Part 2: Harnessing the Power of Mindset: Achieving Weight Loss Goals with Hypnotherapy

The first time I tried hypnotherapy, I was desperate.  I had tried everything to lose weight after the birth of my third child.  Nothing worked.  A friend told me about hypnotherapy and I thought, “Why not?”  After explaining about how hypnotherapy worked and asking me about my goals, the kind and gentle hypnotherapist told me to relax in his big, overstuffed recliner.  I don’t remember much else about the session.

When I got home and started to make dinner that night, there was a definite shift in my mindset.  I knew I wanted to eat healthier and wasn’t tempted by the chicken nuggets and grilled cheese I made for the children.  The next morning, I woke up early and got dressed to go walking.  As I was tying my shoes, I realized that there had been a definite shift in my thoughts.  I was hooked.  I continued hypnotherapy for a while, lost 15 lbs. and was healthier all around because of my walking.

Can hypnotherapy help you change your mindset, eating and exercise habits to support reaching your health and weight loss goals? Definitely, that’s what it is all about.

Weight loss goals are among the most common health objectives you may strive to achieve. This segment of the series explores the intricate relationship between mindset and weight loss, and how hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool in supporting you on your weight loss journey.

Understanding Weight Loss Goals:

Weight loss goals vary in nature and scope, ranging from short-term objectives to long-term lifestyle changes. Common reasons for setting weight loss goals include:

• Health Improvement: You may seek to lose weight to improve overall health, manage chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, or reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Appearance Enhancement: Weight loss goals are often motivated by a desire to enhance physical appearance, boost self-esteem, and feel more confident in your body.

• Fitness and Performance: You may set weight loss goals to enhance athletic performance, increase stamina, or achieve specific fitness milestones.

• Disease Prevention: Weight loss can play a crucial role in preventing obesity-related health conditions such as joint pain, sleep apnea, and certain cancers.

The Weight Loss Mindset and the Mind-Body Connection:

Your weight loss mindset plays a pivotal role in determining your success in achieving weight loss goals. Through the mind-body connection, your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions (mindset) can either support or hinder progress towards your weight loss objectives. Here are some attitudes/beliefs associated with negative and positive weight loss mindsets:

Negative Weight Loss Mindset:

• All-or-Nothing Thinking: Believing that any deviation from a strict diet or exercise regimen constitutes failure, leading to feelings of guilt and self-sabotage.

• Self-Criticism and Shame: Engaging in negative self-talk and self-criticism based on perceived body flaws or past weight loss failures.

• External Validation: Seeking validation and approval from others based on physical appearance, leading to a reliance on external factors for self-worth.

• Fear of Failure: Anticipating failure or setbacks before embarking on a weight loss journey, leading to avoidance of challenges and opportunities for growth.

• Lack of Self-Efficacy: Doubting your ability to make lasting changes and achieve weight loss goals, undermining motivation and commitment.

Positive Weight Loss Mindset:

• Self-Compassion and Acceptance: Practicing self-compassion and acceptance of your body, embracing the journey towards health and well-being without judgment.

• Goal Orientation: Focusing on specific, achievable goals and milestones, celebrating your progress rather than fixating on perfection.

• Intrinsic Motivation: Finding inner motivation and satisfaction in the process of improving health and well-being, independent of external validation.

• Resilience and Adaptability: Embracing setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth, maintaining a positive outlook in the face of challenges.

• Self-Efficacy and Empowerment: Cultivating a belief in your ability to make meaningful changes, taking ownership of your health and well-being journey.

Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss Mindset Transformation:

Hypnotherapy offers a unique approach to transforming the weight loss mindset, addressing underlying beliefs and emotions that may be impeding progress. Through techniques such as guided imagery, cognitive restructuring, and positive suggestion, hypnotherapy can help you:

• Overcome limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging thought patterns.

• Cultivate a positive and empowered mindset towards diet, nutrition, exercise and weight loss.

• Enhance your motivation and commitment to healthy lifestyle changes.

• Develop coping strategies for managing cravings, emotional eating, and stress.

• Establish a supportive internal dialogue and self-care practices to sustain your long-term success.

Summary:

By harnessing the power of the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy empowers you to align your mindset with your weight loss goals, paving the way for sustainable health and well-being.

