Category: depression

Chronic Pain and how you can relieve it

Chronic pain can be a really debilitating experience affecting virtually every part of our life. The constant background distress distracts our awareness from anything else around us and can leave us totally focused on our discomfort.

Of course, it is of primary importance that initially any pain in the body should be referred to a medical practitioner and/or a skilled professional bodywork therapist.

However, it is not unusual, even when scans and medical interventions have taken place, that the pain will not go away. This may be a body-brain loop that has become stuck and keeps repeating. This repeating signal may continue to automatically sequence between the neurons in the body and brain, strengthening its own circular message. Everything is becoming more highly sensitised and we were hoping for desensitisation.

It is not unusual for a client to come into my office and tell me that scans and doctor’s visits have revealed nothing physically out of order but IT STILL HURTS!

To help clients with this type of issue I will begin with hypnosis to help relax the body and mind. This really can help release some of the mental and physical stress very effectively.

EFT “tapping” is also an invaluable technique helping clear the faulty over-sensitised messages connecting the neural pathways. Now our body and mind can begin to return to healing mode and help quieten this highly charged loop. Pain and distress triggers our Fight or Flight mechanism and then our only task is “to keep ourselves alive”.

Another very simple change to make is in our language. Using the word pain will invariably “grow” more pain. Our body is programmed to respond before our conscious awareness can kick in. This means that by using the word pain we are continuing unconsciously to strengthen this connection and, surprise, surprise, we get more pain. The aim is to quieten, and whenever safe and possible to disconnect this loop and give the body a chance to heal.

However I am not discounting the word pain but replacing it with a word such as discomfort we are sending a healthier healing message to body and mind. This takes some of the “sting” out of it and helps us get out of “Fight or Flight” and back into a state of healing.

Pain is usually there for a reason so is not to be ignored. However, if there is nothing physical to be found then it is worth checking whether this pain is actually a residual discomfort loop still circulating unchecked.

For more information or to book an online or face to face appointment please visit my website www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

Email or call: 07970218451

rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com

Cigarettes. Health or Wealth?

Still, smoking? You may well have been thinking about it for a long time but just can’t bring yourself to make that change. However, now circumstances have overtaken most of us and we are having to look carefully at our finances. What better place to start than with cigarettes?

It’s interesting how we generally put our health behind our “need” to continue smoking but for most, there comes a time when we will be forced to make that choice – cigarettes and illness, or no cigarettes and healthier future life.

I used to smoke decades ago but now we all know better. Everyone used to smoke then but when my eldest son, who was just a toddler at the time walked up to me holding a full ashtray saying “dirty, dirty”. I immediately knew it really was time to stop, and I did.

No regrets, no worries it was a strong enough message to my conscious and unconscious and I knew I had no answer that would stand up to even a moment’s scrutiny. My eldest is now grown up. He’s a nonsmoker and I’ve had no interest whatsoever in even trying one throughout all these decades.

However 25 years ago when I began seeing clients to help them stop smoking it probably took a month or so to recoup the fee. Now, with inflation, you’ve probably already worked out that a £95 hypnotherapy session is a bit of a bargain. And if you smoke 20 a day you could recoup it in just 9 days! After that, it’s all profit and you could be saving up for your next holiday.

So far we’ve ignored the “elephant in the room” ( it’s OK it’s used to being ignored!) We haven’t talked about health. Well I remember a letter in a local newspaper when this gentleman talked about how his father was a heavy smoker. His father used to say to him “Son, I’d love to stop but I just can’t”.

Soon after that conversation he coughed up a little blood on his handkerchief and from that day on his father never touched a cigarette again.

You won’t leave it too late will you?

For more information just call 07970218451 or email rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com

And I will be happy to help you

Do you think you might have an alcohol addiction?

Check this out – it will surprise you!

Did you know that even one or two glasses of wine on a daily basis, or 5 or 6 beers every Saturday could be having a profound negative impact on your health and well being?

If you are not sure whether to believe this just click on the link below for an excellent scientific explanation of what exactly happens.

(https://www.google.com/search?q=huberman+lab+podcast+alcohol&oq) (3.19 min and 24.23min.)

