      |
|
“THE INDEPENDENT” LOVES HYPNOTHERAPY! Well, it does if an article in its Health pages on 30th January is anything to go by ... Irritable bowel syndrome The writer, Roger Dobson, quotes the findings of many highly-respected researchers and medical professionals, among them Professor Peter Whorwell of the University Hospital of South Manchester. He heads an NHS-funded hypnotherapy centre which has been pioneering the therapy as a treatment of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). "One of the problems is the name,'' he says. "If we started off again with a name like neuromodulation, for example, it would be more readily accepted. The name hypnotism has so much baggage attached. Cognitive behavioural therapy is now reasonably well accepted, and so, too, is psychotherapy, but of the three, I would say hypnotism is potentially the most powerful. It is becoming a treatment of choice for IBS. "When I am dead and gone, people are going to suddenly realise that hypnotism is an incredibly powerful tool and question why it has been ignored for so long.'' Smoking The article goes on to mention some recent research on smoking which has the interesting implication that, far from “wearing off” as some might imagine, hypnotherapy ‘s beneficial effects can continue to build after therapy has ended. In a study at the Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Texas, smokers were given eight sessions of therapy over two months, and told to quit smoking one week after beginning the course of treatment. Carbon-monoxide concentration tests were carried out on the patients to see whether they had smoked after treatment, and results showed that by the end of treatment 40 per cent had given up. At a follow-up 12 weeks later, 60 per cent had quit. Please note that a cognitive hypnotherapist never “tells” people to quit! We're not the smoking police, our approach instead strengthens the client's own motivation and suggests the new perceptions that will help each client choose a healthier alternative. Nor would we pre-suppose a need for 8 sessions – it could be significantly fewer. Wound healing This is another area in which the Independent's article highlights recent studies. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have shown that broken bones and surgical wounds heal faster in patients who have hypnotherapy. Six weeks after breaking their ankles, patients being treated with hypnotherapy were three weeks ahead in their healing schedule than those who were just put in plaster. In a second study, the researchers had similar results with surgical wounds. Before surgery, suggestions were made under therapy on pain and anxiety, and on decreased inflammation, reduced scar tissue, and accelerated wound-healing. Results show the women who had the therapy healed significantly faster. Isn't the mind-body loop a wonderful thing?
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS continued… Did you make any? Is this a good time to review them? Have you made progress? Made a start? Completely given up? Did you set yourself up for failure with a negative resolution such “I'm going to give up smoking / worrying / chocolate?” The first big question is What do you want to achieve? Now you can review how it's going: • What have I done and what can I do to get there?
CONFIDENT CHILDBIRTH Last autumn the website which features my work in the field of childbirth was launched: www.confidentchildbirth.co.uk. Do have a look. It's got details of this Cognitive Hypnotherapy-based programme which can help women have a good (and often surprisingly short) labour and delivery. If you have friends or family out of reach of West London, it also lists the details of other practitioners that I've trained – they are based around the country, from Aberdeen to Bexhill. New courses in Kew From 1 st March, I'll be offering the Confident Childbirth programme to expectant mothers in a therapy room at the Kew Mothercare store as well as at my Acton office. Also courses in Calm for New Mothers at the same venue. Please ring me on 020 8743 0962 to book.
BOOSTER PROGRAMMES A new venture due to demand: these programmes are four-session courses for individuals, with the emphasis more on positive coaching than on therapy. They are: - Skills to Build Excellent Health
HYPNOSIS IMPROVES ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: OFFICIAL! A study in Australia in 2004 investigated whether group hypnosis would improve college students' exam grades. Thirty-two experienced group hypnosis and their exam performance was compared with that of a control group of the same size. The hypnosis group had a significantly higher score.
WISE WORDS Finally, wouldn't it be good if everyone agreed with Woodrow Wilson that: "Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together. "
|
 |