Reducing Business Stress with Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
Running a business can be incredibly stressful, and with the fast pace of modern life, it’s no wonder that more and more business owners are struggling with anxiety, depression, and burnout. But while stress is an inevitable part of running a business, it’s important to manage it effectively to avoid negative impacts on both your mental and physical health, as well as on the success of your business.
In this article, we’ll discuss the causes and effects of business stress, and explore the role of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy in helping business owners to manage stress and achieve their goals.
Causes of Business Stress
There are many causes of stress in the business world, including financial pressures, long working hours, staff management, competition, and the pressure to constantly innovate and adapt to changing market conditions. Additionally, many business owners struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness, as they often bear the weight of responsibility for their company alone.
Effects of Business Stress
The effects of business stress can be far-reaching and damaging, affecting not only the business owner but also their employees, family, and personal life. Common symptoms of stress include anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and poor concentration. In the long term, chronic stress can lead to more serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for Business Stress
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a highly effective form of therapy that helps clients to focus on their desired future outcomes rather than dwelling on past problems. It is a solution-focused and goal-oriented therapy that helps clients to identify and achieve their goals through positive thinking and visualisation techniques.
By using Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, business owners can learn to manage their stress effectively, improve their confidence and motivation, and develop a more positive outlook on their work and personal life. Additionally, hypnotherapy can help business owners to improve their sleep quality, reduce anxiety and depression, and enhance their overall sense of wellbeing.
Conclusion
If you’re a business owner struggling with stress and anxiety, it’s important to take steps to manage your symptoms effectively. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a highly effective therapy that can help you to overcome your stress and achieve your goals. By focusing on positive outcomes and visualisation techniques, you can learn to manage your stress more effectively, and enjoy a happier, more fulfilling life both inside and outside of your business.
There’s been a lot of articles written about how to discover happiness in recent times. On the one hand, you’ve got the positive thinking gurus peddling their often simplistic fast track to deep joy. And on the other, you’ve got the doom-mongers telling us we’re richer, healthier and yet unhappier than we’ve ever been.
Despite being somewhat cynical about the way happiness is regarded as the panacea for all ills, I confess to being part of the industry which promotes it as a life-affirming goal. Some see happiness as a sentimental dream or fleeting fantasy. But I realise through my work as a hypnotherapist that it is possible to create a happy state of mind. Oh and spread a little of this magical ingredient too, there’s no secret there.
What makes you happy is only relevant to you.
A loving partnership and strong friendships are more highly prized than material things by most of us. It’s a given that happiness is not necessarily about millions in the bank, a yacht on the Med or any of those affluent trappings. Many are the tales of how lottery winners lose their friends, community, identity and even their loved ones over arguments about new found loot.
There’s no question, cash equals freedom of choice. More to the point, earning it equals a healthy sense of self worth which no trust fund kid will ever know (hence the less than life-enhancing addictions that often fill the gaps in their lives).
In a wealthy western culture, we generally don’t go hungry or lack material goods. The poorest and most disadvantaged have access to housing, healthcare, education, the welfare state, iPods, mobiles and flat screen TVs.
What makes the starving happy is a good meal.
It takes more than that to satisfy an emotionally starved but nutritionally nourished appetite. Whilst not life-threatening, such a condition undermines energy, motivation and focus, impairing the ability to set and achieve goals. High flyers in both primitive and technological societies often start out the hungriest and succeed simply because they try harder.
So it seems that the old fashioned principle of good old hard graft leads to a very secular kind of satisfaction. And being a bit peckish is no bad thing. It makes those little snacks in life so much more tasty. In this indulgent era of comfort and excess, those who make an effort and choose energy over inertia, those who curb their appetite enough to truly savour all that is plentiful and those who take the time to nurture their loved ones are the winners in the happiness stakes.
So you’ve been working as a therapist for while now, and you’ve got a good client base. Things are going well, until you find next door begin renovations. Being in an area where most properties are of the same age, you find others doing the same. All of a sudden you have a DIY hotspot. Angle grinders, concrete mixers, deliveries being made – there’s a lot of scaffolding going on too. That quiet peaceful location you decided would be ideal to set up in business becomes somewhat less attractive and you end up wishing you never chose it in the first place.
Considerations.
You try and sit it out, thinking it can’t continue on indefinitely. Yes, you get the odd day when things are really quiet, but on the whole when one finishes another begins. Do you consider a temporary relocation with all the associated costs and upheaval? Maybe even stop trading and restart once its all quietened down? Or is there a better solution?