Working together with your hypnotherapist using proven hypnotherapy techniques in a series of hypnosis and counseling sessions, you can discover/clarify your general physical health mindset and specific beliefs and concerns about your current weight, establish and prioritize your weight loss goals, envision the thoughts, feelings and activities of an updated mindset that supports your goals, craft customized personal affirmations in alignment with your updated weight loss mindset, and  establish a daily affirmations and gratitude practice that reinforces your mindset, celebrates progress and propels you toward successful achievement of our your specific wealth loss goals.

If you are considering working with me as your hypnotherapist, I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients. Please call me at 818-929-4944 or go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consultation.

Stay tuned for Part 3: Harnessing the Power of Mindset: Better Sleep with Help from Hypnotherapy, where we shift our focus to the importance of quality sleep in achieving optimal physical health and explore how hypnotherapy can support individuals in overcoming sleep-related challenges. Join us as we delve into the transformative potential of mindset in achieving better sleep with the help of hypnotherapy..

Sincerely,

CInda

HypnoNews and Resources

For an excellent article about one person’s weight loss journey and her successful experience with hypnotherapy after all else failed to help her reach her goals, please see the following:

https://clarity-hypnosis.com/hypnosis-thing-thats-helped-lose-weight/

After the Breakup: Healing, Letting Go, and Moving On

In the beginning, she only drove by her ex-boyfriend’s house once a day, then it was twice a day.  The breakup had been painful and quite one-sided. When she began picking up her daughter after school, she changed her route and it became 3 times a day.  That was when she called me.  She was happily married but still felt anger, resentment and anxiety about what her ex might be up to.  Could I help her stop obsessing over her ex and not need to drive by several times a day?  Yes, I could. As we worked together through a series of hypnotherapy sessions she was able to uncover and better understand the roots of her obsessive habit and she let go of the feeling of wanting to know what her ex was doing.  She was relieved, happy, and ready to get on with her own life.

Breakups, whether from a dating relationship or a marriage, can be emotionally and physically taxing experiences. In this article, I explore the depths of post-breakup challenges and how hypnotherapy techniques can aid you in healing, letting go, and moving forward in your life. From understanding the nature of interpersonal relationships to addressing the psychological and physical aftermath of a breakup, we uncover the transformative power of hypnotherapy in facilitating the journey towards recovery and emotional well-being.

Understanding Interpersonal Human Relationships:

Interpersonal relationships are dynamic connections between individuals, characterized by mutual understanding, communication, and shared experiences. Dating relationships involve romantic connections, while marriage relationships signify deeper commitments and shared life paths.

Defining Characteristics of Dating and Marriage Relationships:

• Dating Relationships are defined by mutual attraction, companionship, and shared interests. They typically involve less commitment compared to marriage, allowing for more flexibility and exploration.

• Marriage Relationships are marked by legal and emotional commitment, shared goals, and life partnership.  They often involve deeper levels of intimacy, trust, and long-term planning.

Breakup statistics in America:

According to recent studies, approximately 40-50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. Breakup rates in dating relationships vary, with factors such as age, duration, and commitment level influencing the likelihood of separation.

Common Reasons for Breakups: Couples may break up for a single reason or a combination of several problems that the relationship just can’t seem to overcome. Some of the more prevalent reasons for breakups are:

• Communication breakdown and conflict.

• Infidelity and trust issues.

• Incompatibility in values or life goals.

• · Financial stress and disagreements.

• Emotional neglect or abuse.

• Substance abuse or addiction issues.

• Growing apart or loss of attraction.

Top 10 Issues and Problems that You May Experience After a Breakup:

1. Emotional pain and grief.

2. Loss of identity and self-esteem.

3. Anxiety and depression.

4. Social isolation and loneliness.

5. Anger and resentment towards the ex-partner.

6. Fear of future relationships or commitment.

7. Financial strain and instability.

8. Physical symptoms such as sleep disturbances or appetite changes.

9. Obsessive thoughts and rumination.

10. Difficulty letting go of memories or possessions associated with the relationship.

Importance and Benefits of Getting Help:

When a client comes to me after a breakup they are often wrestling with a variety of difficult psychological and physical issues. In one way or another they are in pain, suffering and struggling to heal, let go and move forward in their life. Seeking professional support after a breakup can significantly aid in the healing process. Therapeutic intervention provides a safe space for you to process the emotions, gain insights, and develop coping strategies to navigate the challenges of separation.

