We provide the following services:

ADDICTION
Free yourself

Is your compulsive behaviour seriously affecting your finances and your health? Does your family complain about your behaviour? Do you wish to feel good without feeling bad afterward? You can stop the chaos that dominates your life.
 
Your addiction may be a dependence to any of the following : drugs, alcoholism, smoking, Gambling, TV food sex/porn, computer gaming, internet, shopping. As long as you are unable to stop, you are addicted.
 
You find it hard to stop because your body or mind has become dependent on the sensation the substance or behaviour creates. Your conscious mind recognizes the need to stop, but because of the pleasure you get, you persist and are unable to break the addiction.
 
Ackowledging a real desire to take back control of addictive behaviours is the first step towards overcoming any type of addictive personality.
 
You may have tried to make changes in your life before, but don't be discouraged if you've faced failure. This time with our help, you can beat the devil on your shoulder who's telling you that you can't change because you're not up to it. This time you really can succeed and finally be free of addictive behaviours.
 
Because you have tried hard many times but failed each time, your memories are loaded with negative programming. You no longer believe in yourself. No matter how much conscious effort you put into changing your habits, your subconscious mind is flooding your body with messages of failure. When this happens, will power alone will not succeed.
 
Under hypnosis, the therapist will suggest to your subconscious mind that it is within your power to end the addiction. Strong feelings go into your imagination and your attitude, perceptions and beliefs are changed at a higher, subconscious level. Hypnosis  will create deep motivation to change the way you fee, think and act. Your struggle with the cravings will subside.
 
Often, an addiction has to do with dealing with early traumas, unresolved issues from the past, stress, anger, and an inability to cope with present demands Hypnosis can help you to release and resolve your past hurts, and to find strength within. When you have the inner strength, you will no longer be psychologically dependent on unhealthy activities.
 
Hypnosis can also help to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
 
If you are struggling to overcome addiction….you can win the battle with less effort using hypnosis. Think of how wonderful to be free again!
 

Top

BED WETTING
Stay dry with us

A child will grow out of bed wetting, but adult bed wetting can be a serious embarrassment.   It can be difficult to stop (How does one control the bladder when asleep?) But remember, you are not alone. There are thousands who suffer from the same condition. And it is a myth that those who suffer from this condition have weak brains or submissive personalities.
 
If your bed wetting started when you were an adult, you must, first of all, seek medical help. The problem may be diabetes. a urinary tract infection, bladder stones or even an early sign of bladder cancer.
 
However, frequently, the problem may not be physiological, but mental. Your subconscious, which controls functions such as heartbeat, breathing and
bladder control during sleep, may be allowing your bladder muscles relax at night.
 
The wonderful news is that there's a technique to help stop bed wetting without surgery.
 
CAN HYPNOTHERAPY HELP?
The answer is hypnotherapy. Bladder control is a subconscious function, whether you are awake or asleep. Hypnosis is helpful because it addresses your overactive bladder at the subconscious level. Your subconscious mind is extremely vulnerable to suggestions.
 
Hypnotherapy makes use of this by suggesting  action or change to your subconscious mind when you are put to a relaxed state. Even while you are asleep at night, your strengthened subconscious, empowered by the suggestions will take over. These subliminal suggestions can effortlessly strengthen your bladder muscles and help to stop bed wetting once and for all.
 
You may have tried training your body, going to the bathroom several times before sleep, abstaining for drinking water, strengthening your bladder muscles, but to no avail.  Or you may just be looking for an alternative to medicines, alarms and diapers.
 
We know that coping with it can be considerable. On practical terms, there is the chores involved  - the daily washing and drying of sheets.
 
Emotionally there is the fear of humiliation, the embarrassment when someone comes to know of your problem. It can also affect your self esteem and lead you to believe that you are unworthy of respect. A problem shared can be a problem halved. Take the first step by talking to our therapists.
 
You can get your life back to how it was before your adult bed wetting problem - the carefree days without the worry. There is a cure to adult bed wetting. Don't let embarrassment stop you from seeking help-talk to our therapists today.
 

Top

BRUXISM
The daily grind

Is your jaw stiff when you wake in the morning? Do you experience sore cheeks or ear aches?  Do you have dull morning headaches? Does your bed partner complain of grinding sounds from you when you are asleep? If you experience one or more of the following symptoms.You may have sleep bruxism.
 
Bruxism is the act of involuntary teeth grinding or clenching, either while awake or asleep. Most people who are inflicted are from 15 to their 50s.  Many sufferers are not aware of the problem until permanent damage has been done to their teeth and bone structure.
 
Here are some of its common signs and symptoms –
- Chewed insides of cheek
- Chronic facial pain
- Unusual wear and tear on teeth
- Tooth sensitivity
- Tender jaw muscles
- Ear aches
 
Doctors and dentists have not determined its exact cause, but a link with the following psychological factors have been found.
- Anxiety, stress or tension
- Suppressed anger or frustration
- Aggressive, competitive or hyperactive personality type
 
A common belief is that it is caused by malocclusion (misalignment of upper and lower teeth). Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine is also reported to worsen the habit. Dental check ups are the best way to screen against bruxism, especially if you don't have a sleeping partner to feedback on any occurrence of night grinding.
 
