Mindfulness and PTSD: How Remaining Present Promotes Relief

If you live with PTSD, you know that your inner world can become confusing and frustrating. The triggers and memories that arise and threaten to overwhelm you. Symptoms are eased with the help of therapy and trusted supporters. The more patience you show yourself the better. The more tools you have to calm and comfort yourself the more productive your life can be.

Mindfulness for PTSD is such a tool.

In effect, being mindful, or "in the moment," can help you create a quiet mental place to address and soothe your trauma symptoms. The practice of being present is often the key to relief and comfort.

Of course, when fear and tension seem to live within you, achieving a peaceful state of mind is easier said than done.

How can you self-soothe and learn to work through waves of nervousness, suspicion, hypervigilance, and upset? Consider the following ways mindfulness practice helps you become more observant and calm. 

Mindfulness for PTSD Helps You Become Aware and Accepting

Mindfulness is the ability to remain in the here and now. What you notice, engage, and share now is all you can control and affect. Thus, it is all that deserves the bulk of your attention.

With regards to PTSD, this is crucial. Mindfulness supports a path to overcoming intrusive and persistent thoughts and memories. Your rumination on the feelings thoughts and sensations linked to your traumatic past is eased and overcome by a willingness to let life be what it is. 

As you pay attention to the present world and the people around you now, trauma-related memories take up less space in your mind. The reactivity, numbness, and anxiety linked to the past can give way to calm as your mind and body recognize that you are currently safe.

You control what's going on in the present. Over time, mindfulness mitigates anxious avoidance as a coping mechanism. Soon, your body and mind resume a healthier interaction and you feel a greater sense of self-control.

Mindfulness Supports Self-compassion and Non-Judgmental Processing

PTSD unhelpfully narrates your life. Your trauma script implies a lack of safety and reliability at every turn. This is unproductive and unfair to you. Your traumatic experience needn't define you. 

To mindfully approach your life and dismantle unhelpful beliefs, it's important to notice assumptions, self-criticism, and the desire to avoid or control your thoughts. Then, you can intentionally let those things go. You don't have to do more.

Mindfulness is the practice of allowing thoughts to come and go without forcing anything. Preconceived notions of how things should be are decreased when you are mindful. How things are, how you feel, and the way you experience life now, are all okay and honest. Acknowledge, rather than judge, your hurt. Permit yourself to stop hiding from pain. Give up the habit of harshly criticizing yourself for your reaction to it.

Mindfulness gives you the tools to observe and comfort yourself. The regret, shame, and anxiety of PTSD no longer dominate you but lessen, as you feel empowered to notice discomfort and let it pass.

Embrace Empowerment and Release Overwhelm

As awareness, acceptance, and calm observation become habits, you will likely start to feel capable and tolerant. You can better cope with your own thoughts, uncertainty, and triggers. Your memories exist, but with less power to upend your life or ruin interactions with others. You can move forward and attack your goals knowing that you have the tools to face and endure links to the past.

Mindfulness supports a natural state of breathing, attunement to your surroundings, and balance. You aren’t devoting energy to avoidance or suppression, you aren’t forcing yourself to change or "get over" your past. You can move ahead because you are gentle with yourself, intentionally reorienting your mind,

Your improved ability to tune into and ground both your body and your mind. Ultimately mindfulness supports a sense of freedom, self-control, and a brighter outlook.

Take the Next Step

PTSD is not a life sentence. It's a treatable condition. You can recover, you deserve relief. Mindfulness can help.  

Your trauma treatment may include meditation, breathwork, and more. Work with a qualified therapist is a helpful way to create a practice that meets your particular needs. 

Please don't continue to suffer your PTSD symptoms without support. Read more about trauma therapy and contact us for a consultation soon. We're here to help you feel better and live well.

Complex Trauma: How You Can Cope & Learn to Support Your Own Recovery

If you experienced complex trauma, you lived through something terrible and prolonged. Unlike a sudden disaster or single, cruel violation, your disturbing experience occurred repeatedly. It may have even escalated over time. You may have not been able to foresee the neglect, abuse, or violence ever ending. And when it did, you may have wondered how to move forward.

To find relief from complex trauma, you will need the help and support of a qualified therapist. There is no shame in seeking help or needing support. You deserve to feel safe and receive comfort.

Thankfully too, there are also steps you can take to aid your recovery process and forward before, during, and after therapy. Consider the following strategies and skills:

Key Ways to Cope with Complex Trauma

Honor the Connection Between Your Mind and Body

Trauma is stored in your body. Taking a body-centered approach to finding relief can help you feel more self-controlled and secure. Spend time caring for your body and paying attention to your bodily responses to memories, thoughts, and trauma triggers.

