Holistic Health And Wellbeing Advice from Holistic Health Experts
mental health
Mental health articles and blogs to improve mental wellbeing, reduce depression, reduce anxiety and stress. Increase mental and emotional wellbeing, motivation, confidence, self-worth, self-esteem, communication skills, relationships, assertiveness skills
40 motivational healthy quotes from inspiring health and wellness leaders. Powerful words to help inspire you towards better health and wellbeing in your daily life.
Happiness and Health Quotes
Health and happiness quotes
“Happiness is the highest form of health.” – Dalai Lama
“Health is the greatest of human blessings.” – Hippocrates
Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything. Thich Nhat Hanh
“Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners.” – William Shakespeare
“Healthy is an outfit that looks different on everybody.” – Unknown
Healthy Habits, Healthy Mind Quotes
Health quotes that encourage a healthier mind and healthier habits.
“The mind and body are not separate. What affects one, affects the other.” – Unknown
“It’s up to you today to start making healthy choices. Not choices that are just healthy for your body, but healthy for your mind.” – Steve Maraboli
“Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.” – Lisa Olivera
“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired” – Unknown
“Create healthy habits, not restrictions.” – Unknown
Food Health Quotes
Food quotes that support healthier eating
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. “- Hippocrates
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” – Unknown
“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” – Ayurvedic proverb
“Eat to live, not live to eat.” – Unknown
“If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t. ” –Michael Pollan
“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition. ” – Thomas Edison
“Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.” – Bethenny Frankel
“Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.” – Heather Morgan
“You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.” – Mark Hyman
Wealth Is Health Quotes
Health quotes related to wealth, success and inner richness.
“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddha
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” – Benjamin Franklin
“The greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.” – Joyce Meyer
“To get rich, never risk your health. For it is the truth that health is the wealth of wealth.” – Richard Baker
“Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.” – Winston S. Churchill
“Time And health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” – Denis Waitley
“So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” – A.J. Reb Materi
“Being healthy is a success that many people forget to celebrate.” – Unknown
Energy And Vitality Health Quotes
Health quotes and words that inspire more vitality, energy and passion.
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book”- Irish proverb
“Laughing decreases blood pressure and increases blood flow.” – Unknown
“The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body, the better you feel, and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.” – Tony Robbins
“The key to a healthy life is having a healthy mind.” – Richard Davidson
The elimination diet: Remove anger, regret, resentment, guilt, blame, and worry. Then watch your health, and life, improve.” – Charles F. Glassman
Sufficient sleep, exercise, healthy food, friendship, and peace of mind are necessities, not luxuries.” – Mark Halperin
Healthy Spiritual Quotes
Mind body and spirit quotes to inspire a healthy spirit and healthy soul.
“What drains your spirit drains your body. What fuels your spirit fuels your body.” – Carolyn Myss
“The human body is the best picture of the human soul.”- Tony Robbins
“A sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker than a germ.” – John Steinbeck
“Health is a relationship between you and your body.” – Terri Guillemets
“Your body holds deep wisdom. Trust in it. Learn from it. Nourish it. Watch your life transform and be healthy.” – Bella Bleue
“It’s not coincidence that four of the six letter in health are heal.” – Ed Northstrum
Easy health tips for students at college or university. How to bring healthy living into students life.
Health Tips For College Students
living on a budget, students dealing with the anxiety and stress of college and university life. Student life can be exciting, life changing but it also can be demanding and challenging.
Like anything in life the more prepared you are for student life the easier it can be. The more healthier daily choices you make the more physically and mentally resilient you will be to deal with the challenges of student life you will face.
A big part of how to stay healthy is learning some simple healthy hacks. These simple health tips for students should be slowly implemented into your daily and weekly routine.
9 Top Health Tips For Students
Simple health tips for students at college, university or school.
See Your Student Experience As What It Is
Just one part of your life’s journey. Often students put so much pressure on themselves to achieve so much, to experience so much that they burn out, they end up exhausted, run down, anxious, stressed and sadly depressed.
Student life like any other experience and area of your life is just one part of your story. See it for what it is and not what others try to put on to you. Of course you want to do well, but often we do much better when we get in this mentally into proportion.
Eat Healthily
Yes I can’t highlight how much eating more healthily can keep you not just more physically strong but mentally strong. Eating the wrong foods can seriously affect your anxiety and stress levels, stimulants such as coffee, sugar, energy drinks will just increase levels of anxiety, will increase nervousness, worry and stress.
Consuming too much junk food, processed food kills off good gut bacteria. And we know ho much gut health impacts our mood our happy hormones. Simple health tips for students involve having a healthy juice or smoothie each morning and/or a healthy soup or salad each day.
Can help make sure your fuelling your body and feeding your brain for increased concentration and focus. If you have a sweet tooth try these tasty healthy alternatives to sugar. If you are a vegan make sure you are getting plenty protein and fats to fuel your brain.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough fresh water each day not only helps you flush natural and un-natural toxins. It encourages natural homeostasis within the body. We are made up of mostly water and when we become dehydrated our bodily functions, our mental functions become more stressed. The average woman should drink approx 2.7 litres of water and the average man should drink approx 3.2 litres of water for optimal health.
Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep not only restores your energy levels and helps repair the body. Deep quality sleep helps us not only increases our stress resilience but helps us boost our mood and leave the worries of yesterday behind.
Too many late nights can easily lead to sleep related issues like insomnia. So make good quality sleep a priority.
Learn To Unplug
Yes you need to learn unplug, switch off your phone, tv and computer. Do you know how much stress your addiction to your phone, to Facebook, to your computer is impacting your health. As a student you will naturally spend a lot of time glued to your computer or mobile device studying, researching but you need to learn how important it is to switch off.
