![]() For decades, people have turned to hypnotherapy to help them with all sorts of issues, from resolving hidden issues from childhood to major behavior modification. Hypnotherapy has been used with great success in helping people quit smoking, reduce stress and anxiety, build self-esteem, increase focus and memory retention, eliminate fears and phobias, sleep better, and more. It’s no wonder people are turning to hypnosis in greater numbers to also help them lose weight. Does it work, you ask? Hypnosis works on the unconscious mind through the power of suggestion, and the effectiveness with which a person can be hypnotized depends on how receptive they are to the experience. Put another way, hypnosis works best for people who come at it with an open mind and a true desire for change. How does hypnosis help a person lose weight? The same way it helps modify any behavior, by targeting your habits. It is a person’s habits that lead to excessive weight gain, and it’s a change in those habits, (replacing old “bad” ones with new “good” ones), that produce the kind of changes that can be sustained. To build new, desirable, and sustainable habits, it’s necessary to break down all those old associations regarding yourself, your weight, your appearance, food and eating, exercise, etc. and build new, positive and desirable associations. This is where hypnosis truly shines. In a hypnotic state, you can more easily overcome those unconscious obstacles that can block your weight loss efforts. Most people already know full well that proper diet and exercise is the way to lose weight, and yet so many find themselves helpless to do what they know they “should” be doing. Habits (whether good or bad), become so much a part of us we don’t even think about them most of the time, much less question them. But when we remove our conscious mind from the equation, we’re more easily able to access those deep-seeded assumptions and reprogram thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviors. Successful weight loss is a state of mind. A person must be willing to release that weight – not simply be willing to diet and exercise, but deep down, willing to rid the weight. True success depends on a winning attitude on an unconscious level that permeates everything you do, in whatever you do. Hypnosis can make adopting new, healthier habits so much easier and more pleasurable, as it can put you in the right frame of mind to reap the benefits of all you do to help you reach your weight loss goals. Hypnosis can help with building a new self-image, allowing you to envision yourself at your future, ideal weight. It can help build your optimism, enthusiasm and (most importantly) self-esteem for the task. And, hypnosis can help you experience some of the benefits of living at your ideal weight here and now, in the present, even while you live in the body in which you currently live.
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![]() Like most people around the world right now, you may be feeling overwhelmed or frightened during this time of turmoil with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. This is a stressful and anxious time for everyone. Kids are out of school, people have lost their jobs, businesses are closed, and most of us are working really hard to stay healthy and virus free. All this while we need to remain strong and carry on. Feeling anxious, stressed or fearful is a normal and expected reaction to this pandemic, but increased levels of stress can weaken your immune system. This is a time when you need your immune system to be stronger than ever! In light of this, I have created a FREE hypnosis session recording to help relieve some of that stress and worry so that you can feel calm and relaxed and remain strong in both body and mind. You can access your complimentary hypnosis session on my Youtube channel by clicking here: https://bit.ly/C19Hypno Feel free to share this link with anyone you know who would find it useful. We will get through this! ![]()
So many people go through their lives not understanding why they make the same mistakes, follow the same bad patterns, and exist in the same rut for years. They aren't happy with their current situation, but they seem to be unable to make any lasting changes.
Maybe you have attended seminars, read self-help books, and taken courses, but, in the end, fallen back into the same dysfunctional patterns you have always followed. You may wonder why it always turns out this way. We struggle to make permanent, lasting changes in our lives when we input information only into our conscious mind. Here's the problem: your conscious mind is not what directs your behaviors and belief system. To change your behaviors, you must first re-program the hard-wired center of your mind: your subconscious mind. How Does Your Subconscious Mind Work? The subconscious not only contains all of the messages we have received throughout our lives, but also holds millions upon millions of thoughts grouped into clusters that form beliefs, mindsets and character traits. The relationship between the conscious and subconscious minds is like an iceberg. The conscious mind can be characterized like the visible tip of the iceberg, while the subconscious is like the enormous lower portion of the iceberg, hidden from view. Although you can’t see the subconscious in action, it most definitely has a major impact on the voyage you take in your life. The subconscious is the place where all of your learned behaviors reside. Once you learn to walk, you don't need to consider how to move each foot to take the next step, do you? Of course not. Your subconscious mind automatically controls your steps. Your subconscious learns behavior through repetition and practice. Just as it learned to control your footsteps when you learned to walk, it also controls your footsteps in your life's journey, based on what you've reinforced throughout your life. Hypnosis allows us to communicate with the subconscious mind. When you re-program your subconscious, you can achieve just about anything. Hypnosis enables us to find a way to override the limiting or damaging messages that are stored in your subconscious mind by means of suggestion or other techniques so that you can make the permanent, positive changes you have been yearning to make. ![]() The holidays can be a time of joy with wonderful times shared with family and friends. The holidays can also turn into a time of overindulgence and overeating. Many people start the New Year drastically dieting, depriving themselves and feeling miserable. But it doesn’t need to be that way! You can learn how to stop overeating or snacking on junk food with the help of hypnosis, and finally reduce and maintain your ideal weight in 2019. Imagine finally fitting into those jeans that have been lurking in the back of your closet for so long. Hypnosis is not magic, but simply a state of inner absorption and concentration. When you're in hypnosis, your attention is highly focused, and you're more responsive to suggestions, including behavior and habit changes that can help you lose weight. With hypnosis, the conscious (analytical) part of the mind is bypassed and communication is made directly with the subconscious part of the mind. This is where all of your memories, feelings, behaviors and habits are stored. Forget the crash diets, starvation and feelings of deprivation. With hypnosis, you can actually feel satisfied and look forward to looking at that thinner you in the mirror. Did you know that hypnosis has been shown to be 3 times as effective as the nicotine patch and 15 times more effective than willpower alone?
