SERVICES
CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPIST and PSYCHOLOGIST
Areas of expertise:
Depression, Post Natal Depression
Panic disorder
Anxiety, stress-related conditions
Anger management/ resolution
Pain management
Weight reduction, comfort eating
Sabotaging/self-defeating behaviour
Childhood sexual abuse (adult)
Other childhood issues
Self worth, self esteem, confidence, assertiveness
Unresolved grief eg: death, miscarriage
Abortion grief, guilt
Sports performance
Cancer, complementary therapy
Karmic issues, women's consciousness issues
Medicare: Partial rebate under GP Mental HealthCare Plan
FAQs about HYPNOSIS and HYPNOTHERAPY
There are myths and misconceptions about hypnosis that may contribute towards apprehension for a person considering hypnotherapy for the first time. Any level of discomfort can potentially interfere with ability to relax and achieve a successful therapeutic outcome. The aim here is to provide information about the process and importantly to clarify these 'mythconceptions' so that the potential hypnotherapy client will feel fully informed, with a sufficient level of understanding of the process to be able to feel comfortable and safe about lying back in the hypnotherapist's recliner with eyes closed, confidently knowing he/she is in complete control at all times, and at no time is control relinquished to the hypnotherapist.
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is described as an altered state of consciousness with narrowed focus of attention, similar to what people experience naturally when drifting into a daydream for a moment; or reaching a destination and not being able to remember passing a particular landmark; or watching a movie, know it is not real, but still become drawn into the emotional experience.
What is hypnotherapy?
Therapy carried out while the client is in a state of hypnosis. The conscious mind is relaxed so it won't block acceptable access to the subconscious mind where problems need to be targeted to achieve complete and effective resolution. Actually, hypnotherapy is an umbrella term that covers a diverse range of treatment approaches all of which have in common that application involves the therapist communicating directly with the subconscious mind of the client.
Who can 'be hypnotised?'
No one can 'be hypnotised' -- but everyone can go into hypnosis. (See 'What is hypnosis?') The 'permissive' style of hypnosis acknowledges that hypnosis is a natural ability everyone possesses – not something that is done to them by a hypnotist – the role played by the hypnotist in going into hypnosis is merely to be a facilitator.
Who is in control?
A person in hypnosis is always in control. You cannot be forced to reveal deep innermost secrets that you would prefer not to, and you can even tell lies, in hypnosis. That would not be very helpful for therapy, of course, but the point is you are in control.
Misconceptions about relinquishing control have originated from the early 'authoritarian' style of hypnosis and been perpetuated by horror movies and stage hypnosis. There was a belief that the 'all-powerful' hypnotist took control over weak-minded individuals, and conversely, 'strong-minded' individuals could not 'be hypnotised'. The fact is that no one can 'be hypnotised' against their will, or be forced to do anything against their will as a result of hypnosis.
As for stage hypnosis, it is common knowledge that participants will behave outrageously or even make fools of themselves, so anyone who volunteers to participate in stage hypnosis has already consented to this and is not being made to do anything against their will. Conversely, anyone who genuinely doesn't want to be a public spectacle, quite simply will not volunteer! A couple of years ago, Kevin Powers conducted a hypnosis show on television and just out of curiosity I switched on to see who his stage volunteers were – no shrinking violets among them, all were 'celebrities' used to seeking the limelight: Sam Newman (ex-footballer 'personality', Melbourne football TV show host), Warwick Capper (ex-Swan player, famed for his tight red shorts), Mario Fenech (ex-footballer and Sydney TV Footy Show 'personality'), Imogene Bailey (has a talent for getting in front of cameras), former Idol contestants and ex-Big Brother housemates – not one of whom required hypnosis to behave outrageously on camera.
If the hypnotist handed a loaded revolver to a hypnotised subject and instructed him to 'shoot the person on his right', it isn't going to happen – unless that person in hypnosis co-incidentally wants to shoot the person on his right.
In the example above (What is hypnosis?), of watching a movie, being drawn into the emotional experience is not imposed on the observer, but is an integral part of the entertainment that is sought and expected ie the observer gives him/herself permission to respond to 'feeling' cues in the movie.
While it might appear that the hypnotherapist is the one in control in the clinical setting, the nature of the therapeutic relationship is a working partnership between therapist and client. The therapist explores the problem with the client and is responsible for choice and implementation of hypnoanalytic strategies employed, but is really only playing a facilitating role in achieving therapeutic change. The actual work is being carried out by the client in their subconscious mind – hence, the client is able to resist suggestions made by the therapist that are felt to not be correct or appropriate.
Self-hypnosis can be a useful tool for self-improvement, but for deeply entrenched problems, experience has taught me that professional assistance is needed to get to the depth required, with subsequent self-hypnosis being beneficial to reinforce therapeutic gains achieved in the clinical setting.
What does it feel like to be in hypnosis?
The experience is similar to meditation, with the 'permissive' style of hypnosis only requiring a light to medium state of relaxation. A person in hypnosis is not asleep or unconscious, but can hear, speak, move, and remember everything that took place during the session. The experience can vary from light relaxation through to deep relaxation and even dissociative states whereby the person in hypnosis may afterwards report sensations such as their 'hands floating out in front of their face'. Brain wave patterns change from beta (alert) to alpha or even into theta. Even people who claim to be unable to relax can do so sufficiently to engage in hypnotherapy, and with practice, their ability to relax improves. Often, these people say they 'try' to relax but can't – and therin lies the problem – 'trying' implies active involvement of the conscious mind (beta) in the exercise, when what is required is 'switching off' beta and allowing the emergence of alpha.