Well, a few years ago I was at a Mind Body Soul fayre and I saw a hypnotherapist with an audio system. He could provide short 15min sessions there and then in a busy hall without disruption. He spoke into a headset whilst his client would sit back in a chair. They had a pair of headphones on and were oblivious to the general noise. At the time I thought that was a really good idea, and that was that.
So fast forward to DIY central.. as with anything I do I always like to do a little research before taking the plunge. Clearly the product I saw should be available, and indeed a quick search on google finds the Hypnocom 5 unit. Alongside a couple of others if you do a little more digging. Considering it was retailing at over £300 I wanted to understand the mechanics behind it. I looked into seeing just how much a basic system would end up costing me.
The basic constituents I thought were as follows:
An audio mixer
2 x pairs of headphones (with mic)
mp3 player for background music (usually found at the back of an old drawer)
Associated leads / cables to connect it all together.
Considering that after costing it up, I could get that for under £100 I decided to try it out. I plumped for a basic audio mixer being the Behringer Xenyx 502 mixer. It’s small enough but offered plenty of connections to do the job.
So, what exactly does this setup have to achieve?
Take input from a vocal microphone.
Receive input from an external music source (mp3 player)
Balance adjustment for both voice and music separately.
Produce good quality output to headphones not just for your client, but to yourself too.
Allows for output to a separate recording device to provide clients with a recording.
Hypno-Com 5 Professional.
At this point, I discovered a second hand Hypnocom 5 was being offered at a knock-down price. My basic system I had put together looked somewhat untidy compared to the bespoke Hypnocom 5. It was an opportunity I couldn’t miss so I purchased it. Just one word of warning if you are going to go down the route of putting a system together yourself make sure you do your homework. And that means specifically the cables / microphones / headphones you choose. Some will require adaptors to be able to plug into the audio mixer. You really need to get that right or you have a non-functioning system.
If you review it and compare the two, I would plump for the Hypnocom 5 every time. It just works and the sound quality is just right. You won’t have all the adjustments of an audio mixer but it’s ready to go and has only the controls you really need, straight out of the box.
If you can find a second hand unit, they’re usually well looked after but they rarely appear. Personally, I would ask around your local therapists.
Its important to remember that background music, a microphone and headphones are not a necessity for carrying out hypnotherapy. But, they do add an element of professionalism to your sessions. Let’s not forget about the disturbance of DIY too!
Why choose the Hypnocom 5?
Your clients will love it. Results speak for themselves and if you compare a standard delivery compared to through headphones, you will find most clients opt for the headphones. Find a decent pair of comfortable headphones, they’ll want to know they didn’t notice they had them on at the end.
Although I haven’t made use of the option to record sessions, you can do this quite easily with the right equipment. All the connections are ready to use on the Hypnocom so it should be simply a case of plugging a recording device into it. And let’s not forget because you already have some background music feeding in, you won’t have to worry about adding some to the recording later.
My client found it much easier to begin the relaxation process using this system. It was an interesting observation as this client had previously experienced sessions using conventional techniques without a microphone.
There will be a short time spent doing a sound check to allow the client to find the correct volume levels. But just imagine those with slight hearing loss, no longer an issue with these headphones.
It’s important to consider that this setup is meant to sit in your treatment room. There are cables, and they’re long. Yes, they are unsightly but they’re no good if they’re too short.
Why not go wireless?
You may be tempted to use a wireless or a Bluetooth microphone, headset, or headphones, especially because being free from all those wires seems really sensible. I admit, I love to not have to deal with headphone wires. The fact is there isn’t a bluetooth feature on the Hypnocom 5. But, broadcasting your sessions without protection from potential other Bluetooth units picking it up is a potential confidentiality issue. One for the future that will no doubt be delivered in one way or another.
There is one over-riding issue I have to make and that’s that since a recent relocation to a business centre I have noticed that I pickup some elements of interference. I suspect some mobile phone signals and also WIFI possibly. Now, being the ever resourceful chap I am, I decided to grab some kitchen foil and wrapped it over the audio unit. It’s not ideal but would you believe it, it works. Crystal clear audio again! I suspect it simply needs a bit of shielding from modern electronic devices.
It’s not designed to look modern, it’s just meant to get the job done. That said, I’m very pleased with it. In my opinion, the system sounds just as good as anything you can put together with more expensive equipment.
Of course, none of this equipment is really necessary, but then again neither is a dedicated therapy room. As you know, I’ve done effective hypnotherapy sessions in the middle of DIY central. But like having a comfy reclining armchair and a quiet area helps your practice, so does having an audio setup that lets your client know something more immersive is happening. And it’s always reassuring you have that option when it’s needed.
Just one more thing.
