Breaking the Chronic Procrastination Cycle * Hypnotherapy Can Help

Welcome back to our ongoing exploration of the human mind and the transformative power of hypnotherapy. One pervasive issue that many of my clients grapple with - chronic procrastination. As a certified hypnotherapist with 15 years in practice, I've encountered various manifestations of procrastination and witnessed the profound changes that hypnotherapy can bring.

A new client called and said, “My boss says I need to come see you or I will be fired.”  Not my usual call from a new client.  I asked him what was the issue.  He said he was chronically late to work and his boss was tired of it.  A good example of how chronic procrastination can affect all parts of your life. 

We worked together to find the causes of his procrastination – he just wanted to be on his computer more. We came up with a set of affirmations, changing his beliefs about himself and his ability to change and be on time.  We came up with an anchor, a way of anchoring in the feeling he felt in hypnosis.  He used his anchor when he felt out of control and that brought him back to believing that he could change and be on time.  He made some behavior changes – setting his alarm earlier, moving some tasks from the morning to the evening before and staying off the computer in the mornings.   He began to arrive at work not only on time, but 15 minutes early like his boss preferred.

After a few sessions, he mentioned to me that not only was he doing so much better at work, but his marriage was also better.  We had never discussed his marriage in our sessions.  He said that when his wife got grumpy or yelled at him, he used his anchor to calm himself and let her vent.  It is impossible to have an argument with only one person yelling.  He really appreciated this side benefit of his hypnotherapy sessions. 

Understanding Chronic Procratination

Chronic procrastination is not just a matter of occasional delays or temporary hesitation. It's a persistent pattern of putting off tasks that are important, often leading to negative consequences in various areas of life.

Recognizing the key symptoms of chronic procrastination is crucial for those seeking change:

1. Consistent Delays: Tasks are consistently postponed, leading to missed deadlines and opportunities.

2. Excuse-Making: Individuals engage in self-deceptive rationalizations for delaying tasks.

3. Avoidance Behavior: There is a tendency to avoid certain activities or responsibilities altogether.

4. Difficulty Initiating: Getting started on tasks becomes a daunting challenge.

5. Time Mismanagement: Poor time management skills contribute to chronic procrastination.

6. Perfectionism: The fear of not doing things perfectly can paralyze action.

7. Lack of Motivation: A general lack of motivation or enthusiasm for the task at hand.

8. Low Self-Esteem: Procrastination often ties to feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt.

9. Fear of Failure or Success: Fear can be a powerful driver of procrastination.

10. Short-Term Focus: Preferring immediate pleasure over long-term benefits.

Types of Chronic Procrastination

Identifying specific patterns helps tailor hypnotherapy interventions. Eight common types include

• academic procrastination

• chronic overestimation

• perfectionistic procrastination

• avoidance procrastination

• deadline procrastination

• anxious procrastination

• rebellious procrastination

• habitual procrastination

Causes of Chronic Procrastination

Understanding the root causes of chronic procrastination is essential for effective intervention. Common causes include

• fear of failure

• lack of clarity about goals

• low self-esteem

• perfectionism

• underlying mental health issues

Uncovering these triggers helps tailor hypnotherapy strategies to address the specific needs of each individual.

Consequences of Chronic Procrastination

Chronic procrastination can have far-reaching consequences, both as a general habit and in specific areas such as sleep (bed time) procrastination. As a pervasive habit, it can lead to increased stress, decreased job performance, strained relationships, and missed opportunities. In the context of sleep procrastination, where individuals consistently delay bedtime, consequences may include sleep deprivation, impaired cognitive function, and negative impacts on overall health and well-being.

The cycle of Chronic Procrastination

Understanding the cyclical nature of chronic procrastination is vital for breaking free from its grip. The cycle typically involves a trigger, emotional response, coping strategy (procrastination), and temporary relief, perpetuating the pattern.

Benefits of Overcoming Chronic Procrastination

Reducing or eliminating chronic procrastination brings a myriad of benefits:

1. Increased Productivity: Accomplish tasks more efficiently and effectively.

2. Enhanced Well-Being: Lower stress levels and improved mental health.

3. Improved Relationships: Minimize the impact of procrastination on personal and professional relationships.

4. Boosted Confidence: Overcoming procrastination fosters a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

5. Goal Attainment: Move closer to long-term goals with consistent action.

How Hypnotherapy Can Help

Hypnotherapy offers a powerful avenue for disrupting the cycle of chronic procrastination. Through various techniques, including guided imagery, suggestion, EFT and affirmations, hypnotherapy can address the underlying causes and rewire the subconscious mind.

In Summary

Chronic procrastination is a formidable challenge, but with the right tools and mindset, positive change is not only possible but probable. Hypnotherapy serves as a valuable ally in breaking free from the chains of procrastination, empowering individuals to lead more fulfilling and purposeful lives.

If you or someone you know is struggling with chronic procrastination, consider the transformative potential of hypnotherapy on your journey toward positive change.

I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients. Please go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consult or call me at 818-929-4944.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For additional information and advice on unwanted chronic procrastination and how to how to overcome it, here are two articles that may be of interest.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/triggered/202008/ocd-and-compulsive-procrastination https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination

For an absolutely fascinating article about one of the most recently identified forms of procrastination known as ‘revenge sleep procrastination’, please see the following:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/revenge-bedtime-procrastination

Duck Quack, Chicken Cluck, or ? Stage Hypnosis Vs. Hypnotherapy

References to being hypnotized turn up in the strangest places – on a random TV show, a movie or sometimes a book.  In his One Good Deed, a character of author David Baldacci is doing things not to her benefit.  Archer suggests, “’He believes Hank Pittleman hypnotized you or something.’  Archer takes the cigarette from his mouth.  ‘Did he hypnotize you or something?’  Sarcasticly she responds ‘Yeah, Archer, if you clap your hands just right, I’ll get on the floor and bark like a dog.’” 

As a professional hypnotherapist, new clients will sometimes ask me, “Will I quack like a duck, cluck like a chicken or bark like a dog?”  The answer is no, not unless you want to.  Hypnotherapy (what I do) and stage hypnosis (what I don’t even know how to do) are 2 distinct practices. Both use hypnosis but they serve very different purposes and are conducted in different settings.  Let’s explore the differences between the two.

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses hypnosis as a tool to help individuals address various psychological and emotional issues, such as anxiety, phobias, trauma, and more.

• Its primary purpose is to promote healing, personal growth, and positive behavioral change. Hypnotherapists work with clients, one on one, to help them achieve specific therapeutic goals.

• Hypnotherapy sessions are conducted in a relaxed, comfortable, and private environment where the client can feel at ease

• In hypnotherapy, the client participates voluntarily and consents to the process. The hypnotherapist works collaboratively with the client to address their specific concerns or issues, and the client's well-being is the top priority.

• Hypnotherapists use hypnosis to access the subconscious mind and work with the client's thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. The goal is to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and address specific issues through suggestion, visualization, and therapeutic dialogue.

• Hypnotherapists typically undergo formal training and certification in hypnotherapy techniques, ethics, and client care. They are often licensed professionals who adhere to ethical guidelines and maintain client confidentiality.

Stage hypnosis is a form of entertainment. The primary purpose of stage hypnosis is to amuse and entertain an audience. Stage hypnotists typically perform in front of a live audience and select volunteers from the audience to participate in amusing and often comical hypnotic scenarios. It is not intended for therapeutic or healing purposes.