Too much time on these devices affects your concentration, high levels of EMF radiation can affect your central nervous system which increases your anxiety and stress resilience.
Be More Assertive
Peer pressure can be a challenge but the more assertive and healthier boundaries you are with others. The more wiser and healthier choices you will make. Healthy boundaries are an important part of life, they are a necessary part of staying mentally and physically healthy. If this is something you struggle get help, counselling or assertiveness training can help.
Get Organised
Being organised for the important things, lecturers, events, exams will not only reduce your anxiety and stress levels but help you perform much better. Disorganisation causes chaos, confusion and doubt. If you are not that organised team up with another student who is. You will often recognise the student who is more organised. They are the students whose folders are in an organised folders, who always have extra pencils, pens and anything else they need.
Good Time Management
Like above having good time management skills is an other important skill. That will help you plan out your study timetables in a healthy and more organised way. Most colleges and universities give out guides with lots of helpful tips if not check out student time management skills online.
Learn How To Manage Your Stress
Learn how to reduce and manage your stress is one of the most important life skills anyone will ever learn. Meditation is one of the most powerful life skills you can learn. When you learn the right type of meditation, from the right type of teacher.
Meditation is a great tool at slowing down the monkey mind that is at the root of anxiety and depression. There are so many different types of meditation but as a meditation teacher and stress expert for over 20 years, the most popular meditation technique I have taught is my less than 5 minute meditation. See below.
Student Life Doesn’t Need To Be Unhealthy
These easy health tips for students are suitable for most ages but especially for college students and university students. Being a student doesn’t need to be so stressful, with the right approach you can look after your mental, emotional and physical health with more ease.
Health Tips For Vegan Students
Students on a vegan or plant based diet should make sure they are getting enough not just proteins, fats and b vitamins. That they are not relying on processed plant food for convenience.
For more stress reducing health tips for students and vegan students check out the related blogs below.
Helping Clients With Sensory Processing Challenges.
Understanding the difficulties clients face with a sensory processing disorder and how you can help support and treat sensory sensitive clients in the most safest, effective and helpful way. If you are a therapist, coach, counsellor or healer.
What is a Sensory Process Disorder?
A sensory processing disorder is also known as sensory integration dysfunction it is when multisensory information is not processed in the brain properly to in relation to the pressures of the environment. Sensory processing disorders are common in those on the autistic spectrum, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder and dyspraxia.
Sensory Process Challenges
Each individual with a sensory processing disorder or sensory integration challenge will have different variations in their sensory challenges. For example some children and adults experience certain types of sensory input too little while others too much.
This can show up as everything from noise sensitivity and hyperacusis, smell, taste, tactile, balance, body awareness and internal bodily sensations.
Examples Of Sensory Processing Challenges
Heat – in relation to temperature, humidity, wind, sunburn, water, liquids
Food Taste/Texture – smooth, mushy, hard, sweet, spicy, acidic, too many tastes, too many textures, too many colours
Light – as in level of brightness, colours of light, indoor light or outdoor light, screen color,
Movement – in relation to co-ordination, balance, moving the body in specific ways, multi-tasking
Sound – level of noise, type of noise, background noise
Tactile sensitives – types of fabric, materials, liquids, foods, touch, light or heavy massage
Dysfunction In Sensory Integration
The work of occupational therapist and psychologist Ann Jayne Ayres on Sensory Integration, and Charles S Herrington has helped gives us much better understanding of “dysfunction in sensory integrative processes”
Since then work in this area has evolved in many different areas, including a lot more support and different types of therapy for sensory processing disorders in children.
My Personal Challenges With Sensory Processing Problems
Over 10 years ago, I found myself with sensory processing issues and other issues associated with complications of sepsis, especially debilitating hyperacusis and motor skill issues. That would trigger a complex movement disorder and non-epileptic seizures.
The big trigger seem to be after surviving life threatening sepsis which left with a lot of different neurological issues, including nerve damage, numbness, co-ordination and motor skill issues.
Like many adults with sensory processing issues I was given no advice, help, support, treatment or any rehabilitation after leaving hospital even though I was left with lot of nerve damage, muscle weakness and problems particularly down the right side of my body.
I was left mostly housebound due to non-epileptic seizures and movement disorders caused by vibration and noise sensitivity. Important and urgent hospital appointments would leave me ill for weeks.
Even though I had supported many clients especially children and teenagers with sensory issues over the years.
Being in the clients shoes helped me see and experience the reality, overwhelm and misunderstanding many children and clients with sensory processing issues face on a daily basis. How difficult some of the most basic tasks we tend to take for granted can be.
Supporting Clients Who Have Sensory Processing Challenges
Ask The Right Questions:
One of the most important things with supporting clients with any sensory issues is asking enough of the right questions to identify the clients specific sensory issues and to what degree it impacts their ability to function, process certain information and do certain tasks. Find out if they have specific needs for example maybe they cannot tolerate certain smells or scents like perfume, essential oils, low sounds, certain fabrics or textures.
Do A Risk Assessment
Doing a very simple stress risk assessment in your clinic or online set-up prior to a session with a sensory sensitive client can help reduce potential triggers for the client or student. Such as doing what you can do to reduce or minimise unwanted and unexpected sounds. Arranging appointments for clients during quite times in a normally busy clinic can be really helpful. Making sure you aren’t wearing strong perfumes, burning incense or diffusing essential oils.
Reducing and Manging Stressors
One of the most effective ways to help minimise and reduce sensory difficulties is supporting the client manage their anxiety and stress, soothe the nervous system. No matter how extreme the challenges are the more we can support the nervous system the better you can support the client and their challenges. Relaxation Therapy is particularly very useful and is an important aspect of many sensory integration therapy programs.