The results from more than 600 individual studies involving over 72, 000 people from America and Europe were analyzed and studied. The findings state that on average, hypnosis is over three times as effective as the Nicotine Patch and 15 times more effective than trying to quit with willpower alone. As with any goal, you must be motivated to make the change. One good way to get clear on the reason for your goal is to ask yourself what your life will be like one year from now if you don’t make the change. What about five years in the future? Then, ask yourself how much better your life could be when you stop smoking. Isn’t it time? (Source: New Scientist, University of Iowa, How One in Five Give Up Smoking , Journal of Applied Psychology, October 10, 1992) ![]() Maybe you're really good at planning balanced meals, but things go awry during the hours in between. Mindless snacking can put you over the limit of food you should be consuming in a day and fill you up with sugar and other things you want to avoid. You can rid yourself of excess weight and protect your health by changing the way you snack. Check out this list for ideas about how to snack less and make smarter choices. How to Snack Less Be mindful. Are you surprised to find you've eaten half a cake when you really meant to have one slice? You'll probably be satisfied with less food if you pay attention to each bite. Turn off the TV and chew slowly. Leave the table. It's difficult to tell when dinner ends and snacking starts if you sit around nibbling leftovers on the serving platters. Clear the table and go for a walk. Drink up. Many people think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty. The next time you want a snack, drink a glass of water to see if the desire to snack goes away. Sleep well. Chronic fatigue can also make you want to eat. Go to bed on time and practice good sleep habits. Chew gum or Drink Tea. Sugar-free gum or tea are ideal snacks. Satisfy your sweet tooth and enjoy chewing without consuming any calories. Gum even helps to clean up bacteria in your mouth in between brushing and flossing. Caffeine free flavored teas are great substitutes for snacking. Keep a log. You may be snacking more than you think. Use your phone or a notebook to track what's really going on. Manage stress. Are you eating as a distraction to deal with difficult emotions? Call a friend or listen to music instead. Run in the morning or go to the gym after work. And finally, listening to a hypnosis recording can change your state and have you relaxed and feeling in control once again. Social anxiety, also called social phobia, is one of many anxieties for which people come to my office to be hypnotized. People who suffer from this disorder have an excessive and sometimes overwhelming fear of social situations.
