I often get asked the question ‘how is hypnosis different to meditation’? Whilst there are similarities, there are differences too and it’s interesting to discover more about this. Also, it’s worth having a quick explanation on mindfulness, so I will try to do that too.

If you have ever tried meditation (and there are different schools, methods, philosophies etc.) you would probably agree that the simplest way to describe it is a calming of the mind. Whether you focus on your breathing, or a particular object, or maybe a mantra, you are just trying to quieten the mind (or the chattering monkey, that part of the mind which is often overthinking).

In hypnosis there is also a quietening of the mind, and this in itself is very beneficial. But in addition (and this is where I think the power of hypnosis lies) positive suggestions are made, based on what you – the client – has told me about your own particular situation. And because you are so relaxed, perhaps you could almost say you are in a meditative state, you take on board these suggestions, so allowing for change to begin to happen, whether that is feeling more confident, eating healthier, letting go of particular fears.

I almost think of hypnosis as a guided meditation, it is much more instructive and solution focussed. Whereas, basic meditation is quite simply allowing the mind to quieten. Although this can be a useful tool, in some cases I would say that it could be problematic too, as – particularly with somebody who is suffering from depression – there is then a tendency to dwell even more on the negative. With somebody suffering from depression I would go so far as saying that hypnosis is going to be more beneficial, as there is a gentle guiding towards a more optimistic and positive mindset.

Mindfulness – which I use in my sessions to begin to calm and relax the mind and body – is quite simply focussing on particular experiences. So it could be just concentrating on the breath, or maybe sounds, or just noticing how the body feels, or even just focussing on a particular experience.

I do hope that these explanations have helped. It’s all powerful, and in my opinion quite wonderful, stuff. If you have any questions please let me know!

Best wishes,
Wendy x

It has recently been announced that NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) are going to instruct GPs to put obese people on cookery courses, to help them learn how to cook nutritious food from scratch. These courses will cost over £400 each and are geared towards helping to stem the obesity crisis.

Whilst I think there is some sense in this, I am also concerned that it is not going to be the answer as it is a much longer term, sustainable solution that we need which addresses the different – often complex – factors behind the reason so many of us are overweight and obese.

I realise that I am very lucky because, as a child, I had the opportunity to cook with my mum. Saturday mornings would be baking time, and I would have my little bit of pastry and my mini rolling pin, happily making jam tarts or sausage rolls. Not so healthy really, but it got me into cooking at a young age, and so I could begin to be confident and relaxed around food. At school we were taught domestic science which I believe is now called ‘food technology’ (please somebody rename it, call it cookery class, for heavens sake!) I learnt how to make all sorts of basic staples, they were perhaps a bit carby, but they were unprocessed and wholesome – meat pies, Victoria sandwich, apple crumble – and they helped to further increase my confidence in the kitchen.

Nowadays there are many children (and adults) who have quite simply never been taught how to cook, with the result that they tend to consume ready meals and junk food. It is cheap, quick to prepare, and also – this is the crux of the problem – loaded with processed gunk which is highly addictive, and makes people want to eat more of it.

So, yes, it would make sense to have cookery lessons, but it does make me wonder why can’t this be taught in schools? And perhaps it should be obligatory for students to attend. Cooking is a skill that I believe everyone should be able to learn.

HOWEVER, along with this, we do need to simplify the message about what constitutes healthy food. Many GPs and dietitians are still handing out diet sheets with the old low fat, low calorie instructions, when it has been well-proven now that it is an excess of sugar and carbs which is making us fat. Michael Mosley’s ‘Blood sugar diet’ would be an ideal place to start, as he recommends a generally low-carb Mediterranean diet which includes healthy fats such as nuts, olive oil and whole milk yoghurt.

Also we need to limit access to fast junk food outlets, these are evil places and should be wiped off the face of the earth. There is a direct correlation between these and people starting to get very fat. You just need to look at China and the Far East to see how the arrival of the Golden Arches has begun to create huge (quite literally) health problems.

So, cookery courses for obese people on the NHS, yes they are a good idea, as long as there are other measures in place to educate and inform about food, and how it can nourish and heal.
Also, ways which we can encourage a culture of cooking things from scratch, easily and quickly. I have just bough Jamie’s 5 ingredients recipe book, which is brilliant.

Happy cooking everyone,
Wendy x

Yes, you may well wonder at the title of this blog – we haven’t had Christmas yet, you’re thinking, what’s she on about!

The thing is, this time of year always seems to me like the real time for new starts, refreshed from the summer, starting a new school/college/university/job, exciting times! Also, it is true that many frazzled parents look forward to having a bit of quiet time after the holidays and it can be a good period for them to take stock too.

Whatever you are about to embark on, it’s good to be able to feel confident and prepared for new challenges ahead. It can also feel like an unsettled time, particularly for those who may not have gained the exam results they were expecting. It’s a scary world sometimes, so we need to feel strong and resilient but also calm and balanced.