Slow Down, Don’t Rush Sessions
The last thing that a sensory challenged client needs is feel rushed, overwhelmed or pressurised. Their brain function is competing for energy and attention the last thing they need is a therapist, coach or counsellor who isn’t allowing them enough space and time to process information.
So it’s worth allowing a little more time for clients with these issues. And to recognise that clients with these problems may find that they need to pace themself more and may require more sessions to get the results other clients do.
Do what you can to help clients with sensory issues feel relaxed, there are so many powerful relaxation techniques you can teach your clients how to relax, and simple mind tools to bring into your therapy practice such as my free meditation course.
Choosing ONE Healthy Hobby That Makes You Happy And Relaxed
The power of at least one healthy hobby to makes you happy and healthier in your daily life. How hobbies can help you relax, de-stress, improve your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Healthy Hobbies
Healthy hobbies are so overlooked, when in reality they are such an important aspect to our mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Doing just one healthy hobby each week can seriously reduce anxiety and stress levels. Healthier leisure time activities are known to improve our mood and wellbeing and physical wellbeing.
In A World Of Doing We Need More Being
In a world that has become so much about doing, distractions and focusing on that next goal or task. We have lost sight of how important it is to enjoy and make the most of each moment. Do more things that help us be fully in the moment. Even just one healthy hobby can help you do that. Hobbies can help us more mindful, be more present.
Choosing The Right Healthy Hobby For You
The challenge for many though is many people spend most of their time doing things that aren’t that healthy or have not had a proper hobby for so long they don’t know where to start. Hobbies don’t have to be too complicated or cost you too much money, in-fact some can cost you nothing at all.
What Children Can Teach Us About Choosing A Healthy Hobby
Young children can teach us a lot about choosing more healthier hobbies. Children naturally know what feels right for them in relation to creativity and a sense of being. Other than being a lot more curious, kids are less in their head and more in their heart and soul.
There are so many past times and hobbies we give up through our lives, teenager years, working years and parenting years. That sometimes it is not until retirement age many people start picking up hobbies again.
By then we may not be able to do the hobbies exactly like we did as a child or teenager but if we can figure out what we used to enjoy, there are so many different ways we can adapt some of the types of hobbies or interests we had before.
Make A List Of Hobbies You Loved As A Child, Teenager And Adult
Make a simple list of all the hobbies you loved as a kid, a teenager and as an adult.
Make a wish list of hobbies or pastimes you are interested you always wanted to try.
This will help you get really creative and help you think up all sorts of healthy hobbies or past-times you have tried in the past and can help trigger new ideas, encourage you to get creative, see it as a new adventure.
If you are not sure what you would like to do, why not try out a few hobbies with a friend or set yourself the challenge of trying a new hobby or activity every month. Before long you will have a tried out a variety of different types of hobbies to identify what is the top one healthy hobby you would like to make your main focus. The great thing about today is there are thousands of different types of hobbies and interests to choose from.
Identify how stressed you are with the Stress Thermometer provided by Stress Management Expert Eileen Burns.
This simple stress monitor is a great way to assess your stress levels throughout your day. It is a widely used and highly effective stress management tool used to recognise, manage and modify your stress symptoms worldwide.
How To Use The Stress Thermometer Monitor
Stress Thermometer Blue
Blue represents when you are in balance, you feel calm and relaxed such as meditating, on holiday, doing a relaxing hobby.
It goes from the most deepest aspects of relaxation and rest to being calm aware but not focused.
Stress Thermometer Green
Green is when you have some demands and stressors that are manageable or motivating.
This can be regarded as a bit of healthy functional stress when it feels sustainable.
This level starts at focused and active to functioning with effort.
Stress Thermometer Orange
Orange demonstrates and over reaction to stress when life’s stressors feel a bit less manageable and unsustainable.
Symptoms can include an inability to focus, an increase in heart rate, blood pressure muscle tension, digestive issues and insomnia.
Going into orange begins with feeling stressed, towards an inability to focus, going into the stages of overwhelm and overreaction which is a warning and should not be encouraged over longer periods of time.
We should only go into orange over short periods of time as it’s not sustainable for our health and wellbeing.
Stress Thermometer Red
Red is a big alarm for high levels of stress or trauma, very much in the fight, flee and fear response. It represents a critical state of stress, lack of control, shock or fear or severe stress.
Repeating The Pattern of Dysfunctional Relationships
How We Repeat the Pattern of Dysfunctional Relationships In Adulthood by Dr. Melanie Salmon
Our childhood experiences can have a significant impact on our future adult relationships, they often repeat trigger a pattern of dysfunctional relationships in adulthood. So much of our life is determined by the experiences we had as a child, especially when we were very young, under the age of seven. If our childhood was a traumatic one – neglectful or damaging in some way – subconsciously we will carry that into
adulthood.
One way we notice our past impacting our present is in the relationships we seek and the patterns of behaviour we repeat.
Early dysfunctional relationships
The very first relationship we have is with our primary caregiver – it’s usually mum, but it might be dad, a sibling, a grandparent, or a nanny – and this will ‘set the template’ for all our future relationships.
If we were unable to bond with our primary caregiver, if the relationship was full of criticism and it was emotionally, mentally, or physically destructive in some way, then we are very likely to have absorbed that behaviour – that ‘template’ – and will find ourselves repeating it in our adult relationships over and over again in almost the same way.
This is why you may find that you have very similar relationships that end in similar ways. You repeat the same mistakes yet discover you cannot do anything consciously to break the pattern.
Boundaries and Dysfunctional Relationship
Relationship boundaries
So, what is a ‘healthy relationship’ and what behaviours are not so healthy? Let’s look at boundaries in adult relationships, three common types on the spectrum.
When we speak of boundaries, the best way to understand them is by visualising the boundary surrounding a property, the fence for example. The barrier between the property and the outside world. We will use this as a metaphor for our own boundary, our energetic boundary: what sort of quality does your fence have?
