Hangover Helper

Date: January 15, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Have you ever had a couple of extra glasses of wine or other alcoholic beverage the night before and woke up to find yourself feeling really useless? What makes it worse is having a lot of stuff to do the next day or worse having to go to work.

Sure there are things you can take for a headache, buts it’s just a band aid and what do you do about the fatigue, brain fog and complete lack of motivation?

Well, there’s no pill for that, but there is EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT is a meridian based technique that involves tapping on a sequence of meridian points while holding a negative thought or emotion in your mind in order to release it. The reason this works, often when nothing else will, is that a negative thought, belief or emotion is nothing more than a disruption in the body’s energy field, according to EFT creator Gary Craig. Gary Craig developed EFT from Callahan’s method of TFT or Thought Field Therapy.

EFT has been successful in relieving stress, anxiety, limiting beliefs, fears, phobias, addictions, depression, physical pain, emotional trauma, and a list of many other life limiting afflictions and of course the common hangover. As Gary Craig says “try it on everything”.

EFT is easy to learn, but takes a bit to master, although rookie EFTers will get results, it works best to be guided through a few clearings with an experienced EFTer or coach until it feels natural and you become familiar with the 9-10 points that are tapped on and getting the right key words related to the issue being worked on. Getting back to our hangover, we would use phrases like: this headache, this blahh feeling, this guilt, this intense thirst, this feeling tired, this wanting to do nothing, this ‘how could I be so stupid when I have to work in the morning’, basically all the things that go through our head in the morning and especially the thoughts that ‘beat us up’.

So instead of dragging your butt all day, first drink a LOT of water, do 10-15 minutes of EFT and get on with your day. It’s important to drink the water first, because energy moves better in a hydrated environment and water’s a conductor (remember grade 5 science?) You’ll get quick relief in either all or some of your symptoms and hey, what have you got to lose? So, leave the pills in the bottle, tap a few rounds and you’ll find energy and incentive that moments before was non existent and you won’t have to beat yourself up all day for having a little fun.

Internal and External Causes of Stress, What is Stress

Date: January 15, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Stress’ is a condition which can disturb the normal physical and mental health of an individual. It is defined in Oxford Dictionary as “a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy”.

Stress is a regarded as twentieth century syndrome. Modern life Daily hassles and demands, exhausting work schedule and major life events such as a divorce, death, midlife crisis, financial worries, persistent strain of caring for a chronically sick child, nagging health problems or managing a physically or mentally challenged family member can act as potential stressors. A sudden unemployment or lay-off from a job can leave you under tremendous stress.

Stressful depends on various factors, including your personality, problem-solving abilities, and social support system. Stress conditions can be real or just perceived by you. Our brain reacts to both causes of stress by releasing stress hormones equal to the degree of stress felt. The brain cannot differentiate between real and imagined stress. In challenging situations the brain prepares the body for some defensive actions—the fight or flight response by releasing hormones, namely, cortisone and adrenaline. These hormones raise the blood pressure and prepare the body to react according to the situation. It could happen while watching a movie or when one is apprehensive of some imminent danger.

Listing the potential causes of stress is tricky and highly individual. Stress factors react differently from person to person as Extreme stress situations for an individual may prove to be mild for another. Stress symptoms depend partly on the nature of the stressor itself and partly on your own personal and external resources.

Some External causes of stress.

An unsafe neighborhood, pollution, noise, and uncomfortable living conditions can produce a stress situation (flight response) the hormones and chemicals remain unreleased in the blood stream for a long period of time. It results in stress related physical symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused anxiety, dizziness and increased rate of pulse. For people living in war-torn regions, the stress may be unrelenting.

Relationship demands mental health. Problems with friends and family members are valid causes of stress. Marital disagreements, dysfunctional relationships, rebellious teens, or caring for a chronically-ill family member or a child with special needs compels the mind and body to be in an almost constant alarm-state in preparation to fight or flee. This also can increase the risk of both acute and chronic psychosomatic illnesses and weaken the immune system of the human body.

