It’s summer, the weather is warm and the holidays are approaching but, despite this, sometimes it is hard to feel optimistic. Optimism, hope and positive forward thinking are so important. They help us to endure and they give us the impetus to move forwards, but there will always be days when you just don’t feel …
The great apes Humans are part of the family of primates known as hominids. The other hominids, or great apes, are orangutans, gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees (our closest relatives). We are the tailless primates. Of this small group of mammals, humans are the only ones who do not sleep in trees. Why is this, and …
Think of a baby, lying in her cot, alert, gurgling and looking up at her mother. They make eye contact. The mother coos soft words and the baby chuckles. This scene plays out across the globe every day, countless times. There is no cultural or geographical barrier to the most basic of human connections: eye …
Yesterday, I was chatting to my colleagues. Kim said, “I’ve been awake since about 5.15, but that’s ok. I pottered around at home and did stuff.” That sounds nice, I thought. Sandra said, “It was a gorgeous morning. I had my breakfast in the garden.” That sounds nice, I thought. This morning, I awoke at …
The Expectation Effect by David Robson I saw this book on my friend’s dining table and was instantly drawn to it, the title alone indicating that its contents could inform my hypnotherapy practise. Expectations, beliefs, stories – they amount to the same thing. I have been thinking a lot lately about the stories that we …
Acute pain and chronic pain As humans we can experience acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain is the pain that we feel in response to an injury. After a while, the pain subsides and we return to normal. Having the pain encourages us to stop, rest, heal and get better. Into survival mode Chronic …
When I was a teenager I was told that, from age 18, my brain cells would start to die off and my brain function would gradually deteriorate. What a depressing thought! I was also told that there are vast areas of our brains that we never use and that, when we are idle, our brains …
We all know what it is like to have a bad day and some people seem to have bad day after bad day after bad day. For me, today could potentially have been a bad day. I woke up tired. I didn’t get enough sleep and I had a headache, but I had some choices. Sometimes …
As we all know, the news reports over the last few days have been very upsetting and worrying. You may have lost sleep thinking about what is happening in Ukraine. You may have family and friends in the affected areas. The feelings of helplessness can be overwhelming. At times like this it is important to …
Milton Erickson, one of the most celebrated and influential hypnotherapists to have lived, suffered with polio during his teenage years. He was totally immobile for a year. Here comes the realisation One day, stuck in his chair inside while the sun shone, Erickson could hear his family having fun in the garden. From his position, …