Keeping our metaphor in mind, we will now look at the first common type of relationship boundary: ‘underbounded’.
Underbounded
If we have an underbounded fence, if we don’t have a good healthy boundary keeping the outside world out, then we are inclined to feel smothered in our relationship. Our partner will come far too quickly, far too much, into our space, thereby taking us over. We are likely to feel overwhelmed.
Underbounded boundaries will generally stem from a childhood where the primary caregiver was very fearful. For example, every time you left their sight, they would call you back and try to hold on to you. This type of early relationship creates an underbounded future for the child. A child from this start in life will be anxious and clingy, and when it is time to separate, e.g. time to attend school, there will be many problems separating from mum.
Overbounded
Next, we have ‘overbounded’. In simple terms, overbounded is the opposite of underbounded, meaning we were not able to get what we needed from our primary caregiver as a child. In essence, this is an absence of the primary bonding experience: skin-to-skin, eye-to-eye contact, giving an emotional closeness crucial for normal development as a baby.
This occurs in any condition creating mum to be shut off: postnatal depression, her own trauma, alcoholism, etc. The consequence is that ’we’ the child felt neglected emotionally. In this scenario, we (the child and then the adult) will build an impenetrable wall, rather than a fence, around ourselves in defense. A brick wall 20 feet high that prevents anyone else from coming in and hurting us again. All of this is an unconscious process which we are not aware of until we have difficulty connecting as adults.
The pattern of dysfunctional relationships
As you will no doubt see, underbounded and overbounded are the two ends of the
spectrum: you may let everybody in, or you may let nobody in. Neither is conducive
to a healthy relationship, and both can be traced back to the relationship we had with
our initial caregiver.
Although the above is a simplified explanation – we have not covered everything in between – it serves to illustrate the impact our early relationships can have on our adult behaviour.
Healthy boundaries
Finally, we have a relationship with healthy boundaries. Neither underbounded nor overbounded, in this relationship we have clearly defined boundaries. We are very clear what our fence looks like, and we choose who we let in; we have the ability to refuse entry to anyone else.
Those who go into a relationship with healthy boundaries will have a very different experience to those who enter one based on childhood traumatic experiences.
Breaking the Pattern of Dysfunctional Relationships
So, what can be done? While we might like to, there’s little we can consciously do to break these patterns of behaviour: the relationships we seek and the boundaries we have.
We are a product of our past. Every experience we have ever had, good or bad, is imprinted within us, crystallising as the core beliefs, or ‘truths’ we hold about who we are and how the world works. This is our conditioning, and it is ‘stored’ in our subconscious mind.
Everything that has happened to you right up to this very moment has moulded you into the person you are. In this way, our past directly influences the way we see, feel and act today. The way you behave in your relationships. What you choose to do –or not do.
Changing The Trauma Stories
And so, the only way to change these sorts of trauma stories is by working with the subconscious mind, as explained by pioneering epigeneticist Dr Bruce Lipton who ‘found that our DNA and genes are not the ones controlling our bodies, but that our DNA is controlled from signals that come from outside the cell, and these are signals that come from the energetic messages from our thoughts, both positive and negative.’
As trauma gets hardwired into the brain, it does not go away unless you have a technique that can access the subconscious mind and work specifically and carefully- and delicately – with the issues, like my own work QEC. That can then allow for full healing.
Changing Our Limiting Beliefs
By changing our long-held limiting beliefs and releasing ourselves from traumas of the past, we can alter our behaviour and adjust our boundaries, fundamentally changing the way we feel about ourselves and the world around us. Most commonly used for working with trauma, depression, grief and loss, stress, health, and relationships, you can learn more about the QEC method here.
Is it woo woo? Does it involve mind control? How is it different from other therapies? And, the latest evidenced-based research informing Solution Focused Hypnotherapy’s development.
How can solution focused hypnotherapy help me?
Certainly, solution focused hypnotherapy can help with a wealth of conditions, but most hypnotherapists choose a niche. For instance, I personally focus my service offer around Anxiety and related conditions. For example, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Tinnitus, and Insomnia. All of which, are often caused by or exasperated by Anxiety .
What is solution focused therapy?
Importantly, “Solution-Focused” is fast becoming a buzz word of the 21st century, but what does it actually mean? To begin, solution focused brief therapy was first developed in the 1980’s by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer. Contrarily, when we take a quick look at other therapies, we find many talking therapies are “problem focused”, they focus on unpicking the issue, re-living the issue, and real-life exposure. Granted, this can work well for some people, for many, it can cause more challenges.
Identifying exceptions
On the other hand, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy works by identifying exceptions to the rule. So, let’s say you came to me wanting to stop procrastinating, we would work together to identify when it is you are most productive. As a result, we identify when you don’t procrastinate, and these are what we call “exceptions”.
Identifying solution focused goals
In addition, as well as identifying exceptions we will go in the opposite direction to other talking therapies and instead of focusing on unpicking the problem; we will look at identifying what life looks like when the problem is no longer there for you, because this gives our brain a positive goal.
Stop ruminating
As a result, once we have a goal to work towards we can begin to move away from ruminating and stopping our only focus being on the challenges we are facing. Next, we therapists then use Solution Focused questioning to help you identify achievable goals to work on each week. Why? Because these will assist you in working towards a future where the challenges you have been facing are no longer an issue.
What if I want to talk about my problem?
So, although we are very much future-focused, and solution focused, we do acknowledge and allow you time to discuss what has been on your mind should you wish to. However, we limit this to a small section of our session so that we can focus on assisting you with moving forwards to achieve your preferred future.
What is solution focused hypnotherapy?
Above all, hypnotherapy is a form of deep relaxation. Generally, hypnotherapists use guided imagery and direct and indirect language to help you to get into a lovely relaxed state that induces trance.
