Anxiety Control Center

The interesting thing about Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-linguistic Programming is that you don’t feel hypnotized.  You feel in complete control. The memories that come up, and the changes you make you remember, after you are no longer in trance state.

The reason hypnosis works, even when you are totally awake and aware, is because of what we do once old memories are uncovered.   Old limiting beliefs can be re-programmed, using many different techniques.  Just as you wouldn’t use a hammer for every job around the house, you use different techniques in hypnosis.  Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP  are use for so much more than just relaxation.  In an “altered state” you can actually “fix” old beliefs that aren’t working for you.  You can re–program old reactions so you can respond in the present with all you have learned as an adult, and not just with the coping skills you had as a child.

If you would like to become a part of the online coaching class where you can learn Ericksonian and NLP techniques, please  look at our sister site by clicking on this link.  It will take you top the Action Ends Procrastination site. But before you go there,  please sign up for your first mind calming exercise in the upper right side of this screen.

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I had a client, I’ll call her Amy (not her real name), who came to the Anxiety Control  Center because of panic attacks and migraine headaches.  She is now free of migraines and panic no longer an issue, but that is not what this post is about.

I was thinking about her today because one of my new clients said to me  after an amazing session,  “I don’t think I was hypnotized.”

After 20 sessions Amy had met the goals she set for therapy, but every so often over the years  she would call me, just to say hello.  Each time I’d ask how is your head, and  she’d say of haven’t had a migraine in years.   But she would add “I still don’t think I was hypnotized,”  and we’d laugh.

This is one of the amazing things about using Ericksonian hypnosis instead of Classical Hypnosis, you can be awake and aware.  You might  remember everything you say and feel in complete control and yet by going to the unconscious part of the mind and working on the root of the issue it can still feel like a weight has been taken off your shoulders.

You don’t even have to believe in hypnosis for it to work.  With both Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming you are in control,  aware of memories that come up, and you make the changes right there in the office.  Then you go home and notice what changes.    Sometimes months after releasing emotions a person will call me and tell me that something major has shifted.  This is because the unconscious continues to work in the background, making shifts in programming.

If you would like to become a part of the online coaching class where you can learn Ericksonian and NLP techniques, please  look at our sister site by clicking on this link.  It will take you top the Action Ends Procrastination site. But before you go there,  please sign up for your first mind calming exercise in the upper right side of this screen.

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I hope you enjoyed Tish’s posts the last three days.  She’ll be back with more soon.  I’m Audrey Sussman and today I’ll start with the 1st in a  4 part post.  I’ll be talking about the use of pain to break negative habits.

I actually do NOT use or recommend the use of pain.  In over 25 years of practice I have found there are much healthier ways to change negative habits.  But since there are people “out there” that are recommending using the pain/pleasure principle to change habits,  I felt it was important to talk about how to use it safely, if you do decide to use this type of technique.

What stimulated my thinking about this was . . .  to be continued tomorrow.

Until then you can claim
Two powerful (non-painful) stress relief tips,
by going back up to the top right of this page.

Put your name and email in the box on the right,
and click “sign in here”, they will be sent to you as a pdf.
These are easy to learn on your own,
and are the same ones we use at the
Anxiety Control Center in our Transformation System program.

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Unhappy With Your Life? It Could Be Negative Mantras.

Dr. Audrey talks about Negative Mantras

Have you ever doubted yourself or been hesitant to speak out when others have ideas in conflict with yours? Have you ever procrastinated because you were afraid you just couldn’t do something perfect enough?  Have you ever wondered why people who are less talented, attractive or intelligent than you are seem to feel so much better about themselves than you do?

Many intelligent, creative and successful people harbor inner self doubt that would amaze anyone looking in from the outside. As a therapist, I see the pain that is caused when people beat themselves up mentally with negative self-talk. Some of the people who come to see me are already aware of the harmful messages they give themselves.  But others send themselves these messages unconsciously, replaying them over and over without even being aware of them. I call these harmful messages “negative mantras”.

For a long time, eastern religions have known the power of mantras. These are powerful phrases, repeated over and over, in order to bring about a positive spiritual change. And though you might not have such a fancy name for it, the chances are that you probably use mantras everyday.  Quite simply, mantras are the things we tell ourselves.  A mantra could be what you say to yourself to get psyched up for a big meeting.  Or what you tell yourself to stay positive when life is getting you down. When mantras are positive and constructive, they can help us enjoy our lives and achieve our goals.  But the negative things we tell ourselves can also act as mantras, and can have a profound effect on our lives.