• Stage hypnotists select volunteers from the audience, but these volunteers are typically willing participants who agree to be hypnotized for entertainment purposes. While consent is involved, there may be some peer pressure or expectation to comply with the hypnotist's requests.

• Stage hypnosis relies on rapid and often dramatic hypnotic inductions to quickly hypnotize participants. The focus is on creating entertaining and sometimes outrageous scenarios, such as making participants believe they are famous celebrities or behave in unusual ways.

• Stage hypnotists may not necessarily have formal training or certification in hypnosis. Their expertise lies in entertaining an audience through hypnosis, and their primary concern is entertainment rather than therapy.

• Stage hypnosis provides immediate amusement and laughter but does not aim to bring about lasting personal change or therapeutic benefits.

In summary, hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis involve the use of hypnosis techniques but they have vastly different purposes, approaches, and ethical considerations. Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic tool used to help individuals with psychological and emotional issues, while stage hypnosis is a form of entertainment aimed at amusing audiences.

Please feel free to pass this post along to family and friends that you think might benefit from the positive effects of hypnotherapy.

I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients.  Please go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consult or call me at 818-929-4944.

Sincerely,

Cinda

Hypnonews and Resources

For another perspective on Hypnotherapy Vs. Stage Hypnosis by an establlished hypnotherapy training company please see the following:

https://hypnotc.com/hypnotherapy-vs-stage-hypnosis-2/

For those who might be interested in learning to do stage hypnosis the following article offers some useful advice:

https://www.learnstagehypnosis.com/essential-stage-hypnosis-skills/

Just 1 Thing to Make a Lasting Positive Difference in Your Life Now

In the cycle of our lives, change is constant. But some changes we want and others we may just get. Is there 1 change you want or maybe need to make a lasting, positive change in your life now? Is there something that you have been avoiding? Something that you know you need to do but don’t really want to?

If you are having trouble doing that 1 thing, your subconscious thoughts, attitudes and beliefs could be creating the resistance that is holding you back. Hypnotherapy may be able to help.

Your subconscious is 90% (or more) of your brain.  It may be what is keeping you from completing that book, taking that flight, losing that weight.

When John (not his real name) came to me for help with his fear of flying, it was affecting both his professional and personal life.  He had to travel for work and could only drive or take the train when he had an out of town or out of state meeting.  His co-workers and clients thought this was odd, only he knew the real reason.  His entire family lives a couple of flight connections away from California.  He would have to fly on a small plane for the last leg of his journey.  He didn’t want to freak out in front of his young son.  He missed his family, especially his elderly mother.

After several sessions, John was able to easily fly for work and pleasure.  He didn’t even panic when the small plane was stuck on the runway for hours. Last Thanksgiving, John took the time to thank me for my help in changing his life.

How did hypnotherapy help John?  First, we explored where his fear of flying came from.  Why did he have a fear of flying and was this fear rational?  After some discussion, he began to realize that there was no rational reason for his fear.  The plane would land safely, the doors would open and he would be okay.  We then came up with affirmations related to his fears.  A couple were:  “I feel safe in the airplane,” “I don’t have to be in control all the time.”  Each morning he read his affirmations and each evening he wrote them in his journal, The Power In Affirmations.   In hypnosis, I suggested that he see himself as a person who was comfortable on a plane and did not need to be in control all of the time.  I gave him a recording of the hypnosis that he could listen to if needed on the plane.

For John that 1 thing has made a huge difference in his life. 

If you would like some help with your 1 thing please go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consult or give me a call at 818-929-4944.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HYPNONEWS AND RESOURCES

For a well written article concerning the benefits of hypnotherapy and how it may help you to overcome your resistance to the positive change you want, please see the following:

https://www.wellness-institute.org/blog/break-through-client-resistance-with-hypnotherapy

Freedom from Negative Habits - Tapping - Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

What if there were a simple, easy technique that you could do in your own home to get rid of a behavior, a feeling or a craving?  EFT could be that for you.

I was first introduced to Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, or tapping when I was a student at Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI).  The demonstrations were amazing!  A woman who had craved chocolate her entire life suddenly was not interested in the least.  I was curious – how to change, in a few minutes, how you viewed something you have loved your whole life.

Fast forward to last week.  I continue to struggle with maintaining a healthy weight.  I decided to try tapping on not eating carbs.  Low and behold I went to a lunch networking event and looked at the rolls and potatoes like they were foreign objects and definitely not something I would ever eat.  Dessert? Not a chance, I didn’t even check it out to see what it was.  It can be an amazing tool and I was reminded to use it with my clients.

What is tapping? 

Tapping works with the body’s energy system – the meridians that carry electrical impulses throughout the body.  These meridians were first used (and are still used) in acupuncture and acupressure.  We tap on the end-points of the meridians while repeating a problem statement (eg. My addiction to carbs). In acupuncture, you are needled on a specific point for a specific problem. In tapping, we just tap on all the upper body meridians and assume that one will be the correct meridian.  Tapping is part of a group of therapies called ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY, because they are believed to affect the body’s electromagnetic energy fields.

Where does it come from?

A psychologist, Dr. Roger Callahan, discovered tapping by accident while working with a client with a water phobia.  When she complained that her stomach hurt, he tapped under her eyes, the end point of the stomach meridian, and her stomach pain and water phobia went away.  This discovery was used by Gary Craig to expand tapping and come up with a simple system that can be used by anyone. Gary has had great success with Vietnam Vets with PTSD.  When they tell their stories while tapping the emotional intensity of the stories goes from 10 to 1 or zero.

How do you do it?

We begin by creating a setup statement: “Even though I have this addiction to carbs, I deeply and completely love and accepts myself.” At first, this negativity bothered me – shouldn’t we be focusing on the positive? I was listening to Nick Ortner’s broadcast during the 14th Annual  Tapping World Summit.  He runs Tapping World and is now a leader in the field.  He had the same question about the setup statement and he asked Louise Hay why we start with a negative. We know Louise Hay was all about positive affirmations (as am I) and I was intrigued to hear her answer.  She wisely said “If you want to clean the house, first you have to see the dirt.”

Tapping works on the theory that our unresolved negative emotions are major contributors to most physical pain, disease and anxiety. The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.

We were trained to be negative from the earliest times.  Those who survived were the ones who were watching the bushes for any suspicious activity, were there tigers in the bushes? – those blithely playing in the open did not survive.

I usually do a session with my clients and then give them the recipe so they can do it whenever they want.  And when I say do a session with my clients, I tap along with them so they don’t feel silly – at first it can seem an odd thing to be doing.

Sound interesting? Give me a call 818-929-4944 to set up a session and I will teach you how to do EFT your way or join my free Hypnotherapy Q & A every Wednesday at 10 am PST.

You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here are some articles with more information about EFT-tapping:

From WEB MD, What is EFT tapping? 

https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-eft-tapping

From Medical News Today, A Guide to EFT tapping,

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326434

February The Month of Love

I know, I know, there are lots of celebrations this month – Black History Month, American Heart Month, Cancer Prevention Month and who can forget Great American Pies Month.  All of these are important things to recognize and focus on.  For me, though, February will always be the month of love.  This is partly because of Valentine’s Day and Heart Month but also because my parents and my son and my daughter-in-love all got married this month.

So let’s talk about love.  How do you get over it and how do you get it are the two most often asked questions about love in my practice.  A few years ago, I had 3 clients at the same time trying to get over lost loves.  I’m happy to say they have all moved on and hopefully found love again--this time forever.  One client was happily married but couldn’t stop going by the ex’s house every day.  Through affirmations and hypnotherapy, that practice was stopped.