Hypnotherapy Techniques for Healing, Letting Go, and Moving On

1.      Positive Affirmations: Instill self-compassion, confidence, and resilience, reinforcing a positive self-image and outlook on the future.

2.      Visualization and Guided Imagery: Create mental imagery of releasing emotional baggage and embracing a fresh start, promoting inner peace and acceptance.

3.      Anxiety Reduction Techniques: Address anxiety and stress associated with the breakup, facilitating relaxation and emotional stability.

4.      Ego Strengthening: Build inner strength and self-reliance, empowering individuals to overcome feelings of vulnerability and dependency.

5.      Goal Setting and Motivation Enhancement: Define personal goals and aspirations post-breakup, fostering a sense of purpose and direction.

6.      Forgiveness Work: Facilitate forgiveness towards oneself and the ex-partner, releasing bitterness and resentment to make room for healing.

How These Techniques Work

Hypnotherapy techniques work by accessing the subconscious mind, where deep-seated beliefs, emotions, and patterns are stored. By tapping into this realm, you can reframe negative thought patterns, process unresolved emotions, and cultivate inner resources for healing and growth. Through guided therapeutic interventions, you can embark on a transformative journey towards emotional liberation and renewed self-discovery.

Navigating life after a breakup can be a daunting journey filled with emotional upheaval and uncertainty. However, with the support and guidance of a professional hypnotherapist, you can find solace, healing, and ultimately, the resilience to embrace new beginnings and forge a brighter future ahead.

If you are considering working with me as your hypnotherapist, I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients. Please call me at 818-929-4944 or go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consultation.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

The article below is a fascinating and informative research report entitled “Making Sense and Moving On: The Potential for Individual and Interpersonal Growth Following Emerging Adult Breakups”. The study involved 160 participants, ages 20- 25. It assesses the key aspects of romantic relationship dissolution in emerging adulthood as predictors of future mental health.

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6051550/

 For a broad global perspective on breakup statistics including dating and marriage relationships and the variety of factors that influence these breakups, please see the following:

 https://www.allohealth.care/healthfeed/sex-education/relationship-breakup-statistics

Looking For Love? Start With Yourself! Use Hypnotherapy As Your Guide.

My client did not know she was looking for love. Michelle came to me to lose 20 pounds.  She was in her late sixties, divorced with adult children.  As we talked, she said she would like to be in a relationship, but felt unattractive carrying the extra weight.  After working together, she lost the 20 pounds and had a different outlook on life.  She was happy with herself, maybe even loved herself, and was ready to look for a relationship.  We crafted the affirmation, “I am open to a positive, healthy, loving relationship.”  Guess what?  In a few weeks, she found her new someone and is now in a happy, healthy relationship.

Embarking on the journey to find new love is a transformative and exciting chapter in life. However, before seeking external connections, it's essential to turn the focus inward. In this article, we explore the profound connection between readiness, self-love, and attracting new love relationships. Discover the power of self-care practices, delve into the 5-stage theory of change, and understand how hypnotherapy serves as a guiding light on this extraordinary journey.

The 5-Stage Theory of Change: Before any significant life change, individuals often undergo a process that psychologist Prochaska termed the 5-stage theory of change. The stages are pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The readiness to act stage, marked by a genuine intention to make a change, is the crucial precursor to finding new love.

Self-love is the cornerstone of a healthy and fulfilling life. It involves recognizing and appreciating one's worth, acknowledging personal needs, and treating oneself with kindness and compassion. In the context of finding new love, self-love becomes a magnetic force that enhances attractiveness and sets the stage for meaningful connections.

Examples of Self-Care Activities: Self-love is manifested through intentional self-care practices. These activities nourish the mind, body, and soul, fostering a sense of well-being and contentment. Examples include:

1.            Mindful Practices:  Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices promote mental clarity and emotional balance.

2.            Physical Well-Being:  Regular exercise, nutritious eating habits, and sufficient sleep contribute to overall physical health and vitality.

3.            Creative Expression:  Engaging in activities that spark creativity and self-expression, such as art, writing, or music, fosters a sense of fulfillment.

4.            Setting Boundaries: Learning to say no when necessary and setting healthy boundaries preserves energy and promotes emotional resilience.

