Not a stroke of bad luck after all...!! There are many times in life when what seems to be a case of severe adversity in actual point of fact has that proverbial silver lining! Although just one of many such real-life stories Urban Sundvall HypnoAnalyst & Psychotherapist thought you might like it.

It started many years ago when I was working as a chef. Much as I loved cooking, the enormous industry stress factor had always been a problem for me. Over the years my inability to cope with stress was getting continuously worse. Eventually, to the point where one part of my mind was saying: 'I can't stand this stress and pressure; I don't want to be here', Another part of my mind was countering with: 'Urban you have the responsibility of family, mortgage and staff under your care, you have to cope'. It went on for quite sometime, this battle in my mind, driving me from job to job in search for some form of relief.

In the end I had repeated my negative script so many times and with stronger and stronger emotion--my messages got through to the subconscious part of my mind.
It created a solution.

A Solution of Non-Responsibility
A small stroke, and then another and then a third. All fairly small and only with temporary effects. They’re called TIA's (Transient Ischaemic Attacks). After a little time off, I gratefully (and somewhat foolishly) went back to the same work without having dealt with any of my issues.

The fourth and far more serious stroke followed rapidly.
Waking up in hospital, I was paralysed down my left side, discovering to my horror that unlike previously, it was not going away.

The staff at the hospital were wonderful, especially the occupational therapists and physiotherapists and of course the wonderful overworked nurses and Doctors. All contributed towards my recovery, but I think there were two major factors that enabled me reasonably quickly [6 months] to return to 'normal'. One was sheer determination to do so, and even more importantly was utilising many Hypnotherapeutic techniques, especially, Hypnotic-visualisation techniques.

Stroke or Hemiplegic Migraine?
Fortunately my strokes were not caused by bleeds, but instead by what the specialists inform me was the prolonged clamping down of the blood vessels of my brain, to the point causing my paralysis. Despite disagreement amongst the neurologists as to the name, paralysis was still the result. I now accept this real vascular event was caused by the stress, but at the time being a stubborn man, I refused to believe it. I changed my diet, increased exercise and returned to chef work, admittedly in a less stressful situation. Fairly quickly I managed to create enough stress within myself to have my fifth and final stroke. Once again being paralysed, I diligently used the Hypnotherapy techniques to regain my mobility. And, at long last, took the advice my brother had given me a long time ago and had HypnoAnalysis to find out the underlying causes of my inability to cope with stress. In the processes of this I thought to myself:

‘What a wonderful work to do.’

So that is why I took the time to go back to study to become a HypnoAnalyst as well as a Clinical Hypnotherapist. A decision I rejoice over every day! The most rewarding work I could imagine, to be able to help people to overcome their underlying issues. To make their amazing changes in life too.

Hypnosis; a natural foundation for Therapy
Remember last time you had a daydream, zoned out, or perhaps got so involved in a film or a book that you didn't notice your surroundings. You were in a natural form of Hypnosis. There are countless examples of hypnosis we all experience, daily. Another one most of us have experienced; remember getting into a car, driving somewhere familiar and becoming so absorbed in your own thoughts that you hardly remember the trip. Again hypnosis…

As somebody who works with therapy under Hypnosis, I simply help you, as my client to learn to lengthen and deepen that type of experience. In some ways hypnosis is like a vehicle, taking you from point A to point B and with point B being where you are very relaxed and focused within, ready willing and able to make changes through the therapies used. The difference between Hypnotherapy and HypnoAnalysis can simply be explained this way:
 Hypnotherapy --together putting in place suggestions acceptable to your subconscious mind, because they’re wanted by you [e.g. be confident, non-smoker, only healthy food, relax and enjoy public speaking etc.]
 HypnoAnalysis is about us taking something out; releasing bottled up emotions from the past that left you emotionally anchored in the past and prone to some form of anxiety [e.g. susceptibility to stress, fears and phobias, panic attacks, migraines, IBS, racing mind].

Putting you in charge of yourself.

Your major benefits are:
1. Subconscious change unlike previous conscious attempts
2. Quick change through aligning the two parts of your mind, creating common purpose
3. Dealing with the mindpart where habits and automatic responses operate from. Therefore no longer feeling like ‘you’re battling with yourself" or 'just couldn't stop myself from having that [cake, drink, chocolate, cigarette, temper outburst'].

Wrapping it up
Therapy under Hypnosis is a safe natural way of dealing with yourself, to create change in your life, being guided by a suitably qualified therapist who will happily work in conjunction with your medical practitioner for medical conditions.

Find your silver lining before your cloud breaks and rains on your parade.