Have you been Forest Bathing recently?

Forest Bathing

“Forest Bathing” or “Bathing yourself in the forest atmosphere” is a Japanese term describing how taking a walk in the forest and connecting with nature is extremely good for your physical and mental health.

So how good would it be if you could help promote your own happiness and mental and physical health in simple pleasurable ways like Forest Bathing? Walking in nature helps generate a cascade of feel good chemicals in our brain such as serotonin dopamine and endorphins.

Of course we can choose to get serotonin from a pill and doctors regularly prescribe anti depressants which help boost serotonin, not just for depression but also for other issues such as IBS, PTSD, Stress and ME. These issues and others can leave patients low on serotonin and serotonin is one of the “happy” brain chemicals that help support our sense of well being on a daily basis. However pills do not always work for everyone and what better than being able to manufacture our own positive brain chemicals.

We have all learned, especially over the last couple of years how important getting out and walking is. Walking in a natural environment such as the forest, helps us relax, releases stress and promotes these “happy” chemicals Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine and Oxytocin. Walking in a meditative state, listening to the birds, smelling the pine needles and gently soaking in the atmosphere all unconsciously direct the brain and body towards more relaxed, safer, connected and peaceful experiences in our daily life. And regular daily walking has been proven to increase cardio fitness, strengthen the body, and increase endurance levels plus many other important benefits.

There are many simple and powerfully effective ways that I use with clients to help release stress and anxiety. Hypnosis is also another extremely empowering and beneficial way to learn how to relax and EFT to help clear past issues that have been holding us back.

But how amazing it is that we can learn to change our own brain chemistry for the better on a daily basis by taking a simple walk. Body and mind are designed to work together in promoting our healthiest mental and physical experiences.

We were born with our own set of instructions and with the tools to unlock those instructions we can use and help build a better life of satisfaction and pleasure. Enjoy it.

Why you should address your stress and anxiety now?

Hypnosis and EFT are very effective ways you can release stress and worry

We may think stress is “all in the mind”. Even though it may appear to start in our mind there is no separating it from our body. That frightened feeling you experience in your stomach is cortisol and the fact your heart is racing so fast is adrenaline. stressed or relaxed

However these experiences are in fact designed to keep you safe. This means you can physically run for your life if you need to. But in our modern everyday life we are usually “imprisoned” in our experience when the brain signals to the body to produce a whole raft of “Fight and Flight” chemicals. This reaction to stress is part of our limbic system’s response to danger. However that response is primed for the jungle and in effect only has an “on/off” button. This means that once it switches on we have very few options to “turn it down” to a more realistic level.

Experiencing “happy” body and mind chemicals is great but they don’t last very long. So these feelings quickly become stored in the body. Recent scientific research has shown that physical issues can be exacerbated and even triggered by stress. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402162546.htm And stress has been cited as a possible trigger in Autoimmune diseases such as Chronic Fatigue, Fybromalgia and more.

Ongoing tension and chronic anxiety can lead to structural changes in the brain as well as physical issues such as headaches, IBS, rises in blood pressure and sleep problems. According to the research as the tension rises the body’s inflammation response finds it harder to heal our body in the way it would normally do.

However if you do want to be able to release and resolve stress levels in your life (wherever they come from) Hypnosis and EFT can make rapid positive changes in your daily experiences and help get you back on track for a healthier and more enjoyable future.

More and more professional mental health practitioners are now bringing physical and mental programmes together to help both body and mind heal. Using both body and mind we can start to engage in new patterns of thinking and healing. With tried and tested tools such as Hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Technique we have an effective and powerful opportunity to help match up the body responses together with the mind. This I know from my experience as a qualified hypnotherapist really helps bring about change that lasts.

If you would like to know more about the work I offer clients online all over the world and face to face in my office please visit 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. EFT Technique

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

Meditate and change your life in less than 60 seconds a day

Do this once a day for a few days and you could soon begin to notice a magical difference in how you feel every day.

Below is the meditation and at the end there are details about the brain chemicals you will be engaging and how they powerfully work with body and mind each time you experience this meditation. Meditate and change your life

You can choose to do this in any way or at any time that suits you best. Lying down, sitting on a yoga cushion or chair etc. Below is a guide to start you off.

