Tanya Bunting

• I wonder how many times in your busy week that other people come before you?
• Maybe, you don’t even have the time to stop and realise how much more you can achieve if you just had time to be?
• Wouldn’t it be wonderful to go to wherever you like to relax and find your inspiration on a daily basis?

If, like me, you can relate to that overwhelming need to rest even when your own special people [be them big or small] have other ideas, you may well have considered what you can do to ensure your own self-preservation. In recent years, I’ve lost count of the number of coaching or therapy clients who want to move on from stress or anxiety who when asked, “What have you tried already?” note that they would do something for themselves, if they weren’t too busy putting other people first.

Once I learnt to schedule self-hypnosis on a daily basis, teaching full-time, studying and family life got easier and easier. I was better prepared mentally, physically and practically than ever before. After just 20 minutes in trance, I not only felt re-energised and focused to achieve my short-term goals but whatever I set out to do happened easily. Not only was I in the right frame of mind, when you rehearse your success in trance your brain thinks you’ve already achieved it and supports you to succeed it “again” in waking time.

Tanya is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Trainer and Student Liaison Lead for the International College of Clinical Hypnotherapy. She works flexibly as a therapist, coach and teacher/trainer with clients of all ages, in her hometown [Bournemouth] and wherever her skills and interests take her. With a background in school leadership and a passion for life-long learning, her USP is of course…learning! Her core purpose is to inspire all clients to shine further and accelerate progress to achieve their goals.

Read the full article here to find out Tanya’s simple guide to self hypnosis can help you to easily learn the skills to boost your energy and achieve even more.

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If I could show you a simple way that you can relieve your back pain, I wonder how interested you’ll be?

It’s estimated that 8 out of every 10 people in the UK are affected by back pain at some point in their lives.

Today, I have a GREAT back story! Despite the further diagnosis of two prolapsed discs, my story has reversed. I am now comfortable for at least 90% of the time and if my back does go into spasm, I have the skills to reverse it.

A couple of years ago now, I returned to school after a month’s leave to complete the Charisma Enhancement Course [NLP Trainer’s Training] in Orlando. I suppose that after a long flight and lifting heavy suitcases my back was bound to complain. By lunchtime on my first day back to school, my back was in spasm and I wasn’t relishing the thought of the afternoon. I contemplated telling the Deputy Headteacher that I wouldn’t make the staff meeting after school, when I said to myself, “Use your self-hypnosis skills”, and that’s exactly what I did. Sitting in my car, I put on some quiet relaxation music and closed my eyes
with the sole intention to soften. Five, ten, fifteen minutes later my muscles were still in spasm. “Deeper, deeper still,” I said to myself until suddenly I felt the release I had been waiting for. Twenty minutes later, I returned to class completely pain free and relishing the thought of clay with Year 3!

Self-hypnosis is quick and easy to learn, and the benefits include pain management and much, much more! Find out more on how you can control you back pain through self-hypnosis in our full article here.

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I wonder if you’ve ever wanted to go somewhere but didn’t make it out of the house because of how you were feeling inside?

Maybe, you’ve even missed out on an amazing opportunity because it was just too much?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to take control of your thinking, so that you make the most of everysocial opportunity on offer? And, be in the best  emotional state to go where you want to go.

It’s estimated that approximately 5% of the population suffers from Social Anxiety. Also known as Social Phobia, Social Anxiety is a long-lasting fear of social situations unless you know how to control, reduce and eliminate it. 5% means that within every class, in every school, there will be at least one student who is at risk of non-attendance. One day rolls into another and before they know it multiple days of learning are missed. Needless to say, this can have a detrimental impact for the rest of their lives.

In 2017, 90% of Mums surveyed by the ChannelMum.com parenting site in the United Kingdom admitted that they felt isolated since having children. 80% admitted that they wanted more friends, and 30% revealed that they had never started a conversation with another Mum that had led to a friendship. 55% stated that isolation had led to anxiety and 29% stated that there were times when they feared leaving the house.

As primary carers, Mums are their child’s first and possibly most influential role model. Learning social behaviours from the onset is crucial for our children if they are to socialise and thrive in school, the workplace and beyond.

This Blog was inspired by a request from Kayleigh Ashton for me to speak at her Fierce Mums Group where their core purpose is to support Mums with Social Anxiety to feel increasingly more confident in their local community. It was a privilege to spend quality time with the group and to meet their gorgeous children who toddled off to join Sarah in pursuit of the park, whilst I shared key learning and techniques to support these beautiful Mum’s to take back control of their thoughts and begin to get out there more and more.