In its advanced stage, nerve and blood vessels in the gum may be exposed. Teeth may be worn to the gumline and other complications may arise. Severe pain will be inevitable and by then, surgery will be necessary.
 
How does hypnotherapy works?
Because stress is often the root cause of bruxism, hypnosis, which aids relaxation, can help.. Teeth grinding is an automatic, unconscious habit and hypnosis reaches the subconscious and works with it to reprogram the grinding response into something more positive and relaxing. The therapist will suggest to your subconscious mind ideas that will create triggers to relax the jaw muscles and release the tension in your cheeks. Your mind will be trained to release tension from your entire face, your neck, and your jaw. After repeated sessions, the trigger patterns will be set. The jaw will be trained to relax and soften.
 
Relief can be felt as early as the first session.  If you know you are suffering from bruxism and are desperately seeking a solution before the condition of your teeth worsen, you may consider hypnotherapy as a remedy if mouthguards and botox are not your desired options.
 

Top

CONCENTRATION
All it takes is focus

To concentrate is to direct your mental powers or your efforts towards a particular activity, subject or problem. 
 
For some people this is difficult. They find it immensely hard to focus on the task at hand, as worries or insignificant thoughts swim at the back of their mind. For others, boredom or lack of motivation is the cause for the lack of focus. Constant fidgeting and an unnecessarily long duration spent results in impaired productivity.
 
Focus is the key to success. If you can engage your entire being into a single activity for all that you do, you will succeed. Light, when focused can cut through the hardest metal and kill cancer cells.
 
Whether you are finding difficulties or just want to enhance your present ability, hypnotherapy can help.
 
Why hypnosis is effective?
Consciously willing yourself to concentrate requires immense effort and it cannot be a lasting option. Hypnotherapy helps you achieve unconscious competence, where you operate on autopilot, successfully and effortlessly.
 
Changing external factors like lighting and ventilation to improve concentration is external, and cannot produce a powerful or permanent effect. It is like putting on a new coat of paint over a dirty coat. This kind of change is superficial and not thorough. Those with superior concentration do not focus excessively on external conditions to immerse themselves.  The conscious mind is limited when compared to the subconscious. We operate mostly on autopilot. Bodily functions like digestion, breathing and the beating of the heart are controlled by the infinitely superior subconscious mind. Hypnosis, which works at a subconscious level, is the tool of many influential and successful people worldwide.
 
Few people have tapped the power of the subconscious. According to research, humans are only using 10% of their potential. Because of the infinite power of the subconscious, there is no way of knowing what is humanly achievable and what is not. Whatever your mind can conceive, it can achieve. The only limit is that which you place on yourself and your mind.
 
Tap the remaining 90%! Achieve your full potential by harnessing your latent mind power with hypnotherapy.
 
Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. The only limit is the limit you place on your self and your way of knowing for sure what is not achievable.
 

Top

HAIR PULLING
No More shame

You know you shouldn't do it, yet you can't control it. Why? Because there is a pay-off.  The tension as you pull, the relaxed, high feeling as the follicle comes off – Just for that brief moment, it makes you feel good, so your subconscious tells you to do it again. Your conscious, logical mind is no longer in control. You get used to giving in to the urge over time, and the habit reinforces itself, trapping your mind in a cycle of compulsive behaviour. You feel helpless.
 
The shame, horror, disgust and fear you feel is common among hair-pullers! You imagine yourself to be weird and deviant because you do something like this. You spend an inordinate amount of time covering your dark secret… imprisoned in the guilt, always fearing that someone will discover. And you panic when your hairdresser notices the thinning spot.
 
Nobody understands your frustration as you wonder if you are close to permanently losing your will and self esteem.
 
Don't despair, you are not alone, you are not mad. There are millions like you and there is a cure. First, don't be embarrassed to ask for help.
 
Trichotillomania isn't just a habit that a person can easily stop. It's a medical condition which affects 1 – 3 % of the population, mostly women.
 
Hypnosis has proven highly effective in treating trichollomania. During hypnotherapy, your subconscious mind is gently reeducated that you can and will stop pulling. This empowers you at a deeper, inner level and erases the past feelings of failure. Negative emotions are released and limiting beliefs like "I'm not strong enough to overcome this." or "I can't have a full head of beautiful hair." are banished. Hair pulling will be equated with something negative, like nausea.
 
Just as counseling helps correct behaviours, hypnotherapy works by changing the impulses from within. The underlying reasons are determined and its elimination can then be worked on.
 
Over some sessions, that hand will no longer creep up to your head surreptitiously. And be further reassured – research shows that hair almost always grows back for hair pullers, when the urge is finally curbed.
 
Free yourself now, with hypnotherapy.
 