I might personally say each meditation word 1 – 4 times as I generate the feeling around that word. By enhancing the appropriate brain chemicals you will be bringing the power of each subtle experience into your everyday life.

First find a safe and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed and close your eyes.

1/ Say to yourself the word LOVE.

As you silently say the word LOVE think of someone you love, a pet, a feeling you love or any pleasant healthy thoughts and experiences around love. As you do this notice how those thoughts expand into a positive and pleasant feeling in your and mind and body

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

2/ Now say to yourself the word JOY.

As you say the word JOY generate a feeling around that word of times and experiences when you felt joyful. You might notice a subtle smile forming on the lips lips telling you how your body and mind are responding

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

3/ Now the word to say to yourself is COMPASSION.

Say it a few times as you experience how this word makes you feel. Your body is generating the brain chemicals related to thoughts and feelings of compassion. Compassion for yourself and others. A feeling of closeness even with all of life and the universe. This is totally open for you to explore in the safest and best way for you.

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4/ Now for the word GRATITUDE.

Combine the word GRATITUDE with a feeling you get when you could feel grateful for things in your life. Gratitude for friends, your life and anything that connects a healthy feeling with that word. If you don’t feel quite ready for any of these feelings just let your mind imagine how you will feel as you continue to gently allow yourself to reconnect with them.

When you are ready open your eyes, coming back into full conscious awareness taking with you the relaxation and pleasant feelings you have just generated for yourself for the rest of the day.

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Here is a guide to the brain chemicals each word connects with and the powerful feelings these words can evoke in body and mind.

LOVE generates OXYTOCIN in the body. Oxytocin is often called the “cuddle chemical” or the “LOVE Hormone” It helps us tone our vagus nerve. (If you are not familiar with the “vagus nerve” I would recommend Googling it) Toning our vagus nerve helps positively influence our social behaviour and emotions reducing stress and anxiety and helping us feel safe and calm.

JOY generates the pleasure chemical DOPAMINE. This will give us a sense of satisfaction helping us feel happier and excited and stimulated. Joy also stimulates more oxytocin helping us build better relationships with other human beings

COMPASSION helps boosts our brain chemicals oxytocin, dopamine and also serotonin. Serotonin stabilises mood and when we have compassion for ourselves and others we feel more fulfilled and comfortable in our lives.

GRATITUDE releases more dopamine and also endorphins. Gratitude helps us focus positively and feel grateful. It can improve our sleep and help with anxiety and depression. The word Gratitude helps rewire the brain to be happy.

If you would like to know more about how my unique work using Hypnosis, EFT, Eye Movement Therapy and much more could help you in your life just email

rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com or go to www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk

How to release negative thoughts and feelings?

Tapping on your 3rd eye to help release negative thoughts and feelings

Here is a surprisingly effective and quick way to release negativity, intrusive thoughts and uncomfortable feelings.

So let’s get into it right away. Release negative thoughts

First, think of something that has been worrying you or irritating you (nothing too serious) and notice how it makes you feel. Perhaps a little tense, butterflies in your stomach, an uncomfortable uneasiness?

Just become a little more aware of that feeling for a few seconds

Now place a couple of fingers gently on the centre of your forehead. (Another option for the 3rd eye is slightly above the gap between both eyebrows.)

Tap gently for a few moments thinking about the issue.

As you tap engage your peripheral vision so you are aware of a wider range of vision around you even though you are still keeping your eyes relaxed and ahead as you tap. As you do this notice any subtle changes in your thinking and maybe a release or slowing in your breathing.

Now take your hand down and notice how your abdomen feels. Notice any difference in your feelings about that thought. It may have gone or just diminished in intensity.

Try this wherever and whenever is appropriate, any time day or night. It really is effective and so simple

When the 3rd eye is blocked we can feel stressed, confused and disconnected.

When the 3rd eye is open we will feel a healthier emotional balance plus feelings of safety and security within ourselves and around others.

If you are not familiar with the chakras the 3rd Eye is the 6th of 7 chakras found in the Indian chakra energy system. This system dates back at least to 1500BC and there is plenty of information on the internet if you would like to find out more.