Pressure at workplaces – In our career-driven society work can be a source of stress. Work stress is caused by things such as job dissatisfaction, insufficient pay, office politics, meeting deadline, and conflicts with co-workers. These factors can trigger stress conditions.

Social situations can cause stress. Poverty, financial pressures, racial and sexual discrimination or harassment, isolation, and a lack of social support all induced adverse feelings and anxieties.

Internal Causes of Stress

Stress can also be self-generated. Internal causes of stress include…Pessimistic attitude, low self-esteem, excessive or unexpressed anger, lack of assertiveness, unrealistic expectations from others and Self-criticism.

Anxiety! New Approaches To treatment So You Can Start Living Again

Date: January 14, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Many people live with stress and anxiety based conditions for years with no relief. Maybe they have tried medications which really only camouflage the symptoms and dont really manage to get to the root of the problem. Some have tried the traditional therapies which will work to some extent. Techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy can work quite well with
some people but there remains a high relapse rate for these approaches. What anxiety and stress sufferers require is a permanent and lasting solutions to these debilitating states of mind that they find themselves having to endure on a sometimes daily basis.
Lets look at some other approaches that although are not mainstream yet are certainly worthy of attention according to reports as they are giving large amounts of people freedom and real relief from their anxiety without the fear of relapse that the traditional methods often do.
The first one that comes to mind is the EMDR method made famous by Francine Shapiro. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing although overly technical sounding in name, integrates elements of many effective psychotherapies in structured protocols that are designed to maximize treatment effects. These include psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies. EMDR is an information processing therapy and uses an external stimulus, usually a finger moving in front of the line of vision, to break up recurring patterns of anxiety. Recent research on EMDR shows
positive benefits and fast removal of anxiety related issues.
The second technique is known as Thought Field Therapy but a revised version of this approach is also known as The Emotional Freedom Technique .It was originally discovered and utilized in treatment by the American clinical psychologist Roger Callahan Ph.D, I can personally vouch for this method because it took my fear of public speaking away in two rounds of treatment.
It actually uses acupuncture points on the body which are tapped (by yourself) with your fingers in specified sequence for a couple of minutes until you try to get the anxious feelings back but you cannot because they have simply vanished. It is actually quite miraculous and is presently undergoing research because it is such a simple method to employ and very cost effective and the client can take the skill away and do it on themselves with all manner of problems anytime they wish.
Another method that is receiving a lot of attention recently is the method devised by Charles Linden, himself an chronic anxiety sufferer, who has a scientifically based technique that allows you to reset the amygdala which is a small gland in the brain that seems to perpetuate the anxiety we have. An American National Mental Health institute even endorsed many of
his findings concerning how anxiety disorders start and then become magnified. His method is known simply as The Linden Method and is performed at home at the clients leisure.
Of course anxiety and stress sufferers should also aim to employ a daily relaxation regime to calm over-arousal whilst they attend to these other treatments. A regular regime of stress management via relaxation works wonders to refresh our nervous system. The technique that I use goes beyond the traditional methods that only take you to a superficial level of calmness and actually involves switching off the brain stress centers that are responsible for causing stress in the first place.
The technique is like an internal massage for your brain and very quickly lowers your arousal in a simple but profound manner.

How Handling Stress Can Give You Better Relationships

Date: January 14, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Stress, if not handled properly, can cause many health problems. The most well-known are high blood pressure, bad digestion, and fatigue. But some other effects of stress are the constant worry, the constant feeling of tension, and the inability to focus. And these affect your relationships, if you do not have a comprehensive stress management system.

 

The result of failing to handle stress in a way that destroys the stress is interference with your relationships. Even if the stress has nothing to do with the relationship. The inner tension that stress causes removes your confidence, so it is harder to talk to people. It distracts you, so people you are involved with feel like you aren’t listening to them. And stress prevents you from focusing, which interferes with conversation, remembering anniversaries and birthdays, and not focusing on interacting with your partner.

 

There are innumerable stress management systems available. You can try individual counseling, group counseling, or education. Most of these programs recommend that you somehow avoid the stress by meditating, repeating little sayings, or actually getting away.  But these programs do nothing to eliminate the stress.

