Cognitive Hypnotherapy in the Media...

Recently, the director of the Quest Institute (Home of Cognitive Hypnotherapy) Trevor Silvester has been featured in many magazines --- with other 'Questies' as we refer to ourselves also getting some column space in articles and features --- a testament to Cognitive Hypnotherapy growing as a effective vein of therapy that really works.


Anyone for Tennis? Quest Institute Founder and Trainer Trevor Silvester explains how mental preparation can make the difference between becoming Wimbledon champion and going out in the first round [download]

Lisa Butcher in Rapport Magazine Celebrity Lisa Butcher talks about how Cognitive Hypnotherapy helped her confidence in front of camera [download]

Using Cognitive Hypnotherapy for sports performance and recovery from injury Quest Institute's Rebecca Silvester ran her first 10k race just four weeks after a stomach operation. In this article Trevor and Rebecca Silvester talk about the Cognitive Hypnotherapy approaches that made this possible [download]

Ultrafit magazine article: It's all in the Mind where Quest Institute's Trevor Silvester describes some ways to help you use your mind to powerfully focus on your sporting goals. [download]

Cognitive Hypnotherapy in the Observer where Quest trained Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Katie Abbott demonstrates the benefits of our approach [download]

How to use the mind in Martial Arts where Quest Institute's Trevor Silvestor is training toward black belts in Korean Kickboxing and Wing Chun. In this article he describes how he uses simple techniques to help him increase his flexibility and focus. [download]

Hypnotherapy Works: Myth Busting Video by the NCH

The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) recently produced a myth busting video. Please have a look --- I hope you find it useful.

The Nature of Trance / Hypnosis

I have been asked on many occassions from curious and often skeptical people regarding the nature of hypnosis. There are so many myths, rumours and stigmas around hypnosis it's a wonder I get any clients at all. I'd like to address a few of them here and hopefully demystify, enlighten and educate about the true nature of hypnosis / trance and the mind and how it works. Fans of stage hypnosis turn away now! =)

Our minds work in such a way that our thoughts affect our feelings which
directly affects our behaviour. Sometimes when we consciously want to change
something and we may not know why we can't --- but every attempt fails.

Our minds are structured in a way that we have a conscious mind (what we are
aware of and how we interact with the world through our senses) and our
unconscious mind (our learned behaviours, memories and automatic functions
such as breathing, digestion et al).

This structure attributes to our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. For
example, using anxiety as an example -- a client suffers from anxiety ---
they get anxious whenever they think about speaking in public, this triggers
thoughts of failure (whatever that means to them) or they have fears of what
other people will think of them... They imagine themselves in this situation
happening the way they don't want it to, it creates a feeling inside of
panic (whatever that means to them, such as tight chest, racing heart,
confusion) which leads to them behaving in such a way so they can avoid this
happening (fleeing, avoiding, not speaking)...

This is the way they "do anxiety" --- does that make sense?

Because there's a context and structure to the way people do things ---
there's a strategy --- which you can examine and find out how they'd like to
be instead and work them toward that. The driver behind all of this is
'fight or flight' response --- or moving away from pain and toward pleasure.
We're hard-wired for this.

Why this happens is because somewhere in the past, something would have made
the client feel 'unsafe' --- the anxiety strategy is a learned behaviour to
avoid feeling / being 'unsafe'. Think about it... babies don't suffer from
anxiety --- do they? We are born perfect and we 'learn' how to do things ---
even unresourceful things.

As far as 'side effects'... hypnosis is perfectly safe. It's accepted
amongst neuroscientists (those who study the brain) that all hypnosis is
'self hypnosis'. Which basically means that hypnosis or 'trance' is a
natural state which we do all the time... it's even widely accepted that our
'problem state' (how you do your problem) is a trance state itself.

An example of this is when you are driving down the road and you don't
recall the last five miles or so, because you were 'miles away'. Trance is
just a focused state of concentration, that you do naturally... The
hypnotherapists is not inducing you into trance, they are guiding you...
During trance you are in complete control --- you cannot be made to do
anything that is against your values or beliefs --- it would be rejected by
your unconscious mind.

So if any adverse effects happened following a hypnotherapy session, it's
likely that it was rejected by the unconscious mind --- as it made the
person feel unsafe. This would come down to the therapists training and the
relationship between the therapist and the client.

It is understood that this relationship or collaboration is one of the
single most important factors of successful therapy --- so if you do not
trust your therapists, it's not worth pursuing. Find another and ask
questions --- a good therapist with sufficient training will be able to
answer them.