Now even if all this sounds very strange the 7 chakras, which start at the base of the spine, closely follow the path of the vagus nerve and when we balance our vagus nerve in a healthy way (which is an important part of my work with clients) it aligns with the healthy benefits of balancing our chakras. So in one way or another they are both working to help balance the same body/mind systems.

Please feel free to contact me on rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com for more information about my work and how I may be able to help you using Hypnotherapy, NLP, EFT, and a range of empowering healing modalities.

Why do New Year Resolutions often fail?

New Year Resolution

Happy New Year everybody. (January 2022)

Have you made a resolution yet? We are all definitely going to the gym every single day from now on,we are going to  stop eating those chocolate cakes and we are giving up the ciggies! Yes?

Luckily I don’t smoke and I exercise at home but.. chocolate. Hmm. See why I don’t normally make New Year Resolutions? Because like you I know how easy it is to break them and forget them.

So why do New Year Resolutions fail and why is it a smoker finds it so hard to stop doing something that they know is ruining their health and taking their hard earned money? They have probably tried to stop various times but have succumbed to temptation and soon been back to where they left off or worse. And why is it that by the end of January that daily visit to the gym is just a distant memory or those chocolate cakes that we struggled to “not buy” for three weeks seem to have magically appeared back in the cupboard?

One of the biggest reasons is that if we only use our conscious mind to make the change then we are missing out on a very important part of our mind that can help us make these changes easier, quicker and permanently. (And we all want it sorted quicker and easier don’t we?) The part that we are probably not using is our unconscious creative mind.

The unconscious creative sounds a bit scary or strange doesn’t it but in fact you have an unconscious creative mind that you are using all the time. If you want to get a newspaper you will start by creating a picture of the newspaper shop in your mind (think about it, it’s there already isn’t it?). Otherwise you would not be able to get there or even know you wanted a newspaper. Your unconscious mind is in charge of a massive proportion of the information you are experiencing every moment in your daily life which leaves you free to get on with making the everyday decisions that we all make in our lives. For instance which TV programme do I want to watch!

So here are a few answers to questions that you may have been asking yourself about hypnosis, and connecting with the unconscious mind to help you make effective and powerful change.

Question: So how can I engage that part of me and use it to make change?

Answer: There are lots of different ways and going into a trance (if you are in trance you are in hypnosis) is one of the most powerful.

Question: How do I go into a trance?

Answer: Just close your eyes right now and imagine a very relaxing and pleasant picture or feeling. There you are; do that and you have already engaged the alpha waves in your brain which are a sign that you are slipping into a daydream or trance. We are doing it all the time.

Question: Hypnosis? Won’t I be doing something that puts me under someone else’s control?

Answer: No, hypnosis is a natural state and we are all in various states of trance during the day. Hypnosis is just a method of utilising and channeling that experience in a way that works for you. You will create your own particular creative experience to make the change. Some people will use pictures, some sounds, some feelings or a mixture of all three. The therapist is just there to help guide the client into their own modality of creating change.

Question: Is it really that simple?

Answer: Yes. It certainly can be as many of my clients will testify. However it is important when making this change (or any other change you want) to have the firm decision that you really intend it to work and will do whatever is required to achieve your aim. Once that mindset is in place then it really does not matter whether you think you have very little willpower or that you never managed to achieve your goal before. Your unconscious creative mind is your real powerhouse of change.

If you would like more information or to book an appointment then please call or email me and I will be very happy to help.

Why might we have “burgers for brains!” ?

Eating burgers for your brain is no better than eating burgers for your body.

Burgers for brains? What on earth am I talking about? Well probably most of us are guilty of doing exactly that with our choice of words. And whoops, I’ve just done exactly that in the previous sentence by using the word guilty. Oh dear, there I go again! Burgers for brain

Yes the word is GUILTY ! Everything we say about ourselves and others is being monitored by our brain and nervous system.

The title of the excellent book “Your body believes every word you say” by Barbara Levine describes it perfectly. Our bodies and brains are constantly exchanging messages to alert and signal to our body chemistry to take the appropriate action for a positive message or a negative message.

This is a primal response that is hard wired into the system to keep us safe when we’re in the jungle. If there is even a subtle scent of danger in the air my body will need to respond immediately to escape.

So what is going on that triggers the body into this negative state?