How do I help my clients find love?  By setting an intention and creating a set of affirmations that will get them to their goal.  I suggest that they think about what it is they are looking for in a partner and actually make a list of their wants.  If a person really wants specific qualities or attributes then listing them can be helpful.  What if someone comes along and doesn’t have the desired attributes, but they fall in love?  Time to change the list!  A list can be a great starting point as long as you are willing to be flexible.

It’s also important to remember that “If you are good on your own, you really can have a beautiful relationship.” (From Jennifer Lopez in “It’s A Beautiful Love Story” in February 14th People Magazine.  She also says she gets her glow by “affirmations, eating right, exercise and “being a good person.”

Remember, what you think about comes to be, so be intentional in your thoughts. Whether you are looking for love or looking to get over love, focus on what you really want.

If you’d like more information on how hypnotherapy can help, check out my free Hypnotherapy Q & A every Wednesday at 10:00 am PST or call for a free consultation (818-929-4944).

You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here’s more about hypnotherapy and love:

 I Tried Hypnotherapy to Get Over My Breakup,

https://www.thecut.com/2015/03/i-tried-hypnotherapy-to-get-over-my-breakup.html

 and

 How I’m Using Hypnosis to Attract My Life Partner,

https://psiloveyou.xyz/how-im-using-hypnosis-to-attract-my-life-partner-8c45fd5defb9  

Five Coping Strategies for Eating Challenges During the Holidays

Welcome to the ‘December’ holiday season! Holidays come with foods – Christmas Eve/Day, eight Nights/Days of Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve/Day all have the potential for big family dinners or fun parties.  If you are trying to watch and control your weight during the holidays, here are five strategies you can use:

1.       If you are going to a party and you are not sure that there will be food on your plan, eat the food you should be eating prior to going to the party or event.  No one needs to know that you have eaten and trust me, they will not notice if you are not eating.  Parties are all about having fun and that does not need to include overeating or drinking.  If you don’t want to drink alcohol, get a fizzy beverage or volunteer to be a designated driver for the evening.

2.       Consider allowing yourself a “cheat meal” or “cheat food” that is very special to you for the holiday.  Maybe your mother’s stuffing recipe has always been your favorite memory of the holidays – enjoy that and skip other foods that may be unhealthy for you.

3.       Practice self-care. Indulge in a mani/pedi or a new outfit that makes you feel special.  Nourish yourself with care instead of food.

4.       See the holidays as separate events – one dinner at a time.  It is much easier to focus on eating healthy for shorter periods of time than the whole month of holidays. 

5.       Planning ahead is always vital when it comes to managing your eating.  This is even truer at the holidays.  Take a calendar and map out what events you are planning to attend and what your strategy will be for each event.  Having a plan gives you the ability to be in control.

If you keep an Affirmations Journal as part of your daily practice, you may also want to add some holiday season specific affirmations. Here are some samples to consider:

•   I enjoy sticking to my food plan.

•   I plan my meals ahead of time.

•   I take care of myself.

•   I enjoy being with family and friends.

For more information about how to cope with holiday eating challenges, please give me a call (818-929-4944) to schedule a free consultation or join us any Wednesday on my Hypnotherapy Q and A. You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Check out this article for some myth-busting!

https://www.prevention.com/health/a34384918/holiday-weight-gain-myths/

Holidays do not have to mean weight gain.  Each of these articles has more good suggestions.

https://bewell.stanford.edu/avoiding-holiday-weight-gain/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/yes-you-can-avoid-weight-gain-over-the-holidays-2019112518309

Three Core Coping Strategies for Holiday Stress

Welcome to the ‘December’ holiday season!  This time of year can bring opportunities for fun and joy. But for many of us the bundle of events from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day raises our stress to uncomfortable, even unhealthy levels.

Holiday season stress triggers vary from one individual to another. Some of the more common situations might include:

• Gift shopping pressure, shortages, budget challenges, inflation ·        

• Traveling to holiday destinations

• Loneliness, spending holidays away from those you love

• Obligations to plan/host parties and get-togethers

• Social pressure to overindulge in food and drink

• Conflicts with family members

When I work with a client on managing stress, we focus on their particular situation and triggers. However, I teach every stress management client about the three core coping strategies that everyone can use.

1.      Take a moment and think about what is important to you during the holidays.  What makes the holidays the most meaningful?  Is it finding the perfect present, appreciating the spiritual meaning of the holiday for you, cooking gifts for family and friends, or celebrating being together with your family?  Whatever you decide, make this your focus.  You may want to sit down with family and friends and let them know what your focus will be this holiday if it is different than usual.

2.       Practice self-care. Plan time in your schedule for a massage, bubble bath or simply relaxing.  Find a like-minded friend to do something special with.

3.       Ask for help.  If you are overwhelmed because you are the designated host for events, include others in the planning process and encourage them to volunteer to help decorate, cook, clean-up, wrap presents, etc.  They will enjoy being asked to participate.

If you keep an Affirmations Journal as part of your daily practice, you may also want to add some holiday season specific affirmations. Here are some samples to consider:

• I plan and focus on what is important to me this holiday

• I take care of myself by communicating my needs to others

• I willingly ask for and accept help  

For more information about how to cope with holiday season stress, please give me a call (818-929-4944) to schedule a free consultation or join us any Wednesday on my Hypnotherapy Q and A. You can register here..

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Dr. Haqqani talks more about how holiday stress can affect us:

https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/voices/article/Dr-Haqqani-The-impact-of-holiday-stress-16645608.php

From the Heart Association, more ideas for coping:

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/holiday-stress-try-our-top-5-tips-for-a-healthy-holiday-season

20 Pounds Post-COVID! What Now?

True confession – I gained the dreaded COVID 20 pounds.  I know, I’m a hypnotherapist who has helped women and men lose hundreds of pounds.  When it came to listening to my own counsel, I fell short.

I know all the right things to do:

1. Eat healthy food you prepare yourself.  Focus on eating vegetables, low-glycemic fruit and healthy protein.

2. Plan your foods ahead of time.  A good suggestion is planning your food for the next day the night before to make sure you have what you need on hand.

3. Limit carbohydrates and alcohol. That’s where the calories are and the more you limit carbs, the more fun, fresh, veggies you can have.

4. Exercise more and regularly. Again, make a plan ahead of time so that you know when and how you exercise.  If necessary, put it on your calendar as an event.

5. Get plenty of sleep.  Study after study has shown that the more sleep you get, the easier it is to lose weight.

6. Have a specific goal in mind. This works better because you can see your progress and celebrate when you achieve your right weight.

7. Keep a written journal. Track your progress and celebrate your wins.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?  But with all the pivoting and planning to keep my business going, I put my health on the back burner and ended up where I did not want to be.  My doctor told me that I need to lose weight because of added stress on my knees which is causing pain and probably some damage.  That scared me into taking action.

What now? I am committing to 1-7 above. I’m also going to use a food and calorie app to track my food.  It does help to see what you are eating each day and exactly how many calories that food contains.  As I tell my clients, it’s more about what you eat than how much you move.  Don’t get me wrong, movement is important.  For me, after a good walk or work out I’m more motivated to eat the right food.

I may make an appointment to see a hypnotherapist; I hear they can be very helpful on this weight loss journey.

What about you? Did you gain the COVID 20 pounds?  Are you ready to make some changes? If you are, give me call, we can get to our right weight together. 