 

A comprehensive stress management system may be just what you need. A comprehensive stress management would consist of:

 

-a program to attack stress, instead of merely avoiding it;

 

-a program for improving your health and fitness; and

 

-a program to teach you how to improve your skills at managing stresses.

 

The program would be in discrete modules, so you can learn it at your own pace, and refer to specific parts in the future. 

 

This type of program would be able to address the stress you are under, and help you eliminate or reduce the stress, and counteract the bad health effects of stress. If all you do is avoid or delay the stress, then you still have the stress, but now it’s probably under worse conditions. So you have lost ground in the fight. Sure, the meditating may have made you feel better. But you will feel even worse when the stress returns,

 

The comprehensive program outlined in this article strengthens you to resist the stress, instead of just “going to a happy place.” It also gives you the tools and skills to attack and eliminate the source of the stress. One thing that most stress management programs fail to teach you is how to improve your skills.

 

The Use of Biofeedback Devices in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy

Date: January 14, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Uncategorized
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Biofeedback devices measure a range of physiological variables including brain waves (Electroencephalography), muscle tension (Electromyography) and the electrical conductivity of the skin (galvanic skin response). All of these variables indicate continuums of emotional arousal. It is precisely these measurements that are used in lie-detector machines as they pick up the most subtle of physiological changes – many outside of conscious awareness. Many biofeedback devices exist and create a feedback loop for the user. Having the ability to see these readings, the user can learn to gain control over these physiological measurements by relaxing and seeing (or hearing) measurements rise and fall in response to meditation, self-hypnosis or breathing techniques.
In my private hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and NLP practice, I sometimes elect to use a Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) meter with clients. Galvanic Skin Response (also called electro-dermal response) is a measure of the electrical conductivity of the skin. If I am using a GSR meter within a session, I first connect my clients to device by placing electrodes on two fingers on the same hand. After several minutes, I take an initial baseline reading. During the session, the meter readings will rise and fall in line with the emotional arousal of the client. In essence, the greater the presence of water and salt on the skin, the more conductive of electricity the skin is. Changes in sweat production in the fingertips can occur for a number of physiological reasons; however, there is a correlation between electrical conductivity of the skin and emotional arousal. A higher GSR reading tends to reflect an increase in emotional arousal (whether that emotion be anger, stress, anxiety, and startle response).
Whilst therapists develop great sensory acuity though many client hours experience, the GSR meter provides another tool to provide a clue that something is happening for the client. It is of particular use in hypnoanalysis or regression when the client has accessed an emotional memory and is experiencing it vividly. Whilst abreactions are easily spotted by a therapist, the GSR meter provides an early sign of emotional arousal that may assist the exploration of the traumatic material. The GSR reading can also be useful for testing the change in the client’s emotional arousal regarding phobias before and after the change work has been completed. The client’s responsiveness to hypnotic induction is clearly demonstrated by a falling reading on the GSR meter. The device can, therefore, be used to indicate when the client is deep enough into trance to make suggestions more direct. I recently conducted a hypnotherapy session and during a section about learning new skills, I mentioned being back at school to access and utilise that regressed learning state that children possess (this is a popular approach popularised by the late renowned hypnotherapist Milton Erickson). The meter rose rapidly at this moment although there were no visible changes to skin tone, breathing rate etc. At the end of the session, my client explained that she had enjoyed the experience but mention of the school had reminded her of a time when she had been bullied. Whilst not a significant event, it was nevertheless a demonstration of the usefulness of GSR meters within a therapeutic setting.
Biofeedback devices will never replace the skill of a therapist nor the importance of watching and listening but they can be a useful adjunct to the therapists toolkit in certain situations.