Positive self-care practices reinforce self-love in a continuous loop. As individuals prioritize their well-being, they cultivate a positive self-image and a deep sense of fulfillment. This, in turn, enhances attractiveness, creating a magnetic pull for potential new love relationships.

Hypnotherapy's Role in the Journey to New Love:

1.            Building Readiness:  Hypnotherapy assists individuals in navigating the readiness stage by addressing any subconscious barriers or fears that may hinder the pursuit of new love.

2.            Enhancing Self-Love: Through positive affirmations and guided imagery, hypnotherapy reinforces self-love, fostering a deep and lasting sense of worthiness.

3.            Transformative Mindset: Hypnotherapy helps individuals cultivate a mindset aligned with positive change, enabling them to approach the journey to new love with confidence and optimism.

4.            Stress Reduction and Emotional Resilience: Techniques such as stress reduction and emotional resilience building equip individuals with the tools to navigate the inevitable challenges of seeking new love.

5.            Visualization for Attraction: Hypnotherapy incorporates visualization techniques to help individuals visualize and manifest the qualities they seek in a new love relationship, creating a powerful magnetism.

As your hypnotherapist I can serve as an experienced guide on this transformative journey. Through tailored sessions, I provide support, tools, and insights to help you overcome obstacles, build readiness, and cultivate the self-love necessary for attracting and sustaining fulfilling new love relationships.

As you set forth on the path to find new love, remember that the most potent catalyst for meaningful connections lies within—ready yourself, practice self-love, and let hypnotherapy be your trusted guide on this extraordinary journey of transformation and love.

If you are considering working with me as your hypnotherapist, I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients. Please call me at 818-929-4944 or go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consultation.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Once you find and are enjoying your new someone, you might begin to think about the longer term. For an excellent article exploring the importance of compatibility for long term relationships, please see the following:

https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-you-and-your-partner-compatible-7562809/

Part 3 - Ready-Set-Go: Achieving and Sustaining New Year's Resolutions With Your Hypnotherapist's Support

Surveys tell us that a New Year’s Resolution to lose some weight is one of the top 3 resolutions that people make every year. One of my clients came to me last January wanting to lose 40 lbs. In our initial two sessions I worked with her to establish her readiness to make changes and to craft her resolutions in a SMART form. Then we began to apply the power of hypnotherapy, affirmations, and guided visualization to support her weight loss actions. By June she was well on her way. By year end she was down 27 pounds. Her resolution for 2024 is now to lose the remaining 13 lbs. by May 15th and then maintain her healthy new body weight forever more.

The Power of Hypnotherapy: Affirmations and Visualization for Success

Part 3 of this series, explores

• The transformative power of hypnotherapy

• Positive Affirmations

• Visualization techniques in the context of achieving your New Year's resolutions

• Understanding how your hypnotherapist uses these techniques to help propel you toward your goals and foster lasting positive change

Hypnotherapy's Transformative Influence

• Breaking Through Mental Barriers: Hypnotherapy serves as a potent tool for breaking through mental barriers that may hinder progress in achieving resolutions. By inducing a state of deep relaxation, hypnotherapy enables access to your subconscious mind, where ingrained patterns of thinking and limiting beliefs reside

• The Subconscious Mind: The subconscious mind plays a crucial role in shaping behavior. Hypnotherapy allows you to explore and reshape subconscious thought patterns, promoting a more positive and constructive mindset that supports goal achievement

• Challenging Negative Beliefs: Through guided hypnotherapy sessions, you can identify and challenge negative beliefs that may be rooted in past experiences or self-doubt. This process is essential for creating a mental environment conducive to success.

Understanding Affirmations

In my hypnotherapy practice I include the use of positive affirmations as an integral part of the process.

Affirmations are statements about yourself, your thoughts, beliefs and behaviors as you want them to be. They use positive, constructive words to state what you intend to be true when your have completed a personal change goal such as a New Year’s Resolution.

The word ‘affirm’ means to make firm. You can use written affirmations to make a goal or belief firm in your subconscious mind and bring it into forceful alignment with your conscious desire. Affirmations are a vehicle for change, for transformation, in your life.

