Boosting Heart Health with Hypnosis: How to Develop and Maintain Heart-Healthy Habits 
The heart is at the centre of our well-being, pumping life-sustaining blood throughout the body. Yet, despite being such a vital organ, many of us take it for granted—until problems arise. The good news is that small, consistent changes can make a big difference in protecting your heart for years to come. 
On this year’s World Heart Day (September 29th), it's the perfect opportunity to make some lasting changes and take control of your heart health. Hypnosis can strengthen your heart and your habits. For a simple yet effective exercise that will help you, read on, and for support to help you make some important changes, drop me a line
Image source: psychologist-1015488_640 Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay 
You may have over-indulged during the festive season, or you may have been gradually slipping into unhealthy habits all year. New Year is traditionally a time to re-set, to make some changes, and this year, with gentle but effective hypnotherapy, you can make those changes stick. Listen to this free recording to re-set your habits for your healthiest year yet! 
Habits such as overeating, smoking, drinking too much and even nail-biting are rooted in the subconscious mind. Although they once served a purpose (such as comforting you or making you feel grown-up), they are patterns that have stuck and because they are so entrenched, it usually takes communication with the subconscious mind to help you move past them and develop lasting healthier habits. This is where hypnosis comes in as it opens up the communication channel to your subconscious mind. 
A recent article published by The Conversation (“Depression is probably not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain”) caught my eye, not least because it was based on a study reported in the well-respected journal, Molecular Psychiatry. 
 
The idea that low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sleep and digestion, are a direct cause of depression has been the received wisdom for decades and helped market the antidepressant drugs that act by blocking the re-uptake of serotonin in the brain and thereby increasing the amount available. 
 
This has also helped to create an over-medicalised view of depression, one that can engender a very damaging sense of powerlessness in people who have been told they are ill with depression. 
 
 
tobacco-Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay 
Had enough of this? 
Stoptober: the perfect opportunity to clear your lungs, boost your health and increase your resistance to a variety of diseases, not least respiratory infections. 
 
The British Lung Foundation states that, once smoke-free for 28 days, you are 5 times more likely to remain a non-smoker for life. This is the main rationale behind the Stoptober challenge. The benefits of the Stoptober campaign also include the wealth of support available and the sense of belonging to a group of people determined to make some positive changes. 
 
There are many, many benefits to stopping smoking and include rapid improvements to blood pressure and oxygen levels in the blood, increased energy, clearer skin, and significantly reduced risk of heart attack, stroke or cancer. Some of these benefits are immediate. 
 
Tips to make it much easier to stop smoking permanently 
1. Find an emotional reason to stop smoking for good 
2. Put a visual reminder of this emotional reason somewhere you’ll see it every day 
3. .... 
Freedom - Image by Tumisu from Pixabay 
 
As we cautiously welcome the end of this lockdown and come out, blinking, into the sunlight, many of us are carrying the weight of just what the COVID pandemic has done to us and may be fearful of what the future may hold. 
 
For some, the defining legacy of the pandemic has been one of loss: the loss of someone dear, the loss of a job or business, the loss of a sense of identity, or simply – but also difficult to bear – the loss of social connections and of routine.  
 
The witnessing of others’ grief on such a large scale may also have contributed to trauma. There may also be guilt: guilt at surviving when others have not, guilt at the possibility of having unknowingly passed on the virus to others, the guilt of still having a job when so many have lost theirs. 
 
For others, life has become increasingly challenging on a day-to-day basis as we’ve struggled to cope with impossible situations on the front-line of the pandemic and, at home, the difficulties of balancing work demands with the needs of family. 
 
Throughout, most people have experienced periods of isolation and loneliness and increased anxiety as once-familiar routines, people and places have been perceived as a threat to our safety. You may have developed habits that, whilst initially serving to distract or comfort, have resulted in unhealthy weight gain, dependence on alcohol, online gaming (or shopping), and TV. Most people have found their sleep has been disrupted, sometimes for significant periods, and many have experienced depression as the world has looked increasingly bleak and one’s sense of control has diminished. 
 
In short, this pandemic has had a devastating effect on many people’s mental health. 
 
This is a very good time to get some help. If you would simply like to experience deep relaxation, I have made a couple of free recordings Hypnotherapy For Stress And Anxiety and The Pool Of Healing. These can be listened to regularly to support you as you emerge from lockdown. 
 
If you are looking for more specific, tailored mental health support, I can help you manage anxiety and stress, depression, insomnia and unwanted habits and offer both hypnotherapy and IEMT. Both are excellent for dealing with trauma, addictions, unhelpful and limiting beliefs. 
 
When I work with people face-to-face, I ensure my practice is COVID-secure. This means that all surfaces that have been touched are disinfected between clients, social distancing is maintained and we sit at least 2m apart, masks are worn and hand sanitiser provided. 
 
I also offer online therapy. This is ideal for those who wish to work with me but cannot get in to York. I have found that some people even prefer to relax at home in a familiar environment. The process and benefits of the therapy are essentially the same whether it is face-to-face or online. 
 
For more information or a chat about how I can help, please contact me