Inner Potential Hypnotherapy

Anxiety, Panic and Fears in Berkshire: How effective is Hypnotherapy with anxiety, panic attacks and fears?

We all have felt anxious and fearful of social situations or hearing about a plane crashing on the news. But we find it difficult to relate to people who complain about these same fears but they are living with anxiety over those fears all day long.

A client will call and say “I am standing in a queue at a supermarket and my heart is pounding and I feel I am going to pass out! It does not make sense how can I feel so panicky among so many people?”

Another client will call and say “I know the chances of a plane crashing is lesser to a car having an accident but I am happy driving my car but I will just not get on the plane; my family has had no holidays in the last ten years because of my fear o flying!”

Fear of sickness, flying, presentations, and anxiety over exams, heights, interviews or else panic attacks in trains, lifts, and closed spaces are all very common and real in our world and the sufferers usually are silently suffering because they feel ashamed of talking about it because it does not make sense to the logical mind!

Make no mistake: phobias, fears, anxiety and panic attacks are felt by very intelligent, capable and efficient people as well as by single mothers or adolescents etc…. there is no age or IQ that differentiate fear in one against another.

What does differentiate a normal fear from a phobia, a normal feeling of panic over a marriage to a full blown panic attacks at the alter, a normal anxiety over exams to running out of the exams room out of an anxiety attacks is simply this:

How safe is the emotional/right brain feeling?
How secure and relaxed is the mind to let the intellect take control?
How much is your right brain listening to you?

The biggest mistake we all make is we try rationalising with the right brain but it is a fact that it does not listen to logic; it has been called the unconscious brain, the creative brain, the emotional brain and it works best under a state of relaxation and safety and it listens mostly to our senses, emotional level and our imagination.

So when you are sitting in a restaurant and imagining yourself stammering if you are asked a question the chances are that your right brain has already gone into alarmed mode and has already triggered what has been called “the flight or fight response” to protect you; you will feel the heart pounding, the sweating and the tingling in your fingers simply because your right brain has signalled danger to your body and the latter is getting ready to run and escape; but you are a social being so you stay there but get more and more panicky with the seconds!

Hypnotherapy works directly with the right brain and helps it develop a much more relaxed and safe state of mind with regard to those triggers that are at the moment making you panicky, anxious or fearful. The same right brain which perceives the plane in the sky with dry throat and fearful eyes can see it with curiosity if the right brain has got no alarm trigger associated with it; when it is neutral or even positive about the flight it can hear it, see it and imagine being in it very relaxingly.

How does hypnotherapy help with anxiety, fears, phobias and panic attacks?
Hypnotherapy/NLP in Reading, Wokingham, Windsor and Maidenhead.

Hypnotherapy works directly with the right brain that controls our instinctive and emotional responses; which is why despite logically trying to calm yourself you may have found that the right brain refuses those commands and seems to have a life of its own and reactions of its own! The right brain responds to a very deep relaxed state which is why you find you are achieving more work in a state of calm. When it comes to symptoms e.g. fear of presentation, fear of sickness, blushing, insomnias, IBS, stress created disorders, we have lost that ability to relax enough to listen to our logical explanations; we can only respond from the “fear” triggers in our unconscious brain.

Hypnosis is a state of mind where the unconscious/right brain is more powerful and this happens constructively for all of us when on a beach, driving, dancing or listening to music; in a destructive mode we are gone into that emotional world and is responding form there when worrying, panicking, and responding in a symptomatic way is all we can do out of old habits or defences we have learnt to protect ourselves in the short term.

Via hypnotherapy that works directly with the right brain(where we store our unconscious habits of responding to the world: healthy responses are driving, dancing or singing that after a while have become unconscious with us; but unhealthy responses are responses that are defences against stress, anxiety or even anger e.g. nail biting, eczema, skin diseases, insomnia, anger bouts or tics and stammering), we can help clients let go of those alarming triggers that create even more alarm bells and set the body into a state of “fear and flight” (as if their life is in danger and they need to escape) with Hypnosis techniques that works directly with the right brain in a state of deep relaxation.