Muscles can relax to the extent that limbs feel heavy and leaden, or even paralysed, as if unable to move. However, the experience is similar to the half-awake-half-asleep state when eg you might hear something knocking against a bedroom window and you think, “ I should get up and fix that – but I can't move - can't be bothered” and go back to sleep. Yet, if that were a burglar coming through the window, you would be able to leap out of bed wide awake and ready for instant action. Similarly, in hypnosis, even if you feel that you are unable to move, if someone ran into the room and yelled out, “Fire”, you would instantly become fully alert and leap out of the chair.
What happens if the hypnotherapist drops dead while you are in hypnosis? An odd question to ask? Not really. If you are relaxing nicely and suddenly remember an old horror movie where the hypnotist was murdered and his hypnotised subject spent the rest of her life wandering around in a zombie-like state, then a slight apprehension might creep in and interfere with relaxation. The truth is that the natural tendency in hypnosis is to come out, and all that keeps a person in that state is 'suggestions' and the hypnotherapist's voice droning on and on. If the hypnotherapist were to walk away and leave someone in hypnosis, then they would either come back to normal conscious awareness, or, if very tired and deeply relaxed, drift off into a normal sleep. Clients do sometimes go to sleep during therapy and since this is only a light stage of sleep, therapy can still be conducted successfully. However, if the client is required to speak during therapy, then their level of awareness will need to be raised to a relaxed awake state.
It is important that a client undergoing hypnotherapy understands in advance what to expect so they can feel comfortable, knowing that whatever altered state of consciousness they experience, it is natural, normal and safe, and can vary from one session to the next. If the expectation is that hypnosis will be a strange experience and all they feel is lightly relaxed, they might lie in the chair thinking, “This isn't working, this isn't working, I can't be hypnotised”, and this might just interfere with the therapy process. On the other hand, if simple relaxation is the expectation and instead, they have a bizarre dissociative experience, they might freak out and be frightened off from making any further attempts. It is not necessary to experience any particular one of the states described for therapy to take place – hypnotherapy can be carried out successfully in any one of them.
What if I am not very 'hypnotisable'?
Much is made of the quality of hypnotisability, but it is not relevant to successful outcome of hypnotherapy. While it is true that some individuals are able to relax more easily than others, are more creative or imaginative, or have greater capacity for concentration and visualisation (all regarded as features of hypnotisability), the key to successful outcome for any form of psychotherapy is motivation for therapeutic change. If a candidate for hypnotherapy is ambivalent about change or is not participating in therapy voluntarily (eg not really wanting change, but attending therapy because a partner or parent wants them to do so), then regardless of how 'hypnotisable' they may be, successful therapeutic outcome is unlikely. The client is in control and no one can be forced to do anything against their will in hypnosis – and the same applies to therapy. Therapeutic change cannot be forced on a client in hypnosis, but even if not regarded as highly 'hypnotisable', if they are motivated to achieve change, chance of successful outcome is high.
Who will hypnotherapy work for?
Anyone who genuinely wants to make positive psychological and emotional change. Anyone who takes personal responsibility for their problem and its resolution. Anyone who decides it is time to 'deal with their stuff'. Anyone who is into self-help – hypnotherapy is the ultimate in self-help tools.
Why doesn't will power always work?
People berate themselves for lack of will power when they fail to stick to their resolutions or achieve goals. However, the real problem is not lack of will power, but in effect, the 'will power' of their subconscious mind being stronger than the will power of their conscious mind. Hypnotherapy helps them enlist the power of their subconscious mind to work FOR them, instead of AGAINST them.
Why use hypnotherapy?
Psychological problems, learned emotional reactions, habits etc, are locked away in the subconscious mind. Therefore, any psychological therapy will be successful to the degree that it accesses the subconscious mind. The conscious mind likes to stay in control, but in doing so, it can hinder therapeutic change by preventing access to the subconscious mind. In effect, it can actually protect the problem that the client would like resolved. A simple explanation of how hypnotherapy works is that with the conscious mind relaxing it's control, in effect, it steps back as an observer and 'allows' access to the subconscious mind where therapy can target the problem directly at its source. Because change comes from within, occuring at the subconscious level, new feelings, behaviour and attitudes seem 'natural, normal and automatic'. Consequently, in addition to the specific change sought, a common outcome of hypnotherapy is an improved sense of empowerment. Conversely, just as the conscious mind can 'allow' access to the subconscious mind, it can also block suggestions from the hypnotherapist that it does not want to respond to.
Where can hypnotherapy be of benefit?
Hypnotherapy can be used beneficially either alone or as an adjunct to other treatments.
Depression, PND: while medication is the first line of treatment for alleviation of depression symptoms, hypnotherapy can be a useful adjunct to address underlying psychological risk factors and coping with stressors.
Broadly speaking, there are two classes of depression:
(i) Biological or 'endogenous' depression (melancholic, bipolar disorder, or psychotic) which accounts for about 10% of depression cases, is biologically based and requires treatment with medication (antidepressants, mood stabilisers, antipsychotics) and when severe, with ECT. Patients with these types of depression can also benefit from psychotherapy as an adjunct to medication. They are not immune to psychological problems, with stressful life events often being responsible for triggering episodes.