When clients call me for help stopping or curtailing their bad habits or addictions I always say that a few sessions will be required to help resolve this. We all hope that by using hypnotherapy a quick flick of the hand and the words “SLEEP” will “cure” us in just one session. Well this does happen but for the majority of clients I suggest 3 or 4 sessions will give them the tools and strategies to help them make and keep the changes they are looking for.

Many of us are using some addictive habits to help us feel safe and comfortable in our world. This is only natural but becoming addicted to habits such as smoking, drinking, drugs and gambling can only support us for so long without having major detrimental effects on our mental and physical health.

I use Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique and Eye Movement sequencing. These simple but powerful strategies coupled with remarkably easy changes you can use on a daily basis really help clients achieve rapid and major turnarounds in their daily lives.

This can all be done very effectively online and also in my office. To book an appointment or for more information please call me on +44 7970218451 or email rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com and I will be happy to help.

www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

How does the pandemic affect your mental health and everyday life?

After Covid

Although many countries are back to relative normality after Covid close to the surface there are still major issues the pandemic has left behind. This means that many people still continue to experience both physical and emotional difficulties from Covid.

There are 3 words that I write on the initial notes for virtually every client’s first session.

“AM I SAFE?”

From both a physical and mental viewpoint Covid has left us all feeling unsafe

If you are still experiencing these sort of issues and find that you have not found a way forward emotionally or mentally I offer a healing protocol using Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique and Eye Movement Therapy plus working with the Vagus Nerve (which is of prime importance in the healing process). I have been using these techniques for many years now with excellent success and offer clients on a daily basis the tools and strategies that they can begin to use to help turn their lives round.

Hypnosis has many facets of healing body and mind and a major one is helping us learn to relax again. If we cannot relax then the body cannot heal since it is using all its energy to keep us safe. Hypnosis will encourage the healing response through deep relaxation

Emotional Freedom Technique is now a very popular healing technique that my clients always love to use. Here we literally gently tap on acupressure points helping the body and mind release inner tension both physically and mentally. This helps us stabilise our emotions and release blocked energy stored in the body.

Eye movement Therapy has been available for many years now but it is only relatively recently that research has been done showing how our eye movements hold so much valuable information past and present.

The Vagus Nerve is another area that only relatively recently has been shown to have a much more profound effect on our body and mind than was originally thought. Using the latest scientific information we can make amazingly powerful changes to our lives using the simplest of techniques that will naturally help engage more healing and healthy experiences for our everyday lives.

If you would like to learn more about this work and how it could help you please feel free to contact me and I will be very happy to help.

For more information about one to one sessions online in English anywhere in the world please feel free to contact me

www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk 07970218451 rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com

Anxiety Covid and anxiety EFT

Why chanting om is so powerful?

Why is “OM” so good for you and will it help release anxiety and worry? And does chanting OM create a supernatural experience and help you connect to your higher being or source?

And the answer is probably yes to both those questions.

Chanting “OM” helps improve sleep, releases stress and helps you feel calmer. It focuses your mind, it balances your emotions and helps generate a feeling of peace.

But for now, just in case you were thinking OM is some strange sound that people use when practising yoga let’s have a look at some of the scientific proof that helps explain why that simple sound can be so powerful.

The chant OM is often used at the beginning and end of a yoga session or meditation. One clue to it’s natural power is in the vibrations, vibrations that create a calmer and more relaxed body and mind. When we hum or sing we are creating vibrations in the body that help us engage our vagus nerve which connects with virtually all our organs. When the vagus nerve is operating healthily it helps our body and mind relax and heal.

Now, why not try singing OM and notice when you close your mouth at the “MMM” how clearly you can feel the vibrations. Not only will your singing generate these vibrations but that will also be generating nitric oxide which will be regulating the elasticity in your veins and smoothing the blood flow

Scientific studies have also shown that chanting OM also raises levels of concentration and focus.

There are in fact a lot more scientifically proven benefits physical and mental benefits to OM so why not hum a few OMs in your everyday life? Then you will start to notice how it is helping you relax a little more and how you can begin to feel less stressed.

It won’t take any time at all to do and the more regularly you do so the better the results.

For more information about Hypnotherapy, EFT and Eye movement therapy which I offer online and one to one please go to www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

How does EFT tapping work?

Emotional Freedom Technique (“Tapping”) and the issues that connect each tapping point to the meridian lines in the body

Lets look at the tapping points for EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and some of the emotional issue each point is linked to.