What is trance?
Specifically, trance is a natural state we all go into regularly. To illustrate, have you ever been listening to someone and suddenly realised you weren’t paying any attention? Maybe you’ve read a whole page of a book and had to go back and reread it? Or perhaps you’ve driven somewhere you drive to regularly and been surprised that you hadn’t focused much on your journey? Essentially,, this is your mind going into natural trance. Yes, that’s right, you already do it!
Neuroscience and solution focused hypnotherapy
Most importantly, neuroscience research using brain scans demonstrate the same area in the brain is active during trance, as during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) part of our sleep cycle. In addition, they also found when we’re in REM, our brain is more active than it is at any other time! So, when we’re in REM scientists believe that really important events are happening in the brain. Most importantly, they believe stressful events and memories that we have stored in our emotional brain, are being consolidated and processed to be filed away in the more narrative parts of our mind.
Have you ever regretted feeling so angry about something?
Occasionally, you may have noticed this happen to you. Maybe you were driving somewhere, and someone ‘cut-you-up’. There wasn’t an accident, but the person appeared to blame you for it. You were left feeling so angry and once home, contacted your friend and told them all about it and how frustrated you were. Your friend may have said not to let it get to you. Later though, maybe lying in bed that night, it’s still on your mind. As a result, you’re really annoyed by it.
REM sleep
However, that particular night you get some good quality REM sleep and the following day it’s not such a big deal anymore. In fact, you even chastise yourself a little and maybe even regret allowing it to get to you so much. So, what’s happened? Well, scientists believe this memory has now moved from your emotional and often irrational part of your brain, to your more rational and reflective, narrative part of your brain.
Freebie for solution focused planning!
Similarly , have you ever been really affected by a text message or voicemail out of the blue, or a car cutting-you-up suddenly, or maybe that family member that just winds you up the wrong way? Well, this might be just what you’re looking for. My little freebie crib sheet provides you with a solution focused exercise to plan your future responses. It may be really helpful to you. You can download it here.
Why do we use trance in solution focused hypnotherapy?
To clarify, we use trance in our clinic room in two different ways. Firstly, we use it to help your brain to consolidate and process all of our discussion during the first half of our session together. Secondly, we use it to speak more effectively to your subconscious mind.
What do solution focused hypnotherapists say to the subconscious mind?
During hypnosis, hypnotherapists speak to your subconscious mind using guided imagery, positive affirmations, confidence building and story metaphors that all help towards building a more confident you. So, on top of having a small achievable and solution focused goal every session, you also get the benefits of consolidating and processing that goal AND building your confidence up so that you’re even more likely to achieve your goal too. Moreover, you even get some good quality relaxation time just for you too!
Story metaphors in solution focused hypnotherapy
Furthermore, the story metaphors we use are great too. Specifically, the subconscious mind and conscious mind begin to see parallels with the story and what is going in your life. Subsequently, this helps you to move towards letting go of the past and discovering and achieving your preferred future.
What is the difference between stage hypnotism and solution focused hypnotherapy?
Granted, this is a question I’m asked often. To clarify, stage hypnotism tends to work with the hypnotist first identifying who is the most likely in the audience to do something really silly. For instance, they might do this by using phrases like “you’re not in control, I am now in control” or “no matter how hard you try, you just can’t lift up your arm”.
Is solution focused hypnotherapy mind control?
As a result, this helps them to identify who is most easily influenced and will create the best act for the audience. To illustrate, the constant use of suggestions that you are not in control almost has an effect like when you may have had alcohol. Certainly, it allows you to lower your inhibitions and act a bit silly because you’ve been given permission to. But, the truth is, that you are always in control of your mind.
More about stage hypnotism
In fact, have you ever watched a stage hypnotist ‘live’? If so, you’ll see how their selection process works. Firstly, they begin by identifying who the best person for the job will be. Then, each request gets sillier and sillier. Subsequently, more and more people will begin to “wake up”. Of course, this is because they have been aware of what’s being said but have felt like the hypnotist was in control. However, this time the hypnotist has gone a step too far and it’s not something they want to be a part of, so they immediately come out of the trance.
Solution focused hypnotherapy in a clinic setting
On the other hand, when you are placed in trance by a hypnotherapist in a clinic setting, you will be told that you are always in control, that you are safe, and that you will only pay attention and listen to what is relevant to you and matters most to you. Most importantly, hypnotherapy is about you being as relaxed and as comfortable as possible. So, don’t fret! Of course, there’ll be no funky chicken dances anywhere in sight!
Is solution focused hypnotherapy woo woo?
Certainly, some hypnotists may move towards the woo woo. However, solution focused hypnotherapy is based on the latest neuroscience research. Meaning, it’s evidenced-based practice. Furthermore, having a degree in Psychology, this was something that was really important to me. Above all, I like to be able to use science to explain what is happening and to help people, who want to know, to understand what’s going on for them. Particularly, when we find ourselves using behaviour that we’ve identified is unhelpful to us, and yet we continue in the vicious cycle of repeating the unwanted behaviour anyway.
I want to find out more about Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
In conclusion, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is in my experience, a truly effective therapy for overcoming anxiety. For me, it changed my life when I went to a solution focused hypnotherapist for public speaking, irritable bowel syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. So, if you’re someone who struggles, you’re most welcome to get in touch. There’s lots more information on my website www.Tania-Taylor.co.uk. I also offer a free 20 minute consultation over the phone.
About the Author:
Tania is a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist practicing in Milnrow, Rochdale. She sees people for 1:1 and group sessions, both face to face and via video link worldwide. Tania has a first-class honours degree in Psychology, two hypnotherapy and psychotherapy diplomas, and keeps up to date with post qualification training. Tania also lectures for the Clinical Hypnotherapy School and for her own business, supporting other therapists with a variety of topics.