As far as how 'stage hypnotists' get their participants to bark like a dog and such, well think about it... they bought the ticket to the show, they got up on stage as a volunteer... do you really think that this goes against their values or beliefs? It's fair to say that they *wanted* to!

I hope this enlightens and educates. If you have any further questions,
please feel free to email or ring me on 0794 880 1229.

Trusting the Process in Therapy

The Process of Therapy | What to Expect | Making the decision

The decision to get therapy is often very difficult and can require considerable courage and is only often considered when a problem has become compelling. In fact, everyone has troubles or concerns that would benefit from such help.

The process of determining and resoloving a problem only begins when you are willing to make this change. Perhaps you've tried other ways before... perhaps this is the first step. Wherever you are on your journey, you can be assured that any decision you make to change creates change itself... to begin the process.

Because it is a process. As much as we would all like to be rid of our problems like magic, the truth is that it is a process... you've had your problem for a long time... how long do you think it should take to be rid of it forever? However, even severe longstanding problems can usually be overcome comparatively quickly.

The therapy process

During the first session we will identify your reasons for therapy and what your goals are. We will explore what it's like to have what you want, instead of your problem. Then we will explore what is blocking you from getting what you want.

Whatever thoughts, feelings and behaviours that you have in relation to your problem will be acknolwledged and the process to diffuse any negative / unresourceful behaviours will be reprocessed so they no longer have a controlling power over you.

The aim is not simply to make you feel better... it's to resolve the underlying cause to the problem... it's not treating the symptoms of your problem, but the problem itself.... the driver to the problem. After the treatment, you will not be able to get back the bad feelings or negative beliefs from those causes. The issues will have been completely resolved. Your goals will now be achievable or you will at least be a step closer to them.

If you've chosen to take treatment with your intitial consultation, hypnosis (trance) work will be done towards the end of the session to linguistically weave in your solutions through suggestion during trance. This may be enough for you to have what you want... if it's clear that there are more more layers or aspects to your presenting problem then a further session is recommended and will be made to do further clearing.

That way it's there for you if you need it. We will both be pleased if you find that no further work is necessary and you decide to cancel it!

When the problem persists

Sometimes, if the problem has many layers or aspects, even after effective treatment and a temporary alleviation of the symptoms, the problem returns – and perhaps seems worse. Some people are tempted to terminate therapy at this point, reasoning that the problem is still there and so the therapy isn't working. Some people chase from one therapist to another – not because the therapy isn't helping (which would a good reason to terminate it!), but because they won't exercise the patience to see a process through.

When a problem returns, or re-emerges in a new form, in all likelihood the therapy is working. The situation is that some aspects of the problem have been completely resolved, but that other aspects have begun to present themselves. These aspects were more deeply hidden and buried, but as they resurface this means they can be cleared for good.

If you want to know whether the therapy is working, the question to ask yourself is this: have the aspects that we have addressed during the therapy been resolved? If so, the answer is definitively positive! Even if the problem itself persists temporarily, you are on course to resolving it completely and for good. You need perseverance at this point to see the process through.

Sometimes it's a matter of letting the dust settle. Like if you were to change the murky water of a pond... the natural state of water is clear... the best way is to wait while the dust settles to reveal the clarity of the situation.

Trusting the process

The most important principle of therapy is to work with whatever comes up. It's very important to trust the therapeutic process, which will lead us exactly where we need to go - and sometimes it may be necessary to take a different route to the destination than the one that was expected.

Sometimes the therapy seems to relate only indirectly to the presenting problem. It often happens, for example, that people who come to quit smoking find themselves addressing problems from childhood that they really didn't expect to come up.

How many sessions?

How long therapy takes is really a question of how many aspects or layers the problem has. Usually not every aspect needs to be addressed, since the benefits of therapy tends to have a ripple affect. When a problem has a specific cause or a limited set of causes, usually between one and three sessions are all that are required.

For people who have experienced more traditional forms of psychotherapy or other methods of alternative health, or have struggled for years without effective help, it's often difficult to believe that deep and seemingly intractable problems can be remedied so quickly. However, by finding and resolving the precise causes of an issue, it really can be this quick and miraculous.

But some problems have many layers. If, for example, you had a severely abusive or neglected childhood, many more sessions may be helpful.

Although success cannot be guaranteed, it is extremely rare for a problem not to be satisfactorily resolved given our joint commitment and endeavour (both therapist and client are equally responsible for the success of the process).

I would not want to take payment from anyone who felt they hadn't been helped. You have nothing to lose. The chances are you'll be amazed at the progress you make!