*You are not responsible for the fact that you have trichotillomania, but you are responsible for how you approach it. You can either decide to be a victim or learn to walk with grace"* - Christina Pearson, Founder/Executive Director of the Trichotillomania Learning Center
 

Top

PROCRASTINATION
The ‘thief’ of time

Are you constantly late for appointments? Do you find yourself deferring tasks, putting them off till the last minute? Or constantly doing unimportant tasks, while the urgent ones lurk at the back of your mind? Do you feel pressure and guilt afterward? Do you dread approaching deadlines?
 
Chronic procrastination, other than robbing you of your peace of mind, ruins self esteem and can jeopardize your relationships with family, friends and colleagues. In some cases, it may lead to health problems, debt, divorce and job loss.
 
Procrastination starts with perceiving a task as difficult, or overwhelming. Once habitualized, it becomes a persistent problem, hampering you from success and efficiency. Contrary to popular notion, it is not a sign of laziness but a mark of a disorganized and unsettled mind. If you have the habit of procrastinating, you are likely to be distracted and unrealistic about time. You feel victimized as you fail to understand your inability to complete your tasks like others, despite putting in the same hours. You are frustrated because you do not know the reasons for your behaviour. You may procrastinate because of, inter-alia,
- Fear of failure or fear of success
- Perfectionism
- Lack of clear goals
- Limiting beliefs
 
You may possibly have these characteristics-
- Underdeveloped decision making skills
- Inability to focus
- Poor time management skills
- Inability to prioritize
 
If you are a procrastinator, it is important that you know you were not born one. You learned the habit unconsciously. And that habit can be unlearned. That habit involves a complex pattern of recurring behaviors including emotions, thoughts, and actions which can be best broken down with hypnosis.
 
Can hypnotherapy help with procrastination?
Hypnosis can help you eliminate subconscious blocks and create new thought patterns. In a relaxed state, your subconscious, prone to suggestion, is fed ideas to build your self-belief and confidence. Your goals are visually and mentally rehearsed and formulated subconsciously, so it becomes almost second nature to work toward them. Hypnotherapy also has an aspect of self-discovery, allowing you to look inward and analyze the reason you procrastinate, unpick the problems and overcome the barriers that hold you back from achieving your goals. Each session builds on the previous, so further positive will be experienced over time.
 
Experience renewed strength and purpose, competence and liberation by breaking the procrastination habit with hypnosis.
 
And as Newsweek reports that "The easiest way to break bad habits is through hypnosis"
 

Top

PUBLIC SPEAKING
Say it with confidence!

Nobody ever died of stage fright, but many people would rather die than speak in public. According to the universal list of fears, the fear of speaking in public is the #1 fear of all fears. The fear of dying is #7!
 
Stage fright is a phenomenon that has to be overcome if you want to be good at public speaking. Stage fright isn't technically an accurate term as most of the fear takes place beforehand.
 
Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. Fear is your friend. It gives you motivation to prepare thoroughly. It sharpens your reflexes, heightens your energy, and makes you more conscious of your posture and breathing.  Harness it positively, and turn it into vitality and enthusiasm.
 
Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety speaking in front of a group. This is perfectly normal. The best way to deal with this anxiety is to first acknowledge that it is normal and you are not alone.
 
Many stage fright victims are terrified of failure and humiliation, and incorrectly believe that they will never measure up to their audience's expectations. "I'm not polished enough." "They know I'm nervous" "They think I don't know what I'm saying." But in perspective, what any audience wants is just to listen to a well-prepared, honest speaker who believes in his message.
 
Audiences often admire and respect the speaker for the courage to present publicly. It may help if you know that even before you start, they have a positive impression of you.
 
How hypnosis can help?
For some, the fear may have stemmed from childhood, when they received strange looks or giggles by classmates in a class presentation. This negative reinforcement might have created a lasting effect. Hypnosis can help to negate the effect by regression.
 
Visualization during hypnosis can help you view the situation as non stressful and enhance your confidence. Impressed upon your subconscious, will be images of yourself relaxed and calm, coolly walking to the lectern.
 
You will envision the audience smiling, nodding and applauding. On speech day, these positive triggers will enable your vision to materialize.
 
Hypnosis can help you acquire better breathing techniques, which will aid immeasurably in your ability to relax. It can help you attain mental clarity and a positive mental state.
 
When you hear that applause and see smiling faces, it will be the most wonderful feeling in the world. Discover the joy of public speaking with hypnotherapy!
 

Top

RELATIONSHIPS
The greatest gift

Perhaps you are looking for your perfect partner. Perhaps you are trying to build more success in a current relationship whether in a family or romance.
 
Hypnosis has been successfully used to enhance, enrich, and cultivate relationships.
 
Shyness or discomfort around new people can be nerve-wracking. Hypnosis can program your mind to be confident, especially around attractive people of the opposite sex. It can help you develop a very positive relationship with yourself, and once you feel comfortable and happy with yourself, others will start to feel very comfortable with you.
 
Fear of commitment may let a potentially beautiful relationship slip away.  The fear may cause a good man or woman to be frustrated as he or she cannot understand why you cannot love him/her. Hypnosis can help you identify the reasons for your behaviour and make more balanced judgments about when to commit.
 