A person with social anxiety feels intense nervousness and self-consciousness. They may fear making mistakes, or worry about being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others. Social anxiety can be amplified if a person lacks social skills or experience in social situations. In extreme cases the anxiety can build into a full blown panic attack. Some people with social anxiety often quietly endure the social situations, all the while feeling extreme distress. Others may avoid any social gatherings or situations altogether. Many times a person who has social anxiety suffers "anticipatory" anxiety, the fear of a situation before it even happens (sometimes days or even weeks before the event). In many cases, these people know (consciously) that the fear is irrational, yet they are unable to overcome it on their own. Without intervention, social anxiety can negatively affect a person's normal daily routine including school, work, social activities, and relationships. The fears can range from being afraid of a specific situation such as speaking in public or being the center of attention, or may involve the fear of going to parties or being in a group, asking questions or speaking up, or even just standing in line in public. Hypnotherapy is one of the most effective ways to heal social anxiety permanently, because we resolve in the subconscious mind what is causing it (the “root” cause). Once the cause of the social anxiety is resolved, the fear and related systems can automatically disappear. You don’t have to live with social anxiety. Hypnotherapy can boost confidence and raise self-esteem and help you regain control of your (social) life. ![]() Everyone knows how hard it is to quit smoking. There are countless ways that people try to end their smoking habit, only to start up again days, weeks, or even months later. The uѕе of раtсhеѕ оr gum alone іѕ nоt a solution - thеу mеrеlу mаѕk the рrоblеm. Even іf you taper оff uѕіng these рrоduсtѕ, thе psychological аѕресt оf the habit ѕtіll rеmаіnѕ. Thіѕ рѕусhоlоgісаl fасtоr of ѕmоkіng іѕ something the drugѕ аnd other рrоduсtѕ оn the mаrkеt cannot address. Yet thіѕ аѕресt of the habit is what makes реорlе revert to smoking again - еvеn аftеr thе рhуѕісаl dеѕіrе for nісоtіnе іѕ lоng gone. Smоkіng іѕ a hаbіt. It is a learned bеhаvіоr that a person repeats dау аftеr dау, уеаr after уеаr. Nicotine, аlthоugh a роwеrful drug, lеаvеѕ the system within twеlvе tо twеntу-fоur hоurѕ. It makes temporary сhаngеѕ іn thе brain, whісh аrе rереаtеd thrоugh recurring exposures. It is thuѕ more a habit than an addiction. A habit that has bееn rереаtеd time аnd tіmе again. And habits, еvеn lоng lаѕtіng hаbіtѕ, саn bе сhаngеd. This іѕ whеrе thе use оf hурnоѕіѕ is ѕо роwеrful. Inѕtеаd of just fосuѕіng оn thе рhуѕісаl aspect оf smoking, thаt іѕ, the tеmроrаrу еffесtѕ оf nicotine whісh dіѕѕіраtеs in a relatively ѕhоrt tіmе; hypnosis focuses on the habitual аѕресt оf ѕmоkіng, which, іn ѕоmе cases, nеvеr lеаvеѕ thе individual who smоkеѕ. Thеrе have bееn cases where реорlе have quіt ѕmоkіng fоr years, оnlу tо rеturn to thе hаbіt. In fасt, mаnу people who uѕеd tо ѕmоkе ѕtаtе they still sometimes have thе urgе tо lіght uр a сіgаrеttе. Bу trеаtіng ѕmоkіng аѕ a habit, a hурnоthеrаріѕt can tеасh their client to сhаngе thіѕ lеаrnеd, rереаtеd behavior. We first rеfrаmе the wау you lооk at smoking. Thеn, uѕіng hypnosis, wе іntrоduсе the subconscious mind to thе same information you learned in a nоrmаl state оf awareness. Once thе conscious mіnd аnd thе subconscious mind аrе "оn thе ѕаmе раgе" ѕо tо speak, іt mаkеѕ еndіng thе ѕmоkіng hаbіt muсh еаѕіеr to accomplish. A great deal of the compulsion to smoke cigarettes - as well as all habits for that matter - is psychological. While many methods to treat these habits focus on the physical aspect of the problem, unless the psychological factor is addressed, this is often a waste of time, effort, and money. When you think about hypnosis, you may imagine a tuxedo-clad man slowly swinging a watch in front of your face, or barking like a dog. This is a Hollywood-made myth, and certainly not the method that is used by certified hypnotherapists. Hypnotherapists are professionals who have had education, training and experience in using hypnosis to improve their clients’ health, using the power of the client’s own mind. One important point I should make is that in оrdеr fоr уоu tо stop ѕmоkіng, уоu muѕt truly want tо bесоmе a non-smoker. Thіѕ іѕ thе ѕіnglе mоѕt іmроrtаnt ѕtер. You саnnоt change thіѕ habit tо рlеаѕе a ѕроuѕе or parent оr оthеr lоvеd оnе. If you are just trуіng tо рlеаѕе someone else, your еffоrtѕ аrе dооmеd to fаіlurе. If, оn thе оthеr hаnd, you are trulу motivated tо become a nоn-ѕmоkеr, іt is a mаjоr step tо асhіеvіng that goal. Smoking is a serious, harmful, life and health-threatening, and costly, habit, but one that can be broken permanently. And, as is the case of any harmful behavior, all factors that figure into it must be addressed in order to be successful. Once all of those factors are addressed, you can then replace those harmful, unwanted habits and behaviors with new, positive, healthy habits and behaviors. Oh, and then congratulate yourself. ![]() I work with many clients for sleep issues. Some clients want to reduce their dependence on sleep medications, others want to be able to easily drift to sleep and turn off the rambling in their heads, and some want help with staying asleep throughout the night. If you suffer from any of these sleep issues, you are not alone. We all know how we feel when we