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Sleep More, Weigh Less - Yes, it’s true and here’s the article to prove it:  https://www.webmd.com/diet/sleep-and-weight-loss#1

Here’s an article from Psychology Today about how hypnosis helps with weight loss:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-integrationist/201412/successful-weight-loss-using-hypnosis

Coping With COVID-19 Post-Lockdown Re-entry Anxiety

When baby elephants begin to get trained, one foot is roped to a post in the ground.  They are small and the rope keeps them from moving away from the post.  Initially they may try, but they are not big and strong enough yet to break the rope or uproot the post and get free so eventually they stop trying. In reality, a fully grown elephant could easily break away and run free, but by then they have been conditioned to go no further than the rope will reach. So they never try. 

Conditioning through physical restraint is an established and effective technique for training baby elephants. Conditioning people’s behavior is a bit more complicated.

For 13 months or so, we have been conditioned, not through physical restraints, but through information (factual or not), fear, guidelines, rules, executive orders and legislation. We have been conditioned to stay home, leave only when absolutely necessary and always be careful when out with other people. In this way, we have developed a conditioned response to our fears about getting and spreading COVID-19 and if we don’t stay home. 

Now, while COVID -19 is still out there, more and more people are getting vaccinated and it may be time to venture out. What can we do to cope with the inevitable anxiety that comes with overcoming the powerful conditioning not to step out, that we have experienced?

Unlike the elephants, as fully grown adults we can choose to break away from the guidelines, rules and laws and overcome the fears and inevitable anxiety that accompanies the conditioning which no longer serves us.

As we begin to re-interact with the outside world, what can we expect?  We may find that people will have very different ideas of what re-entry means.  Some will immediately return to pre-pandemic activities and mindsets. Other may move more cautiously and still only venture out when necessary.

Where will you land on this spectrum?  My suggestion is that you do what makes you feel comfortable, knowing that others may make different decisions for themselves.

At this point, understanding and patience on everyone’s part will be the best way to handle re-entry.

If you are having trouble with how to navigate re-entry issues, hypnotherapy can help you focus on your goals and make a specific plan to achieve them. 

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

 For more information about coping with lockdown and Post-COVID re-entry, please refer to the following two excellent articles:

https://www.wateringburysurgery.co.uk/coming-out-of-lockdown

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/looking-after-your-mental-health-we-come-out-lockdown

Embracing Change In the Hypnotherapists Garden

“The only constant is change.” - Heraclitus

As we enter the new spring season, I’d like to encourage us all to embrace the changes that are coming. There are two kinds of changes we each need to deal with regularly. One is change coming from an external source such as dealing with Covid-19 or being dumped by a partner. The other is change that you might want to make to improve your life. Losing weight, stopping smoking or improving your self-confidence are examples of this kind of change.

When I thought about writing a blog about embracing transition, the first thing that came to mind was my garden.  I love gardening for so many reasons. When I’m gardening I can pay attention to my thoughts.

When I began to explore where this love came from I remembered that every year my grandmother had a flower garden.  My grandparents lived in a small town in Colorado and I spent every summer there growing up.  Because it was cold and snowed every winter, she had to replant annual seeds and nurture her perennials and bulbs back to life each spring.  I loved helping her tend her garden and cutting flowers to bring inside to enjoy.  This week I have tulips in one of her antique vases – a wonderful memory to have about the changing of the seasons.

When my grandchildren visit, I usually ask them to help in my garden.  They love to play with water so I ask them to water the plants. They also helped repair the rabbit fence so that the rabbits would not eat my kale and sorrel!  I hope they will come to love gardening as much as I do.

Gardening translates into how I see my role in the world too.  I want to be able to nurture my family and friends and help them grow and become as beautiful as they can.  This is the role I see in my practice as well.  What can I do for my hypnotherapy clients to help them to grow and flourish in their lives? 

Whether it is overcoming a fear, feeling more confident in the work and life, stopping an unhealthy habit, or finding the opportunity in a changing world, I can work with you to embrace the change you want or need to make this season. 

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For another perspective on the benefits of embracing change and some tips on how to go about it, please see the sources below:

https://www.jackcanfield.com/blog/embrace-change/

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200930-why-embracing-change-is-the-key-to-a-good-life

Exercise to Improve Mood, Reduce Stress and Anxiety

As the Covid-19 pandemic goes on, our levels of stress and anxiety continue to rise.  Hypnotherapy is one way of learning how to deal with these issues. Today I’d like to share another option.  My friend, Esta McIntyre, is a Corrective Exercise Specialist and owner of My Health Studio in Westlake Village, California.  I asked her to share some information about how exercise may improve your mood and help with stress and anxiety.

Esta, tell us a little about your background.

There is a quote that really resonates with me:

“When the world says, ‘Give up,” Hope whispers, ‘Try it one more time.’”

~ Unknown ~

I have been a fitness, nutrition and wellness coach for the last 15 years.  However, I’m not the “run-of-the-mill” stereotype of the quintessential, talented counterparts who share my chosen profession.  You see, I’ve never been a fan of exercise, I love to eat and I’m predisposed to bouts of crankiness and mild depression.

 How do you feel about exercise?

Although I’m less than enthused about the act of methodical exercise, I do like the by-products of doing so. I’ve read over and over about studies showing how exercise can help to lift spirits. When you think about it, exercise is a safe and effective remedy. That appeals to me, since my body typically reacts negatively to meds. The thing is, it’s difficult to get up and get moving when we’re simply not in the mood or simply don’t want to loosen our grip on the TV remote long enough to get off the sofa.

How can we get started?

If you’re experiencing mild depression, stress or just feeling moody, you may need strategies to help you start an exercise program and stick with it. Try these tips for working out when you’re feeling low.

• See your doctor. If you’re being treated for depression, let your doctor know about your plans. They can coordinate your treatment, answer your individual questions and help you to evaluate your progress.

• Start small. Your first step can be as modest as a walk around the block or 10 minutes of stretching in the morning. As your energy levels increase, it will be easier to tackle larger endeavors.

• Focus on aerobics. While lifting weights is critical to good health, research shows that aerobic activities are especially powerful in fighting anxiety and depression. Do something that speeds up your heart rate, like riding a bike or jumping rope or even dancing. Listen to music you enjoy

• Set realistic goals. Aim for targets you can reach. If you’re a bit deconditioned, sign up for beginner fitness classes. Exercise for a few minutes at a time if you need to work your way up.

• Make it convenient. Keep some gear at home that you can use anytime, such as resistance bands or a rowing machine. Do leg lifts and pushups while you’re brewing coffee or watching TV.

• Be consistent. Regular exercise delivers greater results and reduces your risk of injuries. Try shortening your sessions instead of skipping a day if you’re feeling uninspired.

• Move. Physical activity apart from formal exercise counts too. Block out time for gardening and housework.

 How do we stick with it?

 Once you start feeling better, it may be easy for you to rationalize slowing down – especially if lying on the sofa watching television is your favorite place to be.  Try these suggestions for sticking with the program (and I don’t mean the TV program).

• Enjoy yourself. Find a variety of activities that you love, so you’ll look forward to your sessions. You might take dance classes one day and go hiking the next. Listen to your favorite songs and go outdoors when you can.

• Create new challenges. Update your goals when you’re ready to aim higher. Slowly increase the duration and intensity of your workouts or learn a new skill.

• Think positively. You may criticize yourself harshly when you’re down, tired or cranky. Become aware of your thoughts and experiment with more constructive messages. List your personal strengths and the things you like about your body.

