By Hannah Schenker
Pregnant women and new mothers go through a lot of physical and emotional challenges as they move through this new stage of their lives that is motherhood. Challenges like weight issues, struggle with loss of sleep, and troubling anxiety issues can all leave these women feeling exhausted, helpless and alone. Hypnotherapy is one healing modality that may offer these women some respite, as it works on the subconscious mind through subtle persuasive language patterns – essentially reprogramming the messages your subconscious is sending that are not helpful to you.
Many people will associate hypnotherapy with entertainment, envisioning a person on a stage who has been put in a trance and made to do outlandish things for a laugh. Therapeutic use of hypnotherapy actually goes back to the late 1950s and has since been used in situations where conventional medicine has failed, or alongside conventional treatments to assist with healing. Many associate it with things like quitting smoking, but it has also been used to increase healing times from procedures – reducing swelling and bleeding. Incredible what power the mind has over the body.
Virtual Hypnotherapy is a new offshoot of this kind of treatment, which can be done by distance and is like going to see a Certified Hypnotherapist and Psychologist, in the comfort of your own home. We spoke to Virtual Hypotherapist Dr. Karen Phillip to find out how such treatments may help a pregnant or new mother with the new challenges that present themselves as they move into motherhood.
What is virtual hypnotherapy? How does it differ to normal hypnotherapy, and how can it work by distance?
Hypnosis is a deeply relaxed state of heightened awareness during which an individual has an increased receptivity to suggestions. The conscious mind is bypassed allowing positive changes to be made at a subconscious level, where our beliefs and habits are embedded.
Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes enabling you to find the alternatives you desire. It is a safe therapy and you remain conscious, alert and fully in control while being comfortable and deeply relaxed; meaning you are receptive and open to positive suggestion. Hypnotherapy is a very natural, normal and safe state.
Virtual Hypnotherapy is completed on-line to allow everyone access to professional therapeutic hypnosis sessions without the high cost and without having to travel to appointments. Sessions are designed to suit most peoples’ needs. Use of therapeutic language techniques permits this type of virtual therapeutic work to accommodate most all people.
Although your eyes are closed, your awareness and concentration heightens. Reports of deep relaxation are universal and accompanied by a feeling of comfortable relaxation of both mind and body. It is a beautiful relaxed feeling where you stop, relax and your mind slows and wonders. It is a feeling so many people have not experienced in their busy life.
This is a new concept for many yet it has been working successfully for people all over the world for some time. Many high profile people have used the session instead of coming into a therapist room. It is virtually the same. The session I conduct is a set formula that has taken years to develop. It works regardless if you are in the room with me or doing the session in the virtual room. Results are the same.
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy have been approved by the American Medical Association since 1958. Medical Hypnosis is increasingly recognised as a powerful healing modality with applications in all fields of medicine.
What kinds of things can be treated using it?
Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes enabling you to find the alternatives you desire to your present unsatisfactory way of behaving, thinking or feeling.
Most issues can be remedied using Virtual Hypnotherapy from weight loss to quit smoking through to removing that baggage so many of us carry, adjusting those annoying habits and addictive behaviours. We can stop biting our nails, remove that fear of flying or other debilitating phobias, reduce anxiety and even sleep soundly through the night, all using these therapeutic Virtual Hypnotherapy sessions.
How would it be useful for pregnant women, for example, or new mothers? One example would be a pregnant woman who is depressed but not wanting to take pharmaceuticals. Would it help with things like that?
Any pregnant woman is under a degree of stress in her body. The relaxation component in Virtual Hypnotherapy can really assist many issues they may need support in alleviating.
Any woman experiencing problems should be encouraged to use a natural and safe support therapy. The numerous sessions available from Virtual Hypnotherapy can assist most issues we have experienced in our life: Relationship recovery if you need to get over that breakup; remove past baggage that so many of us have; reduce pain that can be experienced during and after a pregnancy; decrease anxiety that so many mums-to-be and new mums feel; and self confidence that many mums may lack fearing they will do something wrong.
If any mum-to-be is experiencing depression it is always advisable to attend some Counselling sessions to help lower or alleviate this feeling without drugs. Most mums-to-be are unable to take medication that may affect their baby, therapeutic guided relaxation such as Virtual Hypnotherapy will greatly assist while sitting back comfortably at home to stop, relax and listen. We all know a relaxed mum-to-be or mother means a more relaxed baby. Any anxiety or emotions experienced by the mother has a direct affect on the baby.
Does it create lasting changes, or do you need repeat sessions to find benefit?
The power of hypnotherapy is documented by doctors, dentists and many other leading professionals.
Many people do the session once and obtain the change they need. Others may wish to listen to their session a few times over weeks or months to keep them on track. The beauty of Virtual Hypnotherapy is the session remains yours forever. You can use it again at anytime an event occurs by where you may need that support.
Can you do these sessions alone or do you need a support person?
The brilliance of Virtual Hypnotherapy is you can do it alone. Regardless of what issue you experience, downloading your session is confidential and private. You then have your session to use anytime or as often as you may need. And no one else needs to know anything. You do not need to tell your story or discuss it with the therapist. By selecting the session you need, you take complete control and use it in the comfort and privacy of your own home or wherever you are. The session remains with you.
Dr. Karen Phillip is a Counselling Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist and a parenting and relationship expert on Television, Radio and Print Media. She has developed these Virtual Hypnotherapy sessions so she can reach more people and help you overcome your lifestyle struggles from the comfort of your own home.