Crafting Effective Positive Affirmations

Affirmations are written in the present tense as if the statements are true now. They usually begin with the words ‘I’ or ‘My’ and include positive feelings or actions. Here is an easy six step process you can use when crafting positive affirmations that will support achieving your New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Find a quiet, peaceful place where you can relax and work without distraction for a least 20 minutes

2.  Using a simple sheet of paper or notebook, consider and jot down several of your current issues, problems and goals for change

3. Select an issue that is important to you to work on first. Refer to part 2 in this series and render that issue as a SMART New Year’s Resolution

4. Write out some statements beginning with ‘I’ or ‘My’ and affirming your desired state/goal as true. Write them in the present tense, using positive feeling and action words. Keep going until you have seven to ten statements to work with

5. Read your statements out loud and notice which ones resonate strongly  and feel the most powerful and authentic for you

6. Pick the top three statements to use in beginning your daily affirmation practice in support of your New Year’s Resolutions

When I work with you on achieving your New Year’s Resolutions we use my book, New Power in Affirmations, to help you craft effective affirmations and establish a daily affirmation practice that powerfully supports your goals. I encourage my clients to write their affirmations in longhand every evening before going to sleep.

Instilling Confidence Through Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations, when integrated into hypnotherapy sessions, act as powerful catalysts for change. Here's how they work in tandem with hypnotherapy:

• Repetition and Reinforcement: Positive affirmations are repeated during hypnotherapy sessions to reinforce desired beliefs. Consistent repetition helps embed these affirmations in the subconscious, aligning the mind with the pursuit of resolutions.

• Cultivating Self-Belief: Hypnotherapy instills confidence by incorporating affirmations that cultivate self-belief. As you repeat and internalize these positive statements, you develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy and resilience.

• Aligning with Goals: Crafting affirmations that align with specific New Year’s Resolution goals ensures that the subconscious is focused on the desired outcomes. This alignment enhances motivation and commitment.

Visualization and Guided Imagery: Creating a Mental Blueprint

Visualization and guided imagery are powerful techniques employed in hypnotherapy to create a mental blueprint for achieving and sustaining your New Year’s Resolutions.

• Vivid Imagery of Success: Hypnotherapy sessions can guide you to vividly imagine yourself successfully achieving your resolutions. This mental rehearsal enhances motivation and primes the mind for success.

• Emotional Connection: Visualization allows you to connect with the emotional aspects of your goals. The positive emotions associated with success become powerful motivators, driving sustained effort.

• Overcoming Challenges: Through guided imagery, hypnotherapy helps you visualize overcoming challenges you may encounter on your resolution journey. This proactive visualization equips you with mental strategies for resilience.

Summary:

Hypnotherapy, when integrated with positive affirmations and visualization techniques, becomes a dynamic force in the pursuit of New Year's Resolutions. By breaking through mental barriers, instilling confidence, and creating a vivid mental blueprint for success, you are empowered to navigate your New Year’s Resolution journey with clarity and purpose.

Having harnessed the transformative power of hypnotherapy, join me in Part 4 as we craft a blueprint for your transformative journey—setting the stage for New Year’s Resolutions that not only endure but flourish.

If you are considering working with me as your hypnotherapist, I am available for a free 30 minute consultation for new clients. Please call me at 818-929-4944 or go to cindaroffman.com to book a free consultation.

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resosurces

For some additional ideas specifically focused on setting and crafting positive goal affirmations, please see the following:

https://rhythmsofplay.com/why-i-turn-my-goals-into-affirmations/

Never Put a Skunk on a Bus - The Power In Affirmations

I wrote and published The Power In Affirmations more than 4 years ago. My clients use the book to establish and maintain a daily affirmation practice supporting their goals and the positive changes they want to make in their lives.

As I began planning for the second edition of my book, imagine my surprise when I came across this great article in the September 2022 issue of Reader’s Digest.  It’s called Life Advice from a Five-Year-Old and includes a little boy’s favorite affirmations and an explanation of each.  I’ve summarized them for you here. They are priceless:

“You gotta say your affirmations in your mouth and your heart.” 

• His mom told him to say it like he means it and this is how he translated that.

“You say, ‘I am brave of this meeting! I am loved! I smell good!’“

• So sweet, he knows not to use negative words like scared or afraid.

“You gotta walk big.  You gotta mean it.  Like Dolly on a dinosaur. Because you got it.”