Hypnotherapy can help a great deal in boosting self-confidence, reminding you of your particular strengths and helping you to tackle your weak points.

If you feel that a course of hypnotherapy would be beneficial, please contact me and we can work together to make sure that you are the best that you can be – whatever life changes are in store for you.

Very best wishes,
Wendy x

Mr C and myself have returned from a wonderful holiday in Antigua, fully relaxed, refreshed and revived. For most of the time we just chilled, ate delicious food, soaked up the sun and read our books. We do also have a bit of a guilty pleasure which may sound a bit strange but we listened to ‘The Archers’ on podcast. There’s nothing quite like catching up on Eddie Grundy’s latest exploits while lying on a Caribbean beach with a cocktail in your hand!

We did mix it up a bit and explored the island too. It’s a beautiful place with as many as 365 beaches, and lots of fantastic wildlife.

One of the highlights of our holiday, however, was to see the annual carnival. This is almost like a smaller version of Rio, with the most amazing bands and dancing groups. The noise, chaos and vibrant colours were joyous to behold and you couldn’t help but join in with the dancing and partying. Particularly striking were the costumes, with an array of feathers, sequins and fabric structured into enormous bird like outfits.

We were so privileged to be able to see this spectacle, but what particularly struck me was the fact that, even though many of the female dancers were quite overweight, they had not one jot of self consciousness. Instead there seemed to be this wonderful feeling of body confidence – whatever size, shape, colour they were – it really did not matter, as they were just caught up in the spirit of the day.

Of course we all know that it is not healthy to be overweight, but as a society we are also far too obsessed with being perfect, when if only we could accept ourselves as we are. There is a song which has the following lyrics which I love :

‘All of me loves all of you, love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections’.

Happy holidays everyone,
Wendy x

With the weather being so lovely at present, some of us may be turning our thoughts to losing a bit of weight and looking good in our summer clothes.

Weight loss is an issue close to my own heart as I have personally experienced many diets, slimming clubs and exercise regimes in order to try and lose the pounds. The conclusion that I have come to is that everyone is different, a low carb diet may work brilliantly for some and a low fat one for others. Ultimately it’s a question of finding what works for you. For myself I have made my peace with food, finding that a combination of intermittent fasting along with eating a healthy Mediterranean diet works best for me. I have always been a foodie so the idea of depriving myself or glugging down shakes and soups made from powdered stuff is abhorrent to me.

How hypnotherapy can help, I find, is that it gently guides you to the right way of eating for you. It seems to sort things out in your mind, so that you are much more in tune with your own needs, following hunger patterns, and eating till you are sated. If you like, you can think of it as putting your sensible head on.

I usually advise 3 to 4 sessions of hypnosis for maximum benefit, and also record a personalised download for you to listen to at home. If you feel it would help we can also weigh you at each session. Having spoken to a lot of different clients the one beneficial thing they found about weight loss groups was the weigh-in and many people would just go in order to have that part of the session. So we can do that too, if you like.

Do contact me if you feel that you would like to try hypnotherapy for weight loss. I shall look forward to meeting you.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

It has almost become accepted that being constantly busy is the norm in today’s whirlwind society and that any time taken out for navel-gazing is just so supremely self-indulgent. Some of my clients tell me that they feel guilty just doing nothing even for 10 minutes, and that they have to fill their day to the brim with stuff, even after leaving work.

It is not so surprising then that more and more people are suffering with ill health, both physically and mentally, as they are simply not giving their minds and bodies a chance to rest. I believe that having a time of quiet each day (and whether that’s just sitting and resting, meditating, listening to a piece of music – whatever is your thing) is just as important as sleep, exercise and good nourishing food. They all play a part in making us feel well.

When clients tell me that they find it difficult to relax, it’s interesting to then discover that they actually respond really well to hypnosis. Somehow when there is somebody there giving gentle and calming instructions it seems to be a lot easier. And then experiencing that blissful feeling of deep calm is such a revelation to them, and they become hooked (in a very healthy way). Having the hypnosis download that I record for each client to listen to at home is then a really simple way to continue the habit of zoning out for a few minutes each day.

If you are interested in finding out more about the wonderful way that hypnosis can ‘de-frazzle’ your mind and relax your body, please contact me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Wendy x

This is the time of year when I tend to see a number of clients who are keen to lose a bit of weight. Hypnotherapy is an excellent way to shed weight in a natural, healthy way and it has the added effect of boosting our confidence too.

However, it is important to point out that weight management is really quite a complex issue and I do point out to clients that other factors needed to be taken into account when they embark on a weight loss programme.

Firstly, we must examine whether there are physical issues which may have contributed to weight gain and therefore it is important to see a doctor to rule any of these out. For example the client may perhaps have an underactive thyroid, and this can lead to weight gain even on a light diet as the metabolism is not functioning correctly. Another problem which can cause weight gain particularly round the middle is the stress hormone, cortisol, which can effect a lot of people in today’s high pressure world.