Give yourself permission to notice your reactions. Prepare to cope with them with breathing techniques, relaxation exercises, and self-care. These methods empower you to acknowledge and address the internal tension productively.

Get Present and Stay Present

Do you sometimes find yourself lost in the pain, sadness, or helplessness of your past? For complex trauma survivors, flashbacks can be frequent, vivid, and a source of deep anxiety. Worries about safety and preparedness can be crippling. 

To cope, you may tend to become controlling, needy, or simply overwhelmed. For the sake of your mental health and relationships, find ways to keep yourself grounded in the present moment. Cultivating mindfulness is often key to calm and effective regulation of your emotions.

Practice letting your thoughts come and go freely. Concentrate on your breathing. Uses your senses to focus only on your current environment. As you learn to recognize and compassionately accept your own feelings, responses, and sensations, you'll enjoy an increased sense of awareness, wellbeing, and relief.

Notice and Challenge Abusive, Critical Self-talk

 Have you lived with shame, the belief that you are unwanted or unlovable? Do you tell yourself that you're never going to be much? D you think that you're to blame for the past, or that no one cares about you or could? Perhaps you've convinced yourself that you have to compromise your needs and boundaries to have love or gain acceptance.

Complex trauma goes deep. It pokes holes in your self-image. You may automatically embrace feelings of worthlessness as truth.

To recover from the lies your trauma tells you, it's important to identify and challenge unhelpful beliefs about yourself. Though they’re tough to face, you get to be the first person to push back against negativity and judgment. 

Self-affirming self-talk is powerful. Take small steps daily to pay attention to the ways you judge yourself. Consciously reject anything that tears you down.

Reaching Out Fosters Relief

This will likely be difficult. Be patient with yourself. Complex trauma, not surprisingly, leaves many sufferers feeling isolated and lonely. Your experience might have left you feeling that your pain, reactions, or the nature of the experience was unique You might believe that no one else suffers the same way. You may feel abandoned or ashamed.

This is exactly why connecting with others is crucial to the treatment process. Learning to seek out safe, trustworthy people will expand your perspective and dismantle some of the power of the past. Sharing in a support group, with a nonjudgemental loved one, or a reliable member of your faith community may be a good first attempt at finding comfort and support.

Why Therapy Matters

Complex trauma is, as the name implies, difficult to sort out on your own. But, with help, recovery is possible. The life you want can be yours. Reaching that future just requires qualified care and support.
Sessions with a professional, in addition to the self-supportive strategies mentioned above, can foster long-term healing.

Your therapist's job is to help you find a new path where freedom, confidence, and balance are part of the journey. Let us help you learn to trust yourself and your right to a happier life. Read here about trauma therapy and contact us soon for a new start.

 

Why Hypnotherapy Is Important For Meeting Your New Year Goals

New Year’s resolutions feed the excitement of fresh starts and new beginnings. After a year like 2020, many of us long for both. We want the whole “new year, new me” experience. We hope to move forward, leaving the pandemic, the extra pounds, the lost time, and heartbreaking grief behind us.

So we make our lists. We circle days and months on the calendar. We set up our apps.

What don’t we do? We don’t change our mindsets. We fail to transform our thoughts. And by February, our hopeful resolutions fade in the face of old habits. 

Why Hypnotherapy is a Resolution Game Changer

Don’t give up on your goals just yet. Hypnotherapy helps people see their resolutions through. The practice is a powerful means for addressing the thoughts and habits that feed self-limiting beliefs and obstacles.

People who smoke, overeat, manage phobias, and wrestle with dress and anxiety, have had long-term success with hypnotherapy for decades. Why? Because the focus isn’t on a makeover of your whole self. You probably don’t need a whole new you. Instead, you likely need a revised set of assumptions about yourself and the world around you.

Lasting change is a function of the mental energy you put into it. The goals you set are achievable when you see obstacles and stressors with a new perspective. It is necessary to do more than hope and wish to become or achieve.

An experienced hypnotherapist can guide you and encourage a more productive state of mind. Uncovering the reasons for assuming a useful behavior or releasing an unhelpful one helps design the meaningful goals you’ll stick with.

Hypnotherapy Can Help You Define Your Own Success

Resolutions should reflect you. Not the ideals of the culture or someone else’s hopes for you. That’s the only way you can really buy-in. This is your year.

Perhaps your original resolution was the well-worn “ lose weight” goal. However, midway through January, you find it isn’t really gelling. What’s the problem? Likely, your desire to change isn’t defined enough.

What does successful weight loss look like? Can you see yourself in that desired state? These things are a must for changes that matter to you and are worth the effort. 

Hypnotherapy is a proven tool for envisioning and embracing that future vision of yourself. Therapy sessions provide the time and space to mentally find, define, and fine-tune the results you’re after. From there, the necessary steps toward your goal come together with less stress and more joy. The work must still be done… but it isn’t endless or without focus. Your vision of success becomes real and within reach.

