto prescription painkillers. His untimely death last year was found out to have been caused by a massive dose of ketamine in his system. He was in rehab many times but sadly never seemed to be able to overcome his addictions. He had had a difficult childhood, with his parents separating when he was very young and neither of them really being there to support him.

I was interested to find out that he visited a hypnotherapist to give up smoking and not just any hypnotherapist, this was Hollywood’s finest, the one all the superstars went to. It seems that the hypnotherapist practiced a form of aversion therapy, so this would entail suggestions of the awful things that would happen if he continue to smoke (his health was severely comprised at this point). Needless to say, the hypnotherapy didn’t work and only served to deepen his anxiety and trauma.

I am always interested to find out about the different types of interventions taken by hypnotherapists. However, after 15 years of working with many different anxiety issues, I have found that a solution-focused modality is by far the most successful. At the root of most addictions – be it food, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs – is an underlying anxiety or trauma. The addict has found he can temporarily stop these awful feelings by the use of substances. A quick simple fix.

My hypnotherapy intervention does not involve going over and over what caused the anxiety in the first place, the client will often be acutely aware of this already. Instead, my aim is to help the client to achieve a deep state of calm and peace within themselves by the use of hypnosis and then also self-hypnosis. It takes work and practice, but once the client realises he has the power within to change his mindset without the substance, it is an incredible feeling.

Matthew Perry’s book was terribly poignant, the latter chapters seemed to involve him repeating the narrative ‘well, at least I’m still here’. What a sad loss of a truly talented and wonderful actor and one wonders that if he had received the right therapy, he would still be with us.

Warmest wishes to you all,

Wendy x

I have been completely blown away by our amazing team of GB paralympians, second in the medal table as we speak and looking like they are going to be nabbing quite a few more before the contest finishes.

To be honest I have found the 2024 Paralympics far more exciting and entertaining to watch than the ‘other’ Olympics. I have also been struck by the huge amount of goodwill and friendship between the different countries, it’s wonderful to witness this.

Many of the paralympians seem to have developed an almost other worldly mental strength, a positivity and sheer bloody mindedness which gets them through anything.

Take 14 year old Bly Twomey for example who only began playing at her local Brighton club in 2021 and has now achieved two bronze medals! An incredible talent who is no doubt going to have an amazing career ahead of her.

I must admit to feeling a little bit frustrated at the moment as I have just had a foot operation and have a few weeks of limited mobility. My issue is only temporary, however, so really what right do I have to feel sorry for myself?

These wonderful athletes endure relentless illness and injury and then turn it all round in order to achieve something quite awe inspiring. I wish them all continued success in their careers, they really are superhuman.

By the way, I am taking hypnotherapy bookings for October, so if you have been considering this and you are ready to take the leap, why not get in touch and we can get a date in the diary.

Best wishes for autumn,

Wendy x

It hasn’t been a brilliant start to the year for me. I have been struck down for most of January by a strange and horrible lurgy which invaded my throat, chest and ears and even perforated one of my eardrums. Happy to say now that I am mostly recovered, voice and hearing have returned and my energy levels are back to normal. I have had a lot of time to rest, sleep and meditate which has probably not been such a bad thing. Prior to Christmas was a really hectic time for me and in truth I have probably been a little bit burnt out. The enforced rest came at the right time.

I was reading an excellent book recently called ‘When the body says no: the cost of hidden stress’ by Gabor Mate. He is a physician/psychologist who cites lots of examples of people – many of whom are incredibly driven – who seem to suffer physical illness which can then be linked very clearly to stress or trauma. I have always believed that there is a distinct link between the mind and the body and the more that we can be tuned into this, the better for our well-being. So, when I was poorly recently, I took time to switch off completely, had long naps and have been sure not to return to work too quickly. I have also made sure that I have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables and minimising the nasties. Mr Chalk has been away travelling quite a lot these past few weeks and I have even been venturing into vegan territory which I have really enjoyed. I have also ditched the alcohol (hard!) but I am not sure how long that is going to last.

I am now looking forward to welcoming some lovely new clients in 2024, my little Suffolk sanctuary is an oasis of peace so if you are feeling burnt out, stressed or just a bit ‘off’ do come and see me for some wonderfully calming hypnotherapy.

sending love and best wishes,

Wendy x

Today is World Mental Health Day and I think that we can mostly agree on two things :

1. Mental health issues are increasing exponentially
2. We do not seem to have found an effective and long term solution to mental health problems

A lot of effort seems to go into ‘raising awareness’ of mental health issues and also getting people talking.

I have an issue with both of those points. With regard to the first one, it seems to be that we now have what could almost be described as a ‘hyper’ awareness of mental health problems. They are spoken about endlessly on social media platforms, on TV and radio and in the press. Many celebrities are coming forward with their own stories about mental health struggles. It is generally seen as quite normal if you have had mental health challenges. In many ways this is a positive thing. We would not want to go back to a time where mental health issues were stigmatised or brushed under the carpet.

So, there is certainly more than enough ‘awareness’ now.