• Not sure who Dolly is, but it is a great image.

“Never put a skunk on a bus.”  

• Very wise.                                   

“Think about the donuts of your day!” 

• This one is about looking for the good things in your day – and not focusing on the “holes.”

“Even if you cry a little, you can think about potato chips!” 

• One of the boy’s favorite things is potato chips so when things are not going well, he can always things about the good things to come.”

“Even if it’s a yucky day, you can get a hug.” 

• Sometimes all that we can do to make things better is offer a hug.     

Affirmations are a simple tool to help us focus on what we want to achieve. We become what we think about – so make those thoughts positive!

What affirmations do YOU need today? If you’d like help coming up with positive affirmations personalized to your needs and goals, please give me a call 818-929-4944. I’d be happy to help. Or join us any Wednesday on my Hypnotherapy Q and A.

You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

For more information about Affirmations and Hypnotherapy:

https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/how-to-create-and-use-effective-affirmations 

https://www.awakenthechange.com/other/the-benefits-of-hypnosis-and-affirmations/

Freedom from Negative Habits - Tapping - Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

What if there were a simple, easy technique that you could do in your own home to get rid of a behavior, a feeling or a craving?  EFT could be that for you.

I was first introduced to Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, or tapping when I was a student at Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI).  The demonstrations were amazing!  A woman who had craved chocolate her entire life suddenly was not interested in the least.  I was curious – how to change, in a few minutes, how you viewed something you have loved your whole life.

Fast forward to last week.  I continue to struggle with maintaining a healthy weight.  I decided to try tapping on not eating carbs.  Low and behold I went to a lunch networking event and looked at the rolls and potatoes like they were foreign objects and definitely not something I would ever eat.  Dessert? Not a chance, I didn’t even check it out to see what it was.  It can be an amazing tool and I was reminded to use it with my clients.

What is tapping? 

Tapping works with the body’s energy system – the meridians that carry electrical impulses throughout the body.  These meridians were first used (and are still used) in acupuncture and acupressure.  We tap on the end-points of the meridians while repeating a problem statement (eg. My addiction to carbs). In acupuncture, you are needled on a specific point for a specific problem. In tapping, we just tap on all the upper body meridians and assume that one will be the correct meridian.  Tapping is part of a group of therapies called ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY, because they are believed to affect the body’s electromagnetic energy fields.

Where does it come from?

A psychologist, Dr. Roger Callahan, discovered tapping by accident while working with a client with a water phobia.  When she complained that her stomach hurt, he tapped under her eyes, the end point of the stomach meridian, and her stomach pain and water phobia went away.  This discovery was used by Gary Craig to expand tapping and come up with a simple system that can be used by anyone. Gary has had great success with Vietnam Vets with PTSD.  When they tell their stories while tapping the emotional intensity of the stories goes from 10 to 1 or zero.

How do you do it?

We begin by creating a setup statement: “Even though I have this addiction to carbs, I deeply and completely love and accepts myself.” At first, this negativity bothered me – shouldn’t we be focusing on the positive? I was listening to Nick Ortner’s broadcast during the 14th Annual  Tapping World Summit.  He runs Tapping World and is now a leader in the field.  He had the same question about the setup statement and he asked Louise Hay why we start with a negative. We know Louise Hay was all about positive affirmations (as am I) and I was intrigued to hear her answer.  She wisely said “If you want to clean the house, first you have to see the dirt.”

Tapping works on the theory that our unresolved negative emotions are major contributors to most physical pain, disease and anxiety. The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.

We were trained to be negative from the earliest times.  Those who survived were the ones who were watching the bushes for any suspicious activity, were there tigers in the bushes? – those blithely playing in the open did not survive.

I usually do a session with my clients and then give them the recipe so they can do it whenever they want.  And when I say do a session with my clients, I tap along with them so they don’t feel silly – at first it can seem an odd thing to be doing.

Sound interesting? Give me a call 818-929-4944 to set up a session and I will teach you how to do EFT your way or join my free Hypnotherapy Q & A every Wednesday at 10 am PST.

