I’ve started and restarted this blog so many times… Why? Because new beginnings are scary! Our brains like what is familiar, and writing a blog is definitely not at all familiar, so my brain is a little bit on edge right now. But things don’t become familiar unless we make them, so… big deep breath and here goes nothing!
So what’s this all about?
Let’s start with the title of this blog – Tales From the Chicken Coop – where the heck did that come from? Well, if I had £1 for every time someone’s said to me “You’re a hypnotherapist? Can you make me cluck like a chicken then?” I wouldn’t need to be advertising my services.
So, as it’s a common theme, and a lot of the initial conversations I have with clients revolve around this common misconception of what hypnotherapy is all about, I thought it might be fun! Hope you like it.
Talking of misconceptions, let’s get the chicken one off the table (pardon the pun!). Hypnotherapy, of any sort, cannot “make you do” anything. There. I said it.
So what’s the point of it then? Surely, people come to hypnotherapy for the therapist to wave a magic wand and make them do … well, whatever it is they came for? Sorry folks – no can do. Hypnotherapy is incredible, and I see the life changing power of this amazing treatment every time I work with a client, but I don’t “do” anything to the client. They do it. With a little guidance from me!
So that’s the first thing to know about hypnotherapy – it’s a bit like having a personal trainer for your mind. In just the same way as you hire a PT and they design a programme to enable you to achieve your aims and objectives, but you ultimately have to move your body to get the results, I work with you to work out your behavioural and emotional aims and objectives and you do the moving of your mind. And yes, it really does work.
Here’s the second question I get asked a lot:
“So do you take over my mind then?”
No. In just the same way that a PT doesn’t take over your body, I don’t take over your mind. In fact, it’s impossible to do that. You can, should you wish, wake up at any point in the sessions. You can’t get stuck in trance. If the fire alarm goes off and we need to evacuate, you will be perfectly capable of doing so. If you’re on a Zoom therapy session and your child needs you, you will hear them and be able to respond. The human mind is an incredible thing. It has the ability to tune out distractions and listen out for important information all at the same time. All while creating behaviour change which can, and does, change lives. It’s amazing. And I bet no one has ever taught you anything very much about how it works.
So why have hypnotherapy then? Well, as I said at the beginning of this very first blog post, the brain likes what is familiar, so change is scary. Even if that behaviour or response you do is unhelpful, or even downright harmful, your brain will keep making you behave in that way because it’s done it before, lots of times. Hypnotherapy helps to code in new ideas – ideas you come up with yourself, so they don’t feel too unfamiliar – while your brain is in the same state as when you’re dreaming. This helps the change to feel less scary to your brain, meaning you experience less resistance to change. Great for getting rid of unwanted and unhelpful thoughts, feelings and behaviours and building new more positive patterns.
If this sounds interesting, pop me a quick message and book in for an Initial Consultation. This takes about an hour and is completely free of charge, so you can hear more about it and what we can work on together, with no obligation to buy. Oh, and you get my relaxation MP3 track to download (don’t use it in the car, or in the bath though!) just for having that first meeting.
So what are you waiting for?
Drop me a line, or pass this on to anyone you know who is struggling with any negative thoughts, feelings or behaviours.
I look forward to meeting you and working with you to make some really positive changes.