• Invest in yourself. Take care of your mental and physical wellbeing. Keeping fit also depends on eating a balanced diet and getting adequate amounts of restful sleep.

• Reward yourself. Recognize your efforts by treating yourself to something that gives you pleasure. You might buy a book or take a bubble bath.

• Seek support. Reach out to family and friends you trust and tell them what they can do to help you reach your fitness goals. They may offer words of encouragement or they may want to join you at the gym.

• Remember your purpose. Think about the reasons why you want a more active life. Your main concern may be relieving symptoms of anxiety or depression, or you may have other priorities, like wanting to stay independent as you age or provide a healthy role model for your children.

So, the next time you want to feel better, instead of heading for a bowl of ice cream or diving into a bag of chips, quit slogging around.  Get up, start moving, and make it a regular thing. Even small increases in physical activity can have a big impact on mood and self-esteem.

Thanks, Esta.  If someone would like to work with you, how do we get in touch?

My website is www.EstaMcIntyre.com and my email is getfit@MyHealthStudio.com.

For additional perspectives on the importance of exercise, please see articles below.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For additional perspectives on the importance of exercise, please see articles below.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-exercise-help-treat-anxiety-2019102418096

https://mtipt.com/managing-your-mental-health-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-with-exercise/

https://www.nuvancehealth.org/coronavirus/exercise-is-essential-for-well-being-during-covid-19-pandemic/#:~:text=However%2C%20here%20are%20a%20few,infections%2C%20including%20COVID%2D19.

Needle Phobia and Covid-19 Vaccination Anxiety

For nearly a year now you have been digesting the information about Covid-19 and solidifying the belief that it is a life threatening disease. Your stress and anxiety levels have skyrocketed as you struggled to determine and adopt new behaviors and practices that could slow the spread of the virus, help you to avoid getting sick yourself, and/or at least limit the severity of the illness if you do get infected.

Now, with the advent of at least three vaccines becoming available, the prospect for highly effective personal immunity is here. If enough of us get vaccinated our society may even achieve herd immunity.

How are you feeling about that news? Are you:

• Exited and grateful that all you have to do is get one or two vaccination(s) so you can see your friends and hug you children again?

• Happy that scientists have created the vaccines but a bit anxious about the safety of the vaccines or their side-affects that you may experience

• So anxious and fearful at the mere thought of getting a shot in the arm that you would rather risk getting Covid?

If you find yourself in the third group, at some point between mild fear and extreme anxiety, you may have a condition known as trypanophobia or needle phobia (fear of needles). You are in good company. Needle phobia impacts up to twenty percent of people and causes many of them to avoid needed medical care.

So what is needle phobia, where does it come from and can it be overcome when you need to face a needle in the vital interests of your own health and well-being?

A needle phobia is defined as a fear of medical needle procedures.

Fears in general are natural responses to perceived danger in our environment. The perception of threat or danger triggers our instinctive, physiological fight or flight response which helps us escape from or handle the threat.

Phobias are usually grouped into two categories:

• Specific or Simple phobias are learned response to an encounter with a certain object, animal, situation or activity. Fear of snakes, fear of flying, and fear of having an injection (vaccination) are examples of Specific phobias.

• Complex Phobias are responses to more general, everyday activities. Consequently they can have a larger impact on your life. Agoraphobia  is one of the most common Complex phobias.

Phobias, while related to fears, are different in several ways. A phobia:

• Is most commonly a learned response (not instinctual) which exists in your subconscious mind

• Can be triggered by just thinking about the situation or object of the phobia

• Is much more intense than a fear and can lead to major anxiety and even panic attacks

• Develops when you have an exaggerated or unrealistic fear about a specific situation or object

• Can cause great distress and hold you back from doing what you want/need to do

In the general context of fears and phobias, needle phobias would be classified as Specific or Simple phobias. You might have three different types of needle phobia:

• A phobia which developed from an early traumatic experience with a medical needle procedure

• A phobia which stems from an acute, intense hypersensitivity to pain or the sensation of a needle puncturing  your skin

• A phobia where you faint or nearly lose consciousness before, during or after a medical needle procedure. It is generally agreed that this type of phobia is based on your instinctive, vasovagal reflex rather than a learned response.

It doesn’t matter what type of needle phobia you might have. When you think about getting a necessary vaccination, the intensity of the fear, stress and anxiety that you feel can hold you back from ever getting it done. If you manage to make the appointment anyway, you will want to know what you can do to prepare and better manage your phobia during and after the vaccination event.

Wherever your fear arises from, there is more to overcoming needle phobia than simply willing it away. The key is learning to use the power of your subconscious mind to change the way you respond to a medical needle procedure.

Hypnotherapy can help in several ways:   

• In hypnotherapy, we first take a look at where the phobia began. Maybe it was a personal childhood trauma or an event you experienced as an adult. Maybe you learned from observing the experience of a parent, teacher, or other influential people in your life. Re-examining the event in a calm, non-judgmental environment can be a positive beginning.

• TimeLine Therapy can help you travel back in time to examine the phobia from your current perspective. Sometimes that can be enough to help you realize that it is no longer needed or relevant to your life and you are able to let it go.

•  Systematic desensitization may also be used.  You enter your deeply relaxed state (hypnosis), attempt to access the fear, let it pass, and then come back to your relaxed state. We repeat this exercise until you find it difficult or impossible to access your fear.

• We can also use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or Tapping) to help you let go of fear.

• After you have explored your phobia and determined that you can manage or let go of it, we write affirmations that cement in those positive thoughts. “I conquer my fear”, “I love getting my vaccine”, “I am healthy and well”.

Needle phobia can be debilitating and life-limiting. If your phobia becomes overwhelming, hypnotherapy can help. I will listen, ask questions, and help you get information and gain an understanding of your phobia. We will develop transformative affirmations that focus on the positive outcome that you desire

If you would like to talk with me about your fear of needles or have questions, please contact me. 

Sincerely,

Cinda

 HYPNONEWS AND RESOURCES 

For additional perspectives on needle phobia and Covid-19 vaccination please see articles below.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-to-overcome-a-fear-of-needles-so-you-can-get-a-covid-19-vaccination

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/dont-let-fear-of-needles-interfere-with-vaccinations

New Technology for Your Daily Affirmation Practice

As I wrote about in the THE POWER IN AFFIRMATIONS, there are 3 parts to a daily affirmation practice:

1.      Read and write them each evening just before bed

2.      Read and say them out loud first thing in the morning and

3.      Repeat them to yourself throughout the day

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with Mary Schulz, the creator of the AFFIRM Store app, a new tool you can use to help you remember and re-enforce your daily affirmation practice.  Today, it is my pleasure to share our conversation with you.

Cinda: Mary, thank you for agreeing to talk to us today about your new app, AFFIRM Store. To begin with, can you tell us how you first learned about affirmations?

Mary: My maternal grandparents were interested in positive thinking and familiarized me with affirmations early on in my life.  My grandmother would read from a daily affirmation book that had an affirmation and then a few paragraphs about the theme.  I realized that I liked having that positive thought as a theme for the day.

Affirming the positive things in my life and the goals that I wanted to come true, brought me a lot of comfort and success over the years, but I was never consist in using affirmations.

Cinda:  How have you used them recently in your life today?

Mary: In 2019, after years of struggling with being overweight, I had come to the decision to buckle down and get my eating under control.  I was referred to Cinda Roffman for Hypnotherapy and I was brought back to the power of affirmations. 