Hurt from a previous relationship may be preventing you from being fully able to experience the love you deserve, the love that is freely available, if you only allow yourself to receive it. Hypnosis can help you heal your wounded heart. Hypnosis enables you to re-experience past memories in a more positive way, allowing you to gain new perspectives. You can be freed of your heavy emotional baggage and face the future anew. You can learn to love again.
 
Insecurity, feelings of "I don't deserve you, because I'm not good enough" may sabotage an otherwise sound relationship. It may lead to the end of a relationship and a lot of unnecessary heartache. Hypnosis can help you develop confidence and self worth.
 
Many times, we have found the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with. We share similar interests, dreams, values and ideals. But unexpectedly issues and conflicts arise. Problems are viewed from different perspectives and they cannot be harmoniously resolved. Frustration is felt, because we know we can salvage the situation. But it's difficult because we cannot openly ask others for advice.
 
Hypnosis can allow you to re-appraise key events, to look at situations from a completely different perspective and to gain an appreciation for  another's position. Strained relationships between friends/ colleagues or your spouse, or your rebellious teenager can be salvaged.
 
Or perhaps the passion, once bright has dimmed. You can put the spark back again. Re-experience, through hypnosis, how you used to feel towards each
other and experience that wonderful glow all over again. Recapture that lost feeling of love!
 

Top

SELF ESTEEM
Love thyself

Self esteem is a basic human need. It means a respect for the self, or, a quotient of how you regard yourself.  It is based on the belief that "I am a worthy human being." And the feeling that "I make an essential contribution to life."
 
People with healthy self-esteems value and accept themselves unconditionally. They feel appreciated, and recognized, and are competent, confident and successful people. They are able to assess themselves accurately and realistically understand their strengths and limitations.
 
It is a precious asset and the lack of a healthy esteem can lead to unhappiness and failure. Many murders and assaults are committed because of perceived insults to the self esteem.
 
Your self-esteem develops and evolves throughout your life as an image is built of yourself through experiences with people and successes or failures.  Childhood experiences are crucial in affecting in the way we see ourselves today.
 
If you have been harshly criticized, or yelled at in your youth, or have experienced numerous failures, your self esteem may be impaired now.  Watch your inner voice. Is it a harsh critic, constantly belittling your accomplishments?
 
Do you have unreasonably high expectations of yourself?
Do you blame yourself for consequences that aren't your fault?
 
Low self-esteem causes unhappiness and hinders your success. It can have devastating consequences.
- Anxiety, stress, loneliness
- Increased likelihood for burnout or depression.
- Damaged relationships.
- Impaired academic and job performance.
- Underachievement
- Increased vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse.
 
These negative consequences can cause your self- esteem to be even more fragile. We can help you take away the insecurity. We can help you learn to love yourself. Try hypnosis. It can make a great difference to your life.
 
How hypnosis can help?
Hypnosis helps you have a realistic view of yourself. Hypnosis will calm the restless doubts in your mind.  It can help you develop strong feelings of worth, that your existence and contribution does make a difference.
 
Over time you will
- Be more objective about your good qualities
- Feel better about your self
- Be more confident in your abilities
- Be calm when you think about yourself and your future
- Think more positively
 
Achieve more in your life and career. See your relationships improve tremendously. Be joyful and glad for the beautiful gift of life! Experience the liberation and the inner peace that comes with loving yourself.
 

Top

SPORTS IMPROVEMENT
Where Winning Starts in the Mind

It's a fact that sports gold medals go to the athlete with the stronger mind. Great athletes attribute their success to calm minds during times of intense pressure. The moment they tense up, (physically or emotionally), their performance rapidly declines.
 
In hypnotherapy, the conscious mind is the weaker, rational mind. The subconscious is where all the strength and potential for achievement lies.  When an athlete doubts or under performs, the conscious mind is allowed to rule. A good example of the weaker mind in charge is when a player loses to less experienced opponents.
 
Remember those moments when you performed way beyond your expectations and made every shot perfect? It's likely that your conscious mind had stepped aside for a moment then, and permitted your subconscious to reveal a hint of its potential. Hypnotic conditioning can develop this potential and enable you to repeat these peak performances more frequently thus raising your performance level.
 
Hypnosis can help you eliminate your mental obstacles and identify your limiting beliefs. It can help you retain positive thinking patterns even when there is doubt. You will then be able to compete with a cool, clear mind, without anxiety.  You will be able to focus on the task at hand and not be distracted by fear or worry of the outcome. Your mind and body will be able to work harmoniously instead of conflict.
 
Hypnosis can also help to …
- Achieve a more positive attitude
- Improve motivation, morale and confidence
- Visualize and orientate goals
- Eliminate fear of failure/humiliation
- Relax, control performance anxiety
- Reduce recovery time from injuries
- Achieve heightened mental focus/concentration (eg snooker)
- Secure consistent, peak performance
- Achieve personal best
 
Hypnosis can be used in all sports, including weight lifting, golfing, tennis, canoeing, cycling, triathlons,  etc. Even for first time marathoners or weekend athletes, the right mind training can push your performance further and higher.
 