Hypnotherapy Helps When Years Past Interfere with New Year Promises

If you sense that more than a lack of focus and vision are compromising your way forward, don’t worry. Your hypnotherapist can help you there too. Together you can identify, examine, and tackle any problems, trauma, or memories that could be obscuring a clear picture of yourself and your abilities.

It could be that your confidence or self-esteem needs to recover from the past before prioritizing your new goals. Otherwise, self-sabotage could set you back.

To settle the past, an experienced and compassionate hypnotherapist will facilitate your journey backward. Safely and effectively, the practice can help you reframe past events productively. In hypnotherapy, you’ll be able to see disturbing events or unhelpful situations as life lessons. As a result, your viewpoints shift positively and more helpful beliefs become the supportive foundations of your future.

There’s No Time Like Now

Perhaps you’re curious about the potential benefits hypnotherapy can offer you now and tomorrow. Don’t spend any more of this year waiting to find out. We are here for you. Please reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session

How Hypnotherapy Can Help You Finally Get to Sleep

Insomnia has become so common that many people think of it as normal. Almost one in three Americans experience some kind of sleep issue but most chalk it as a part of life.

 Yet, what is most often true is that insomnia is an offshoot of low-level anxiety. This virtually invisible, underlying cause can interrupt your normal sleep patterns and set off a cycle of other problems. You’ll have trouble concentrating, become irritable, experience mood swings, and lower your immune function.

What if over-the-counter and/or prescription medications are not the answer? Could the best approach be hypnotherapy?

What is Hypnotherapy?

It springs from a heightened state of awareness brought on by using mental images or verbal repetition. Under the guidance of a trained practitioner, you will be able to block out much of what is going on around you. In this state, you may feel calmer than usual. You may be more open to suggestion and become aware of the emotions and thoughts that your conscious mind chooses to ignore. Through it all, you never lose control of your behavior.

Hypnotherapy is often used for:

• Behavior changes

• Pain control

• Substance abuse

• Bad habits

• Sexual dysfunction

• Anxiety

• Insomnia

Obviously, those last two items relate directly to this post. Before we move more specifically to that topic, there are three of the many positive aspects of hypnotherapy:

• No side effects

• Drug-free

• Proven track record

What is Insomnia?

Let’s say you’re having trouble falling and/or staying asleep at least 3 nights a week over the course of at least 3 months. If so, you are probably struggling with insomnia. It may be caused by a primary event, e.g. stress, environment, or work schedule. Conversely, a secondary factor could be involved.

These range from physical ailments to medications to the aforementioned anxiety. Regardless of the specifics, if you’ve got insomnia, you know how challenging it can be. So, once you’ve made certain there aren’t other underlying concerns, it’s time to consider trying hypnosis therapy.

3 Ways Hypnotherapy Can Help You Finally Get to Sleep

Our sleep patterns, healthy or not, can wind up embedded in our subconscious mind. From that starting point, it makes sense to take an approach that explores your sleep issues on a deeper level.

1. Getting Back in Touch With Your Mind

We all spend so much time “lost in thought.” We’re not present in our lives and this is a major cause of anxiety. Hypnotherapy reconnects us with the current moment. This helps us grow more mindful of how we feel and what we think. Anxiety about the future and distress about the past fade away. In such a state, sleep flows more naturally.

2. Visualization and Affirmations

Picture yourself working with a skilled hypnotherapist. You feel so relaxed and ready to reimagine your perceptions and behaviors. Congratulations, you just performed a visualization. This is not unlike what you will do during your sessions.

As you become more self-aware, your therapist will have you focus on the anxiety that makes sleeping so difficult. They will comfort you with words like “Your anxiety is under your control.” They may also gently guide you through some coping mechanisms, e.g. “Breathe deeply as you prepare for bed brings about a sense of calmness.”

3. Learning How To Relax

The experience of hypnosis is not something you forget about when you leave the office. You will be empowered with the ability to induce a feeling of deep relaxation whenever you wish. Pro tip: Deep relaxation is a powerful precursor to quality sleep.

Perhaps you’re curious about the potential benefits hypnotherapy can offer you. Please reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.

Struggling to Find Your Voice? – 3 Tips to Know & Share Your True Self

It might seem a little strange to think about not “knowing” yourself fully. Unfortunately, many people struggle with showcasing their authentic voice. We live in a world where it’s far too easy to inhibit that voice. 

Because of that, your true self can also sometimes get lost in the mix. You might find yourself feeling unfulfilled, or feeling like you aren’t sure who you are or what your purpose is. 

The good news? There are things you can do to uncover your true self and allow your authentic inner voice to be healthy. 