You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here are some articles with more information about EFT-tapping:

From WEB MD, What is EFT tapping? 

https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-eft-tapping

From Medical News Today, A Guide to EFT tapping,

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326434

How Does Hypnotherapy Help With Sustainable Weight Loss

I first learned about hypnotherapy many years ago when I was struggling to lose weight after 3 pregnancies.  It really helped me change my view toward exercise and drinking alcohol. After being hypnotized I did not have my usual glass of wine with dinner.  The next morning I got up and put on my walking shoes and went for a walk!  Neither of those things was my usual habit.  I was sold.  Hypnotherapy could make it easier for me to achieve the goals I set out for myself in weight loss.

Fast forward many years and I am now a hypnotherapist, helping others lose weight.  How do I do that? I help my clients identify their goals and explore what plan works best for them.  I am familiar with many weight loss plans and my clients usually are too.  We then decide on a plan and a timeline.  We work together to set up affirmations that will help them achieve their goals.

I usually suggest that one of their affirmations is their goal weight.  Sometimes our brain isn’t comfortable with a new number and wants to keep us at the higher number.  When the goal number is kept in focus it can make it easier for our mind to accept that new number.

Another affirmation can center around what specific plan the client will use:  “I follow Weight Watchers Personal Points” or “I follow the 28 Day Keto Plan.”

And of course movement is very important.  Having an affirmation about going to the gym, walking 3 times a week or playing tennis is a daily reminder of what the client has committed to.

Let’s not forget about sleep…  Research has shown that sleep in crucial in maintaining a healthy weight. 
“I get 8 hours of sleep every night” is a great affirmation for us all. 

If weight loss/weight management is of concern to you, please give me a call for a free consultation (818-929-4944) or join my free Hypnotherapy Q & A every Wednesday at 10 am PST.

You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here are some articles with more information:

Hypnotherapy and Weight Loss:  Does It Work?

https://www.healthline.com/health/hypnotherapy-weight-loss

What is Hypnosis for Weight Loss and Does It Work?

https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a28187126/hypnosis-for-weight-loss/

Five Coping Strategies for Eating Challenges During the Holidays

Welcome to the ‘December’ holiday season! Holidays come with foods – Christmas Eve/Day, eight Nights/Days of Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve/Day all have the potential for big family dinners or fun parties.  If you are trying to watch and control your weight during the holidays, here are five strategies you can use:

1.       If you are going to a party and you are not sure that there will be food on your plan, eat the food you should be eating prior to going to the party or event.  No one needs to know that you have eaten and trust me, they will not notice if you are not eating.  Parties are all about having fun and that does not need to include overeating or drinking.  If you don’t want to drink alcohol, get a fizzy beverage or volunteer to be a designated driver for the evening.

2.       Consider allowing yourself a “cheat meal” or “cheat food” that is very special to you for the holiday.  Maybe your mother’s stuffing recipe has always been your favorite memory of the holidays – enjoy that and skip other foods that may be unhealthy for you.

3.       Practice self-care. Indulge in a mani/pedi or a new outfit that makes you feel special.  Nourish yourself with care instead of food.

4.       See the holidays as separate events – one dinner at a time.  It is much easier to focus on eating healthy for shorter periods of time than the whole month of holidays. 

5.       Planning ahead is always vital when it comes to managing your eating.  This is even truer at the holidays.  Take a calendar and map out what events you are planning to attend and what your strategy will be for each event.  Having a plan gives you the ability to be in control.

If you keep an Affirmations Journal as part of your daily practice, you may also want to add some holiday season specific affirmations. Here are some samples to consider:

•   I enjoy sticking to my food plan.

•   I plan my meals ahead of time.

•   I take care of myself.

•   I enjoy being with family and friends.

For more information about how to cope with holiday eating challenges, please give me a call (818-929-4944) to schedule a free consultation or join us any Wednesday on my Hypnotherapy Q and A. You can register here.

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Check out this article for some myth-busting!

https://www.prevention.com/health/a34384918/holiday-weight-gain-myths/

Holidays do not have to mean weight gain.  Each of these articles has more good suggestions.

https://bewell.stanford.edu/avoiding-holiday-weight-gain/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/yes-you-can-avoid-weight-gain-over-the-holidays-2019112518309

Insomnia and Hypnotherapy

A few nights ago I went to bed an hour later than my usual routine and fell asleep thinking about the busy day ahead of me. Several hours later, around 3:00 a.m., I woke up with my mind in a whirl of stress and worry. What if tomorrow goes wrong? What if I forget something important? What will be the outcome and impact of the upcoming election? What if there is a power failure tomorrow and the internet is down? When will the pandemic ever end? What if I can’t get back to sleep now?