If you participate in a sport – at whatever level – hypnosis will help you compete more consistently at a higher level, and give you a lot more fun.
 
"To train the body to the limits of its capabilities without simultaneously training the mind is to invite, at best, mediocrity." American Sports Psychologist
 
"Hypnosis is inherent in all that I do." Tiger Woods
 
Professional athletes use hypnosis to improve. Now you have their secret. Call us today at 6333 6776 for more details.
 

Top

STRESS MANAGEMENT
Beat it

In today's fast-moving world, stress has virtually become a way of life. Pressing deadlines urge us to drink that extra cup of coffee, endless chores sap the energy out of us. We have to cope with life's changes, job demands, difficult people, disappointment, and various challenges. These inevitably lead to the dirty ‘S’ word called stress. Stress is actually a natural response to change. The right amount is vital for peak performance.
 
Insufficient stress leaves us bored or incomplete. A moderate level gives us excitement and a sense of anticipation to life. Excessive stress on the other hand, cripples and harms us. It can seriously affect the quality of our lives by causing us considerable emotional suffering. It may also deplete our health and savings. You know you are suffering from excessive stress if you persistently experience migraines, stiff neck and shoulders, cold hands, nausea, memory lapses or an inability to concentrate. Stress may also cause feelings of frustration, helplessness, hopelessness, depression and apathy. Prolonged stress can lead to medical problems like burnouts, clinical depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, heart diseases and stroke Stress can be treated, so do seek help if you are barely hanging on or find it hard to get through the day.
 
How hypnosis can help
Our reactions  to stressful situations are learnt responses, reinforced through habit. Hypnosis can help us view and respond differently to situations which previously have been perceived to be stressful. Hypnosis can trigger our natural relaxation response and cause waves of endorphins and feelings of tranquility to wash over our tensed bodies. Since hypnosis works at a subconscious level, we can, without conscious effort, experience less physical reactions during stress. This means reduced hyperventilation and heart palpitations.
 
Negative thinking will also diminish as positive suggestions are fed to your subconscious. You will feel better about your capabilities and strengths. You will also experience less emotional dependence on caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Over time, performance anxiety and the feeling of rushedness will be greatly reduced. Other benefits we will experience include improved clarity of thought, better attention span, improved decision making, and focus and a stronger immune system. A single session can leave you rejuvenated and recharged.
 
Renew your life and performance with hypnosis today.
 
"Numerous scientific studies have emerged in recent years showing that the hypnotized mind can exert a real and powerful effect on the body." - The Wall Street Journal
 
Wall Street Journal (Oct 12 2003) "… Hypnosis gaining respectability among doctors and patients."
 
INSOMNIA
Head for the Pillow With Ease
 
Sleepless nights, wakefulness and insomnia! If you have insomnia, those can be some very welcome words. Insomnia can be the result of worry, fears, anxiety, and badly functioning brain wave patterns. In order to fall asleep, you brain must go from a BETA brain wave into ALPHA. Alpha state is where everything is dreamy, where visualizations are clear and that sleep switch in your brain is ready to let you go into DELTA and THETA, and be asleep.
 
So, how do you make this happen?
When the conscious mind is busy, with worry , anxiety, fears, anger, emotional conflicts, etc. the brain has a hard time letting go of it's conscious processing. Some people hear music in their head, repeat endless statements with their inner voice or just worry so much about not being able to sleep that they indeed cannot sleep!
 
If you have insomnia, you know the problem. You start worrying early in the day about whether or not you are actually going to be able to sleep that night. And once you miss a night of sleep, you worry even more about not sleeping the next night. And this PERPETUATES the problem. Worrying about insomnia creates the insomnia.
 
You can change it. But you are going to need help. Your brain is an expert at having insomnia. It does not know how to do it any differently. If it did, you wouldn't have the sleep disorder any more. So, in order to sleep deep, you are going to have to teach your brain how to go instantly into an alpha state, how to use subconscious triggers to eliminate worry and anxiety and stay asleep once you are asleep.
 
Hypnosis is very effective in curing chronic insomnia. It is easy. It works. I wish more people would try it, instead of all the pills and drugs. The interesting thing about sleeping pills is the placebo effect. This means that when you think you are taking a sleeping pill, but it is really a sugar pill (placebo) you brain believes that it will fall asleep and so it does. Sometimes when I can't sleep, I put myself into a state of trance, and imagine that I am taking a sleeping pill. I am usually asleep in a few minutes. Even though my conscious mind knows that this was not real, my subconscious mind does not know and this is the important part.
 
THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND DOES NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REAL AND AN IMAGINED EVENT. This is why hypnosis works so well. Hypnosis changes the way the subconscious mind works. It creates the belief that something is possible, acts on it as if it is real, and creates a new outcome. In this case, sleep.
 