Defining Anxiety

Whilst it’s normal for all of us to feel nervous from time to time, Social Anxiety becomes an issue when your fears stop you from participating in life beyond your home or safe place. One of the presuppositions of Neuro-Linguistic Programming [NLP] is that “…there is a positive intention behind every behaviour.” This includes conscious and unconscious behaviours, whether you know the intention or not. As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, I sometimes work with my clients to find the route cause of their behaviour; finding that oftentimes the presenting symptoms [e.g. fear, blushing, sweating, heart racing, panic attacks, dissociation, or similar] are the result of an unpleasant experience in the past. Some clients can name their fears, whilst others tell me that they’re no longer sure of the trigger and that the symptoms come on all of a sudden. That is to say, that peoples’ experience of Social Anxiety can vary considerably and so can finding the solution. However, with some key knowledge and a few easy to learn techniques, you can begin to take back control of your emotions today.

Read on to find out the positive intention behind most people’s anxiety and to learn what you can do to bring unconscious behaviours into conscious awareness so that you can take back control and accelerate progress towards your social goals.

Managing Anxiety

As humans, we’re hardwired to be anxious. If I reframe that and state it in the positive, you’re hard wired to keep yourself safe.

Autonomic Nervous System [ANS]

The ANS has two parts:

1. Sympathetic Nervous System [SNS]
2. Parasympathetic Nervous System

The role of the SNS is to prepare the body to defend itself by activating glands and organs. This is called the Fight or Flight response. Blood flow to the brain and muscles is increased, whilst blood flow to non-essential muscles/organs such as the digestive system is decreased. The adrenal glands are activated to provide us with the energy to run or fight.

This is crucial for survival when there is a genuine risk. This is how Neolithic man could escape from a bear!

The PNS is concerned with healing, nourishing and regeneration of the body. It stimulates the immune system, digestion and organs that promote wellbeing. The parasympathetic nervous system can be activated by relaxation, rest and positive thoughts.

Fact or Fiction?

The issue with any form of anxiety is that it activates the Sympathetic Nervous System even when the fear isn’t really there. Our body copes with this in small doses, for example, when we watch a scary film but if the PNS is constantly preparing us to fight or run we start to feel
tired and run down.

The Key to Managing Anxiety

If you can activate the parasympathetic state, you can pre-empt or reverse the symptoms of anxiety. The two systems can’t work at the same time, and you can use a good feeling to outweigh anything else. Richard Bandler, Co-Creator of NLP, explains to his clients and students that we think in words and pictures. Words and pictures are powerful because they trigger good feelings or bad feelings; thus, activation the Autonomic Nervous System. In a nutshell, if someone is scared of a picture in their head [e.g. a spider or the thought of walking into a bar] they activate the ANS because they’re scared of the thought. Basically, it’s the worrying that becomes the issue.

This means that if you can learn to change the pictures and sounds that you make in your head, you can learn to change your response.

If you’re reading this because you want to take control of your social anxiety, I wonder where you’d go and what you’d achieve if you knew you couldn’t fail? The following techniques are for you to experiment with. Have a play and see what works for you. They are divided into
Behavioural and Physical Symptoms, although in reality the behaviour [thought] will trigger the rest.

Five Fierce Ways to address Social Anxiety & Achieve Fabulous Results

Symptom 1 [Behavioural]: Thinking – What if?

For example:

• What if I blush?
• What if I have a panic attack?
• What if someone judges me?
• What if I don’t fit in?

If you’re thinking along these lines, the chances are that you’ll have an image or picture in mind and an internal dialogue [inner voice] that’s coding your thoughts.

Solution: Change the Picture to Change the Feeling

Task 1: Turn up the colour to increase good feeling

1. Think of a pleasant memory.
2. Notice or get a sense of the picture in your head.
3. Use your imaginary “remote control” to make the colours really bright.
4. Notice how the intensity of the feeling increases and feel good all over again!

Task 2: Use Black & White to decrease the bad feeling

1. Think of an unpleasant memory.
2. Notice or get a sense of the picture in your head.
3. Use your imaginary “remote control” to turn the colours to black and white.
4. Notice how the intensity of the pictures decreases and you start to feel better.
5. Bring back the picture in black and white.
6. This time use your imaginary “remote control” or the power of your mind to blink the picture to black, then white.
7. The brain likes to work really fast so now change it rapidly to BWBWBWBWBWBW…
8. Now, notice what happens when you try to bring the picture back. Oftentimes, this becomes impossible.
9. If you still get a sense of the picture, put a frame around it…blink it BWBWBW and then shrink it quickly down to the size of a penny.
10. Notice how much better you feel.