(ii) 'Non-endogenous' depression is psychological or sometimes regarded as personality-based (but actually reflecting dysfunctional or ineffective coping styles), generally a reaction to acute stressful events, chronic unhappy circumstances, feeling trapped and not in control of life, etc. I describe this kind of depression as a 'psychological pain' that plays a role analogous to physical pain. The latter is a warning that disease or injury in the body needs attention while the former is a warning that something in the psyche or life situation needs addressing. While antidepressant medication may help alleviate mood and help a person to function, it is after all just a pain killer and does not address the underlying psychological cause, which if not adressed, may result in chronic or recurring depression requiring ongoing maintenance medication. Likewise, if you went to a doctor with a pain in some part of your body, you would not be satisfied if all he did was prescribe a pain killer, without attempting to diagnose and treat the physical cause.
Post Natal Depression: This type of depression tends to be regarded as biological in basis and hence preferred treatment is medication, hospitalisation and even ECT, when severe. While there may be biological factors involved (perhaps due to hormone imbalances associated with pregnancy, childbirth and lactation) my experience is that there are generally psychological factors that are usually under control, but due to life changes (psychological as well as the biological) vulnerability to non-endogenous depression increases. Dietary factors may play a role - omega-3 trials are being carried out on pregnant women.
Post Natal Depression of Fathers: With all the focus on new mothers being at risk for PND, what can be overlooked is that a new father can also be at risk and is not going to be able to be supportive of the new mother as is expected of him. Men are more at risk if they have an anxious or sensitive personality style and perceive their partner to not be coping well with motherhood or distressed by problems such as a baby with sleeping and feeding difficulties.
NB: Depression is not a 'mental illness' as commonly reported in the media, particularly when seeking defence for criminal or anti-social behaviour. Use of the term 'mental illness' stigmatises depression, which discourages understanding and promotes an 'us and them' attitude. Another point of stigma is the perception that only 'weak' people get depressed.
The fact is that depression is an 'affective (mood) disorder' that anyone is potentially at risk of experiencing, given the right (or wrong) set of adverse circumstances. Individuals with anxious personality or an ineffective coping style may be more at risk. 'Strong' individuals are just as much at risk as the 'weak', or even more so since they tend to take on more responsibility, make more effort to 'put things behind them and move on', may lack assertiveness in taking control of their life or be more stoical in putting up with crap, until the higher self eventually says 'enough is enough'.
Paradoxically, depression may appear to be triggered by a relatively small event rather than a major one, but this minor event may have been the 'final straw that broke the camel's back'.
Stress and anxiety management, examination anxiety: Self-hypnosis can be taught so the client can reduce sympathetic arousal and promote relaxation. Often there are specific issues (current or past) that are responsible so will need addressing, to alleviate anxiety.
Panic Disorder: My experience is that people with Panic Disorder have elements of the following profile: belief that they are ‘not good enough’, regarded by others as ‘perfectionists’ (actually just trying to be ‘good enough’), see themselves as very ‘strong’ and have a strong sense of responsibility, all of which develop from childhood experiences in the home environment. The precipitating event (or ongoing situation) that triggers the first panic attack may be something that ‘challenges’ their belief in being strong and this strikes at the very core of their identity. They may not have been able to cope (whereas a ‘strong’ person should be able to cope with any situation) or carry out a responsibility they believe is theirs (even if it was impossible to do so). Depression can often be the precipitating situation for panic disorder because of an implicit (but erroneous) belief that only ‘weak’ people get depressed. The perceived ‘failure’ to live up to their expectations (which may be unrealistic anyway) to always be strong and carry out their responsibilities also confirms their belief that they are ‘not good enough’ and no matter how hard they try, they ‘never will be’. The two somewhat contradictory beliefs produce a double whammy as one belief (being strong) is undermined/shattered and the other (not good enough) is confirmed. In this type of scenario, therapy addresses (i) the childhood circumstances that underpin the beliefs and (ii) the precipitating event/circumstances.
Hypnoanaesthesia and pain management. When individuals are unable to tolerate anaesthetic for health reasons or allergic reactions, they may opt for hypnoanaesthesia. Motivation is the key to achieving success and the evidence for this is in individuals who have not been able to achieve hypnoanaesthesia when drugs were available but when they had no choice because drugs were not available, they were able to successfully achieve a satisfactory level of hypnoanaesthesia.
People can be taught to use their subconscious mind power to alleviate pain when they are no longer obtaining sufficient relief from drugs or they would simply prefer drug-free options.
NB: It is important to remember that pain serves a positive function, as a warning that there is some malfunction in the body that needs attention. Therefore, mind techniques to control pain should not be used without consulting a doctor to determine what is causing the pain.
Anger management/resolution: Anger may be due to recent or ongoing uncontrollable events, but when there is no obvious cause, irrational anger and aggressive behaviour are often underpinned by repressed anger from childhood, which can be resolved completely (not merely 'managed'). This latter source is often in response to being subjected to a severly abusive childhood family environment (physical, emotional or sexual), bullying by peers or abuse by predators outside the family – particularly if there has been lack of family support (further betrayal) if/when the abuse has been revealed. Adolescents with such a background are at risk of using drugs and alcohol to ease their pain, perceiving provocation where there is none, letting loose their anger in aggressive behaviour towards whoever happens to be there, particularly anyone attempting to control or dominate them (reminders of the powerlessness in childhood)
Grief resolution: Unresolved grief is frequently complicated by other factors such as guilt or anger, or 'not being allowed to grieve', which must also be addressed. Women who have suffered a miscarriage (or multiple miscarriages) may be vulnerable because the child never existed as a person and society does not have a ritual for mourning a person who never existed. However, to the pregnant woman, the foetus in her womb, however tiny, is a reality, a life that does exist, yet she feels she is not permitted to grieve for her loss, but encouraged to 'move on' and 'try again', by well-intentioned folk who do not understand.