Imagine what a relief that will be! No pills, no drugs, no worry. Just that restful sleep once again. Call us today at 6333 6776 for a consultation to determine the course of action for you to ‘head for that pillow of yours’ with ease.
 

STOP SNORING
Can I Be Quiet at Sleep

Many people feel that hypnosis is some kind of mind trick or mind control. And there are people who take advantage of the mystery surrounding hypnosis, and it how it works for their own benefit.
 
But in fact the process is just the voluntary retraining of the subconscious mind to respond to certain stimuli in a different way.
 
The brain receives billions of messages from the five senses every day. Most of this information is processed by the brain without us even thinking about it at a conscious level. The part of the brain that filters all this information is called the Reticular Activating System (RAS).
 
We have the ability to consciously think about only one thought at a time. When we really concentrate on a particular task our brain filters out all the irrelevant information (via the RAS) and accepts only information associated with the task. You may have seen this in your children, watching TV. While they are watching their favorite program nothing else is important. Although you call them, you eventually may have to shout to get their attention and break through their RAS filter. You may have also experienced this yourself. Have you ever been interrupted while day dreaming or missed a turn while driving because you were thinking of something else?
 
The RAS works while you are asleep just as efficiently. Many people live in noisy busy cities. At night the RAS blocks out unwanted noise like traffic and police sirens. But it still lets in noises that people need to hear like crying babies or a ringing phone. When city people move to the country and country people move to the city it may take awhile to retrain the RAS to filter out the right noises. For some people this retraining may never happen.
 
The US government defines Hypnosis as having 2 parts:
1.   The bypass of the critical factor and
2.   The establishment of acceptable selective thinking.
 
The first part simply means override limiting beliefs. For someone to walk over hot coals without burning their feet requires that person to overcome the limiting belief they will get burnt.
 
The second part is about the process of inducing an environment or state of mind that is open to a change in thinking. For somebody to be hypnotized they must be a willing participant in allowing their mind to enter this environment. You can’t be hypnotized unless you allow it.
 
Hypnosis to overcome snoring is not about mind control or any black magic. It is about preparing the subconscious mind and retraining the RAS to respond to certain stimuli (snoring) in a different manner.
 
People don't snore when they are awake because as soon as they hear themselves they change the way they are breathing. What if you could change the way your Reticular Activating System filters the snoring sound when you are asleep? Rather than ignoring or filtering out the sound what if it became the stimulus to change the way you are breathing.
 
This is what hypnosis is all about. If you are open to the change, hypnosis can be beneficial in solving your snoring problem.
 
STOPPING NIGHTMARE
Make it Go Away

Nightmares and bad dreams can ruin your night. Because they seem so real they can leave you feeling traumatized and even dreading going to sleep.
Sleep should be a time of rest and recuperation but recurring nightmares make sleep exhausting and frightening.
 
What is a nightmare?
A nightmare is an emotionally negative dream, usually producing some level of fear. The nightmare emotion can be strong enough to wake you up. Repetitive dreams or nightmares often have a classic theme such as being chased or dying.
 
What causes dreams?
Dreams come from emotional expectations during waking hours that are not fulfilled so the emotional arousal is never 'switched off.'  We dream to 'complete the circuit'. So if you have frightening thoughts but what you fear isn't resolved during the day, then your unconscious mind will try to complete the pattern by producing a nightmare.
 
So nightmares are symbolic representations of your unfulfilled fears and anxieties from the day before.
 
Recurring nightmares happen because if you continue to worry about the same thing every day you'll continue to have the same bad dreams night after night. It's as simple as that.
 
We can stop nightmares by changing them so that they are no longer fearful. This can be done hypnotically and the process is fast and comfortable. In fact you can look forward to a better night's sleep straight away.
 
GAMBLING
Will it Stop?
 
What is gambling?  "Staking money on uncertain events driven by chance. The major forms are wagering (racing and sports) and gaming (casinos, gaming machines, keno and lotteries)." 
 
The term "Problem Gambling" includes, but is not limited to, the condition known as "Pathological", or "Compulsive" Gambling, a progressive addiction characterized by increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, "chasing" losses, and loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
 
People around the world have been gambling for many hundreds of years and it has been part of Australian culture since European settlement.
 
For most Australians gambling is an enjoyable form of entertainment. Gamblers come from all walks of life and sections of the community. For most people it is an enjoyable pastime that does not cause any difficulties because people are able to control their behaviour and are prepared to spend and lose what they can realistically afford.  For a small proportion, however, gambling has negative social consequences.  For every person who has a problem with gambling it has been estimated that another five people are affected. 
 
The frequency of a person's gambling does not determine whether or not they have a gambling problem. Even though the problem gambler may only go on periodic gambling binges, the emotional and financial consequences will still be evident in the gambler's life, including the effects on the family.

Although no substance is ingested, the problem gambler gets the same effect from gambling as someone else might get from taking a tranquilizer or having a drink. The gambling alters the person's mood and the gambler keeps repeating the behavior attempting to achieve that same effect. But just as tolerance develops to drugs or alcohol, the gambler finds that it takes more and more of the gambling experience to achieve the same emotional effect as before. This creates an increased craving for the activity and the gambler finds they have less and less ability to resist as the craving grows in intensity and frequency.
 