Book a session

The Quest for Well Being... part 1

This last weekend I attended a conference with the organisation I trained with The Quest Institute for 'QuestFest 2008'. I had been looking forward to attending for many months, but this two-day conference proved to exceed my expectations.

Speaking on the first day was Dr. David Hamilton, author and scientist gained his PhD in organic chemistry before going into the pharmaceutical industry. His research into the mind-body connection ultimately led him to leave his job and become a motivational speaker / author.

He observed the results of tests on new drugs where he noticed that patients receiving control placebo pills reported the same level of improvement as people receiving the actual drug. Seeing this result repeat itself time and time again he became fascinated by the mind-body connection and started to research the work of scientists, mystics and healers working in this field. The results were a ground-breaking book "It's the Thought That Counts" where Dr. Hamilton explains how the mind and emotions can influence the wellbeing of our body and even the structure of our DNA!

Not only was his talk inspiring, it was entertaining -- I think I will not be alone in saying that Dr Hamilton has a Scottish accent to die for!

At QuestFest, myself and about 150 other Questies listened intently as Dr. Hamilton explained how words can have a powerful effect on our unconcious minds and the biochemistry in the body. Literally, our beliefs about realities and things like ageing directly affect how we age.

He also discussed how we, as humans are 'walking tuning forks' -- we resonate with each other. Our attitude and interpretation of our realities affect our cellular structure of our brains and bodies and can be used as a predictor for those who will suffer most from heart disease.

Our bodies respond to what we believe is possible. Amazing eh? If you believe an amazing transformation is possible for you then it can be.

Expect magical things! Imagination, gratitude, compassion, clarity, enthusiasm, fascination, joy, wonder, curiosity are states we should explore for ouselves more often... It's a 'feelingnisation' that is needed to change the world --- changing our inner self will change our world.

So, have the intent to love yourself or at least, promise you will find a way to love yourself... being able to accept yourself and love yourself the way you are... Be the change you want to have in the world - random acts of kindness have a ripple effect.

We are all, no matter where we are in our lives, exactly the best place we need to be in order to move forward... we have everything we need inside of us to be the people we really are -- like a plane when it flies above the clouds, the sun is always shining.

Everybody has the right to wear sunscreen...

There's a lot of truth and wisdom. Something you can understand, feel and hear... Enjoy. Learn. and Grow. Be well. Be inspired.

BBC Series: Alternative Therapies - Hypnotherapy

BBC Press Release - "Alternative Therapies"

www.bbc.co.uk

Imagine having your dentist pull your teeth out and drill into your jaw with no anaesthetic – just someone muttering in your ear about being on the beach. Sounds alarming? Welcome to the extraordinary world of hypnotherapy.

Half a million people in England use hypnotherapy every year. It’s claimed it can help with smoking, obesity, tinnitus, weight loss, phobias, allergies, anxiety and even breast enlargement. What do we know about hypnotherapy and hypnosis? And how are scientists trying to find out about how it works and its effectiveness?

In the first in a new series, Professor Kathy Sykes, Professor of Science and Society at Bristol University, embarks on a personal and scientific journey to explore three popular alternative therapies: reflexology, meditation and hypnotherapy.

Travelling across the UK, Europe and over the Atlantic to Montreal, Kathy Sykes, in a journey that is at times funny, intimate, moving and revealing, she follows patients who are pinning their hopes on hypnotherapy. There is Richard, the policeman, who wants to quit smoking; Nicola, who wants to eat less chocolate; and Mandy, who wants teeth implants without anaesthetic. Kathy herself has a go at being hypnotised as she tries to understand more about the science behind the hypnotic “trance.”

She meets hypnotherapists, and also mainstream scientists, who are looking inside our brains to try and unravel what goes on during hypnosis. She meets Professor Peter Whorwell in Manchester who is pioneering the use of hypnotherapy for people suffering from the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

A mixture of serious science and personal journey – Alternative Therapies is intriguing viewing for anyone interested in the ever-growing, ever-confusing and controversial world of alternative therapies.

Alternative Therapies has been fully-funded by the Open University. More information on the series can be found at www.open2.net

Supersize vs Superskinny - Anna Richardson's Weight Loss with Hypnosis

You might have tuned in and watched the 'Supersive vs Superskinny' programme on Channel 4 last night.

Every week, charasmatic presenter Anna Richardson tries a new technique to lose weight.... and they chart her progress on the site.

She's tried 'lunchtime lipo', the celebrity fad-tastic 'baby food diet', diet pills and all sorts of things... This week she tried hypnosis... here's the details - check out the site and keep up with Anna's weight loss.