Let’s look at some of the ways you can break through the noise of the rest of the world to uncover who you genuinely are.

1. Be Still

One of the first things you need to do to find your authentic voice is to listen. If you’re always busy, stressed, or filling your time with a dozen different things, you might not be giving yourself time to stop and listen. 

Silence can be scary. It can cause you to face things you might not want to face. It can allow particular thoughts to creep in that you would rather avoid. 

But, when you allow your thoughts to flow freely, you’ll learn more about yourself and how to manage the things that scare you. Try practicing mindfulness for a few minutes each day. Sit in silence, and allow your thoughts to come and go without holding onto anything that causes you to feel anxious. 

2. Focus on the Present

Almost everyone has an idea of who they want to be and what they want to do. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s healthy to have aspirations and goals for which you’re willing to work hard. 

But, you can’t become something else if you don’t understand who you already are. Instead of only focusing on those goals, focus on who you truly are right now. Focusing on that will give you the chance to recognize your gifts and weaknesses. That will allow you more opportunities to use those skills throughout your life. 

It’s also essential to find the activities at which you excel and struggle. It can be a jagged pill to swallow, but you may not be destined for something you’re passionate about. Far too often, people lose track of who they honestly are because they’re working toward something that isn’t right for them. 

Take stock in the things you’re skilled in, and where you’re not. Does your career line up? What about your relationships? You cannot force yourself into situations that go against who you truly are and expect to find fulfillment. 

3. Ask Others

If you feel as though you don’t know yourself, talk to people close to you. While you shouldn’t let others tell you who they want you to be, sometimes getting feedback can help you discover more about your true self. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions like, “what are my strengths?” or, “what do I need to work on?” Everyone will have their own opinion, of course. You can choose to value specific opinions and thought processes more than others.

However, getting that kind of feedback from people you trust may be the spark you need to start hearing your authentic voice. Sometimes, it takes that kind of “prompt” to be willing to listen to what that voice is saying. 

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You don’t have to struggle to find your authentic voice. If you’re willing to listen and put in the effort to uncover your true self, it’s possible. Please read about counseling for life changes. Feel free to contact me if you want more information or have any questions on how to learn more about hearing that voice loud and clear.

Why Forgiveness is Key for the Fresh Start You Want

There are plenty of adages and bits of wisdom about forgiveness. Something like “forgive and forget” tends to be one of the most popular. But most of us know it’s easier to talk about forgiveness than actually ofter a willing pardon to someone, including yourself) when a wrong has been committed. 

Unfortunately, holding onto feelings of hurt and anger or actively choosing not to forgive someone, does more harm to you than the offending individual. 

The power of forgiveness is real and beneficial. Whether you must forgive someone else or forgive yourself, the consequences of not doing so can affect your quality of life and hinder personal growth.

If you truly want to break free of your own chains, find freedom, and continue to advance your life, forgiveness is vital. 

Let’s learn a bit more about why forgiveness can produce the fresh start you want and deserve. 

Finding Freedom in Forgiveness

When you’re holding onto hurt or anger, as stated above, you’re only hurting yourself. If you choose to forgive, you won’t feel stuck in the past anymore. Forgiveness allows you to live in the present and even be more mindful. 

In turn, that can foster more gratitude for everyday things. Instead of holding a grudge and feeling down about it, you can appreciate the beauty of your life experiences. When you’re able to do that, you’ll continue to grow as a person and you won’t feel so burdened. 

So, let go of the past and focus on the present mindfully and intentionally. Release that pain, it isn’t helping you or protecting you. And it certainly isn’t punishing the person who upset you. You deserve better.

Reclaiming Your Own Power

If someone has power over your life, it can feel as though they’ve got a chain around your neck and are tugging you along, even though they may not realize it.

When you refuse to forgive someone, you actually give them a lot of authority in your life and future. Chances are, you think about them often. When you do, it could make you feel even worse. This limits your own personal power. 

Allow yourself to break free. Forgiveness is both a deliberate decision to choose freedom and a compassionate acknowledgement that humans are fallible and sometimes do harm. In effect, you give yourself permission to let go of an offender's influence. From there, you can move forward, free of the past. 

Feeling Better Physically

It's important to note that the hurt you’re holding onto can also impact your physical health. The body tends to respond naturally to negative emotions, and it can cause problems like: 

• Fatigue

• Insomnia

• Aches and pains

• Headaches

• Upset stomach

Think about it this way; when you choose not to forgive someone, you’re putting your mind and body in a constant state of tension. When you’re always tense and constricted, you’re not giving your body a chance to relax and repair itself each day. Forgiveness supports your ability to let go of that tension. You may find you can breathe easier and lower your shoulders. Perhaps you feel more capable of discussing the transgression without pacing or feeling claustrophobic.