Some of the reasons for gambling may include; a way to escape bad feelings, eg anxiety, loneliness, depression, sadness and grief; a way to cope with feelings of stress; to relieve boredom; to feel accepted in a group; to cope with unhappy relationships or a way out to solve all their problems.
 
New figures released on Tuesday 14th February 2006 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates on the component of gambling within the overall retail sector of the economy.
 
The bureau said between December 2003 and the December 2005 quarter, gambling net proceeds grew 22.1 per cent to almost $2 billion. Turnover through hotels and licensed clubs was up 12.1 per cent to more than $4.8 billion.
 
Gambling now accounts for 40 per cent of total turnover in the nation's pubs and licensed clubs.  Gambling proceeds grew 4.5 per cent in the December quarter alone, and followed growth rates of more than five per cent in two of the previous three quarters.
 
NSW is still the nation's gambling epicentre. Seven per cent of total retail turnover in the premier state is attributable to gambling.
Gambling accounts for 3.2 per cent of retail turnover in Queensland, 3.1 per cent in the ACT, 2.9 per cent in South Australia, 1.8 per cent in Victoria, 1.4 per cent in the Northern Territory and less than one per cent in Tasmania and Western Australia.  
 
Many of us have entered a Melbourne Cup sweep (when the whole country seems to stand still for a horse race) or taken part in ‘footy pools’ during the football season, or lottery tickets in general.
 
It’s been said that Australians will bet on anything – even two flies crawling up a wall. Yearly, as part of the celebration of our National ANZAC day, hundreds of people around the country openly play the illegal game of two up.  Today, we are able to play it on the internet. 
 
The Internet will change gambling as we know it.  Personal computers will become virtual casinos and digital television could transform living rooms into gambling venues.  There is little doubt that while less than 1 per cent of Australians are gambling online now, the number will increase – and so will the amount being gambled.  For example, Canbet, an online wagering site operating out of Canberra, has reported that its turnover increased from $14.2m in 1996 to $47m in 1998-99.  Lasseters Online, Australia’s first licensed online casino, reports that it is making a profit of $1m per month.  The turnover for its first year of operations was $78m. 
 
 
The National Crime Authority (NCA) advised that online gambling provides criminals with the means to launder money. The Committee recognised the need to ensure that existing resources in the fight against money laundering are adapted to meet the challenges posed by online gambling.  Australians are able to access overseas-based online gambling sites with the click of a mouse. In fact, the majority of Internet gambling sites are located offshore. Most are found in the Caribbean, which offers operators favourable taxation rates and lax regulatory standards.
 
Whilst helping a gambler to get back on track suggest that they pay their bills, rent, mortgage and buy food etc before deciding to gamble; only gamble with their own money; plan their gambling before they leave the house, for example set limits on the amounts of time and money they will spend; keep a weekly record of their wins and losses; do not take an ATM card to access extra money; arrange other activities for some of the times they would normally go to gamble.
Some helpful ideas that have worked for others have been to always eat before gambling, as this will help to think more clearly; reduce intake of caffeine if not sleeping well; not to drink alcoholic drinks while gambling; tell someone who cares if they are feeling stressed, unhappy or upset; don’t feel ashamed about getting help from a professional who has a good understanding of gambling and the problems that may come with it.
 
If assisting a spouse of a problem gambler, in order to stay safe they may need to think about arranging separate bank accounts; cancel joint credit cards; get legal advice about protecting their share of joint assets, like the house; pay the bills themselves or arrange automatic bank transfers; talk about their worries over with a trusted friend; and be aware of their own stress and the effects the situation may be having on their children.
 
There is some evidence to suggest that children of parent(s) who have a problem with gambling are at a greater risk to using alcohol, drugs or gambling at an earlier age than other children.
 
More immediate problems for children come from the financial hardship experienced causing a lack of money for items like food, clothing, family outings, activities and school excursions.  They may feel the loss for a parent who is always away gambling for long periods, the loss of security and loss of trust may become an issue.  This may cause a withdrawal of the child from making friends at school, a loss of confidence, feeling guilty or ashamed about their parent’s behaviour and not wanting to bring other school children to their home.
 
As with every other problem, people who gamble are responsible for their behaviour and are the ones that will decide if they want help to change their behaviour.  It doesn’t matter how long they have gambled or how many other things they have tried unsuccessfully to stop the gambling habit.  It does matter that it is their decision to want to change if therapy is to be successful.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References:
FairfaxDigital, the age.com.au , Gambling spending continues to grow, February 14, 2006
www.aic.gov.auAustralian Institute of Criminology                        
www.coag.gov.au Council of Australian Governments' Communiqué
www.cyh.com  Children, Youth & Women’s Health Service
www.smh.com.au August 4, 2004
Source: http://www.ahahypnotherapy.org.au/a9_hypnosis_and_gambling.htm (updated 29 April 2007)
  
ADHD
Doing Something About ADHD
 
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed neuro-biologically-based developmental and behavioural disorder of childhood, estimated to affect between 3% and 5% of school-aged children. Although many people occasionally have difficulty sitting still, paying attention, or controlling impulsive behaviour, these behaviours are so persistent in people with ADHD that they interfere with daily life.
 