If you want to learn how to stop overthinking and how to relax. It helps to understand why we overthink and why it is so detrimental to our health and wellbeing. And why the ability to relax is so important.
Overthinking usually refers to the act of ruminating, focusing on something for too long or too many times. In many ways, rumination is a by-product of our over-busy modern lifestyle. Especially obsessing over the negative or possible aspects of a situation, which is exhausting, unproductive and at times depressing
It is a developed part of our innate survival response, the healthy analytical mind helps us find solutions from danger. But the unhealthy ruminative mind is in a constate state of anxiety and stress. And when people suffer from chronic anxiety and chronic stress, the mind and body stops being able to relax.
How To Stop Overthinking
People who tend to worry a lot, tend to live their life in a state of fear are more likely to engage in overthinking and rumination. But the reality is most anxiety and stress is triggered by ruminating over what could go wrong. Or over what we believe will cause us pain or suffering. Because of that fear we feel the need to control as many outcomes as we can.
But when we try to control everything we are not in the flow, not living in a natural harmonious state of being. We are living in a state of resistance which actually is the source of most suffering and dis-ease. So the overthinker is not living in the moment, not trusting the moment.
I was a highly anxious overthinking child, the eldest of many siblings. Beinghighly empathic I worried a lot about the needs of others. And that impacted my mental, emotional and physical wellbeing from a young age. It took me many years to learn how to stop overthinking and how to just be.
How To Help Clients And Students Have Less Ruminative Thoughts
I spent 30 years studying many different mind, body, emotional and spiritual techniques. Yet despite studying different types of therapies, healing, mind techniques, psychotherapy. I found for myself and clients the most simple approaches were often the most effective if approached in the right order, the right way.
We all deserve to live a more calm, content and stress-less life. And I have found the most effective way IS NOT trying to change all your thoughts. There is a theory we have 40, 000 negative thoughts each day . So that is a lot of thoughts you would need to change. If we approach it from one step beyond our mindset. It is far more effective when we teach others how to reduce their attachment to our thoughts. Reduce the engagement in overthinking and help them learn how to relax and be.
4 Ways To Reduce Overthinking
Embrace The Here And Now –
The easiest way to reduce overthinking is to embrace the present moment. Stop throughout your day and notice where your thoughts and where is your attention is? Is your attention on the activity that you are doing? Is your attention fully with the people you are engaging with? Or is it in thoughts of the past, thoughts of what you have to do later in the day? We have lost appreciation and value for this moment. It is too easy to miss all the blessings that we are being given in this present moment. And when the mind, the body, emotions, and spirit and not in the moment, disjointed and out of balance. We manifest dis-harmony, dis-ease.
Meditation tools, when taught the right way, can be powerful ways to bring you into the present moment. Here in the west we are so conditioned into spending so many hours of our day doing, thinking and analysing. That most people really struggle to stop, struggle to relax especially relax properly. Now meditation helps because it encourages more space, more freedom between our thoughts. Meditation helps us connect with our own inner peace, our own inner calm, and our own inner guidance. It helps us reconnect with the self and less distracted by thoughts that are not facts. Less pulled in by the external distortion and manipulation of the world and media around us.
Develop Self-Compassion –
We can all be too hard, demanding and uncompassionate towards ourselves. Especially about decisions, we have made in the past or even in our present situation. Because we are so over-identificated with who we think we are or are supposed to be. This leaves us more empty and confused, and more likely to fall into jobs and roles that do not fill our souls. Self-compassion can teach us how to giving ourselves the same compassion and understanding we give to those around us.
Know You Are Enough –
When you know you are more than enough, it’s easier to disengage with those self-sabotaging thoughts. Our biggest self-destruction is our beliefs around who we think we need or should be. We live in a distorted society that has convinced us, that our value lies in what we do, what we earn, what we look like. The roles, status, and power we have or take on, but none of this makes us more worthy or more valued. This is a huge distortion and so far from the truth. We are all born into this world enough, all with individual unique traits, gifts, skills, abilities and what may be perceived as disabilities. But none of them define our worth.
So many people go through their day without stopping and taking a moment to stop, relax or rest. Tea breaks, lunch and afternoon breaks at work are not just about having a meal or a drink. But are there to remove yourself from your busyness and stress. When we work through our breaks and only try and switch off and relax just before going to bed or going on holiday.
The mind and body can really struggle to relax, because it is overstimulated, over-stressed. The mind and body needs periods of calm to restore balance. So breaks throughout your day, breaks at work, breaks at home, at school and college are important. If we skip time out, our mind and body forgets how to relax. It becomes more conditioned to be in the stress response instead of the relaxed response.
It is important to be aware and listen to your body, become aware of the tension in your body. When we are so in our mind, in our thoughts we are detached from our body, our emotions. It is important to be fully present with that tension without adding a story a reason why you are so tense.
Learn How To Relax And Sleep Deeply And Effectively –
The inability to relax is one of the biggest causes of physical disease, sleep problems chronic pain and tension. We are so mentally busy, so engaged in our thoughts we find it difficult to switch off or relax without any distractions.
Many people think relaxation is sitting in front of the television, or playing a game on their computer or smartphone. But these activities are not relaxing, they are distractions of the mind. That is why Relaxation Therapy is a powerful way to teach clients and students how to let go of long-term anxiety, chronic stress, and stress-related insomnia. Relaxation techniques re-teach the body how to not only relax and just be, but help reduce pain and tension.
Moving Into A State Of Being, Relaxing
As you can see how to stop overthinking and relax is very much about dis-engaging with unhealthy conditioning. It is about re-learning how to be, how to relax. A baby knows how to relax, knows how to be, knows how to appreciate the present moment. A baby usually comes into the world appreciated knowing it is enough.