I used Cinda’s book to write my affirmations each night, as well as a few gratitudes.  During my sessions with Cinda, we would review my affirmations to see if I needed any revisions, and she’d state my affirmations while I was under hypnosis.  Between appointments was when I could see that I would be working through how to get to these goals…trying new approaches…thinking of things from different perspectives…gaining confidence to do what was needed.

Cinda: When do you use your affirmations?

Mary: I have to confess, I’m not great at reading my affirmations in the morning and saying them out loud.  I do have other practices in the morning that help me start my day off on a good footing.  But that is also why I love using AFFIRM Store to keep me focused on my goals throughout the day.

Cinda: Do you write your affirmations?

Mary: Yes, every evening while watching TV, I write a few gratitudes and my affirmations.  I’ve found that once I’ve headed to bed is not a good time for me to write and have the lights on.  So, I’ve compromised and write them while I’m relaxing in the evening.  

Cinda: What are some of your affirmations?

Mary: I change up my affirmations as the needs in my life change, but there are some that I have used repeatedly, especially for the harder issues in my life.  Here are just a few:

• I enjoy and relax in my new appearance

• I stick to my eating planT

• The food I eat satisfies me.

Cinda: How have you found that hypnosis and affirmations work together for you?

Mary: Some say that you have to believe what you are affirming…but I found that I could affirm things and with the power of hypnosis, introduce into my subconscious mind success that my conscious mind would never have believed.  In the process and over time, my conscious mind was able to find ways to start believing in the goals I set and the affirmations I was using, and I made great progress towards my goals. 

Repeating my affirmations before going to sleep and multiple times during the day really helped me. 

Cinda: Tell us about AFFIRM Store.  How does it work?

Mary: With a busy job and life, remembering to think of my goals during the day was hard.  So, my software developer husband and I decided to create the AFFIRM Store that randomly sends me my affirmations via text message throughout the day, during the times I designate, to help me stay focused on my goals and reintroduce them to my conscious and subconscious mind.  I can have an unlimited number of affirmations in the app, and it will cycle through them. 

When I receive my affirmation via text, I love to take a moment and read it out loud, if possible.  I find that I gain a sense of calm, similar to the calm I feel under hypnosis, and I can easily move on with the tasks of my day.  It’s a great touchstone to center me and the confidence I gain helps me to achieve my goals.

The Standard annual subscription in AFFIRM Store allows up to 5 texts per day and with Premium, up to 12 texts per day.  If you have less than 5 affirmations, the app will just cycle through and repeat affirmations until the amount you designate is reached.  

I’ve introduced it to a number of my friends, and they love having more than 5 texts per day and just love AFFIRM Store!

Cinda: Any concluding words?

Mary: With the help of affirmations, hypnosis and other programs that I was open to try, I’ve reached my “right-sized” body and have been maintaining it for months.

We invite you to try AFFIRM Store for 14 days for free.  Just go to https://www.AFFIRMstore.com to sign up and get started. Then tell us what you think at info@AFFIRMstore.com

Cinda: Thanks again, Mary, for this excellent new tool. If you would like to work together on setting your goals and designing you affirmations for 2021, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Cinda

 HypnoNews and Resources 

An interesting article about combining mindfulness and hypnotherapy into Mindful Hypnotherapy https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200615/Novel-intervention-for-stress-shows-positive-results-in-pilot-study.aspx

 One of my favorite authors, Jack Canfield, writes about the why and how of affirmations https://www.jackcanfield.com/blog/practice-daily-affirmations/

Goals, Visions and Affirmations Method - Part 3

This series introduces a new, hypnotherapy based method that you can use now and throughout the year to help set and achieve the goals your desire. Part 1 covered an exercise to help you get in touch with goals in different areas of your life. Part 2 helps translate your goals into an inspiring and motivating vision board. Part 3 is about using Affirmations to influence your subconscious mind and harness its power to help you reach your goals.

What’s dancing in your head? We have self-talk in our heads all day long.  What you are saying to yourself can make a real difference.  Is your self-talk negative or positive?  Do you constantly criticize yourself? Berate yourself for what you may not have yet accomplished? OR Are you telling yourself “I am powerful!”, “I am successful”, “I am a winner”?

One way to counter that negative self-talk is by creating a set of positive affirmations that you can use all day long.  Affirmations are very easy to write.  Just remember to keep them positive and begin with an “I” statement.  You do not have to believe your affirmations yet; they are about goals and aspirations.  They are a way of sealing in ideas that you would like to have be true.  “I am a permanent non-smoker.”  “I easily achieve and maintain my weight management goal.”

You can choose one affirmation each day to focus on. Make that your mantra for the day.  If you are going to be flying tomorrow and you are anxious, make your mantra for that day something like, “I love to fly and I am looking forward to my vacation in Bali.”

You can use AFFIRMATIONS to:

• Motivate yourself

• Keep your mind focused on your goals.

• Make positive changes in the way you think, feel and act.

• Influence the subconscious mind and harness its powers to help you reach your goals.

• Shift your mindset and life experience to a more positive, energetic and active world view.

The best time to repeat affirmations is the last thing at night and first thing in the morning.  Each evening our subconscious mind “Takes over” as we prepare for sleep.  This is the time when your subconscious mind is most available for programming.  As we are sleeping, the mind uses dreaming to deal with all the things that have happened during the day.  When you read your affirmations out loud before falling asleep, they enter your subconscious and begin to make changes.

When you write them as well, another part of your brain is engaged and the affirmations are even more effective. 

When you wake up in the morning, you still have some access to your subconscious mind.  Read the affirmations again to set the stage for your day.  Even better?  Say them out loud in front of a mirror.

I offer each of my clients a copy of my book and journal, The Power in Affirmations. Clients use this as part of their daily practice to reinforce their personal Affirmations and track progress toward their goals.  The journal also contains space to write what you are grateful for each day.  This is another way to focus on the positives in your life. 

If you would like to work together on setting your goals and designing your affirmations for 2021, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HYPNONEWS and RESOURCES

For another look at affirmations from a different perspective -

https://www.mindtosucceed.com/positive-affirmations-self-esteem.html

The science behind affirmations - does science believe they work? https://positivepsychology.com/daily-affirmations/

Goals, Visions and Affirmations Method - Part 2

This series introduces a new, hypnotherapy based method that you can use now and throughout the year to help set and achieve the goals that you desire. Part 1 covered an exercise to help you get in touch with goals you may have in different areas of your life. Part 2 is about translating your goals into an inspiring and motivating vision board.

A vision board is a physical representation of the goals you want to achieve. It serves as a visual reminder of what you would like to see in your life, what changes you want to make and what you want to focus on each day. As you focus on your vision board images and words, it reinforces your subconscious mind to motivate and encourage you toward achieving your goals.

I like to make a new vision board at the beginning of each New Year.

My vision board for 2019 included beautiful pictures of a Mediterranean island – little did I know I’d spend time that summer on the Greek island of Corfu. 

It also included a picture of a family eating outside at a long table under market lights.  Last summer my son put market lights in my backyard and we have had many socially distanced family dinners out there together. 

One of the phrases I picked was “Clean Out”   --- Little did I know I’d have time to clean and organize my spice cupboard, my coffee cupboard, my pantry, my junk drawer and everything else!! 

Caution – be careful what you put on your board, it may just come true.