Hypnosis help their unconscious mind regain the safety and trust that the world is worth exploring; we all know it logically but the logic only works for the left brain and when the unconscious brain goes into alarm and creates phobias (spiders, heights, closed spaces, presentations) the logic fails and the client finds that he/she is saying “come on relax!” but the body is responding hypnotically to the right brain’s fear and not the logic of the left brain!

For more information visit www.innerpotential.info or call Amreeta Chapman on 0118 926 9978/0786 129 3634 or mail amreeta@innerpotential.info.

Amreeta Chapman (Psychologist/Hypnotherapist/NLP Practitioner) practises Hypnotherapy and NLP in Reading, Wokingham, Windsor, Maidenhead and Berkshire since five years and specialises in emotional/mental issues such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, low self-esteem and sexual abuse.

Couples and partners often find themselves caught in a vicious circle of fights, struggles and tears around the same pattern of behaviours in their couples/partnership. The man finds that despite cleaning up his wife/partner still find something to critisize or coment on…..the woman finds that despite trying her best to dress up her husband/partner never gives that compliment that would make her feel wanted and beautiful. There are thousands of these little expectations and hopes that make a couple and can destroy a couple.

Couple counselling/marriage counselling becomes necessary when both partners are finding themselves caught up in the same vicious circle and having tried self-help books, holidays, expensive gifts and even self-determination they are still saught into the same drama in their relationship. The husband finds that he wishes to trust his wife but is calling her every two hours to check on her which affects the woman and creates distrust and anger in the relationship; the wife finds that she wishes to be less critical but as soon as she enters the house she notices the sock lying around, the books stacked around rather than remembering it is her birthday….

All these can create issues such as jealousy in couples, mistrust in couples, anger/aggression in couples, fear in couples, lack of communication or miscommunication in couples, fights in couples etc…. couple counselling provides a safe and relaxed environment where the counsellor aims to be the reflective mirror where both partners can look at their relationship again and secondly the counsellor is there to keep them on target, help them stay on the path to their goals and set up exercises to get them to their goals as a couple.

Amreeta Chapman is trained as a Psychologist/clinical Hypnotherapist and solution focused therapist. She has a background of working with domestic and child abuse and having worked with severe disturbances in families and couples she has now experience and skills to help her clients be they couples or parent-child relationship. She has a solution focused approach that aims to help clients get to their goals within 8-10 sessions and reassures clients they do not need to spend months/years trying to get their relationship working healthily and communicatively.

For more information visit her website : www.readingpsychotherapyandcounselling.co.uk or email her with your specific query about your relationship on amreeta@innerpotential.info as well as call her on 0118 926 9978.

Amreeta is an Associate Member of  the BACP, Member of the BSCH, GHR as well as Member of the NHS Directory of Complementary therapists.

IBS/Bowel issues and other issues to do with our private parts are always a source of worry for the people suffering from them as it is not easy to call or talk to a professional about them; but at the same time around 25% of a certain group (work, office, community group, friend circle, church goers, adolescent group….) are suffering from IBS or other bowel related symptoms.Clients feel isolated and embarrassed about IBS, Bowel related problems as noone will openly talk about them.

Amreeta Chapman, Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist sees at least one client with IBS and Bowel related issues every week in her Hypnosis practices in Wokingham, Reading, Windsor and Bracknell. Clients will call when they have become obssessed with checking toilets wherever they go, feeling phobic about social situations “just in case” something go very wrong with their bowels or else they have been off sick too many days from work due to their IBS problems.

Usually four-five session are enough to get over IBS and bowel related issues with Hypnotherapy as amreeta has found in her 5yrs’ practice; but she will let her client speak for IBS and Hypnotherapy in the testimonial below:

“I would like to thank Amreeta for helping me to have a better quality of life after suffering persistent problems with IBS. I am a woman in my 20’s who had been struggling with severe IBS for about a year and I had done everything I could to try to investigate and treat my problem. My GP referred me to a Consultant who confirmed my symptoms as IBS, but neither my GP nor my Consultant could provide me with a long term solution to alleviate my symptoms. I maintain a good diet, omitting certain foods such as dairy, I make sure I walk and stay active, and I also take anti-spasmodic medication.