There is then the emotional connection with food, which may have begun in childhood with a parent giving us something sugary and yummy when we were upset/bored/unwell etc. It’s well known that chocolate can give you the same feeling you get when you are in love, and also food manufacturers are very clever at making products which contain an addictive cocktail of ingredients. Very often we reward ourselves with that cake or piece of chocolate in times of stress. These can be difficult habits to break, and unlike smoking (which we don’t need to do so we can cut it out completely) we have to eat to survive.

Many of my clients are really fed up with the old pattern of dieting, then bingeing and just want to live their lives eating healthily and normally. There is also pressure from the media to be a certain weight, but we are all different builds. My mum and I both take a size 12/14 but I am 3 stone heavier than her.

When I see a client for weight loss I am very careful to look at the whole picture and advise, if necessary, a visit to the GP or perhaps a nutritionist as there may be food intolerances there too. We look at lifestyle too, and ways in which the client can easily incorporate some exercise. It has to be practical and sustainable in order to work.

The ‘magic’ bit, the hypnotherapy then brings everything together, helping to deeply relax the client (this has profound physical and emotional benefits) and gently weaving in suggestions for changing habits, so that he or she can then be aware of automatically eating smaller, healthier portions and feel wonderful, full of energy and a sense of wellbeing.

Everyone is different, and this is why I make sure that I use a truly holistic approach with each person that I see. I really want to make sure that lasting changes are made, not just a quick fix.

If you would like to arrange an appointment to chat about weight loss, please do get in touch.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

Last weekend I attended a really interesting course in the use of hypnotherapy for pain management, organised by the London College of Clinical Hypnosis.

It’s not generally known but hypnosis has been used as anaesthesia over the centuries, very often on the front line. Even for procedures such as amputations it has been found to be effective in almost completely eliminating pain, and also subsequently resulting in much less chance of infection.

Even today, where the use of modern anaesthetics is taken for granted, there are still some countries in which the patient is given the option of receiving hypnosis instead of a general anaesthetic. Studies have shown that these operations result in a much quicker healing rate for the patient.

Whilst I am not about to start performing operations, I am very keen to apply the techniques I have learnt in helping people who suffer with pain symptoms. Chronic pain – regardless of its cause – can be a desperately debilitating condition, and in some cases leads the sufferer to contemplatating suicide, as the alternative is unbearable.

Do get in touch if you would like to find out more.

Best wishes as always,
Wendy x

I have a bit of exciting news. I have been invited to become a Senior Associate with the Royal Society of Medicine, a highly respected organisation which was set up in 1805, as an educational establishment and connecting point for all the different medical specialities.

It is encouraging that the society seems to be opening up more to complementary medicine, having traditionally been a body which largely represents mainstream medicine. This does seem to indicate that the medical profession are beginning to realise the benefit of some alternative therapies, and the value of these being incorporated into modern medicine.

For me and my clients membership of the society will bring huge benefits as I will have access to cutting edge training, education and research on a range of different subjects including neuroscience, psychiatry and nutrition to name a few.

I have always believed that the more we continue to learn about the health of our minds and bodies, the better. There is still a vast amount that we do not know, and we must continue to be open to finding out and discovering the wonderful complexities that exist inside us.

Best wishes,
Wendy x

As many of my friends and family know, I am addicted to ‘Call the Midwife’ and so the world has to stop while I get my Sunday evening fix at 8pm.

The issues dealt with in the programme are quite hard-hitting and last Sunday’s episode was perhaps even more moving than usual. The part of the programme which upset me the most was when we saw the desperate state of the inmates of the mental asylum. It somehow seems quite shocking to realise that these types of institutions were still in existence until relatively recently.

I was chatting to a client about this, and we both agreed that these places were barbaric and it would be wrong to go back to a system like this. However, the replacement ideal of having ‘care in the community’ has never really materialised. People with mental issues – both moderate and severe – are increasingly left to their own devices. I think that the care offered for somebody experiencing mental ill health would probably vary according to where you live, but very often boils down to the GP giving you a prescription for anti-depressants and perhaps the contact number of the wellbeing service. Very often people are having to wait months for a referral to a specialist.

It used to be the case that GP surgeries had an in-house counsellor and I think this was an excellent idea, as it meant that it was possible to chat to someone straight away about issues that may have been affecting you.

Nowadays you have to wait to be referred, and also there is still the rather limited view that cognitive behavioural therapy is the only proven therapy to work, whilst it is patently clear that it is certainly NOT working for everyone as we would not have the crisis in mental health which we now do.

It is difficult to know what the answer is, but I do feel that it is important for the patient to be seen very quickly by a mental health professional if they have problems, perhaps having at least one counsellor available in each GP surgery. Sometimes just talking to somebody is all that’s needed, and the GPs do not have the time to offer the support needed. Also the NHS need to be more open to alternative therapies (such as hypnosis!) for mental health issues, not just doggedly continuing with the same treatments which are quite patently not working.

We can never go back to a time when mentally frail people were incarcerated, but we do have to make sure that care in the community means just that.

Best wishes,
Wendy x