Forgiveness can literally make you feel better from the inside out.

How to Forgive Someone

There’s no set way to forgive someone. Yet, it is important to remember that authentic forgiveness is more than just words. 

Recognize that it’s normal to be angry and grieve after someone hurts you. Resolution and freedom from the past must be based on thoroughly processed feelings. Processing your feelings and emotions is a healthy, helpful way to move past anger, sadness, and regret. Holding onto emotional pain for too long only holds you back and weighs you down with negativity. 

Acknowledge and share what you truly mean. Tell that person how they made you feel if possible. Use “I” statements. Let them know you’re choosing to forgive them - even if that person is yourself!

Take the Next Step...

Please consider some of the suggestions listed here if you’ve been mired in hurt, remorse and/or resentment. Work with a therapist can help open your mind and heart to a happier future and help resolve a difficult past. By learning how to process emotion and practice forgiveness, you can finally achieve peace and a productive fresh start. Let's work on your well-deserved freedom and life transition as soon as possible. Contact me soon for a consultation.

Are You Stockpiling Your Emotions? How Somatic Experiencing Supports Healthy Release

When someone experiences trauma, their bodies can become trapped in the fight, flight, or freeze mode for years after the event. Essentially, if someone is unable to safely process and release these emotions, they may unconsciously begin “stockpiling” their emotions instead. Trying to manage your emotions internally this way can lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other mental and physical health conditions.

Somatic experiencing is a body-oriented approach to trauma therapy. Generally, the therapist guides clients through uncomfortable bodily sensations brought on by the acknowledgment and processing of suppressed emotions, related to past trauma. The goal is to release the survival energy stored in the body in a safe environment.

If you sense that you’ve been stockpiling your emotions or cope with trauma-related discomfort, you may be interested in these benefits of somatic experiencing.

Bodily Awareness

Somatic experiencing helps you to develop your bodily awareness. Often, we ignore sensations in our own bodies, even when we’re uncomfortable. But when you’re working with a therapist, they will remind you that it is okay to attend to these sensations. There will be no negative judgment and no risk of harm for doing so. You can explore where you’re storing emotions and how they manifest in your body.

Processing Discomfort

Sometimes, we shy away from acknowledging our discomfort and pain. We worry that dealing with these emotions will send us spiraling. When you experience discomfort related to past trauma, you may be scared that attempting to process this pain will make you feel like you’re being traumatized all over again. Taking this on with the guidance of a somatic experiencing therapist lets you know that it is safe to deal with these emotions.

Safe Release

The thought of releasing these emotions can be intimidating. You may worry about how you’ll feel afterward. In addition, you might be scared that it isn’t truly safe to do so. Or that someone will react negatively when you express or let go of these emotions.

You may even wonder how you will identify and define yourself when you no longer have these emotions stockpiled. Somatic experiencing provides an opportunity to release and talk through these emotions safely. Your therapist will be a source of reassurance throughout the process.

Return to Stability

As you work through your emotions, you may feel confused, stressed, or exhausted. But in the context of somatic experiencing, your therapist will guide you back to a place of stability. Furthermore, you learn helpful methods necessary for doing this on your own when you’re feeling distressed.

Knowing that these uncomfortable sensations will not last forever and that you can always come back to a place of homeostasis, will make this process much easier. We can all learn to regulate our emotions and return to a balanced state with the right tools and guidance.

Prevents Trauma Overwhelm

Trying to process trauma on your own can be excruciatingly difficult. In fact, it can result in trauma overwhelm. When you understand how this can occur, it’s easy to see why people shy away from their trauma.

But when you are working with a somatic experiencing therapist, they can recognize when you are at risk of becoming overwhelmed. Therefore, they can take steps to bring you back to stability before this occurs. Dealing with trauma overwhelm can discourage people from ever addressing their trauma. Thankfully, a therapist can help you avoid facing this situation.

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Do you feel as though you’ve been stockpiling your emotions? Are you wondering if this therapy could help you process and release these feelings? Please read more somatic experiencing about each out to us today to discuss scheduling your first session.

Mentally Exhausted? Lacking Motivation? Why Hypnotherapy Helps

Have you ever lost the motivation to pursue your goals? Maybe you’ve dropped a favorite hobby because you simply lacked the drive for it. Or perhaps you gave up on a dream because you couldn’t see a path forward. Sometimes, we give up on the things we used to enjoy because we feel mentally exhausted. Dealing with brain fog, fatigue, and burnout can make it harder to keep up with an active schedule. But there is a way to heal. Hypnotherapy can help you work through a lack of motivation and mental exhaustion. Here are a few ways that hypnotherapy can help you begin to feel like your old self again.