Abortion grief and/or guilt: Even though there may have been justifiable reasons for a young woman to have an abortion (or abortions) and she is able to feel ok about this at the time, the subconscious mind doesn't forget that the process of giving life was interrupted. Given the secrecy that generally accompanies having an abortion, the young woman rarely has any one to turn to for support. There may also be anger if she felt forced by someone else to make the decision to terminate. Any unresolved feelings may rise to the surface as depression, even decades later when the woman is going through vulnerable periods in her life.
Weight loss: This is generally more than just aiming for 'weight loss'. What needs to be achieved is a complete overhaul of lifestyle change (eating, drinking, exercise) and importantly, an attitudinal change so you don't feel that the lifestyle change is a battle and a punishment. Underlying issues such as those that lead to 'comfort eating' may need to be resolved. Being fat may serve other purposes such as protection eg forms an insulation, cushioning against hurts, a buffer against the knocks of life or for victims of child sex abuse, the purpose may be to make them unattractive to deter unwanted sexual attention.
Childhood sexual abuse issues in the adult: If unresolved, victims may be at risk of revictimisation, attracted to abusive relationships, prostitution, high-risk behaviour (self-destructive, death wish), self-mutilation, substance abuse, and depression.
Other childhood issues: These may underpin current psychological/emotional problems such as low self esteem, non-assertiveness, self-defeating behaviour, need for approval, relationship problems. The childhood environment shapes identity, sense of self worth is based on perceptions of how the parent values the child, love and approval may have been unconditional, or they may have had to be 'earned', effort and achievement may have gone unrecognised, parental role models of coping and relationships may have been dysfunctional or outright maladaptive
Unresolved childhood stuff is not restricted to horrific or abusive families. More commonly, it comes from 'normal or average' families with caring parents who love their children, unaware that some of what they do (or don't do) is having a negative long term impact on their children. After all, no one teaches us how to be parents – we learn from our parents, they learnt from theirs, and dysfunctional parenting styles are perpetuated. Even if we recognise that what our own parents did is 'wrong' and vow to be different, there is a strong chance we will make some other mistake instead or even make the same mistake, but in some other guise. Awareness can be the start, to make changes and break cycles.
NB: The aim in exploring childhood stuff is not to place blame on parents, who for the most part, love their children and everything they do is done with the best of intentions (the old chestnut, 'they did the best they knew how'). The aim is to identify origins and underlying factors that contributed, if not directly to the current problem that prompted a person to seek therapy, then to vulnerability in functioning effectively that contributed to the actual problem. The client is taking responsibility for the problem and its resolution – and knowledge about origins is helpful in deciding how to address the problem in therapy. A doctor wouldn't stitch up a wound without cleaning it first and a boil won't heal until all the puss and core come out. Similarly, for complete psychological and emotional healing, the infectious material needs to be cleaned out.
(More on relevance of childhood - below in 'Some other topics of interest').
Symptom relief for physical conditions: As an adjunct to medical treatment.
Quitting smoking: Hypnotherapy is not a magic wand and therapeutic change cannot be forced on anyone. If motivated and committed to quitting, then there is good chance of succeeding. However, if ambivalent about quitting or just doing it at someone else's insistence, then failure is assured. Any unresolved emotional factors that may trigger off the need for a cigarette should also be addressed to reduce risk of relapse.
Irritable bowel syndrome: Since IBS is exacerbated by stress, hypnotherapy as an adjunct to deal with psychological factors and stressors can enhance effects of medical treatments.
Drug and alcohol abuse: As an adjunct to rehab and support groups. Substance abuse is often an attempt at self-medication to deal with emotional problems, blot out distressing thoughts and memories, dull the pain of past experiences. Hypnotherapy can help resolve the 'issues' that leads to substance use.
Sporting performance: Remove emotional blocks and self-defeating behaviours, access your full potential.
SOME OTHER TOPICS of INTEREST
More on Relevance of Childhood
Infants and children have basic emotional needs (eg affection, attention, praise, protection) which when met sufficiently by parents, will lead to healthy emotional development of the child and an emotionally secure adult with a healthy sense of self worth or high self esteem. Self esteem (or self worth) is not merely a touchy-feely concept of New Age pop psychology. It is fundamental to our psychological makeup and impacts across all areas of life. Low self worth may result in inhibiting ability to fulfil potential, lacking assertiveness in speaking up or ensuring needs are met and a tendency to settle for second best in relationships and jobs, because of the subconscious belief, “I don’t deserve any better”. In brief then, self worth can be regarded as a measure of what we subconsciously believe we deserve to get out of life.
If any of the basic emotional needs are not met, then the lifetime consequence is low self esteem. By the process of logic in the child’s subconscious mind, the implication of a parent not meeting the child’s needs is that the parent regards the child as unworthy (of love, time, effort, approval, protection). Children internalise their perception of how they are valued by their parents as their own sense of self worth or self esteem. This perception is based on the child’s interpretation of how they are treated by their parents. This may not be an accurate reflection of what the parents think and feel or how they value the child, but it is how the child feels that counts. For example, if mum loves her child but doesn’t give lots of hugs and kisses, then the child will feel unloved or mum might feel proud of her child’s achievements, but if she gives only criticism and neglects to give praise, what the child hears is that their efforts are ‘not good enough’ and by implication, he/she is ‘not good enough’.
The reason the child gauges self worth according to how treated by parents is that the child is responsible for care received by care givers. There are probably several reasons for this: (i) parental instincts are not all that reliable (ii) caregivers are often not the biological parents and (iii) all adults in a society aught to accept responsibility for being good role models and protection of children. The child performs ‘car eliciting’ behaviours and the parent is supposed to respond by providing the appropriate ‘care’. Hence, children feel responsible for how they are treated - and subconsciously believe that how they are treated is what they ‘deserve’.