Life Coaching: Definition and Benefits

Date: January 14, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Uncategorized
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Life coaching is a form of support that helps the person in his or her decision making capacity, be it on the professional, personal or emotional level. It strives to empower the person and push her towards sensible life decisions. Without imposing anything or forcing you to radically change your day to day life, life coaching can bring many a positive results. Life coaching is meant as a guidance and not as a ” follow or else ” method. Let us make an analogy to help you better understanding what life coaching is about: the woman is lik a tree, the stronger its roots, the more it will be able to grow tall and strong and realize its potential. That’s what life coaching is, it strives to make your roots stronger, to empower. It helps you realize and achieve your strongest desire by telling that, after all, you could become all you want to be. Life coaching can thus be seen as a form of accompaniment leading to action. Without trusting blindly, if you feel at ease with somebody professional and respectuous, this person could become your coach. In fact, a coach is a person who possess the experience you are still lacking, quite simply. Life coaching emphasizes life situations that we wish to change or improve. People resorting to life coaching can learn amongst other things to identify their fundamental values and organize their life around those values, transform obstacles draining their energy, doscover o rediscover their forgotten dreams or their passion, feed their spiritual needs and move towards a job that can fulfill them. Life coaching uses tools and methods from various fields favoring and encouraging reflection and thinking through pratical exercises. Life coaching is for everyone who want to be the master of their own destiny and who wish to arm themselves with all the tools they need toreach their true potential, in line with their desires, be it on the personal or profesionnal level.

Dealing With Modern Stress

Date: January 13, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Unhealthy levels of stress have become an unfortunate part of the modern life most people are living today. A desire to alleviate this stress has led many people to pursue ways to deal with it that are unhealthy. The reader, who is suffering from the effects of stress, may think that many of the successful people around them who are extremely busy and working long hours are somehow more resourceful when faced with the demands of modern life. However, human beings have a natural limit to how much effort and strain they can deal with. I’m sure many of you would be surprised how often many of these, seemingly more capable, people turn out to be dependent on some form of drugs to be able to continue on in life the way they are going. These drugs may be legal pharmaceuticals such as tranquilizers, anti-depression drugs, and also, ones designed to deal with anxiety and insomnia. But,also, many people take illegal drugs, not just for the physiological and mental enjoyment they might provide, but often to escape from otherwise, unbearable stress. People may actually be self-medicating themselves when they smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol excessively and use marijuana. In addition, because the stress they are subject to may leave them enervated and tired, they may also resort to stimulants, such as nicotine and caffeine, or even illegal drugs such as cocaine, to keep their energy up to be able to do all they want to do in their rushed lives.
The stress response as an adaptation that allows one to deal with an emergency situation, is of great value. The flight or fight response to an imminent danger is the original form of physiological response to the stress of a threat to our survival. Hormones are released within the body, such as adrenaline, to help us respond by increasing our heart rate and raising our blood pressure by constricting our blood vessels. This allows us to get more blood to muscles that might be necessary for our survival. The muscles also tense to be ready for action. Other hormones signal for the release of cortisol, which allows more blood sugar to be available for any fight or evasive retreat that is called for. However, to have the body remain in this emergency physiological state for long periods of time is extremely mentally uncomfortable and physiologically unhealthy. Unfortunately, this is exactly what occurs from the experience of stress in our modern life.

Stress can lead to troubled sleep and insomnia, and also interfere with normal sexual function. It can affect concentration and memory. It not only leads to muscle tension throughout the body, but this muscle tension can lead to serious tension headaches.
Among the other negative things that occur, our blood pressure remains heightened and cortisol, unhealthy to the body in sustained amounts, continues to flow into our body. The release of cortisol, a major stress hormone, appears to promote the formation of fat around the abdomen, an area that is considered the most unhealthy place to store fat.
And the psychological nature of stress may be one of the key reasons some people become and stay fat. Sugar and blood glucose raising foods which act like sugar, such as bread, bagels, pasta and white potatoes, increase the glucose going to the brain, which makes us feel better. But they also generate a lot of insulin which then withdraws the glucose from the blood, and makes us feel down all over again, creating an unhealthy mood cycle that leads to our using these same foods again, and gaining weight. In addition, these foods stimulate the production of serotonin which relieves stress and anxiety by putting our minds in a more relaxed and peaceful state, another reason we crave them when stressed and put on weight.