You can make the board all about one area of your life or a general board that encompasses all areas.  If your focus this year is on your business, for example, you might use words and pictures that remind you what you will achieve in your business this year.  If you are focused on your healthy weight management journey, you could choose images and words that inspire you towards that goal.  You might select pictures of yourself at your goal weight, pictures of activities you’d like to do and healthy foods that you’d like to include in your plan. 

I usually make one large board for all parts of my life and divide the board into sections in my mind so that one corner is business, one corner is personal, one corner is recreation and one corner is health. I like to see how they are interwoven. For me, keeping a balance between business and personal is important. I remember in one vision board I actually had a bridge connecting the different parts of my life.

Making a vision board is simple and fun.  Get a large poster board – I like to use one at least 3 feet by 3 feet, a stack of magazines, scissors, glue and some paper and markers. 

Take a moment after you have your supplies to pause, close your eyes and do a short exercise like the exercise in Part 1. Calmly sit, relax from your head to your toes and imagine your life at the end of the year. What changes would you like to see? What goals would you like to achieve?

Now, your job is to find pictures and words that speak to you of those goals.  After you have a group of pictures and words, lay them out on the poster board and paste them down.  If there are words or phrases that you couldn’t find you can write them down and add them to the mix. You can also print pictures and words from your computer – any source works.

When your vision board is ready, put it in a place where you can see it and be inspired by it every day.  You can even add to it if you find things that you might have missed on the initial board.

In a year, take a look and see which of the things you aimed for have come to be.  I think you may be very surprised.  I always am.

If you would like to work together on setting your goals and creating your vision board for 2021, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here’s a link to a great set of example vision boards for a wide range of goals and time frames:

https://parentuniversity.wws.k12.in.us/?p=3260

Goals, Visions and Affirmations - Part 1

Did you set some important goals for 2020 that may have been disrupted, derailed and blocked by pandemic events beyond your control? I know I did.

The good news is that 2021 is here at last and on a personal level, we all get to start again.

The extra energy that comes with beginning a new year makes it an optimal time to set clear, new intentions for our health, wealth and relationships and learn some new ways to help us achieve those goals.

Today I am excited to share a new, hypnotherapy based, 3 part method you can use now and throughout the year to help set and achieve the goals you desire.

Part 1 is about determining your goals for 2021.  Part 2 is about translating your goals into an inspiring vision board.  Part 3 concerns development and use of several affirmations to implement your goals. I will talk about Part 1 this week and Parts 2 and 3 in upcoming blogs.

To begin, let’s do a quick exercise to help you get in touch with what goals you may have for 2021.  Focus on what you want, not how you will get there.

Get in a comfortable position, feet flat on the floor if possible, legs and arms not crossed. Close your eyes (Unless you are driving)  Imagine a beautiful white light starting from the top of your head and flowing down through your whole body, relaxing each part as it slowly moves down from your head, over your forehead, eyes and face, down your neck and out through your arms all the way down to your fingertips.  The gentle white light now flows down your chest, into your stomach, thighs and down your legs all the way to your feet.  Take a moment and get in touch with how calm and relaxed you feel. 

Now imagine it is December 31, 2021.  What would you like to have achieved?  Take a look at areas in your life that you might want to improve.  Wealth, health, relationships or career are some possibilities. Pick two areas and imagine what the impact would be on your life if those 2 areas were to change significantly.

Now open your eyes and take a deep breath.  Remember the 2 areas that you would like to change.  Take a moment and jot down what your goals are in those areas and set your notes aside, ready for Part 2, translating your goals into an inspiring vision board.

If you would like to work together on setting your goals and writing affirmations for 2021, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Cinda

Did you set some important goals for 2020 that may have been disrupted, derailed and blocked by pandemic events beyond your control? I know I did.

The good news is that 2021 is here at last and on a personal level, we all get to start again.

The extra energy that comes with beginning a new year makes it an optimal time to set clear, new intentions for our health, wealth and relationships and learn some new ways to help us achieve those goals.

Today I am excited to share a new, hypnotherapy based, 3 part method you can use now and throughout the year to help set and achieve the goals you desire.

Part 1 is about determining your goals for 2021.  Part 2 is about translating your goals into an inspiring vision board.  Part 3 concerns development and use of several affirmations to implement your goals. I will talk about Part 1 this week and Parts 2 and 3 in upcoming blogs.

To begin, let’s do a quick exercise to help you get in touch with what goals you may have for 2021.  Focus on what you want, not how you will get there.

Get in a comfortable position, feet flat on the floor if possible, legs and arms not crossed. Close your eyes (Unless you are driving)  Imagine a beautiful white light starting from the top of your head and flowing down through your whole body, relaxing each part as it slowly moves down from your head, over your forehead, eyes and face, down your neck and out through your arms all the way down to your fingertips.  The gentle white light now flows down your chest, into your stomach, thighs and down your legs all the way to your feet.  Take a moment and get in touch with how calm and relaxed you feel. 

Now imagine it is December 31, 2021.  What would you like to have achieved?  Take a look at areas in your life that you might want to improve.  Wealth, health, relationships or career are some possibilities. Pick two areas and imagine what the impact would be on your life if those 2 areas were to change significantly.

Now open your eyes and take a deep breath.  Remember the 2 areas that you would like to change.  Take a moment and jot down what your goals are in those areas and set your notes aside, ready for Part 2, translating your goals into an inspiring vision board.

If you would like to work together on setting your goals and writing affirmations for 2021, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here’s a link for a great, comprehensive Goal Setting Tootkit:

https://www.mindtools.com/downloads/lbr5283hs/GoalSettingToolkit.pdf

For more ideas about goal setting, check out these articles:

https://www.addvantagehypnotherapy.co.uk/6-steps-goal-setting-self-hypnosis/#:~:text=The%20key%20to%20achieving%20your,your%20conscious%20and%20subconscious%20minds

https://www.google.com/search?q=making+hypnotherapy+goals+work+for+you&rlz=1C1BOHB_enUS678US678&oq=making+hypnotherapy+goals+work+for+you&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i22i29i30.22599j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Extinguish Negative Habits with Help from Hypnotherapy

As we approach the end of 2020, it can be a time to reflect on what you did right this year and what changes you might want to make for 2021.  With the COVID crisis, I think everyone has staying healthy on their mind.  I have had several clients during COVID decide that it was time to quit smoking.  One of them was a 66 year old female client who had been smoking for over 40 years. She was a caregiver for her 2 young grandsons and wanted to stay healthy to be able to keep up with them.  Her husband was having some health issues and she wanted to support him as he worked to stay healthy also.  This is what she wrote: 

“After years of smoking cigarettes and attempting to quit on my own, I turned to Cinda Roffman. After three sessions, I conquered this horrible habit with Cinda guiding the way, instilling positive affirmations and insights. Cinda figuratively took me by the hand, and helped me realize I could do this. She is an amazing therapist!”

Do you have an addiction or habit that you would like to say goodbye to as 2020 ends?

Whether it is smoking, nail biting, hair pulling or other negative habits, exploring why can be a first step to extinguishing these habits. Stress and anxiety can be a contributing factor in these negative habits.  Once we figure out why you are doing them, we can come up with behaviors that will not harm you and provide the same level of comfort.  For example, a warm cup of tea or a brisk walk can do a lot towards relieving the stress that can lead to these behaviors.

Negative habits may have originated as a response to stress or anxiety that you did not know how to cope with. Looking back on their beginnings can be enlightening. Maybe you began to smoke when it was cool and the hip thing to do.  Now we know more about smoking and the many medical problems associated with it.  Knowing that in our conscious mind, however, does not always translate to a change in behavior.  That’s where the subconscious mind comes in. When we convince the subconscious mind that smoking is bad for us also, it makes changing the behavior so much easier.  