Until that baby starts to become conditioned towards fear, pain, expectations, guilt, shame, other people’s ideas of what is right, wrong. A society’s idea of what is right, wrong, good, bad, expected and not expected. The more you learn how to be in the moment and detach from your conditioning and learn how to relax, relax deeply and effectively. Overthinking starts to dissolve, there is less overthinking, less anxiety, less stress and less depression.
Mental health benefits of meditation in our stressful modern world. Learn why the emotional and mental health benefits of meditation are one of the most powerful life skills you can teach a child, teenager, or adult.
Why traditional forms of meditation are becoming increasingly popular in our fast-paced world.
Meditation is all about the art of awareness, conscious awareness, and state of being. In a modern world where we are bombarded with distractions, brainwashed, and conditioned to be in a state of doing.
At a time when we are overwhelmed by information and stimulus, in toxic, plastic, manmade environments. We have become constantly overwhelmed; stressed, anxious, and confused. Disconnected from ourselves, so disconnected from nature, our natural habitat. On a conscious or unconscious level, we crave a much safer space of solitude, freedom, and spiritual connectedness. Something that meditation can give us.
Main Mental Health Benefits Of Meditation
Meditation has become a popular self-help tool to reduce many modern mental health issues it is used to help
Meditating has been demonstrated in clinical research to be highly beneficial in reducing stress. It is known to move on from the stress response, the “fight or flight response” to the relaxation response.
LOWER DEPRESSION:
Daily meditation is a helpful aid in reducing depression and other mental health issues when taught effectively. It helps reduce ruminative thinking because it helps loosen over-attachment to our monkey mind.
INCREASE CONCENTRATION AND FOCUS:
Meditation has been shown in different research to help increase concentration and focus—the ability to perform certain tasks more effectively.
INCREASES CONFIDENCE:
The art of meditation helps us move out of negative sabotaging thinking into a more natural authentic way of being. So we are naturally more confident.
Regular meditation encourages the body into a more natural rested state of being. Regular meditators witness an improved quality of sleep.
Health Benefits Of Meditation
IN THE REDUCTION OF HEART DISEASE: Regular meditation practice can be a helpful aid in reducing heart disease and stroke. And useful for lowering symptoms of high blood pressure.
PAIN MANAGEMENT: Daily meditation encourages the body of the inflammatory response caused by chronic stress into a relaxed response. It is a useful aid in pain management and muscle tension reduction.
Medical Research On Mental Health Benefits of Meditation
Meditation Infographic – Mental Health Benefits Of Meditation
Clinical and medical research on the benefits of meditation has been going on since the 1950s. Although, the study of meditation is a growing subdivision in neurological research. There is a variety of documented research on the physical and mental health benefits of meditation.
Benefits Of T.M Meditation
We know Transcendental Meditation has been one of the most clinically researched styles of meditation. Studies suggested that when T.M. was taught properly it not only reduced anxiety and stress it helped reduce PTSD in veterans.
Now as a meditator of over 30 years, who has studied a wide range of meditation styles including T.M. I have personally found other types of meditation alongside relaxation therapy are safer and suitable for PTSD.
But one thing is clear, meditation is a powerful life skill that I believe should be taught to everyone, taught in schools from a young age.
Meditation has been shown not only to reduce the fight or flight response but it helps to reduce inappropriate emotional reactions, a useful aid in anger management and PTSD.
Another study on the “Effect of mindfulness meditation training on anxiety, depression and sleep quality in perimenopausal women.”
Proved to be beneficial in reducing mental health issues specifically anxiety, depression, and sleep issues.
What other life skill, helps you experience inner calm, and peace amidst the chaos, sadness, and loss, in our crazy modern life?
What other skill can be as simple and cost-effective to learn? That is why the mental health benefits of meditation practice are becoming increasingly recognized.
Meditation is becoming an increasingly popular life skill and form of therapy in modern medicine. Meditation apps are becoming more popular to help with pain management and as an emotional aid for life-threatening conditions like cancer.
Chronic Anxiety Triggers That Commonly Cause Anxiety Disorders
Chronic Anxiety Triggers that are common causes of chronic anxiety disorders. Anxiety triggers that you need to address today to stop falling into the chronic anxiety cycle.
Chronic Anxiety is sadly an increasing problem. According to the Association Of Anxiety And Depress in the USA 18.1% of the american population suffer from anxiety disorders but only just over 1/3 of those suffers actually get treatment. According to the NHS 5% of the UK population suffer Generalised Anxiety Disorders ( GAD). 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK in 2013.
Chronic Anxiety is a big problem and something I saw greatly in my one to one clients over the last 20 years. So many who came to me for help with stress were actually suffering from disabling symptoms of chronic anxiety.
So What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety itself is something everyone experiences in their life it is the worry, the concerns, the fear and tension. Anxiety is generally viewed as a common and normal response to specific life situations. Until it becomes chronic anxiety, an anxiety disorder, a mental health disorder. Anxiety like stress is generally directly connected to our perception of a situation.
Anxiety And Stress Hormones
If you perceive something as frightening or uncomfortable, your body produces a level of stress hormones to match. A little bit of fear releases enough adrenaline and cortisol to cause low-level symptoms of anxiety. But a situation perceived as extremely frightening will create enough stress hormones to produce the fight, flight or freeze response. That is why teaching anxiety sufferers, stress management, and relaxation techniques is so important and helpful. Relaxation Therapy is highly effective at reducing chronic anxiety problems, a visit to a Relaxation therapist can be very helpful.