Extreme Diets & Regimes

Apple Diet | Deep abdominal massage | Lunchtime lipo | The baby food diet | Diet pills | Hypnosis

Hypnosis

A somewhat sceptical Anna Richardson decides to try out a different approach to weight loss this week – hypnosis. Can the power of the mind control those pangs of hunger or is it all, as Anna says, 'a load of old baloney'?

Before she tries it Anna has lunch with Catherine, a hypnosis success story who now only eats until she's full. After finishing Catherine's pasta as well as her own Anna is willing to give it a try.

Can Anna's brain be re-trained? Under the watchful eye of an expert Anna is hypnotised and in response to questions she talks about her childhood memories of having to eat everything on her plate whilst her hypnotist talks to her about no longer letting food control her life. Coming out from hypnosis Anna's feels like she's been asleep for years and actually quite enjoyed the sensation.

A day later she discovers she is content to eat small amounts and can even resist the lure of her favourite carbohydrates – 'what's happened to me' she asks, 'where has the old porker Richardson gone?'.

Anna decides to seek expert advice about whether or not hypnosis really works. She learns that there's not a lot of evidence that it does work but there are ideas why it might work. She hears about the idea of focused attention and reduced anxiety levels which may unlock early childhood memories and help isolate them and then deal with them.

She goes back for another session to top up her will power and find out how to create a different relationship with food that will last forever.

The result – Anna has lost 3lbs.

See Anna's weight loss chart so far >>

Lisa Butcher boosts her confidence with Cognitive Hypnotherapy

I'm proud to be a Quest Trained Cognitive Hypnotherapist! For more info on the approach visit: www.buildingbelief.com or www.questinstitute.co.uk

Star of BBC's What Not To Wear, Lisa Butcher has a new monthly column in the Mail on Sunday. In it she reveals that she visited a Quest-trained Cognitive Hypnotherapist to boost her confidence in front of camera. In her words:

"When I started work on What Not To Wear at the BBC, the clothes I wore were important, but that was not enough to give me the confidence I needed. I discovered a solution in cognitive hypnotherapy/ neuro-linguistic programming with the Quest Institute. I went to two sessions and that was enough to build up my strengths and deal with my anxieties."

Good to know that word of Quest has reached the stars:)

A Gut Feeling - IBS & Hypnotherapy

As many as one in five people in Britain goes on to develop IBS, with symptoms including stomach pain, diarrhoea and constipation. Half the work done by gastroenterologists concerns IBS related symptoms.

New research claims that hypnotherapy has proven to be an effective long-term treatment for IBS and that almost three-quarters (71%) of patients responded well to hypnotherapy and most did not deteriorate over time.

More than 200 patients with IBS were monitored after undergoing gut-directed hypnotherapy, each recording their symptoms, quality of life and levels of anxiety and stress before and after treatment.

The research was carried out by a team at Withington Hospital in Manchester, where the UK's first NHS hypnotherapy unit has been established. They concluded that "the beneficial effects of hypnotherapy appear to last at least five years", making it "a viable therapeutic option" for treating IBS.

There was also improvement in quality of life and levels of anxiety and depression, although this decreased over time. However, patients said they took fewer drugs and did not need to see their doctors as often after having hypnotherapy.

Local Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Brenda Bentley has had excellent success in treating IBS with her clients. The reason that hypnotherapy is so successful is due to concentration of neuro-transmitters in the stomach and their link to the bodies stress response.

"Have you ever considered the terms 'comfort eating' or 'gut feeling' or why you get butterflies in your stomach?"

"The stomach has an independent network of over 100 billion neurons in the gut not only signals our bodies to stress but causes illness, including IBS." says Bentley.

In particular one client, who suffered from IBS for seven years and tried everything including eliminating common dietary irritants such as wheat and dairy.

Samantha Brown, 35, mother of one from Stratford upon Avon commented: "after years of suffering, my mood is enhanced, my energy levels have increased and my stomach is flat again. It's really improved the quality of my life."

End

Note to Editor: Brenda Bentley is a new therapist practicing cognitive hypnotherapy at Octagon Therapy Centre -- a new therapy centre at 9 Guild Street, Stratford upon Avon CV37 6RE.
Birmingham: Harborne Complementary Health Clinic, 321 Harborne Lane, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 0NT

Contact: Brenda Bentley, 0794 880 1229

Brenda Bentley

DipCHyp, HPD, MNCH, PNLP

BUILDING BELIEF ALLIANCE

http://www.buildingbelief.com/
T: 0794 880 1229

E: info@buildingbelief.com