Easing Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can be downright exhausting. When you’re anxious and stressed out, you may feel like your energy has been sapped. You may also find yourself feeling completely unmotivated to work on your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones.

Hypnotherapy can help you address symptoms of anxiety and high stress. Stress seems to be a silent epidemic these days, and anxiety may be just as pervasive. If you’re one of the many people dealing with these issues, hypnotherapy may be part of the solution for you.

Fighting Depression

Mental exhaustion and brain fog can be prominent symptoms of depression too. Moreover, many people with depression report feeling less motivated. They may forgo hobbies that they used to love or stop attending social events simply because they don’t feel any reason to do so. A deep feeling of exhaustion can also make it difficult for depression sufferers to live the way they want. Hypnotherapy is a proven way to help those suffering from low moods and depression. If you suspect that depression may be at the root of your mental health struggles, hypnotherapy may be the answer.

Improving Your Sleep Quality

Why do we feel mentally exhausted? Sometimes, we’re just physically tired! Many of us do not get enough sleep on a nightly basis. But even when we know that we should be getting more shuteye, it can be hard to stick to a healthy sleep schedule. Hypnotherapy can help you learn to easily relax at night. When you have a solid evening routine, you’ll find that it’s not so tough to doze off at the right hour. Getting eight hours of sleep per night can truly change your life and moods.

Overcoming Your Fears

Dealing with a phobia or deep-seated fear can also be mentally exhausting. Sometimes, these fears can feel like burdens that we carry with us through everyday life, making every task more difficult. Many people who suffer from phobias find relief with hypnotherapy. In a safe, therapeutic environment, your therapist can help you understand where your fears stem from. Having a phobia can make you feel vulnerable. But with a qualified hypnotherapist, it’s safe to be vulnerable and let your guard down.

Curbing Addiction

Addiction can hold us back from fulfilling our true potential. It can also contribute to mental exhaustion and an overwhelming lack of motivation. Overcoming addiction does not happen overnight, but hypnotherapy sessions can help you start down the road to progress. When you’re going through hypnotherapy, your therapist can help guide you to uncover the roots of your pain and addiction. As you undergo these sessions, you’ll understand what you need to do in order to heal.

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Are you struggling with a loss of motivation, mental exhaustion, or other symptoms of depression or anxiety? Have you ever been curious about the potential benefits of hypnotherapy? This treatment might be effective for you. Please reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.

How Processing Trauma From the “Bottom Up” Helps You Heal

Bottom-up therapy involves using a therapeutic approach that first acknowledges the parts located at the base of the brain. This region is responsible for handling things like reflexes and automatic survival responses. It also plays a role in processing memories and learning.

In top-down therapy, you analyze how your mind interprets information and interventions involving changing certain thought patterns. In the end, thinking more rationally and perhaps more positively is supposed to prompt you to make better choices and respond to challenges in a healthier way.

But trauma is often felt in the body. Thus, changing your thoughts may not account for this. A trauma response activates the lower, “primal” areas of your brain. Trying to think differently cannot necessarily override this natural response. Instead, you’ll need to begin with the base of the brain and the body. Here’s why "bottom-up" therapy can be such a powerful healing tool.

Accepting Persons As They Are

Something that can make bottom-up therapy so effective is that it involves accepting the traumatized person exactly as they are. There is no immediate expectation that they must begin working to change their thoughts right away. Nor is there a supposition or assessment made that they are acting irrationally. Instead, the person starts simply by acknowledging and accepting how they feel.

Understanding the Root Cause

Many people do find healing through top-down therapy methods that involve transforming thought patterns. However, this may not be so effective for people with trauma. This is because healing trauma must involve getting to the root cause as an integral part of the process. Beginning to change your thoughts will not address that root cause. Therefore, bottom-up therapy can be a more appropriate approach.

Opportunity for Safe Exploration

Bottom-up therapy presents an opportunity for a person to safely explore the causes of their trauma once they are uncovered. Early on, your therapist will work to create a safe and secure environment for you. As you process your trauma , you will be able to focus on your feelings and think deeply about where these feelings are coming from. It involves both analysis and deep reflection. This allows you to cultivate a dual awareness of your trauma and its effects on your life.

Addresses Trauma Response in Body

Trauma is stored in the body. The body retains and "remembers "via tension and sensation what the traumatized person has been through. This is where you may experience long-term effects.

Sometimes, a person with trauma may not even fully understand where those feelings come from. Thus, you may feel confused about why you began feeling a certain way, and why it seems so difficult to overcome such feelings, even if you try to reframe your thoughts.

When trauma activates the bottom regions of the brain, the physical and emotional experience that results can be overwhelming. When the cause seems elusive, bottom-up therapy can help you sort through bodily responses for answers.

Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Many people who carry trauma develop coping mechanisms. Too often, they can be harmful in the long run. Unless the root of their trauma is addressed, it can be very difficult to replace these habits with healthier coping strategies, activities, and goals. After all, these coping mechanisms are a way for people to escape the trauma-related feelings present in their bodies and minds. Therefore, makes sense that the best way to pave the road for new behaviors is by uncovering and healing the root of the trauma.

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Do you feel that top-down therapy has been ineffective for you in the past? Are you interested in bottom-up therapy?  Please read more about trauma therapy and reach out to discuss your options for scheduling your first appointment.

Stressed?Anxious? How Hynoptherapy can Soothe Your Worried Mind

"Most people walk through the world in a trance of disempowerment. Our work is to transform that into a work of empowerment."

~Milton Erickson, hypnotherapy pioneer

Perhaps the thought of being hypnotized in a therapeutic setting gives you pause. After all, many people still believe that hypnosis is just a gimmick. Or a manipulative process geared toward making you lose personal power.

Unfortunately, misconceptions about what hypnosis actually keeps too many people from tapping into its benefits. In truth, a certified therapist can use hypnosis with clients as an effective treatment for stress and anxiety. When carried out safely and professionally, hypnotherapy can help calm your mind and ease your worries.

How Hypnotherapy Can Soothe Your Worried Mind

Hypnotherapy can Enhance Suggestibility

Yes, hypnosis does make you more suggestible. But when you’re working with a trusted therapist, this is nothing to fear! Becoming more suggestible during hypnotherapy can help you internalize advice from your therapist that you struggled to embrace before, like tips for managing anxiety or soothing breathing techniques. You’ll be more receptive to guidance. This means that you’ll have an easier time taking what you’ve learned in therapy and applying it to your everyday life.

Hypnotherapy can Increase Openness to Discussion

Sometimes, it can be difficult to get to the root cause of trauma or a mental health condition. You may try to dig deeper in talk therapy, but it can be tough to reflect on certain memories or identify when a problem started. This is where hypnotherapy can help you make breakthroughs.

Under hypnosis, you’ll be more open to emotional discussions. This openness can help you address the roots of the problems you enrolled in therapy for. For example, you might feel more comfortable looking back on your first struggles with anxiety under hypnosis. Your therapist will not push you to discuss anything you’re not ready to bring up yet, so you’ll always feel safe.

Hypnotherapy can Support Health by Improving Sleep

Whether you are dealing with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or simply feeling stressed out, there’s a high chance that you’re not getting enough sleep. You might find yourself tossing and turning every night, trying to process everything on your mind. Hypnotherapy has been proven to help you fall asleep faster at night and improve the quality of your sleep. Getting plenty of quality sleep is essential for healing anxiety and maintaining your sense of calm.

Hypnotherapy can Increases Focus

You may feel distracted even during therapy sessions, especially if you have anxiety. It can be hard to stay focused when your thoughts are scattered and your stress levels are high.

But during hypnotherapy sessions, you may notice that it’s much easier to stay focused on a single topic. Your therapist will help you zero in on whatever you want to process and discuss. And you may even notice that your concentration improves outside of therapy sessions! This can help you become more mindful and less anxious about things outside of your control.

Hypnotherapy can Calm the Nervous System

Overall, hypnotherapy is an effective technique for calming your stress responses. Trauma resides in the nervous system. Stress and anxiety often push the nervous system past its limits. You can start to feel stuck in a stressed, hypervigilant state, unable to relax. Overreaction, panic, anger, and more result. Hypnotherapy can help you adjust and regulate your expectations and emotions. Treatment can promote a much better judgment and perspective, lowering your stress levels.

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Are you struggling with depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition? Perhaps you’re curious about the benefits of hypnosis, and you’d like to see if this method could be a valuable form of treatment for you. If you’re interested in hypnotherapy, reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first therapy session with us.

Overwhelmed by Negativity? Key Ways Hypnotherapy Can Help Transform Your Thoughts

Have you ever been curious about hypnotherapy? Some may assume that hypnosis is just a party trick. If you’ve ever seen a hypnotist show where people said and did silly things, it might be hard to imagine this practice having any therapeutic value! But hypnotherapy is actually a very effective approach to addressing negative thought patterns.

If you regularly struggle with negative thoughts, you might benefit from hypnotherapy. While it is not a cure for every mental health condition, it does have a surprisingly beneficial impact. What can hypnotherapy specifically help with? Here are a few ways these methods can help you improve your mindset.

Reducing General Stress Levels

Hypnotherapy can help with something as common as your general stress levels. If you tend to spend lots of time each day dwelling on everything you have to get done, you may experience high levels of stress. Furthermore, you might focus heavily on plans for the future that you cannot fully control. This can all contribute to greater feelings of stress. But hypnotherapy can help you clear your mind of these stressful thoughts.