All these things help but I would still frequently find myself waking up and spending the start of my day in pain and suffering with diarrhoea. I had recently started a new job and I found my IBS stopped me from fulfilling my potential at work, I had a lot of time off sick, and I also found myself avoiding social situations as I worried about having an embarrassing flare up of my IBS. In such a short space of time my life had turned upside down. As a result of this I became isolated and I was very depressed and I lost confidence in myself.

I ended up doing my own research on the internet to find a way forward, which is when I discovered the benefits of hypnotherapy to treat IBS, so I contacted Amreeta, who was very understanding of my problem. Immediately I started to feel a difference in myself after my first hypnotherapy session, I felt calmer, more relaxed and my stomach and bowels felt calmer too. Amreeta tailored the hypnotherapy sessions to meet my personal needs and focus on where I needed help the most. I visited Amreeta in Windsor for a few sessions; in a calm and relaxed atmosphere I was able to learn valuable relaxation techniques and developed my skills for self-hypnosis at home.

I had been a little sceptical before I visited Amreeta as nothing had been able to help me before, but since I started my hypnotherapy I have not looked back, even my family have noticed a change in me and they think it is the best thing I have ever done. After my hypnotherapy I took a step back to look at my life to see where I had unnecessary stress and I have made changes accordingly. I am now working in a job closer to home where I am much happier and my IBS no longer controls my life anymore.

I would recommend that you contact Amreeta if you suffer from IBS. Please don’t be embarrassed to seek help, let today be the day that you say to yourself that you won’t let IBS rule your life anymore. Psychological factors can trigger the symptoms of IBS, so learn to control these and you have the potential to do anything that you want.

G (Windsor)”

For more information please visit her websites: www.innerpotential.info/  www.innerpotentialtherapy.co.uk or call her on 0118 926 9978/0786 129 3634.

Hypnotherapy for Children is very beneficial:

Whether it is anxiety in children, anger in children, exams fears in children….

Amreeta Chapman in trained as a Psychologist and Hypnotherapist and has been working with children and adolescents in Reading, Wokingham and Windsor  Berkshire for the last five years. She says:

When I say to parents “you do not need to have your child hypnotized because they are already under Hypnosis” I get a very worrying expression! But if your child is suffering from an emotional or mental stress that is being expressed in several Physical and Psychological symptoms, then your child is already under hypnosis. You will agree with me that a lot of our children’ and adolescents’ fears and anxieties are in their minds and have no basis in reality. Their minds are more creative and imaginative than adults and they believe that inner world more than adults would do and thereby if that inner world is being seen as scary and defeating then no doubt they will start behaving with fears and phobias on the outside.

Hypnosis is simply a state of focus on the internal world where that internal world is controlling our behaviour and thoughts; when you try to rationalise with your child or adolescent, do you not find that they do understand the logic of what you are saying and they do try to get out of that state of fear or anxiety but they just can’t? That is simply because when the right brain which we call the unconscious mind takes over control it only understands and categorises feelings into “pleasurable” or “painful” triggers and if a child has learnt to feel and respond with “painful trigger” of anxiety or anger or pain to any kind of object (dog, airplanes, teachers) or any action (exams, sleeping, food, authority figures) they will carry on having their right brain controlling them.

The most common symptoms that parents call for are food issues, sickness phobia, sleep issues, fears in children, anger at school, and aggression with peers / teachers, exams fears in adolescents, anxiety in children and shyness / confidence issues in adolescents.

Usually children and adolescents are very gregarious, adventurous, explorative and full of energy and excitement seeing life and its opportunities as there for them, within their reach; it is a beautiful age of motivation and fun.

Unfortunately some children either out of modelling adults around them or due to certain circumstances lose those natural abilities; circumstances such as death of a parent, grandparent or else trauma of an accident, fear of parent’s illness, failure in certain exams etc… And that same child who used to be so spontaneous and happy go lucky is gradually closing up into a cautious, passive or else angry and frustrated child or adolescent.