Were you wondering about customer support after you’ve purchased one? Mine developed a buzzing noise whenever it was switched on. A quick call to Kev at Hypno-Quip and he immediately recommended a new power supply unit. Item arrives surprisingly quickly and it works fine again. Apparently the audio units themselves are pretty much bomb proof.
As a therapist you also need to be looking at automating your booking process…Here’s your invite to Square appointments
People have always been fascinated by their ‘secret’ night-time journeys. Over the years there have been many theories as to why we dream and the functions they serve.
Countless ‘encyclopaedias’ of dream symbols and meanings now exist. But these are published on the narrow premise that ‘one symbol fits all’. A new understanding of them shows that this is wrong. In reality, individual minds tailor symbols and dreams to meet individual needs.
It has been agreed for some time that dreams deal with emotion. However, not all emotion causes dreaming. Only emotional arousal unexpressed while awake causes us to dream. So, for example, if you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to dream about it as the emotional arousal was allowed full expression. (In effect the problem that went into your mind whilst awake was removed whilst awake. Therefore it was not in your mind as you went to sleep.)
However if you become angry with someone at work but cannot express it then this frustration will probably be played out during dreaming. (This disagreement has remained in your mind.)
How Do Dreams Work?
The brain will ‘flush out’ emotional arousal by creating a dream of a scenario that parallels the real-life experience – a metaphor. So, the work colleague from above might be symbolised by a monster and your anger would be allowed expression as you attacked the creature.
If you ruminate angrily over the same issues the next day then you may well have a repetitive dream as the brain solves the same problem in the same way. The problem has not been totally removed from your mind at the first attempt.
Rumination
One of the most common ways to create unexpressed emotional arousal is to ruminate. Because we do this in our mind, there is rarely a situation where the emotion can be expressed.
Depressed people dream much more than non-depressed people because typically, they do much more ruminating. This can result in physical and mental exhaustion.
Hypnosis, Dreaming and REM.
The deepest trance state you ever experience is when you are dreaming. During dreaming, you are completely immersed in a self-created imaginary reality with little or no awareness that it is not ‘for real’ (similar to the hypnotised stage subject).
Dreaming is an amazing demonstration of your brain’s ability to ‘simulate reality’ and a clear indicator of why hypnosis works. It is fairly common for a hypnotised subject to vividly experience an imagined reality. Less so than in dreaming perhaps, but absorbing nonetheless.
The rapid eye movement (REM) of dreaming is also often observed during hypnosis. And indeed, a traditional way to induce hypnosis was by swinging a watch in front of the subject’s eyes.
Since dreaming is largely concerned with ‘clearing’ the brain of emotional arousal, it is not hard to see one reason why hypnosis is so good for helping people with emotional problems. That surely is unveiling the power of dreams!
Hypnosis, Catalepsy and Dreaming
A famous stage trick is to lie a hypnotised subject between two chairs and stand on their stomach. This is the sort of demonstration that has led to the idea that hypnosis is something strange. (Don’t try this at home by the way; it’s really bad for your back!)
However, when we consider the link to the dream state, the reason this is possible becomes much clearer. When you are dreaming, your ability to move is inhibited for obvious reasons – acting out your dreams would be highly dangerous for you and your sleeping partner.
This phenomenon also occurs during hypnosis and allows us to create ‘catalepsy’ where parts of the body can become immobile or self supported for long periods without discomfort.
Itching For a Cure? Hypnotherapy Can Help with Skin Conditions
This month I am focusing on how hypnotherapy can help with the management of skin conditions.
As many of us who have suffered from these conditions will know, peeling off those extra layers of clothing and exposing skin to the summer sunshine may be good for us. But we do not want others to see our skin.
Thousands of people suffer with the discomfort, stress and embarrassment that skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, can bring. These conditions are usually not life threatening. But they can cause untold misery to those who have to deal with them day in and day out.
The skin is our largest organ as well as the most visible, especially during the summer months. Whether it is through sweating when we are too warm, shivering when we are too cold, or doing its job of getting rid of toxins and waste through the skin, this piece of body ‘covering’ has a lot of work to do. It is often the first place where any signs of illness, stress and imbalance in our lives, physically or psychologically, shows itself. As those who suffer are only too aware, the more we worry about the state of our skin, the worse it seems to get!
So where does hypnotherapy come in to the treatment of these conditions? Well, it seems that us hypnotherapists have been working with clients with these conditions for years.
Some of us may be aware that there is often a mind-body connection with some common skin conditions, so this is often where support from hypnotherapy can help. To give you some more detail…
In order to do its work, the skin contains millions of nerve endings which are closely connected to the brain, which is our body’s main ‘Control Centre’. Because of these links to our nervous system, the skin is very closely connected to our emotional responses, as well as those physical ones.