If a parent fails to respond appropriately (ie the ‘care’ is not given and the need is not met) then the child feels unworthy. In addition, if extra effort is made in order to gain parental love/ approval/ acknowledgment, the child may feel some degree of anger if the parent still fails to give respond appropriately. If needs are violated by a parent (eg constant criticism, rejection, abandonment, manipulation, betrayal, violence or abuse), there will definitely be anger. This anger experienced by the child is repressed so as not to alienate the caregivers on whom the child is dependent. This repressed anger is held lifelong and may be internalised against the self (eventually manifesting in depression or even a possible link to cancer) or displaced on to inanimate objects (destruction of toys/property), bullying those who can’t hit back (cruelty to pets, younger siblings, weaker peers, and later, wife or employees) and may also lead to depression because of the unresolved causes of the anger.
If emotional needs are unmet by caregivers during childhood, then as an adult, the individual will continue to seek fulfilment of these needs from adult relationships (friends, lovers, colleagues), utilising the same adaptive(?) behaviours they used as a child (which were unsuccessful then and are now dysfunctional in adulthood) and may lead to being given labels with negative connotations (eg needy, approval seeking, attention seeking, perfectionist, rescuer, people pleaser).
Having any of the emotional needs unmet or violated often underpins current emotional problems (including depression), dysfunctional beliefs and self defeating behaviour patterns.
However, the good news is that because of the plasticity of the brain, resolution of these issues and reprogramming of the subconscious mind is possible. In addition, because the infant brain is hard wired to achieve fulfilment of basic emotional needs, the relevant ‘inner child’ is amenable to reprogramming that will belatedly achieve the desired outcome.
CANCER
Causes of cancer:
It is probable that multiple factors contribute to cancer. We are told that cancer cells exist in the body all the time but the immune system generally keeps their numbers under control. For some reason, this system may fail to do the job adequately, resulting in cancer.
Probable factors include:
Environmental eg carcinogenous chemicals, pollution, radiation from some electronic technology.
Chemical substances made for ingestion eg pharmacological drugs and additives in processed food sometimes are identified as increasing risk of certain types of cancer.
Consumption of food depleted in essential nutrients by processing. Diets deficient in nutrients essentail for healthy cells and biochemical functions result in a body with weakened defences. While processed food may not directly cause cancer (unless containing carcinogenous chemicals), refined sugar has been claimed to actually feed cancer.
Lifestyle eg alcohol, obesity and cigarettes have been found to increase cancer risk.
Genetic flaws can create vulnerability and 'rogue' genes can increase predisposition. However, statistics reveal 9/10 women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer.
'Emotional carcinogens'.
Role of emotions:
A 'mind-body' connection with regard to disease is now widedly accepted, even among practitioners of conventional medicine. That means that how we think and feel can have an effect on the physical body. For example, people who are depressed or feel lonely and unloved are more prone to illnesses. Heart disease patients who become depressed are more at risk of heart attacks. Stress is acknowledged as having a physical impact on the body, contibuting to or exacerbating some physical conditions.
The flip side of the mind-body connection is reflected in encouragement to achieve a state of calm through meditation. Commonly dispensed advice includes 'think positive' and we have all heard the old adage 'laughter is the best medicine'. Beneficial effects of positive emotions are demonstrated in programs that promote visits by clowns to children's hospitals and pets as companions for the elderly who live alone. Support groups, by providing helpful advice and emotional support, seek to alleviate stress and foster improved emotional and mental states of their members.
With regard to specific diseases, there is a particular personality type that is regarded more at risk for heart disease. Likewise, particular personality features and emotional factors have also been identified by researchers as being commonly associated with cancer and its prognosis.
Among such factors identified are 'unexpressed emotions' (such as sacrificing own needs for others, anger, resentment, stuff that is unresolved, bottled up, fermenting, becoming toxic) and a sense of powerlessness - all indicators of having handed over personal power to others. The macho way is to ignore emotional problems and tell themselves they are 'ok', it is 'in the past' and they need to just 'get over it' and 'move in'. While women are better at talking about their feelings with a friend and shedding tears as an emotional release, this alone is not sufficient to deal with unresolved emotions effectively. Unless addressed in the subconscious mind (where they are stored, 'bottled up', 'blocked out', 'pushed to the back of the mind') and resolved completely, these emotions just fester, ferment and become toxic - and some types may produce what I call 'emotional carcinogens'.
Treatment approach:
For optimum effect, treatment probably needs to be multi-dimensional. Medical treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy) are the options favoured by conventional medicine, although trials are also being conducted with experimental vaccines for some types of cancer. In addition, giving up 'bad habits' (cigarettes, alcohol, unhealthy eating) and adopting complementary approaches such as dietary (eating a wide range of natural foods), physical exercise, resolving emotional stuff (hypnotherapy), utilising mind power to enhance healing (hypnotherapy and meditation) are commonly used. Counsellors play an essential role in helping patients deal with the trauma of the diagnosis and coping with cancer. Ongoing emotional support provided by families and support groups also plays an important role in mental and emotional wellbeing.
Alternative treatments:
Occasionally, we hear of individuals who have achieved success following alternative treatments only. Chemotherapy is a non-specific poison that indiscriminantly attacks healthy body cells as well as cancerous ones. The side effects (collateral damage) are very unpleasant, the milder ones being nausea, hair loss, destruction of healthy red blood cells, fatigue, and the more serious can be burns to the lining of the alimentary canal, compromising of the immune system and opportunistic infections, even PCP.