But there are other biological factors that can make someone more vulnerable to anxiety and stress. Hyperthyroidism and other thyroid issues can increase anxiety and stress levels. Optimal wellbeing relies on a balance of the body’s hormones. Oxytocin is another horm one that can play havoc with the body in relation to anxiety and stress. Oxytocin although known as the love and bonding hormone is also the hormone that causes you to remember those traumatic experiences. So can play a part in PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.Magnesium deficiencies can be a contributing factor to some mental health issues
An anxiety disorder is when anxiety overtakes your ability to function healthily and happily in your everyday life. When you suffer an anxiety disorder everyday situations become filled with feelings of fear and threat. You think and react as if you are in physical danger, you become more stressed. Anxiety disorders happen when chronic anxiety has not been addressed when daily anxiety triggers or trauma has not been healed or managed.
7 Common Anxiety Triggers That You Need To Address
Worry About Being Late:Do you get anxious about being late for work? Anxiety triggers about being late for that meeting or about getting the kids on time for school? Do you constantly rush about with a sense of urgency and drama? Worrying about being late is an everyday anxiety trigger that many people suffer from. Now for most people, the main cause of being late is poor organisation or time management issues. But for other people, no matter how early they leave home for work or that appointment they will spend most of the time ruminating over all sorts of possible scenarios in their mind. The what if’s if they are late, what if I get fired, what if I can’t get a new job, what will my partner say, what will… When we are not fully in the present moment, we give our power away to the monkey mind, the ruminating. If you do tend to run a bit little, leave things till last-minute. It’s time to get more organised, save yourself the stress and anxiety. It simply isn’t worth it.
Fear Of Conflict:A common anxiety trigger for many people especially empaths, highly sensitive people and those with self-esteem issues is fear of conflict. Not addressing relationship issues at home and work can cause not just of anxiety, but increased levels and depression. Avoiding the problem, hiding your head in the sand can often lead to other problems. Some issues if not dealt with will lead to further causes of anxiety. Working on self-worth, self-esteem and assertiveness skill can encourage healthier communication. But again when learn to be more in the moment, the thoughts that normally trigger our fear, tension or stress start to disappear.
Health Concerns:For many people health concerns about their own health or a loved one is a major cause of serious anxiety. Those with chronic anxiety disorders will often constantly worry about everyone’s’ health and wellbeing. They will often make a fuss or get irrational over the smallest symptom. Parents particularly have to be aware that their children will often pick up on their anxiety. So it is important to address and treat any anxiety issues that you have. A child who lives around a lot fear will become fearful, will become disempowered. If your health concerns are related to a previous experience or trauma. It is important to address the issue. I have found Bach Flower Essences extremely supportive in helping clients with various chronic anxiety issues. Rescue Remedy is a useful all-rounder for many things. It is useful for everyday anxiety and general anxiety disorders.
Social Situations:Socialising, all sorts of celebrations or events can trigger a great deal of anxiety for a lot of people. So many people associate certain times of the year or specific types of situations with painful or traumatising experiences. The thought of these situations can bring all sorts of anxieties up to the surface. The flower essence Start of Bethlehem which is also in Rescue Remedy. Is an extremely helpful flower essence that can help us let go of old trauma we are holding onto in our cellular body. particularly those traumas that still have a charge, that still causes a fight or flight reaction. Again it is our thoughts, the stories we tell ourselves about the situation that can be the biggest problem. In these situations, no 2 can be the biggest worry for many people. If you are highly Empathic or a HSP you mind find many social situations extremely exhausting, overwhelming, too noisy. So a practical tip is to have a backup plan to go home early or to bring an ally for extra support. But remember anxiety is not triggered by the situation but what you believe about the situation
Public Speaking:Most people hate public speaking, they hate having to do that talk or presentation. So when that job comes up at work, they will not only worry about for weeks. But will often do anything to sabotage or avoid the task in hand, which can lead to more problems. Again, if you are not organised or prepared, you are leaving room for more anxiety and pressure. And once again it’s all about your thoughts about the public speaking, the what if’s is causing your anxiety, not the actual situation.
Money Worries:Although most of us are living a more financially comfortable life than any of our ancestors ever did. A big source of anxiety for a lot of people is money and financial security. Again ruminating over the what if’s or over past situations when you financially struggled. Will keep you in a state of anxiety. If you have serious financial worries, getting the right advice from a financial advisor can help. They will often give you expert advice, to take more positive actions towards reducing the pressure you are under.
Consuming Stimulants:What are you consuming daily that is triggering or exacerbating anxiety? Caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, nicotine are all stimulants that can trigger anxiety. Overuse of stimulants triggers the fight or flight response, which increases the likelihood of cortisol dysfunction. Daily consumption of stimulants can cause sugar imbalances, inflammation and a variety of other health issues. Reducing your caffeine or stimulant intake can help reduce your anxiety levels, can help curb the anxiety cycle.
The biggest challenge that Chronic Anxiety Sufferers have is STOPPING the chronic anxiety cycle of rumination, fear and trauma. This can be easily achieved when we treat anxiety with a holistic approach. Supporting the client towards a more balanced state of mind, body, and emotions.
Chronic Anxiety can be healed, chronic anxiety disorders are not something you just need to live with. If you suffer from GAD Generalised Anxiety Disorder, panic attacks, or any form of chronic anxiety issues. Get professional help. In my role as Stress therapist, Counsellor, and Coach I saw clients who had suffered for decades before seeking help, The longer people leave anxiety issues untreated or addressed the bigger hold it often it has over the life and sometimes can take longer to treat. But it can be treated, it can be eliminated with the right approach
When you understand your anxiety, understand your symptoms. It takes the fear out of the symptoms and helps the client become more aware of the thought patterns, the conditioning, and fears that need to be addressed. With the right stress and anxiety management tools, you become empowered, you stop suffering and start to feel free.
Eileen Burns, owner of Stress Coach Training, she is a highly qualified Stress Management Expert, therapist and Coach who has been studying holistic wellbeing and various forms of therapy for the last 28 years.
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