We will also write affirmations that you can use to remind yourself of the changes you are making.  “I am a permanent non-smoker.”  “I have beautiful, long nails.”  “My hair is healthy and full.”   These affirmations will reinforce the suggestions made in hypnosis.

We will find your “happy place,” and anchor it to the calm, relaxed feeling you feel in hypnosis.  When you find yourself beginning to do the behavior you are trying to extinguish, you instead focus on feeling calm and relaxed.  Eventually, the behavior will be completely replaced by a feeling of calm.

Wishing you and your family and friends a happy, healthy holiday season!

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For more ideas about extinguishing negative habits with hypnotherapy, check out these articles:

https://www.hypnotherapists.org.uk/hypnotherapy/problem-behaviours/

https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/smoking.html#whystopsmoking

Navigating the Holidays during the Pandemic

My friend Lynne, who lives in Denver, put up her Christmas tree last weekend.  You might think this is a little early.  I did at first.  She said that she did it because it made her happy.  I’m OK with that.  This year the holidays – all of them – will definitely be different. Because of COVID, many of our traditional family events will not be possible. 

Holidays can be stressful in the best of times. This year the social distancing and isolation are adding to everyone’s anxiety.  So with Thanksgiving coming up this week, let’s take a look at the holidays and how to navigate them.

1.    Take some time to reflect on your feelings about the holidays. 

• Maybe even take a few notes or write in a journal  

• What is your level of concern about COVID transmission?      

• Do you have a pod you are comfortable getting together with?

• Are there some alternatives to in person meeting that might work for you and your family? 

• How do you feel about decorating this year? 

• What are the elements of the holidays that are meaningful to you? 

• How will your handle gifts if aren’t able to see each other?

 2.     Decide what is best for you individually

• After you realize what is truly important, consider new ways to make the holidays meaningful.  I’m thinking of decorating with a few things that bring me joy and make me smile.

 3.     Have a frank discussion with your family and friends

• Discuss with them your thoughts on getting together, decorating and gift exchanges.  The most difficult part of the discussion is beginning.  When navigating these discussions, emphasize that you care about your family and friends and your goal is for you all to stay healthy.  Hopefully starting from that point will encourage everyone to work together. 

So what about the Christmas tree?  I say do what gives you joy (with thanks to Marie Kondo). If you want to go all out and decorate – why not?  If you want to have a minimalist holiday this year, that’s fine too.  Start from a place of what makes you the most comfortable and share that in a loving way with your family and friends. Take into consideration their thoughts and feelings and come up with new holiday traditions.

 Wishing you all a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,
Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For more ideas about navigating the holidays, check out these articles:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/should-you-cancel-holiday-gatherings-this-year-because-of-covid/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/4-mindful-tips-to-destress-this-holiday-season  

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

And of course, here’s Marie Kondo’s famous book: The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story (The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) by Marie Kondō 

Pandemic Dreams - A Hypnotherapy Perspective

A writer recently wrote in to “ASK AMY” in the LA Times about their anxious, strange and vivid dreams since the pandemic began.  Amy responded by referencing the work of renowned Harvard Medical School dream researcher Deidre Barrett whose newest book is titled Pandemic Dreams. The book has been described as a collection of vivid Covid-19-related dreams accompanied by her advice for practical exercises to control stress and anxiety while asleep. Amy commented that she was surprised to learn that “you might be able to control more of your dream content.”

Hypnotherapy also holds the view that yes, you can direct and control what you dream about to some extent.  Don’t forget, however, that dreams serve a very important function in mental health and you may or may not need to direct and control your dream experiences.

In an excerpt from Pandemic Dreams we read that “Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept around the world, and we began to shelter-in-place, people have reported unusually active dream lives. We’re remembering more dreams than usual, and those dreams are especially vivid and bizarre. The virus itself is the star of many – literally or in one of its metaphoric guises.”

 Below are 3 techniques you can use to help with Pandemic Dream experiences. If you are curious but not worried about your dreams consider item #1 before jumping into dream direction and control activities. If your dreams are contributing to and exacerbating your level of stress and anxiety consider items #2 and #3.

1.       Gain an understanding of the purpose and natural function of dreaming and dreams.

Everything that happens in our world during the day remains in the 10% of our mind that is our conscious mind.  At night, as we sleep, all that information is “downloaded” into our subconscious mind.  Dreams are an important tool to clear our mind and ready it for the next day’s input, similar to a computer restart.

 2.       Learn to direct the content of your dreams by programming your subconscious mind just before you go to sleep at night.  

Accessing the subconscious mind and implanting ideas for what you do want to dream about is best done just before for you go to sleep when the conscious mind is ready to turn control over to your subconscious for the night. “Tonight, I will dream about ……”

 3.       Train yourself to enter lucid dreaming and use the power of lucid dreaming to adjust and modify your dream experience as it is underway.

In a regular dream you don’t know that you are dreaming. A lucid dream is a dream during which you are aware that you are dreaming while in the dream. That awareness empowers you to exercise some control of the dream by doing things like recognizing and eliminating negative symbols or directly confronting fears without concern for you safety because its only a dream.

If you find yourself having pandemic dreams that disturb you, you might want more information. I am offering a free, online group hypnosis session every other Wednesday from 10-11 am pst. Our next session will be on November 18.You can register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpf--rrDkiHdHHxRgKaamvgHt5fbvj2ADR

Help! I'm muted and no one hears me. [Hypnotherapy and At Home Learning]

My granddaughters recently stayed with us for 2 weeks.  I had an up close and real lesson in how hard it is for students, parents and teachers right now. 

My younger granddaughter, who is 7, didn’t really understand the keyboard and each day was a hunt and peck challenge.  One morning, in her first class of the day, she called out three times to respond to her teacher’s question. However, she was on mute and the teacher did not acknowledge her in any way. So she quit and sat through the rest of the lesson, frustrated and alone. Lesson learned? When no one hears you, just give up?

Another morning, when she finally did get online for school, the class session was filled with distractions. The teacher’s kids and dogs would randomly walk through the class, interrupting whatever concentration she might have mustered.

At the same time, her older sister was in another room working on a different schedule. Mom was teaching her classes in yet another room. Grandma and Grandpa were trying to help while maintaining some schedule of their own.  Sis, who is 10, fared a little better with the technology but was still easily distracted by YouTube videos and other things she could stream on a different device. And we had a ratio of 3 adults to 2 kids!  Anyone else feeling our pain? 

So what does this have to do with hypnotherapy?  Hypnotherapy can help you and your home student focus on the task at hand.  As you begin a task, take a deep breath and center yourself:  “Right now, I will only focus on the next 45 minute task or class.”  You will find that you will avoid distractions and work more easily.  Suggest that phrase to your student as well. 

It can be frustrating to be put in the role of teacher while you may be working from home.  This would be a good time to use your anchor, breathing in on a word that describes a positive time or place and breathing out on a word that describes the positive feeling associated with that time or place.  Shallow breathing and unconsciously holding your breath can contribute to stress. Focusing on your breathing can counteract that.

If you find yourself studying or working and teaching from home, you may want support in this crazy time. I am offering a free, online group hypnosis session every other Wednesday at 10 am.  Our next session will be on November 4th.  You can register here:
 https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkcuCtrjsuEtbno4yNAHMDb7ZbSJRbVOpN

Sincerely, Cinda