For example, goose bumps when we are afraid, blushing when embarrassed, and so on. When we feel stressed, these emotional responses can make some skin conditions worse if you have them already. Or can in some cases bring them on.
Pain control.
Hypnotherapy is a great way to reduce stress levels in general. We understand that stress and anxiety affect the chemical responses in the body and mind. Hypnotherapy can really help to recreate that sense of balance. This is shown to improve skin conditions in general. There is mounting evidence to show that hypnotherapy is very helpful for pain control too. It is helpful for reducing the stress and chemical responses that cause flare-ups. It can also reduce the pain that’s associated with them. We work in a way that helps the client to manage stressful situations more effectively. Thus reducing the possibility of re-occurrence.
I encourage clients to focus on how they want things to be. We avoid problem-talk and instead help our clients to visualise their preferred future. By encouraging clients to think and express themselves positively, we can help to improve their outcomes and say goodbye to skin conditions.
The hallmark of any good therapist is the presence of real, sound testimonials & reviews from satisfied clients. Considering that my work is of a confidential nature, and unless clients want to share their experience, I don’t. But if, like some people who like to share their experiences, you are absolutely welcome to do so. In fact it helps others who are unsure of whether hypnotherapy could help them to make that decision. I thank those who do.
But what about the very concerning issue of fake reviews? I know there are many, many ways of people obtaining reviews through paid or other methods. But how do I ensure my reviews are bona fide and can be trusted?
Well the answer is simple. Clients who leave a review are offered that opportunity from my online booking system (Fresha) after having booked and attended one of my sessions. So these are only going to be real clients, real appointments and hence real reviews.
What my clients are saying
“Neil has helped me enormously. I would highly recommend him as both a therapist and very lovely man.”
NS
“Really great, Neil made me feel at ease and fully explained what would be happening. Very insightful first session and I am looking forward to my new journey.”
MU
“I’m a big believer in giving your mind the care and space it needs, and along with meditation and mindfulness practices, I find that hypnotherapy can make the “holy trinity” of peace, presence and mental strength. Hypnotherapy, for me at least, needs the right practitioner. Neil’s great; empathetic, dedicated, inquisitive and intuitive. He’s a kind man with a kind voice and has helped me greatly both personally and professionally. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. We’ve worked on a combination of bad habits, intrinsic motivation and self care. It’s been a great journey so far.”
KB
Fundraiser overcomes obstacles
Now….every once in a while, there comes along someone who experiences significant results from making that choice. One such person gladly shared her story…
Please read her full story and donate too!
Her story began this time last year when she couldn’t walk without assistance and often could not talk. Having two long-term chronic conditions, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, meant she hadn’t had a pain free day for over 10 years. In the last 2 years, she suffered a haemorrhage, had a small tumour removed and then needed further surgery.
One evening, last year she suddenly felt very unwell. Unable to move or speak and having witnessed her grandma suffer two strokes, she thought maybe she was suffering the same problem. Luckily, her mum lived nearby in another part of the house, and after an hour, she managed to drag herself to her mother, an ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital.
The morning after she returned from hospital, she again felt unwell; however, the symptoms were very different. She started having a violent seizure, and her whole body was leaving the bed with the power of it. The first response car arrived, followed by the air ambulance. But as she was being so violent in her movements, it was considered unsafe to travel by air, so a land ambulance was called.
Pah ching, Pah chong
In A&E she was punching anything and anybody in sight. However no-one suffered injury and a lot of apologies were offered. The seizures lasted for a few hours along with a sudden onset of what doctors likened to a strange form of Tourette’s. She was shouting out “pah ching, pah chong” and suddenly developed some karate moves. Karate chopping through seizures like she was some sort of Ninja Warrior.
After a week of many seizures and episodes of Tourette’s she was discharged from hospital. But the seizures continued for several months, with up to 10 episodes a day. She was required to hand in her driving licence, lost her independence and felt she was losing her sanity being stuck in the house. She became reliant on other people and was not able to be left alone. It was a very long time before she felt well again.
The episodes gradually became less frequent and she was starting to go out during the day. So after living like this for 10 months, although much improved, she decided to try something alternative. She made an appointment to see me.
“This is the best decision I have ever made. He made me view my life very differently, he gave me the positivity and confidence to do new things. He has helped me to control my anxiety and as I am writing this I am touching every piece of wood in sight, but I have not had any seizures since seeing Neil.”
Now, this was a significant result in anyone’s eyes. Coupled with her continued progress of coming off her pain medication she’s very pleased.
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