Hence, some cancer patients, particularly ones who reject the 'death sentence' their doctor has given them, refuse to subject their body to the destructive effects of chemotherapy and opt for alternative means of treating cancer. They conduct their own research on what alternative therapies have to offer and focus on healhty lifestyle changes such as a natural diet which includes foods that have been found to have anti-cancer properties. Exercise, meditation and imagery are commonly included. Recovery from cancer while being treated by any means other than conventional medicine is attributed (by the medical profession) to 'spontaneous remission', because there is 'no scientific proof' that alternative treatments actually work.
However, the fact that these patients have taken responsibility for their own health, have been assertive even to the point of challenging medical prognosis, is in itself recognised by researchers as a psychological factor that improves chances of recovery.
=======THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT REJECTING MEDICAL ADVICE IMPROVES CHANCES OF RECOVERY.============
What is important is the attitude - research shows that means not just being 'positive' but actively taking control rather than feeling helpless/ hopeless/ powerless - it is being assertive and involved in treatment decisions rather than just passively accepting medical recommendations. It also means taking back control of your life - taking back the power you have relinquished to others. Being ‘brave’ doesn’t seem to help – perhaps there is an implied ‘stoical acceptance’ of the ’inevitable’.
Mind power:
Can the mind influence body processes? Conditions described as 'psychosomatic' illnesses or symptoms suggest it can. Research in psychoneuroimmunology suggests it can. The 'placebo effect' suggests it can. Ironically, researchers testing efficacy of new drugs simply dismiss it as a nuisance when subjects in the control 'placebo' group (taking sugar pills) achieve results comparable to those on the active drug being tested.
Can hypnotherapy and meditation make a real difference in treating cancer? No concrete claims can be made and no guarantees give. However, we often hear that we use only 10% of our brain power and we read of the power potential of the mind to heal the body. We periodically read of 'miraculous' healings, so who can tell? 'Visualisation' is commonly used as an adjunct to medical treatments of physical conditions and reported as improving outcome.
Recurrence of cancer:
The experience of cancer is that it tends to be recurrent. Cancer is never referred to as being 'cured' until given the 'five-year all clear' - but I understand that is not even an iron-clad guarantee. Recovery from cancer is referred to as 'going into remission', implying it is under control for now but there is always a chance it may come back. However, it is unlikely that recurrence is inherrent in the nature of cancer itself, but due to continued exposure to the causal factors. Chemo can result in cancer going into remission, but if the causal conditions remain unaddressed, then there is a possibility of recurrence of the cancer. If dietary factors and/or emotional carcinogens have contributed to cancer and they are not addressed as an integral part of the treatment regimen, they may contribute to recurrence. Therefore, in addressing the emotional carcinogens with hypnotherapy and assisting the client to take back the power they had relinquished to others (in conjunction with changing other lifestyle factors) I believe that there is a chance of reducing the recurrence of the cancer.
Hypnotherapy:
Why use hypnotherapy? The emotional stuff that needs resolving and releasing is locked in the subconscious mind, so that is where we need to go to deal with it. While being 'positive' is a plus, it's effect can be undermined or negated by unresolved negative emotions. To utilise 'mind power' for enhancing healing, hypnosis is needed to tap into the unused brain potential.
Hypnotherapy involves a working partnership between therapist and client. The cancer patient must want to get well, believe in the power of the mind and be an active participant in the hypnotherapy process. Hypnotherapy is not a magic wand whereby the therapist 'makes things happen'. Ultimately, the client is responsible for their own success.
I regard hypnotherapy as having multiple roles as an adjunctive or complementary treatment of cancer and that is reflected in my therapeutic approach:
(i) Clearing out 'emotional carcinogens'
(ii) Taking back personal power, taking control of own life
(iii) Utilising 'mind power' to enhance healing
(iv) Attitude, belief in ability, coping
(v) Possibly, reducing risk of recurrence of cancer.
RELEVANCE of KARMA
Karma and Therapy:
If much of the problems and suffering we experience in life is due to karma ie karmic debts accrued in past lives and spiritual lessons we have chosen to learn, then the question I have asked myself is: "Are therapists intervening to relieve and end unnecessary suffering -- or are they interfering and hindering spiritual progress? Should people be left to suffer and struggle until they have learnt their lessons and paid off karmic debts in their own way in their own time?" The problem with the latter view is there is no diploma handed out to say 'you have completed this lesson' and no receipt to say 'karmic debt paid in full' that notifies people that is is ok to change what they don't like about themselves and their situation.
However, I would say that although there is no formal acknowledgement of completion of karma that is readily recognisable, perhaps there is notification from the higher consciousness after all. If we are 'in tune' with our higher self, we 'hear' the message and automatically and naturally respond by releasing the completed karma. However, most of us are rarely so closely in tune and the message is likely to be blocked by the conscious mind or muffled through the 'layers' (masks, armour, roles, hurt, anger, fear etc) we acquire in childhood and add to as adults, or it comes through in a code or symbols we may not know how to interpret. The muffled or coded message is experienced as feelings of vague unease, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms or more urgently and desparately as physical illness, panic attacks or depression. Hence, I believe that when people make the decision to seek therapy, they are doing so in response to urging by their higher self.