Insomnia is defined as difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep long enough to feel refreshed the next morning. Some common symptoms of insomnia include:

·        Being awake for long periods at night

·        Not being able to fall asleep

·        Waking up several times during the night

·        Waking up very early and being unable to get back to sleep

·        Feeling tired and groggy the next morning

·        Finding it difficult to concentrate or function properly

·        Feeling irritable

Insomnia is a significant problem for many of my clients.  For some it is debilitating, for others it is an annoyance.  When it becomes a significant problem, we can address it effectively through a few focused hypnotherapy sessions.  

We start by developing an evening ritual.  What makes you feel relaxed and restful?  I usually suggest cutting out violent television and the news close to bedtime.  Watching a comedy or reading are good activities for just before bed.  It’s important to stick to a ritual so that your mind and body become accustomed to knowing that it is bedtime. You will get a personalized recording that you can play the help to drift off to sleep easily. You will also develop a personal anchor to your naturally relaxed state that you can use to get back to sleep if needed.

As I lay in bed at 3:00 unable to sleep, I was clearly experiencing an episode of insomnia. I decided to take my own advice to my insomnia clients:  Focus on your anchor, your special place that always makes you feel good, positive and happy.  I went to my favorite beach in my head and imagined sitting there with my son and grandson.  I remembered what time of day it was, what the temperature was, the sounds and the smells of that special day.  Before I knew it, the sun was peeking through the window and I had had a good night’s sleep after all.

If you would like some tools and training to help you get a good night’s sleep, please call 818-929-4944 to arrange for a free, private, personal, online consultation.

From Fear to Freedom - Lessons for Overcoming Virus Fear

Very early in my career as a hypnotherapist, I had a young woman as a client who came to me for fear of driving.  She was afraid to get a driver’s license.  Living in Southern California was becoming harder and harder for the recent college graduate.  She had to walk almost a mile to catch the bus to work and almost a mile to her office after she got off the bus.  She was literally afraid of driving the car – it seemed large and foreign to her and she was afraid she could not control it.  She was correct to be afraid of the car.  A car is considered a lethal weapon by law enforcement.  Part of what I helped her see is that yes, she may be afraid of the car and to see that fear as healthy.  She began to understand that even through her fear she could learn to manage and control the car and use it to her advantage.  She practiced and practiced.  She started first in a parking lot and then finally on the streets.  I am happy to report she passed her test on the first try and promptly drove herself across country to relocate in Nashville.  A very happy ending to the story!

What can we learn from this story today?  I think it translates very easily.  We are living in a fearful time.  We should be afraid of COVID-19 and its consequences.  We can channel that fear to be safe and healthy when interacting with others.  Here are some suggestions:

• Planning becomes very important.  In the same way that you wouldn’t drive on the wrong side of the street, you also should be careful interacting with people who may have or be carriers for COVID-19.  Does that mean you need to stay inside your home 24/7 and never see any people?  Probably not.

• .It is important to get out of your home.  Go for a walk in an area that is not busy.  Take a drive and enjoy the beautiful scenery all around us.

• It is also important to have safe personal interactions.  Call your friends, schedule a zoom happy hour,or social distance outside with separate food and drinks.  There are many alternatives available that can help keep you safe and healthy while still giving you social connections.  Your friends will probably appreciate your calling!

Ongoing fear, worry or distress of any kind can lead to debilitating, life limiting chronic anxiety and even related physical symptoms. If your fear becomes overwhelming, I can help.  I will listen, ask questions, and help you get information and gain understanding of your fears.  We will develop transformative affirmations that focus on the positive outcome that you desire. You will be motivated and empowered to take action on your desired new behaviors with confidence and growing competence as you enjoy more freedom and less worry to hold you back or slow you down.

You do not have to cure Covid or wait for a vaccine to move past the virus fear, reduce anxiety, and bring a greater feeling of hope, confidence and freedom into your daily life.

To learn more, go to my website https://www.cindaroffman.com and register for my next free, live Hypnotherapy Q & A – Fear and Anxiety.

Or, to see if we can work together to help you, call now to arrange for a free, private, online video consultation - 818-929-4944.