The bigger issue is how do we help people to feel better mentally, for the long term, not just as a quick fix.

There are a lot of campaigns which seem to have ‘getting people talking’ as their main premise to help to solve the mental health crisis. I do agree that this can be very helpful for many people, seeking support from friends or a therapist is to be encouraged. Many GPs encourage their patients to self-refer for ‘talking therapy’ which usually involves the patient having sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This involves talking to a therapist about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, helping to recognise negative patterns and tendencies. Although this can be helpful for some, I have had very many clients who have told me that it has either not helped at all, or (and I have a real issue with this) it has made them feel much worse.

I think that one of the reasons I have a problem with this approach is that I witness hypnotherapy working so powerfully and quickly for my clients, yet there continues to be the same blinkered approach being used, when it is quite clearly ineffective for many people. Hypnotherapy is unfortunately not available on the NHS as it is not licensed, and yet it has such a transformative effect on so any people.

The urge to ‘get people talking’ is also not helpful in some cases. For some of my patients they are so traumatised by events, that the very last thing they want to do is talk about them. Teenagers, in particular, may not find it at all easy to open up about their problems. This is where hypnotherapy can be so much more effective as there does not need to be much talking at all in a session, the therapy can work in a ‘content-free’ way, gently and positively encouraging change in how the client is feeling.

Therefore, on World Mental Health day, let’s not keep harping on about ‘awareness’ or ‘getting talking’, these are worn out records. Instead, how about we look at things with a fresh perspective, opening our minds to new therapies.

And I would say that the best of these therapies for mental health issues is hypnotherapy, obviously.

Warmest wishes for a mellow October,

Wendy x

I was interested to read that the UK rival to Barbie, the stylish and altogether more wholesome Sindy (or Cindy as she was first called) has turned 60. I feel a special affinity with Sindy, I could even be her slightly older sister, having picked up my senior railcard last year.

I had endless fun with my very own Sindy doll. I loved all of the little outfits and it was the most wonderful Christmas present when I received a whole set of new knitted outfits (made by my mum in secret, I had no idea!) Trouser suits, dresses, matching handbags, scarves, along with a Sindy wardrobe to put them in. I was in heaven!

I am not a hoarder by any means, and prefer to have regular clear outs, but I have kept my Sindy doll and her outfits. I do think that it keeps me closer to my mum and also reminds me of her loving kindness and devotion.

In many ways Sindy was the plainer, more sensible underdog to Barbie.

Born in the USA, Barbie was larger than life, usually adorned in shocking pink, shamelessly brash and with an impossible figure. In contrast Sindy was the quieter, calmer, understated sister. You felt that she had hidden depths but she was the one you could depend on in a crisis.

Some of us are late bloomers and I think that maybe Sindy and I could be in this category. During my early years I was incredibly shy and timid, lacking in confidence and self-esteem. I didn’t really find out what I wanted to do with my life until I was in my 50s, when I embarked on an Open University degree and then studied hypnotherapy. This has led to such a wonderfully interesting career which I count as an incredible blessing. I can honestly say that I am very happy and contented with my lot, but I do also realise that I have been lucky to have such amazing family and friends around me.

It is important to realise that we can always change and evolve. Even if we have felt ourselves to be the underdog at times, comparing ourselves to others’ seemingly more obvious brightness and success, we can become something really quite special.

Happy 60th birthday Sindy,

Wendy x

I have a joke for you and I apologise in advance for it.

The therapy client says ‘ I have an awful phobia of German sausages.’ To which the therapist replies : ‘I guess you could say that you fear the wurst.’

When I began my hypnotherapy career I didn’t really have an idea of the range of different issues I would end up treating, but I certainly didn’t imagine that getting rid of phobias would make up such a large proportion of my work. I guess I thought that I would mainly be seeing people for weight loss, stopping smoking and anxiety issues.

It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to have been able to help people to finally be free of a fear or phobia which has been overshadowing their lives.

From the fairly common phobias, which include flying, heights, needles, bridges and being sick, I have also encountered some less common ones, such as a fear of buttons, a fear of your stomach rumbling and fear of a very specific caterpillar. I always find it interesting what my lovely clients present with.

Every client is unique and it is very important for us to have an initial chat about their specific phobia. For example a fear of flying presents very differently for each person. For some it is a form of claustrophobia, for others a fear of losing control and for one client their flying fear was focused on not being able to go to the loo whilst in the air. There is never a one size fits all, therefore I tailor my approach very much to the individual.

A simple phobia can often need only a couple of sessions to fix and even after a single session some clients have let me know that they already feel so much better. Be wary of a therapist who ties you in to endless sessions, it is simply not necessary. It also helps my clients that I record a personalised download which you can use at home.

It is such a joy to hear back from clients who are feeling wonderful after finally shedding a phobia which has been dominating their life. They tell me that it feels like a weight has been lifted from them!

Please get in touch if you have a fear or phobia which you would like to be rid of. I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Sorry again about the joke!

Best wishes,

Wendy x