Clients often ask me what issue each tapping point stands for and although it is not at all necessary to know it is interesting to have an idea of some of the emotional connections of each meridian point.

I originally trained in TFT (Thought Field Therapy devised by Dr Roger Callahan) which is the technique that EFT grew from (developed by Gary Craig). In TFT there are certain combinations of points one would tap on for each particular issue, whereas in EFT we tap around all the points in order whilst verbalising (out loud or to ourselves) how we are feeling about the issue we are working on.

This makes it easy to use at home since it is very simple to remember the sequence. So whether I am helping clients tap to release past issues, to feel confident at work or take a driving test the basic sequence is the same.

So starting with tapping on the “karate chop” point we have:

Side of hand Sadness. This is also a general point where we acknowledge how we feel and the issue we are working on

Inner eyebrow Trauma, Hurt Sadness

Outside of the eyebrow Rage Anger Frustration, Uneasiness

Under the eye Fear Anxiety Worry

Under the nose Shame Guilt Grief

Under the lip Confusion Embarrassment Uncertainty

Collarbone Worry Stuck Indecision

Under the arm Insecurity Obsession Self esteem

Top of the head Lack of focus, Ruminating

For more information about my work using EFT, Hypnosis, Eye movement therapy and techniques to help improve your life please visit www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk or email rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com

Your brain may be 40,000 thousand years old but have you updated it yet?

Did you know that the modern shape of your brain may be 40,000 years old? OK, I don’t mean your particular brain but all our brains are working on “coding” that was developed to keep us safe in the jungle!

This means that in many daily situations your brain and mine will often choose the fastest route to “keep you safe” even though our more modern thinking brain (prefrontal cortex) is crying out that we should use more logical options.

An important part of my work is developing simple ways my clients can take some control over their own autonomic (automatic) nervous system. This helps us make better and healthier decisions, helps us have better relationships with ourselves and the world around us and helps us feel safer and more supported in our own lives.

So here is something you can do whenever you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with thoughts and worries that you would like at least to quieten down in your own mind.

Just imagine how you might react if someone is talking absolute nonsense about something that you know is not true. You might not want to offend them but you would more than likely raise your eyes to the ceiling wouldn’t you? These eye movements instantly make powerful changes in the brain that help engage our logical thinking cortex.

Now why not do the same for thoughts that are not supporting you. Remember, in the jungle we need to be able to make a very quick exit if a predator is about to attack us. That protective part of the brain is programmed to instantly “kick in” if we are in danger. Unfortunately the old system is in effect still using the original software in all situations. It does not distinguish between a mild irritation or a life threatening situation.

So, any time you find yourself getting into a spiral of needless worry just rapidly move your eyes towards your forehead in just the same way. This is taking you out of your primal mind and into your rational mind.

Two or three strong upward looks toward the forehead will begin to dislodge the old pattern that previously put you into “fight or flight” mode every time you thought about it. With those three upward looking glances we are triggering ourselves into a different part of our nervous system and connecting to the “new” part of the brain.

Have a bit of fun with this as you continue to help reprogramme your “unconscious thinking cues” into a different and healthier set of responses.

You will find more information on my work as a Hypnotherapist, NLP and EFT practitioner at www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk and also please do explore my channel on YouTube

Is Dyslexia just fear and stress?

No, dyslexia is not just fear and stress however fear and stress are a large part of the issue. If fear and stress and past trauma are left unresolved the stress and psychological damage of dyslexia will be left lodged deeply in the mind and the body. This will then be consistently blocking attempts to help resolve the issue.

There are different levels of dyslexia as well as different forms. Fortunately there are many ways to help people with dyslexia improve their reading and writing skills with many well qualified clinicians with the appropriate skills to help.

Now a hypnotherapist is not necessarily versed in the various forms of dyslexia and available scientific treatments but one thing hypnotherapy can do is help clear past trauma and stress. The skills of a good professional hypnotherapist can significantly help clients relax and control their stress issues. Clients come to see me with many different issues and along with dyslexic clients regularly make more progress in two or three sessions than they have in their lifetime. How? By learning how to control their own autonomic (automatic) nervous system when in states of stress.

This helps dyslexic clients gain so much more control over their mental processes, confidence and clarity of thinking. I have seen quite remarkable changes in clients in their 50’s, who have just about managed to negotiate their lives with this almost crippling issue to university students whose whole process and speed of learning was significantly uprated in just two sessions within a fortnight.