Things escalate and reach a peak with children and adolescents when their fears, anger or else phobias start affecting their studies, friendships, exams, and family relations. That is where parents start seeking help and often get confused about what type of help is best for their child.

Amreeta has worked in child abuse and domestic violence for five years before going into private practice; she is a member of the BSCH, GHR as well as an associate member of the BACP. She works with family therapy, parent-child relationship as well as sees children for hypnotherapy with the mentioned issues. Hypnotherapy works very well with children for the simple reasons:

1. Children act and feel and react more from their right brain which is instinctive, emotional and creative than from their rational logical brain; Hypnotherapy works directly with that part of the brain aiming to help children change their monstrous, angry, fearful images, feelings into safer and more proactive image and motivated beliefs.

2. Hypnotherapy does NOT take control of the child’s or adolescent’s brain; as a Hypnotherapist Amreeta is very much like a driving instructor who knows how the right brain works and controls emotional and mental triggers and her job is to help the child learn how to control that part of their brain.

3. Because in Hypnotherapy we have to relax the body and mind to be able to work with the right brain, children and adolescents who have been very worried, frustrated, angry or feeling helpless get the added bonus of feeling more relaxed, safe and at ease with themselves which start making them more motivated to help themselves as well as make the atmosphere at home a bit more relaxed.

Hypnotherapy can help in these cases by helping the child to replace those defeating inner stories and representations of the world that they are constantly replaying with more constructive and long lasting beliefs in their own competence and abilities. Hypnosis help their unconscious mind regain the safety and trust that the world is worth exploring; we all know it logically but the logic only works for the left brain and when the unconscious brain goes into alarm and creates phobias (spiders, heights, closed spaces, presentations) the logic fails and the client finds that he/she is saying “come on relax!” but the body is responding hypnotically to the right brain’s fear and not the logic of the left brain!

For further information feel free to call Amreeta on 0118 926 9978 / 0786 129 3634 or visit her websites:

http://www.innerpotential.info

http://www.innerpotentialtherapy.co.uk

http://www.innerpotential.info/childhyp

Phobias are very common and hypnotherapy helps in only four-five sessions usually with phobias as they are irrational fears and the person facing the phobia will be the first one to agree!

Phobias/fears are triggered from the right hand side brain, which is often known as the “creative” brain which usually in the language of hypnosis works with our senses and imagination. So that even when the logical brain is saying “you are okay; there are already ten people in the lift; if they are okay you will be okay!” the right brain is saying “oh my god, height; closed spaces; i am going to die; i can’t bear this!!”

With messages of fear the right brain goes into a state of “flight or fight” where the body feels as if it just wants to run and escape!

Hypnotherapy works directly with the right brain and helps these triggers of fear to change into neutral or even pleasurable triggers that then will allow the phobic person to deal with that plane,lift, height, or presentation in a very relaxed and controlled manner.

For more information visit the website: www.innerpotential.info or www.innerpotentialtherapy.co.uk or call Amreeta on 0118 926 9978/0786 129 3634.

Amreeta practises hypnotherapy in Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Windsor thus covering Berkshire on different afternoons/evenings.

How on earth can we equate a shy, pale person with an angry, red-faced person?
Easily… when we realise that hidden is a series of thought and feeling processes that is just the same in both…

Anger is normal and a very healthy way to say that we are hurt or frustrated; Anger in itself is felt when we feel brushed off, not listened to or made fun of etc…. But anger becomes a major problem in the way it is expressed. Physical Violence, verbal abuse, tantrums even in adults, swearing and abusing others…you know when you are faced with a person “who has lost it completely!” don’t you? Problem is, they do not see it or accept it until they are threatened to lose that prized status, job or relationship.

We are brought up in a civilized society that often says “don’t be angry”, “you don’t look good angry!” so that we grow up lacking the right skills to express our hurt feelings in a healthy way. So how do we express anger or aggressive feelings: often shouting, swearing, throwing things around, pounding on doors or tables, shrieking, or pushing people aside and stomping off, sulking in silence for days before exploding into rage…..all these expressions of anger are bound to leave us feeling released in the short term but ashamed, guilty, angry with ourselves and demeaned in our self-esteem and with an estranged, hurt or demeaned husband, wife, partner or child.