This does pose another question - how much of the karma in our current life is actually relevant to be addressed in this life? How much has been successfully but unknowingly completed prior to this life and is being unnecessarily repeated? Karma may be completed but we can become stuck in old patterns of beliefs and behavious, we keep repeating the same dysfunctional programs, hold on to old feelings, keep paying, keep accepting our 'punishment' unnecessarily, through lifetime after lifetime. Do you keep playing out the same old programs, repeatedly get the 'rough end of the pineapple? Are your issues 'mirrored' by others in your life (even your pets)? For example, a client recounted watching a mother possum climbing a set of stairs with her baby on her back. It occurred to her that the 'baby' looked big enough to easily negotiate the stairs on its own and then she became aware of the 'mirroring' of her own life where she was supporting an adult 'child'. If this is you, then it is time (and ok) to release that karma NOW.
I have read that the ones who love us the most (in spirit) volunteer to take on the most difficult roles in our life. Our 'tormentors' and 'perpetrators' of ill-treatment are actually close friends in the spirit world who have contracted to help us resolve our karma. When they take advantage of us, hurt or abuse us, what they are actually doing is, not punishing us, but 'providing opportunities' to confront and release that karmic situation. The more we resist or avoid facing and dealing with that karma, the sorrier we feel for ourseloves, the more we ask 'why me' - the more 'opportunities' our tormentor/friends keep providing. In the current life, we resent them for what they have done to us - but remember, we contracted with them, in spirit, to do this to help us. If you are feeling disempowered, then surely it is empowering to know that what has been happening in your life has been with your consent and that if you don't want it to continue, then it is up to you to take control and put an end to it. Spiritually advanced individuals have written books which provide awareness and also exercises to release karma, but for most, assistance with some form of therapy is generally required.
Consciousness of Disempowerment:
I have noticed a trend in my practice, of women presenting for therapy with a range of problems that build up into a broader picture which reflects a residual universal consciousness of women, characterised as a sense of disempowerment. This phenomonen represents women who have not yet been able to release their karma (as discussed in Karma and Therapy) and so (to use a cliche) 'stand in their power'.
While some men may be able to relate to this (and that is another karmic perspective on the topic), this article is mainly relevant to women. Historically, it is women, as a class, who have been disempowered by men - but this is not a diatribe condemning men. Historically, there have been early civilisations and primitive cultures where men and women were regarded as equals and some where women were revered (as being the source of new life). Some were matriarchal, but unlike the domination and aggression of patriarchy, were ruled with feminine wisdom, without subjugation of men. In Western society, the Christian church of the time was responsible for the disempowerment of women because of the fear and resentment of their knowledge of herbs and healing practices, and the perceived sexual power women had over men (who were slaves to their own sexual impulses). The lengths they went to disempower women is highlighted by the witch hunts, with many 'wise women' healers put to death, the justification being that these women were handmaidens of Satan. Today, there are still cultures where women are second class citizens without any rights and even others where, while legally women do have rights, adoring mothers raise arrogant, domineering sons who can 'do no wrong'. In the Western world, while there are many enlightened men who value and respect women, there are still those who resist accepting women as equals or fear their own inadequacy as an 'equal', some even to the extent they seek wives from cultures outside their own in the expectation these women will be subservient.
Examples of 'consciousness of disempowerment':
Always put others' needs first, sacrifice own needs for others
Life of service to others, take on role of 'helping others', mainly helping women
Believe responsible for happiness of others, but believe fail anyway
Need to please others in order to be accepted
Feel 'not good enough', but no matter how hard try, 'never good enough'
Low self esteem, sense of unworthiness, not deserve any better
Not listened to, not worth listening to
Not able to speak up, not able to say 'no', not want to upset anyone, fear of consequences of speaking up
Unassertive, doormat
Feel being 'punished', not know why, sense of injustice, powerless to change, no support
Tension, anxiety, depression
Resentment that others not appreciate what you do for them, resentment at getting nothing back
Resentment that your needs are ignored by others, but not able to speak up
Father has no expectation of daughters to achieve, not acknowledge what they do achieve
Desertion by father, abandonment issues
Physical abuse from violent, alcoholic father, abusive adult relationships
Mother subservient to husband, never speak ill of anyone, concern at what others think
Father gentle and nurturing, passive, mother cold or distant
Mother sexually abused by her father, powerless, not an affectionate mother to you, alcoholic
Know your mother loved you but she was never able to show it, never told you she loved you
Mother deserted by her father, abandonment issues, needy, self focused, ignored/unaware of your needs
Mother from a large or dysfunctional family, her mother emotionally unavailable, she emotionally unavailable to you
Feel less-than-equal in relationships
Relationships with men who are control freaks, domineering, violent, alcoholic
Relationships with men who are 'emotionally damaged', need rescuing, alcoholic
Desertion by husband, raise children alone, no support
Sexual abuse as a child, one-off molestation by a stranger or occasional molestation by a family member or trusted family friend
Sexual abuse more 'severe', betrayal by a father in long term exploitative 'relationship' sex or violent abuse, including rape
Patterns of repeated situation of sexual abuse starting in childhood, escape one, later fall unwittingly victim to another
Degrading and abusive relationships as an adult, 'just lie back and take it'
Staying in violent or abusive relationships, better than no relationship at all, no support if leave.
Acceptance of whatever situation is, nothing can be changed, not deserve anything better
Feel a very strong person to have survived, may have resorted to medication, drugs or alcohol to cope
Lesbian incarnation (rejection of men, rejection of dependence on men for meeting intimacy needs, turning to women for nurturing and intimacy), taking on masculine qualities as a means of regaining power but possibly have still been disempowered by men (such as a father)
A couple of twists –
You have attempted to ‘take back your power’ by choosing a male body in this incarnation, retaining certain feminine qualities such as sensitivity, a preference for female friends and dislike of blokey activities. However, this ploy hasn’t worked – you have still had disempowering experiences (such as being bullied) in this life.
