UK medical journal, The Lancent, published a study looking into whether hypnotherapy could help to prevent relapses in the ulcers. The study consisted of 30 people, 14 female and 16 males, all who had suffered from duodenal ulcers and all who had experienced a relapse within the past six months.

All participants were asked to take a common and successful drug for treating ulcers (rantidine) and were given sufficient time for the drug to work and for the ulcer to heal. After this the group was then split into two. One group received seven hypnosis session and were given a recording to listen to on their own, the others did not receive any sort of hypnosis treatment. The participants were then given follow up reviews (with hypnotherapy sessions for the hypnosis group) every three months for the next year.

The aim of the hypnotherapy was to make the patient feel relaxed so they could focus their attention on their abdomen. They were instructed to imagine a feeling of warmth over their abdomen and the warmth was to control the secretion of stomach acid. They were asked to visualise this process.

One year on and the relapse rate of the hypnosis group was 53% compared to 100% in the group who didn’t receive any hypnotherapy. To conclude, the study showed that hypnosis can be of great help to those who have frequent duodenal ulcers.

Read the original story here.

Throughout the podcast Susan intends to teach the listener certain techniques which will enable them to fall into a deep state of relaxation. The reason for this being that whilst in this deeply relaxed state, your subconscious mind is easier to access and this is the part of your mind which houses all of those deep rooted habits, beliefs and impulses that can often stop you achieving your goals.

Hepburn explains that the way this ‘Hypnodiet’ works is by reprogramming the subconscious mind in order to bring about behavioral changes. This may sound like a wild claim but there are thousands upon thousands of well documented cases of people using hypnosis successfully for anything from a drug free childbirth through to hypnosis helping Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Hepburns timesonline podcast has been thoughtfully put together and she hopes that it will give those who want to lose weight and become more healthy a preview of what her Hypnodiet can do. Listen to the podcast once a day whilst you are in a calming environment, then read the following tips and hopefully you will begin 2010 with a spring in your step and with an opportunity to achieve the body weight you desire.

If you would like to begin the New Year exercising more, eating less and losing weight then click here, to view the original article and follow the link at the top of the feature to download Susan Hepburn’s free Think yourself slim with the hypnodiet podcast.

Good luck!

Today is an opportunity for hypnotherapists to spread awareness about the treatments that they offer and many professionals across the U.K are offering complimentary or discounted therapy to those who have been considering treatment but have yet to take the plunge. For instance, Shires Hypnotherapy is a new certified practice based in the picturesque Herefordshire and they have chosen to launch today. To coincide with their launch they are debuting their Hypno Weightloss programme and are discounting consultations upon the mention of World Hypnotism Day.

Irish Hypnotherapist Martin Kiely is also taking part and is offering the first 20 people to sign up a free programme which aims to help you to stop your self limiting beliefs from getting in the way of your study and exam success. You can watch Martin Kiely’s video here.

With any luck today will help to debunk myths and misconceptions of hypnosis and will show people that it is an effective and natural alternative therapy that has proven successful in countless areas.

For events going on in your area please visit the World Hypnosis Day website.

The sessions use cognitive behavioural therapy, which is recognised as one of the most effective treatments for conditions where anxiety or depression are an issue.

The idea of hypnotherapy is to help the patient recognise stress triggers and while in a hypnotic state they will be able to see different ways of dealing with behaviours in stressful situations.

Neuro linguistic programming will allow the patient to change certain patterns of behaviour and eliminate ones which have a negative effect. Another helpful technique used in these sessions is time line therapy. This is where the therapist will encourage the patient to go back to negative times in their life and resolve anything they feel is unresolved.

This is finally a step in the right direction towards looking after our ex servicemen and women, let’s hope this scheme paves the way for many more of this kind.

Read more here.

Dr Miriam Stoppard says that she believes hypnobirthing is the best option as it doesn’t involve drugs and allows a sense of control. It works by the mother-to-be entering a hypnotic state and mental relaxation, however they are still fully awake and in control. As well as helping control pain, hypnobirthing can also help reduce labour time, as well as reduce the risk of complications and developing postnatal depression.

Deciding to use hypnobirthing means that the mother must undertake at least five sessions before the birth and practice regularly to ensure she is able to enter the hypnotic state during labour.

Many mothers opt for hypnobirthing as there are no drugs involved, meaning they cannot interfere with the baby.

the article also highlights how important it is to plan ahead, particularly when using hypnobirthing, in order to fully learn the technique.

Read the article here…

Events such as the financial downturn can have a devestating effect on life plans, sending people into tumoil as they deal with situations beyond their control. This can lead to sleep loss, stress and anxiety.

However, regaining control and learning to deal with situations that can’t be changed can be done easily through self-hypnosis. Once learnt, it can be used in many different situations to bring a calming influence, and anyone can be taught it. It’s hoped that, during the credit crunch, it can be a useful tool for anyone experiencing stress and anxiety.

Read more here…

The Edinburgh Natural Fertility Clinic uses natural alternatives to help women conceive, and said that their latest figures for 2007-2008 showed that 47% of those who received treatment at the centre conceived successfully.

The Clinic highlighted that there are many options to help support traditional IVF treatment, such as hypnotherapy and acupuncture. They also give advice support to help couples conceive naturally, without IVF, and said that giving couples fertility awareness advice made them three times more likely to conceive.

Deirdre Armstrong, who runs the clinic, said: “Many couples are not aware of the effect stress and busy workloads have on their reproductive health.

“By using complementary therapies we look to use an integrated approach to treat fertility problems.”

Read the article here…

Being in a trance means that the mind is relaxed, imagination is enhanced and more option to suggestion. The mind is still conscious and alert, but the patient becomes unaware of their surroundings and anything that my be going on around them.

A hypnotherapist cannot ultimately make someone change, the person also has to want to change themselves, whether it be giving up smoking or overcoming a phobia, but the decision is up to them. Whilst the hypnotherapist can make suggestions and give ideas on how to change, it’s up to the patient to accept them.

A recent study carried out by the University of Geneva revealed that when a person was in a hypnotic trance the brain reacted differently, but that the subjects still had the choice.

Read the article here…

HypnoBirthing helps the mother to become more relaxed, taking away the fear which is often what makes the process so painful and difficult. HypnoBirthing teacher Stella Greenhalgh says she believes that many of women’s fears about birth comes from television shows, popular culture and horror stories from friends and families.

HypoBirthing helps create a calming and relaxing environment, combating fears and anxieties, and can reduce recovery time after the birth. It also means that the baby comes into the world without having been subjected to any drugs, which may make it more alert.

HypnoBirthing aims to make the birthing process a more natural process rather, taking away the medical aspect.

Read the article here…

It looks at several methods for keeping healthy, including exercising, staying hydrated and improving diet. Stress can also be a cause of illness, and hypnotherapy can help with this through relaxation techniques. At such stressful times staying relaxed becomes even more important. A good night’s sleep is also important, and hypnotherapy can also help with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

By staying on top of all of this the immune system will be fully equipped for fighting off illnesses.

Read more…