How is this the case? In my experience as a therapist virtually all the issues I help clients with start with unresolved stress and trauma. Our logical prefrontal cortex will be overpowered every time by our mammal brain which is continually looking out for danger.

This part of our brain is literally 4 times stronger than our logical thinking brain (the prefrontal cortex). It’s primary purpose was to keep us safe when our ancestors were living in the jungle. And once it kicks in we will either revert to Fight or Flight, or Freeze mode.

In fight or flight we are literally thrown into a full defensive state of cortisol and adrenaline. This is required to prevent us from getting killed. Although that state will help us flee from a tiger it is definitely not going to help our brain access fine motor skills and clarity of thinking. On top of that the whole system might go into in freeze (where we are in effect feigning dead) in the hope that the predator will exit the chase and leave us alone. At this point we have no access to any higher thinking process whatsoever.

Yes, these are the basic responses we needed in the jungle and they are extremely powerful. But unless we can begin to take some control over our own autonomic nervous system we will forever be bounced around with no degree of control over the outcome.

This is why I help clients with Dyslexia and many other issues take back control over their own thoughts and feelings in what were very uncomfortable situations. This is the first step in moving forward and once more accessing our logical and organised thinking processes.

For more information please contact me at rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com or visit

www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

“Look Up” and change your life

If you are a Snoopy fan, and I doubt there are many of us that aren’t, one of my favorites is a picture of Snoopy, head raised towards the sky with the words “keep looking up…that’s the secret of life”.

This is so true on all levels. When we look up we are opening our panoramic vision and when we open our panoramic vision we are engaging our parasympathetic nervous system. This switches our nervous system over from a closed, guarded body and mind state to an open and relaxed state of safety.

One thing we never have to worry about is whether or not our fight and flight will kick in whenever we need it. That part of us is hardwired into the system and is always ready to protect us if, and when we need it. The problem comes when we want to move easily between our relaxation state, into fight and flight, and then back again. Our primal brain will easily override our logical thinking cortex which explains why it is very hard to THINK our way out of these negative thinking and experiences.

However the simple change from physically looking down to actually looking up will trigger a whole chain of neurons and brain chemicals that will instantly take us closer to the state of relaxed awareness we would like to be in most of the day.

By consciously triggering this “looking up” and engaging your panoramic vision you will literally be tuning into a lighter, brighter more engaged part of yourself. You will be changing billions of neurons and connections with one simple adjustment.

According to Peter Grunwald’s excellent book EYEBODY 60% of the brain is involved in visual processing. This means our eye movements are continually connecting with virtually every part of our body and mind.

So, to make subtle and powerful changes in your daily life just –

“LOOK UP”

For more information on my therapy work using Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique, Eye Movement Reprocessing with remarkably simple but empowering techniques to help reprogramme your life please visit my website

www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

Hot Water bottle for adrenal release and relax

Hot water bottle/ Heated pad for tension and adrenal release/relax

In this post I will be giving a few pointers on how important it is to be aware of what our adrenal glands are doing. How we treat our adrenals can have an important bearing on our health.

A major part of the work the adrenals do is to regulate our metabolism, our immune system, stress response and blood pressure. Hot water bottle

When the adrenals are over stimulated for long periods of time we can suffer from fatigue, thinning hair, low sex drive, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and more. So if we have spent our lives in a high state of stress as many of my clients have, the adrenals will have been relentlessly working on full throttle 24 hours a day.

There are many ways to reduce stress, and as a professional hypnotherapist, in my experience one of the very best and effective ways to do this is hypnosis. However, just one modality will not necessarily cure everything because both the body and mind are interconnected. So to do any worthwhile healing we should also work on the physical aspects as well.

An extremely simple (and comfortable) way to help your tired adrenals relax is to place a hot water bottle or warmed pad on your back while sitting or in bed.

Remember if your adrenals have been switched on flat out for many years just giving them some warmth and respite may be just what they need to help you start your programme of healing and relaxation.

Just by placing the hot water bottle roughly in line with the lowest part of the front ribs should help quieten the flight and fight response and pave the way to getting the whole system into a healthy state of balance.

This post should not be taken as a medical guide. Always consult your medical provider.

Adresnal High BP Hot Water Bottle relax stress