fail to sleep well; we can feel cranky, we don’t think as clearly and find it hard to focus after just a few nights of poor sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause your brain to function inefficiently. You may find yourself having trouble making decisions or solving problems. When you are sleep deficient, your emotions may feel out of control; you are more likely to get angry or feel impulsive and experience mood swings. Losing sleep can increase your overall stress levels and your reaction to stress. While a certain amount of stress is a normal part of everyday life, being sleep deprived makes those normal stressors seem much worse. This can begin a vicious cycle, where you lose sleep due to stress, which increases your stress, which keeps you from sleeping. Lack of sleep has also been linked to many chronic health conditions, including heart and kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also increase the risk of stroke. Your body requires sleep to repair the wear and tear on your heart and blood vessels as well as the rest of your body. If you are sleep deprived, it can also interfere with insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar. Less sleep can equal higher blood sugar, which increases the risk of diabetes. Insomnia and lack of sleep has also been linked weight gain. Sleep helps keep your hormones in balance. When you are sleep deprived, your body ends up producing more Ghrelin (which makes you hungry) and less Leptin (which makes you feel full). Getting good, restful sleep is vital, both for your body and your mind to function properly. So how can we improve our ability to sleep well naturally? The first step is to practice good sleep habits, or hygiene. Below are some sleep habits that can help:
![]() We all seem to know that the formula to lose weight is to eat less and be more active. So why aren't we all slim and trim? Often, many of us have a lot of baggage in our subconscious minds weighing us down. Hypnotherapy is a tool that can help us focus on what we need to accomplish for true weight loss success. A few key factors in order for us to make the necessary changes are:
Most of us spend our lives surrounded by negative messages from the media, friends and family. People use a lot of negative self-talk and don’t practice helpful, positive thought patterns. They say, “I’ve tried everything, and diets don’t work”, or “I’ve been struggling my whole life, it’s too hard”. But hypnosis can remove the mental blocks we’ve made for ourselves. Our negative emotions mean we often eat for the wrong reasons. It’s called emotional eating. People will eat when they're sad, lonely, bored or angry – as a distraction measure, and then they'll feel guilty and beat themselves up afterwards, creating a downward spiral. This one change can make a huge difference in a person’s success at releasing excess weight, no matter how long they have struggled. Once we get on top of the negative emotions, we can break the cycle and replace our negative thoughts with positive ones. With hypnosis we bypass the critical, analytical part of the mind and go straight to the subconscious, where all of our memories, feelings, habits and behaviors are stored. We feed it with positive suggestions, and then real, lasting change begins to take place. While many people succeed in losing weight in the short term, they often have trouble keeping it off. This is where hypnotherapy can lead to success. The real key is changing the way we think about weight loss. It's not about losing weight or feeling deprived, but about getting rid of something we no longer need or want and creating a whole new relationship with food and our bodies. We focus on what we DO want. One of the most powerful messages hypnosis can get across is that we always have the power to choose. We can have that piece of chocolate cake, but we don't have to have it. Hypnosis can help create a relationship with ourselves where we are not fighting ourselves, but making the choices that we want to make. |
AuthorLaura Rude, Certified Hypnotherapist Archives
February 2022
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The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Hypnotherapy is not intended to replace your mental or health care practitioners, rather to be used as an adjunct for any medical or other program you are following. I do not diagnose, prescribe for, or treat any physical, mental or psychological ailment.
HealthWise Hypnosis proudly serves clients online across the US, as well as Issaquah and the following communities around King County: Sammamish, Bellevue, Renton, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Preston, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Kent, Redmond, Kirkland, Auburn, Seatac, Seattle, King County, Tacoma, Lynnwood, Woodinville, Federal Way, and Carnation.
The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Hypnotherapy is not intended to replace your mental or health care practitioners, rather to be used as an adjunct for any medical or other program you are following. I do not diagnose, prescribe for, or treat any physical, mental or psychological ailment.
HealthWise Hypnosis proudly serves clients online across the US, as well as Issaquah and the following communities around King County: Sammamish, Bellevue, Renton, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Preston, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Kent, Redmond, Kirkland, Auburn, Seatac, Seattle, King County, Tacoma, Lynnwood, Woodinville, Federal Way, and Carnation.