People can be subject to these stress conditions in ways that they fully realize, or, for some, they can remain unaware of just how much stress they are being subjected to, and continue on as they are doing, until their true condition is finally reflected in some serious health condition. The fact is, even low levels of stress, if they are chronic, can have serious negative effects on one’s life.

Individuals who are self-employed or their own bosses can experience ongoing stress because of the demands they place upon themselves. On the other hand, the typical worker may experience stress for number of reasons. They may be subject to pressure because of the complexity and time constraints of their work. The regular job itself may be structured with deadlines or amounts of work that are very demanding. This may occur sometimes in a company that wishes to be more profitable by reducing their work force, and then unreasonably asks the remaining workers to increase their own load of work, to maintain the same overall level of productivity. Another cause of stress may be that a worker is subject to a poorly skilled boss who is unable to make clear what is expected of him, or relates by bullying and harassing the individual. A key psychological cause of stress on a job is a feeling that one has little power or influence over one’s working life. Employers should definitely interest themselves in becoming aware of reducing stress in the workplace as stress can seriously reduce a worker’s effectiveness. His concentration and memory may become impaired and he may experience debilitating sleep disruptions with an increase of danger from accidents both in and out of workplace. Overall, his potential for developing health problems increases considerably.

And, of course, in one’s social life, ongoing stress may be caused by a family illness or death, or social strife within a family or other social relations. Personal financial problems can also be a significant source of stress.

Just the demands and strain caused by an overly busy active life in which there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to get everything done, except, maybe, by rushing and hurrying through one’s day, without any real moments of taking your time, or just slowing down completely and relaxing, can create serious ongoing stress for the mind and body.
Ongoing stress will sap your energy and debilitate you so that you may resort to taking in more caffeine from different sources, as it is found not only coffee, but in many popular sodas and even some teas. Caffeine stimulates the production of adrenaline, and may give you a sense of having more energy. In the end, this will prove counterproductive as adrenaline is a stress hormone, and even though you may feel more energy, you will be experiencing even more of the effects of stress such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. Anyone suffering from stress needs to keep caffeine out of their life. Overall caffeine works against the relaxation you are in need of to counter and diminish your psychological and physiological stressed state.

Hypnosis is one modality people can use to relieve their stress. Since our beliefs and attitudes can influence how capable and confident we feel about ourselves, they can influence how stressed we feel when we have to deal with life’s challenges. With hypnosis people can change the underlying attitudes and beliefs in their subconscious mind, and meet life’s challenges in a more resourceful, less stressful way. In addition, hypnosis can be used to help people experience and incorporate stress reducing, relaxing mental and physical states into their everyday lives. For all these reasons hypnosis is the easiest and quickest way to alleviate stress and live a healthier, relaxing life.

Hypnotherapy For Slimming And Weight Loss

Date: January 13, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Uncategorized
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Ever dread the thought of seeing those double chins, flabby arms, heavy thighs and plump tummies? You look pensively in the mirror and cringe at the sight of these yourself. You wish those unwanted fats would vanish like bubbles. You don’t want to look this way forever. Your goal is to trim down because you also want to exude the confidence that only slim people have.
It’s not just about slimming; it’s about having that healthy and fit body. Slimming means a few pounds off the weight that you have been lugging around. It also means saving more money. Imagine all those greens you lose to those slimming programs you enroll to. You also tend to spend less when eating healthy food. Another advantage of trying to stay slim is that as you try to lose weight, your libido increases and that means easier lovemaking for you and your loved one.
But losing those unsolicited fats is just about one of the hardest things to do. There are numerous programs and products for slimming and losing weight. Actually, it is one of hits in the money making industry. New products always come out in the market, products for slimming. For slim is in!
Diet programs are one of the ways to slim those fats away. It takes tremendous discipline to religiously follow the slimming program. It’s about having the absolute and sheer need for a slimmer body. It’s when you find that right diet program for your lifestyle and personality that you attain the slimming effect of the program. But before joining any diet programs, it is advised that you consult your doctor.
And then there is exercise, regular exercise that is. The general rule is that you start short and then increase your pace gradually. Most people fail in this hurdle because of tight schedule. But then again, it is all about the desire to be slim and fit.
Another slimming technique is hypnotherapy. It’s when you redirect your lifestyle, such that you remain slim, fit and trim. It’s having the absolute willpower to shed those unwanted pounds. Hypnotherapy works on the mind. It fine tunes your mind to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Obesity is one serious problem; it inhibits other complications like high blood pressure and diabetes. But it’s how you see yourself that matters. When you feel good about yourself, then others see you that way, too.