One thing is that the three vertebrae at the top of your spine, C1 C2 C3, are sitting one on top of the other. In a dangerous situation, and also with negative thoughts these 3 vertebrae will instantly respond by shifting slightly to close off some of the blood flow to the brain. Well it makes sense because if I’m confronted by a tiger I don’t want to think, I want to run! The “Fight or Flight” response is immediately activated and the muscles get more blood and my body gets more adrenaline and cortisol.

Unfortunately fed constant negativity, whether from outside sources or from our own internal thinking begins will over time lock us into a negative state. Then the vertebrae will find it difficult to move back to their parasympathetic relaxation resting place because we are continually triggering them into “fight and flight”. This is extremely wearing for our whole body and mind system.

The other point is that we can get dopamine hits from negativity as well as positivity. Imagine if we are constantly “liking” comments on Facebook because we agree with someone’s negative point of view. Then we become addicted to “unearned dopamine”. This negative dopamine makes us feel “one up” but like any drug we will always want another hit.

Dopamine is great when we earn it by achieving something worthwhile and working towards a goal. But just like being addicted to drugs, cigarettes and anything else, we can soon become that “rat in the lab” pressing the lever to get the next hit.

Gossip, arguing, negative self talk, negative words are all keeping us locked in that lab as our own actions try to get our next hit.

Physically feeding our bodies with burgers all day doesn’t keep us fit and mentally feeding our mind and body with negative thoughts has the same effect on our whole system.

Here are a couple of simple strategies we can put in place to help “clean up our act”
One I regularly give clients is the phrase “That thought is not available”. Any negative thought and you just say that back to yourself as many times as you need.

This works because the conscious mind doesn’t understand what it means but the creative mind does. Soon the conscious mind will get tired of trying to work it out and then your creative mind can do what it does best, create positive alternatives. Even saying to yourself “the weather is crazy out there” is much better than “it’s really miserable outside”

You could also use the elastic band on wrist favourite, and give yourself a quick reminder by flicking it against your skin any time you think something negatively.

Even better swap the band to the opposite wrist each time you have a negative thought. I can tell you from experience this becomes pretty tedious and it’s easier to just drop the negative words! We won’t clear them all out but your brain will soon begin to get what this is all about and you will literally start thinking, saying and using more new positive patterns in your everyday language.

Have Fun cleaning up your selftalk vocabulary.
For information about my online and one to one work
www.rogerfoxwell.co.uk rogerfoxwell.therapy@gmail.com

Relax with this Simple, Powerful, Rapid Self Hypnosis Sequence

 Disclaimer. Only use in a safe place, not when driving or operating anything that requires your full attention.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Having an easy and quick way to relax, whether in bed or during the day, is invaluable for our physical and mental health. This sequence is designed to help anyone relax the body and allow the mind to follow.  Self Hypnosis

You can use it to get into a positive creative state and give yourself affirmations, or just enjoy a calm relaxing state for however long you want.

To begin find a comfortable place sitting or lying down and take a few moments to settle yourself.

Close your eyes

Start by quietly paying attention to your breathing for a few moments. Then begin relaxing the body in the order below or in any way that suits you.

I put it together in this order so each group of two has a connection with each other and with the next group.

You may like to run through the order in your head a few times to become familiar with it.

Hands and Feet

Toes and Fingers

Forearms and Lower legs 

Head and Shoulders

Chest and Heart

Abdomen and Hips

Then with each group, saying to yourself simple phrases such as:

My hands and feet “are relaxing”

My hands and feet “are feeling heavy”

My body is “enjoying this sense of relaxation”

My fingers and toes are “warmer and warmer”

My head and shoulders are feeling “heavier and heavier”

I am feeling more “comfortable and relaxed”

My chest “moves comfortably and easily with each breath”

My heart is “relaxing and beating comfortably”

It is safe for me to “let go completely”

OR     you can just use the word “Relax” each time

Continue with your phrases and repeat each sequence as many times as you like with whatever variations feel comfortable for you.  You can use the example phrases or make up your own relaxing phrases as you go along.

When you feel comfortably relaxed you can just continue to enjoy how you feel or use some appropriate positive affirmations for your creative mind to work on.