Because what often angry people see as triggers for anger e.g. “she does not listen”, “he behaves so irresponsible; like a child I tell you!”, “my colleagues think I am a bully so I give them a bully!” are not there in the first place. Triggers are often there, seen and felt by them because of their belief systems e.g. being vulnerable if I cry, not good-enough for love, fear of losing control and being hurt, being too ordinary to deserve authority status, etc…Thus when the eye see and the heart feels that we are being treated as such we are bound to react defensively to protect ourselves.

Passivity—Assertiveness–Aggressivity: Scale of expressing emotions.

The person who has learnt to retreat in passivity from early years as a way of protection will keep that same attitude and may even get sympathy and help later on in life to come “out of the shell!” But the person who has learnt anger (from role models, from being ignored, or by colluding with the abuser in the family) and expresses those same hurt feelings and beliefs in anger will get rejection and resentment in later years. No doubt it is difficult to sympathise with angry and aggressive people but I have learnt in my practice that they are wonderful human beings who are in pain but do not know how to acknowledge it , live with it, or express it. Their own feelings make them very uncomfortable and they defend against them!

Expressing emotions or thoughts can be done: either passively, e.g. bottling up, agreeing with everything that is said, following the other person at work or home even if we do not agree or aggressively as laid above. The only healthy way to express angry, hurt, aggressive feelings is by being assertive. Assertiveness skills are learnt from childhood when we are brought up in an environment that allows us to compromise, negotiate and argue within boundaries. But for angry people Assertiveness is an unknown sensation or skill.

When we say some people need treatment for Anger Management we mean that they need help to express their hurt feelings in a constructive way. I have had many clients over the years who have expressed a fear of losing all ability to be angry if they come for Hypnotherapy. What Hypnotherapy will help with is simply programming the mind to process the anger in manageable doses and manageable ways both for the client and his/her family members or colleagues

For people with anger issues often from childhood onwards they have learnt either to be passive with their feelings/thoughts and then blow up or they have a very low frustration tolerance which causes them to react at slight remarks. So as they grow into adults and the pressure of life, work and relationships take over they respond either by giving silent treatment that ultimately explode into raging anger that the partner often does not understand at all or by reacting so defensively and so quickly that they look dangerous and threatening. They will later say that they were only expressing themselves but it is the other person who can hear the rage in the tone, who can feel the threat of attack and who can sense themselves in danger.

Hypnotherapy works well with anger issues for two major reasons

In Hypnotherapy we are working with the unconscious mind where all our instinctive reactions have taken roots and angry/aggressive people often feel helpless once those triggers get touched upon. They have forgotten when they learnt unconsciously to blow up if someone says “you are being silly” or if they just imply it. The trigger has been programmed in the inner mind and gets set up automatically.

What a Hypnotherapist will do is access the inner mind and help identify and then change those triggers and set more constructive reactions to anger, like talking it out, shouting within limits, staying within boundaries of self-respect etc. Hypnosis techniques are there to change those belief systems that are creating anger into healthier beliefs about one’s self-worth.

The added bonus here is that we train the mind to relax and become calm so that we can access the unconscious mind and work with it and these results in the clients’ also learning to relax their mind and body. Which is something an angry person will agree is the most difficult thing for them to do!
So relaxation and peace within the mind and body as well as ability to express anger in an assertive way are some of the few things that Hypnotherapy allows an angry person to achieve. Over three to five sessions the client is helped to develop a more constructive unconscious mindset which he then practices over a few more weeks as he is taught self-hypnosis.

So next time you are faced with that angry partner, friend or work colleague of yours, know that he or she is feeling as vulnerable and hurt and fragile as the friend you know who’s shy and reserved….and then you may just be able to sympathise and help him/her?

By: Amreeta Chapman(Dip(Hyp), Pract.(Hyp), M.A.Psy) www.innerpotential.info