Hypnotherapy Weight Loss

Date: January 13, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Uncategorized
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There are several reasons why a person gains weight. Sometimes eating too much is actually a manifestation of a more serious psychological condition like depression. As you gain more and more weight, your self-esteem becomes lower and actually causes you isolate yourself and eat more.
Unfortunately, being overweight comes with serious health repercussions. You could have diabetes, heart problems and other diseases.
To avid these diseases, you could try slimming down or losing weight thru a number of different methods like dieting and exercising. If you have difficulties doing it yourself, you can join groups like Weight Watchers.
Eating sensibly would also help. You should avoid eating foods that are laden with fat and carbohydrates. Starving yourself is not a solution. Your body will simply adjust to the starvation and refuse to burn fats.
Controlling what you eat is healthy as long as it does not become an obsession. You may end up slimming down and yet have an eating disorder. Exercise with a friend if you want. This makes slimming down easier and more enjoyable.
Your family can help you by providing you with moral and emotional support. When you feel the urge to eat, distract yourself by watching the television, walking around your block or even brushing your teeth.
If needed, slimming should be done under the supervision of medical experts since sudden weight loss could also pose serious health problems. But if your problem is your inability to refrain from eating due to low self-esteem or depression, you would require some psychotherapy.
A psychiatrist would uncover the reason for your low self-esteem and depression and address them. You would be probably given some anti-depressants to deal with your depression. Taking these prescription drugs are known to be habit-forming and you should make sure you take them according to the doctor’s prescriptions.
Another treatment is hypnotherapy. It usually involves hypnotism by a qualified person. Your subconscious will be targeted by the therapy and alter your behavior. The aim is to change your eating habits so that you will no longer feel like eating whenever you feel sad or depressed. Hypnotherapy is relatively cheaper and provides faster results.
Slimming can be accomplished as long as you have the will to do it. As many experts say, it is a matter of mind over body. If you decide to slim down, you would be like taking control of your life once again.

Hypnotherapy For Childbirth

Date: January 11, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Uncategorized
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Hypnosis for child birth is used as a technique as much throughout the pregnancy as it is used during the labour itself. The benefits include a sense of calm and relaxation- and of course the calmer mum can be, the calmer the baby will be during the normally quite stressful experience of being born. This can later influence the ease at which they feed and sleep as a result of a less traumatic birthing experience.
During the pregnancy, hypnotherapy in Hemel Hempstead can be used as a means of mentally preparing the mother for the forthcoming events, offering her suggestions of a calm pain-free experience to come, and a reassurance that she will be able to manage her own levels of pain. The hypnotic experience aided by a hypnotherapist or a hypnotic recording, can help to maintain blood pressure at a safe level during the gestation periods and induce positive beliefs and feelings about the imminent experience as well as offering positive suggestions for things like diet and lifestyle throughout the pregnancy.
During the labour, the trance experience may be used, though not in a deep sleep kind of a way. Instead, the mother will be able to experience the event fully and fell in control during the process. The pain control method reduces the need for medication throughout the experience and ensure that any physical “healing” needs to take place after the labour happens quickly.
In short, anxiety creates tension which can create more pain. Hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire is able to break this cycle with the injection of relation and positive thoughts and attitude. It is well documented that childbirth is a very different experience in other cultures because the expectation of pain does not exist. If you are interested in how hypnotherapy can be helpful for you, please contact our hypnotherapist in Hertfordshire.