Generally, these symptoms appear before the age of 7 years and cause significant functional problems at home, in school, and in various social settings. One- to two-thirds of all children with ADHD (somewhere between 1% and 6% of the general population) continue to exhibit ADHD symptoms into adult life.
 
ADHD SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
A person is considered to have ADHD if he or she demonstrates symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity for at least 6 months in at least two settings (home and in school). In order to diagnose ADHD in adults, healthcare providers must determine how the adult patient behaved as a child.
 
ADHD CHARACTERISTICS

• Physically Hyperactive
• Impulsive & Intrusive
• Rebellious& Bossy
• Irritation
• Show Off/Egotistical
• Attracts friends but doesn’t easily bond
• More prone toward Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorders

SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION

• Fails to pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes
• Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
• Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
• Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
• Have difficulty organizing tasks and activities
• Avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort
• Loses things necessary for tasks or activities
• Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
• Is forgetful in daily activities

SYMPTOMS OF HYPERACTIVITY AND IMPULSIVITY

• Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
• Leaves seat in situations where remaining seated is expected
• Runs or climbs excessively in inappropriate situations (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)
• Has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly
• Acts as if "driven by a motor"
• Talks excessively
• Blurts out answers before questions are completed
• Has difficulty awaiting turn
• Interrupts or intrudes on others

SUBTYPES OF THE DISORDER
Most kids exhibit one or more of the subtypes:

• Combined Type -- multiple symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity
• Predominantly Inattentive Type -- multiple symptoms of inattention with few, if any, of hyperactivity-impulsivity
• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type -- multiple symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity with few, if any, of inattention

CAUSES

• Genetic factors as well as those affecting brain developments during prenatal and postnatal life
• Irregular brain activity
• Excessive slow - wave activity in certain regions of the brain
• Low levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved with mental and emotional functioning

RISK FACTORS

• Heredity - at least one first-degree relative who also has ADHD and one-third of all fathers who had ADHD in their youth have children with ADHD
• Gender - ADHD is more common in boys than in girls (10:1)
• Prenatal and early postnatal health - maternal drug, alcohol, and cigarette use; exposure of the fetus to toxins, including lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, prenatal trauma
• Learning disabilities, communication disorders, and tic disorders such as Tourette's syndrome
• Nutritional factors allergies or intolerances to food, food coloring, or additives, diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, low protein diet

DIAGNOSIS

• Diagnosis is largely dependent on specific observed behaviours and is made using the diagnostic criteria as defined in the DSM-IV - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Parents and teachers play an important role in providing information to establish the diagnosis since most behaviours occur at home or at school.
• Hair analysis (for heavy metal overloading).
• Blood testing (for nutritional deficiencies).

ALLOPATHIC / CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT APPROACH
Multiple strategies are required to effectively manage ADHD over the long-term. Lifestyle changes, including behavioural therapies, are proving to be the best option for many children. Currently, the most accepted treatments include individual and family education, behavioural therapy, school remediation, and social skills training.
 
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
There are two basic ways to manage hyperactive children: change the child's environment or change the child's behavior. The former can be accomplished by actively modifying a child's social and family interactions, a process that usually begins with parental training. The latter involves stimulant medication - Ritalin and Focusyn.
 
Notably, a recent study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) indicated that a comprehensive treatment regimen that combines medication with intensive behavioural interventions (such as parental training) is among the most effective treatments for elementary school children with ADHD. Adults with ADHD may benefit from a variety of behavioural interventions including cognitive remediation, couple therapy, and family therapy.
 
Mind / Body Medicine
Mind/body techniques such as hypnotherapy, progressive relaxation, and biofeedback are particularly well suited to children and adolescents. Children tend to readily accept hypnotic suggestion and the visual process of biofeedback works well for children of this generation because many are accustomed to computerized graphics. Through these techniques, children are often able to learn coping skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. These treatments allow children to gain a sense of control and mastery, increase self-esteem, and decrease stress.
 
To be most effective for ADHD, however, these mind/body techniques should be incorporated into an overall comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to the particular individual.
 
Prognosis and Complications
As many as half of all children with ADHD who receive appropriate treatment learn to control symptoms and function well in adulthood, while the remaining continue to exhibit symptoms of inattention and impulsivity throughout life. As many as 50% to 80% of those who do not seek treatment for ADHD may demonstrate delinquent and antisocial behaviour into adulthood. In most cases, ADHD can be effectively managed throughout life, particularly when multiple treatment strategies are combined.
 
Please ask your doctor or hypnotherapist before starting on any supplements and/or therapy respectively. Its is better to first identify the cause and then treat it with the right remedies, even though those mentioned above have minimal side effects.