Addressing Fears and Anxieties

Perhaps you often find yourself feeling anxious about things to come. You might even get anxiety when you reflect on the past. You may have a long list of fears that tend to occupy your thoughts. And you might even have fears that run so deep they have become phobias that hold you back from enjoying your daily life. Hypnotherapy has been proven to help people move past these intense phobias and more minor fears. 

Sleep Easy

Did you know that hypnotherapy can even help you fall asleep more easily at night? If you often toss and turn before finally dozing off, hypnotherapy can provide some relief. After attending hypnotherapy sessions, you may leave feeling as though you’ve worked through some of the anxieties and worries that usually tend to keep you up. Ideally, these positive effects will continue well beyond your sessions. When you can get quality sleep each night, your entire life can improve. You’ll certainly have an easier time staying focused during the day!

The Mind-Body Connection

Many people who struggle with chronic pain report that hypnotherapy helps to alleviate their symptoms. Hypnotherapy is not a cure for physical illnesses. However, hypnotherapists often find that their patients who deal with chronic pain day in and day out do experience some relief after hypnotherapy sessions. This may be because hypnotherapy helps to heal the mind-body connection. Our thoughts can affect the way our bodies feel, and they can even contribute to higher pain levels. Through a method like hypnotherapy, we can gradually phase out these thoughts and maintain a healthier state of mind.

Changing Habits

We all know how hard it can be to break a bad habit. But hypnotherapy can make it easier. Hypnotherapy can help you root out the thought patterns that prompt you to repeat the same self-sabotaging behaviors over and over again. After all, sometimes we need to shift our beliefs in order to transform our habits. If we believe that we can’t change, or if we assume that making necessary changes will be too hard, we might not be motivated to try. But through hypnotherapy, you can learn to reframe those thoughts. And when your new beliefs begin to prompt a real change in your actions, you’ll find yourself living a happier and healthier lifestyle.

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Are you interested in finding out if hypnotherapy could help you maintain a more positive mindset? It could be the right answer for you. Read about hypnotherapy and contact us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first appointment.

Facing Uncertainty: Key Strategies to Adjust and Find Purpose

In times of uncertainty, it can be hard to feel steady again. Perhaps your normal routines have been disrupted by the current pandemic. Maybe you’re tired of feeling cooped up at home, but you’re not ready to go out again, either. Or maybe you are feeling upset because you’ve had to cancel so many engagements. Now, you’re wondering what you really have to look forward to. Suddenly, nothing about the future feels as certain as it once did. You’re trying to get a grasp on your purpose again, but sometimes, that’s easier said than done.

It’s tough to get back on your feet in uncertain times. If you’re not sure what to do next, these tips may help you figure out a new path.

Allow Yourself to Feel

It can be tempting to try to suppress your feelings and move on quickly. You might try to brush your emotions under the rug and avoid processing your thoughts. But this method will only result in more pain and confusion down the road. Instead, you need to truly allow yourself to feel everything on your mind. Don’t try to rush this - give yourself all of the space and time you need.

Get Grounded

When life is uncertain, it can be helpful to rely on grounding practices to gain a sense of stability again. For you, this might mean creating morning and evening routines that will make your days feel a bit more predictable. Maybe you’ll want to start going for a walk around the same time every day. Perhaps you’ll choose to incorporate yoga and meditation sessions into your schedule for your mental and physical wellbeing.

Keep in Touch With Loved Ones

Sometimes, it can be tough to open up to your loved ones when you’re going through a difficult time. But your loved ones would want to know if there were anything they could do to help. You may feel nervous to admit that you’re feeling down and confused, but chances are, they can relate. It always helps to have a shoulder to lean on, so don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call a friend or relative.

Take Time to Reflect

You may feel like everything in your life has changed unexpectedly. In order to decide what your next steps should be, you’ll need time to reflect on everything you’ve been through. This is a good time to start journaling on a regular basis. You don’t need to be a writer to keep a journal! And since everything you write down will be private, you’re free to say whatever you like. This is a space where you can be completely honest, so don’t worry about what anyone else would think.

Find a Way to Serve Others

Many people find a sense of purpose when they give to others without expecting anything in return. If you can find a way to give back to your community, you may find that you feel more grounded and confident in the future. When you volunteer in some way, you can use your talents to be part of something bigger than yourself. Even if things have gone wrong in your own life, knowing that you can help others is very fulfilling. You may even gain new friends from this experience.

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Looking back at the past few months, you may feel as though your life was turned upside down. If you’re struggling to adjust to the uncertainty of these times and build a new foundation for your life, talking to a therapist might help. Please read more about how counseling for life changes can boost a sense of clarity and improve your outlook. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.