You can do this in bed to help get to sleep either on your back or on your side. I also like to use it to  practise lying still. Being able to lie quietly if you have trouble sleeping will help a lot and if you feel you want to move it is a good idea to do so slowly. The brain is constantly wanting to be “on the move” but that doesn’t help us when we want to relax.

Then you can either continue into sleep or when you are ready give yourself the signal “My eyes are opening and I return to full conscious waking awareness”.

Open your eyes, wide awake.

I hope you enjoy this and do contact me if you would like to know more about my work.

 

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

 

Are you feeling stressed by overthinking and the thoughts in your head?

Over Thinking

One of the amazing things about the human brain is that we can think and work things out in our head. This process helps us navigate through our complex daily lives. We can arrive at the right place at the right time and manage all those everyday tasks almost automatically day in and day out.

However thinking can also get us into a lot of mental complexity. Especially when it becomes obsessive thinking such as obsessive compulsive disorder. Now we don’t even need to have OCD to start getting stuck in a loop of nonsensical personal arguments with ourselves. This type of thinking can bring stress and anxiety into our daily lives without us even knowing it.

For instance we may have spoken to someone and felt they were a bit offhand or rude. But we don’t know anything about that person’s feelings or experiences that day, or maybe we just feel a little vulnerable ourselves. This does not stop our inner conversation getting straight into gear and giving all sorts of reasons why they “should have behaved better”, “what is wrong with them?”, “what is wrong with me?” etc. etc. This is our primal brain trying to justify our dominance or position in the primate hierarchy and since this thinking is developed from our primal feelings it is very hard to switch off.

Once our cognitive mind recognises that our brain is making a lot of this up it can help release us from this interminable loop of nonsense that seems to take up a lot of our everyday thinking. And it often is nonsense, or as I call it “Fairy Tales” since these thoughts are not based on facts but on us making up stories in our head.

The brain likes to make up “Fairy Tales”, stories, so that in effect we can “Feel Safe” and “Right”. To feel relaxed and safe is the state we would like to be in but unfortunately when we try to generate our “happy, feel good brain chemicals” by making up stories we won’t feel happy for very long.

So my 21 day challenge is to interrupt that “Fairy Tale” and call it out for what it is. It may feel a bit weird at first but after a while you will notice less of that sort of thinking taking up space in your mind. Don’t waste any more time telling yourself “Fairy Tales” that really have no basis in reality.

Then you really will feel safe, relaxed and comfortable.

The PROBLEM with Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

The problem with Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Is there a problem with hypnosis and hypnotherapy? Not at all, as long as it is done ethically.

The problem in our mind comes when we muddle hypnotherapy up with what we see on television and with stage hypnosis. A short clip of someone resolving an issue on television or YouTube is just that. It’s short, and it is a only a clip. So we are not privy to the actual work done backstage and the time and the techniques used to elicit trance.

Hypnosis is a remarkable tool that gives a skilled hypnotherapist the opportunity to help clients make rapid and lasting change. However there are many other tools a hypnotherapist must have if they want to work with the wide range of issues that clients bring to their office.

Another factor equally important is the client. The client is not just someone who is going to be told what to do and how to feel. Like anything we learn in life it involves the active participation of both therapist and client. To get the most from a hypnotherapy session we must be willing and ready to engage in the process.

Watching from the comfort of our armchair as a hypnotist taps a line of participants on the shoulder and says “sleep” can be very entertaining as one by one heads nod forward and they are put into trance. But this is stage hypnosis not hypnotherapy and only about 1 in 10 people are able to reach that state as rapidly as we see on stage. Even on stage as a third of the audience run forward to be “hypnotised” most will be sent back to their seats. A skilled hypnotist knows instantly the ones who will naturally and rapidly respond to their commands.

However virtually anyone can go into trance. In fact it would be difficult to operate in our daily life if we couldn’t. We are all experiencing different trances throughout the day. Driving, socialising, watching TV are all forms of trance that help us enter and engage appropriately with each experience we are in at any given moment.

Hypnotherapy is a two lane highway where client and therapist work alongside each other to help achieve the client’s goals. This work is a process of connecting new empowering and positive neural pathways just like learning any skills. We practise any skill not just with our muscles but with our mind.

Your mind, given the right keys to release the changes you are looking for, already has that knowledge and it is available to you now.