Negatives mantras can cause you to feel responsibility and guilt for things that are not your fault, hamper your ability to get along in relationships, or cause you to doubt your own talents or abilities. These feelings can lead to over-eating, anxiety, procrastination, addiction and depression.  Negative mantras can keep you from achieving your goals and take the joy out of the things you love.

So what can you do if negative mantras are interfering in your life? Read the rest of this entry »

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Continuation for yesterdays post on creating the state of mind your desire.

I welcome your feedback and questions, and will write more on specific issues you send in.  To contact me with your questions click here.

Want to begin your journey now,  sign in at the box at the top right  of this page and
claim your 2 powerful mind calming exercises.

The formula for Life Changing Mantras

Quite simply, mantras are the things we tell ourselves. For example, on the golf course if you felt annoyed because of a badly played hole, it wouldn’t be a problem if you were able to start fresh on the next hole.  But when one negative thought leads to the next, it can destroy your focus for the rest of the game, and even follow you after you leave the course. In this case you have a negative mantra that is playing havoc with your state of mind.  There are 7 steps you can put into play to stop this disabling habit of negative mantras.

When people think of mantras they usually think about those used in eastern religions for positive spiritual change.  And although you might not have such a fancy name for it, the chances are that you probably use positive mantras yourself, everyday.    A mantra could be what you say to yourself to get psyched up for a big meeting,  a golf tournament or going out to a social event.  Or what you tell yourself in order to stay positive when life is getting you down. When mantras are positive and constructive, they can help us enjoy our lives and achieve our goals.  But the negative things we tell ourselves can also act as mantras, leading us in an undesired direction.

Negatives mantras “playing in the back of your mind” can cause. . .   more to come tomorrow.

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Our newest hypno-counselor Lisa Kilburg RPh,CCP,CH. is doing a series of posts about hypnosis, trance and hypno-counseling.  We hope you enjoy her answers and that you’ll write in with questions of your own.

She will have openings in her schedule for new clients in September.  Please send your questions to our email by clicking here.  Questions can be about panic, fear, grief, anger or anything else on your mind.  She will also post about techniques she will be teaching to her clients.

To claim your first 2 stress relief exercises,
sign in on the box at the top right of this page
they are free but will be available for only a limited time

The first question Lisa is answering is “What is Hypnosis?”

Question: What is Hypnosis?
Lisa answers: To me hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation, almost like a dream or sleep state. It is a very natural state and feels like you are day dreaming.   You can have your eyes opened or closed.  When you are working with me you will find you will be in control of what you do and say.  When I teach you to go into a hypnotic state you can be sure you will never do anything you don’t want to do while under hypnosis.   The examples of people you see on stage barking like a dog or clucking like a chicken is not what we do in clinical hypnosis counseling.  These people cannot be made to do something they wouldn’t want to do.  They are always in control.  Stage hypnosis is very different than clinical hypnosis.

There are many ways to explain how powerful our minds are.  The mind can work in ways that empower us or in ways that are disabling.  Did you ever get sick to your stomach because you had to speak in front of a crowd or get a headache because you are feeling stressed about meeting a deadline at work? This is your mind at work, just thinking about something creates a feeling.   If you think about a food you like you can almost taste it and sometimes you can even smell it.  You can make your mouth water if you think about a lemon.  Or how about the anxiety or stress you feel when you are waiting for the results of a big test you took.

The power of suggestion can be very strong.  Have you ever heard of the placebo effect.  This is when someone is given a pill to treat something they have but the pill has no active ingredient, it is made up of something like sugar.  It is a “fake” treatment but because the pill is expected  to work people experience benefits.  For some just by thinking it will make them feel better it does.

The power of positive thinking should never be underestimated.  It is like when a young child gets a cut or a scratch and just by putting a band-aid on the cut or scratch the child automatically feels better.

To me the mind is a very powerful organ.  It has been said that within our mind we have all the tools we need to heal ourselves of illness but we do not know how to harness that skill.   You may ask what can be achieved through hypnosis.  Many life changing things can occur such as quitting smoking, getting rid of panic and anxiety, release of anger and negative emotions, etc.  The list can go on and on.    When someone is under hypnosis it is a very relaxed state with heightened suggestibility.  Suggestible means that you are more open to ideas and using hypnosis you are able to reach high levels of suggestibility.   While under hypnosis suggestions that are in alignment with our values are  received and acted upon by the subconscious mind.  In this way the conscious mind is able to communicate with the subconscious to achieve positive changes.

I know this works because I used to have panic attacks and through hypnotherapy I no longer have to deal with the anxiety, stress and panic attacks that I had in the past.  Looking forward to your questions. Lisa Kilburg RPh,CCP,CH.

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