You have a successful career of your choice but due to unplanned twists, you find yourself in the position of being the sole financial provider for your family, working long hours and still doing most of the housework and responsibility for childcare. You are tired and stressed, libido gone, and you feel some resentment towards your partner who appears to live a comfortable existence, enjoying leisure activities, doing minimal childcare and housework, either in p/t or casual employment or unemployed while he waits for the right job worthy of his talents to fall into his lap. Clearly, this is not the deal you signed up for. Empowered at work but not empowered in your relationship.
We set the value of our own self worth, based on our perception of how our parents valued us. We show, by example, how we are to be treated by others. If you ignore your own needs and treat the needs of everyone else as more important, subconsciously believe you deserve the 'short end of the stick' and are 'unworthy of anything better' - that is exactly how you will be treated by others. By the law of attraction, if you are a selfless giver who expects nothing in return, you will attract selfish takers who will oblige by giving you nothing. If you are unassertive or afraid/ reluctant to speak up and say 'no' , you will attract those who are eager to exploit your reluctance. (Then again, perhaps they are just providing you with opportunities to put a stop to the nonsense). If some of this sounds familiar, then perhaps you have dragged karma into this lifetime that ought to have been left behind.
Women Reclaiming Power:
Women reclaiming power has been an evolutionary process and is still a 'work in progress'. During the last one hundred years, in Western society, there have been three major movements towards women regaining their power. Suffragettes fought for and won the right for women to vote, giving all women a 'voice'. Feminists fought for equality so women would no longer be 'second class citizens'. In the eyes of the law, women are human beings with rights equal to those of men, and entitled to protection fom abuse and violence at the hands of men. No longer do men have the right to treat women as possessions to buy and sell, abuse or have an unwanted wife beheaded or otherwise disposed of on a whim. A man can lawfully dispose of a wife who displeases him, by divorce, but has to compensate her, and conversely, a woman also has the right to dispose of a husband who displeases her. The law punishes men who mistreat women - but only if women speak up. Ultimately, the goal of any therapy is 'empowerment' of the client. For women, this means knowing it is 'safe' to be 'powerful', to access their feminine wisdom and to use their knowledge - 'wise women' are no longer burnt at the stake.
Unfortunately, with the lingering consciousness of disempowerment, women still feel they cannot speak up, believe they can't or don't have the right or the power to say 'no', are afraid of the consequences of speaking up. They just accept that they are deserving of their punishmnet, unaware they actually deserve something a lot better, unaware they do have the power 'within'. So, men continue to get away with ill-trreatment of women, not because society or the law allows them to, but because women accept that is their lot. One view of the link between consciousness of disempowerment and ill-treatment and adversity is that we 'attract to us what we expect'. Another, 'contracts made in spirit', has been discussed in Karma and Therapy.
Suffragettes and feminists had to use aggressive masculine energy in their fight for recognition in a male-dominated society and breaking down old infrastructures. In doing so, they have paved the way for the third movement which is a more gentle, yet very powerful one, of women getting back in contact with the feminine wisdom of their 'inner goddess' and 'stepping into their power'.
What is meant by women 'reclaiming their [pwer' needs to be clarified. Men and women both have masculine and feminine energy which needs to be in gender-appropriate balance. For men, it is their feminine energy that enables them to be nurturing, gentle an protective towards their family, but without, they tend to be possessive, domineering and aggressive. For women, truly reclaiming their power means accepting their masculine energy that enables them to be assertive (without being aggressive) and reclaiming and embracing their feminine energy - not the old consciousness of the powerless female, but the powerful feminine wisdom of their 'inner goddess'.
Following feminism, there tends to have been a view that being 'equal' to men means being the 'same'. Powered by masculine energy, women have been competing with men on their own terms, 'breaking through glass ceilings' in the corporate world, rejecting motherhood for careers, disdain for those who choose motherhood as their priority, 'super mums' trying to do both, Hollywood butt-kicking action heroine characters, girls smoking and drinking like men, having casual meaningless sex like men, taking on male dominated trades and sports traditionally played by men, more aggression, increasing violence - and even wearing faux Y-front knickers (perhaps there is some basis for Freud's theory of 'penis envy', after all).
Those following in the path of the feminists have thrown off their 'powerlessness' and embraced their masculine energy - but having rejected their feminine side (because subconsciously, they believe being female is to be powerless), their energies are not in balance, their karma not yet resolved and released. Conversely, rejecting the masculine energy and embracing feminine energy only, is also an imbalance - and also another karmic issue. In this evolution of women reclaiming their power are also those who exhibit masculine energy in some areas of their life (such as career or sport) but retain the consciousness of powerlessness in interpersonal areas.
Humanity as a whole suffers from the imbalance in masculine-feminine energies and the lack of mutual nuturance and respect that men and women can give each other. While women perpetuate the consciousness of disempowerment, misogyny continues, men perpetuate domination and abuse, gender-based conflict, war and violent crime continue to exist.
The issue isn't one of 'women versus men' or whether one type of energy is superior or more powerful. Rather, it is about recognising the complementary qualities of masculine and feminine energy and how the fostering of inner peace and promotion of harmony in society depend on these complementary energies being in balance, both within each individual and within society.
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
BA(Hons Psych), MScSoc, Certificate 4 Clinical Hypnotherapy, Diploma Clinical Hypnotherapy
Affiliations:
Australian Traditional Medicine Society (MATMS)
Psychologists Registration Board Qld
Service Categories
Hypnotherapist, Weight Loss
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