Symptom 2 [Physical]: Butterflies, nausea or an upset tummy when you think about a social event

When you completed the task above, you may have notice that the corresponding feeling within was moving in a specific direction. You’re able to realise the direction of emotions [or e-motion, energy moving in your body] because of your vagus nerve. Also known as the vagabond nerve, the vagus nerve wanders throughout your body, keeps contact you’re your organs, controls the parasympathetic nervous system and sends your “gut instincts” to the brain. As an emotional being, your vagus nerve helps you to sense how energy is moving in your body. What’s more, you can control the direction to feel better. Here’s how:

Solution: Reverse the Spin to Dissolve Discomfort

1. Notice the feeling inside your body. Where does it start? How does it move? Which direction does it spin? [Clockwise? Anti-clockwise? Forwards? Backwards?] To realise this easily, spin your hand in the four directions and sense which spin “fits” best with what you’re feeling inside.
2. Slow the feeling down. Notice how you can make it STOP!
3. Now, spin it the opposite way and notice that discomfort dissolve.

Top tip: If you can reverse a bad feeling, you can also increase a good feeling. You can do it now by remembering something that made you feel really good. Notice the feeling inside your body. Where does it start? How does it move? Which direction does it spin?

[Clockwise? Anti-clockwise? Forwards? Backwards?] To realise this easily, spin your hand in the four directions and sense which spin “fits” best with what you’re feeling inside. This time use the power of your mind to make the feeling spin faster…move it up to the top of
your head and right down through your body and enjoy feeling even better!

Symptom 3 [Physical]: Heart Racing and/or Trouble Catching your Breath

Solution: Keep Calm and Breathe with the 7/11 Breathing Technique

I was first taught this by Tina Taylor, NLP Master Trainer and Clinical Hypnotherapist, when I learnt her methodology for Painless Childbirth. In a nutshell, you can control a social anxiety or panic attack by deep breathing in order to override the sympathetic nervous system and slow down your heart rate, decrease blood pressure and muscle tension and increase focus.

During a Social Anxiety Attack: If you’re breathing becomes shallow, you can instantly take control by reverting to DEEP and INCREASINGLY SLOWER breathes. You can then aim for balanced breathing; breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 4.

7/11 Breathing is a technique that you can use on a daily basis to support a sense of calm and well-being, as well as when you need it. The idea is that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation as this rapidly increases a sense of calm and can lead to deep relaxation. As a
hypnotherapist, I will sometimes use this to begin to induce trance.

Task: Keep Calm and Breathe with 7/11

1. Breathe in for a count of 7…
2. Breathe out for a count of 11… [and sigh]
3. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes, noticing that increasing sense of CALM as you complete each round…

I recommend that my patients practise 7/11 breathing for 5-10 minutes on a daily basis, as this will enable you to achieve a calm default mode. It’s can be your gift to you. Make sure that your sitting comfortable; cross legged, if that works for you. You may want to add some
relaxation music to make it even more relaxing and nurturing.

Symptom 4: Worrying about what the other person is thinking when you’re talking

Solution: Wear your Princess Eyes and Dumbo Ears – Get out of your own head!

When we worry, our focus is internal and we’re apt to overthink what’s happening. When you’re socialising, you can maintain an external focus by looking at the person you’re talking to, noticing everything you can about them and listening so well that you “record” what they’re saying so well that you can play it back later.

Symptom 5: Low Power Body Posture

Solution: Power Posing for 10 minutes Per Day

Professor Amy Cuddy is an American Psychologist who wondered whether our physicality [Body Posture] affects or Psychology [Mood and Confidence]. So, she carried out extensive research to find out by having subjects pose in low body poses [Imagine Eeyore who is painfully shy] compared to Wonder Woman [Fierce and Fantastic]!

Professor Cuddy’s investigations proved that our physiology does affect our neurology for better or worse. So, use power poses of your choice on a daily basis to notice an increasing sense of confidence and well-being.

Tanya Bunting

Tanya is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Trainer and Student Liaison Lead for the International College of Clinical Hypnotherapy. She works flexibly as a therapist, coach, teacher/trainer with clients of all ages, in her hometown [Bournemouth] and wherever her skills and interests take her. With a background in school leadership and a passion for life- long learning, her USP is of course, Learning. Her training gives you the skills to independently use hypnosis [trance] and NLP independently to manage your social anxiety or other symptoms.

Medical Disclaimer

The content in this article is not is not intended to be a substitute for medical/obstetric advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of you GP or other qualified healthcare advisor with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen on a website.

Have you ever wondered why it is that some people look forward to going back to work, whilst others simply dread it?

Last week, I received a request to produce a vlog for teachers to be posted on Sunday! I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve heard teachers say, “I don’t like Sundays,” so I wasn’t surprised when the remit asked for a video and activities to calm those back to work
jitters. For me, as a young teacher, Sundays were definitely all work and no play! And like many other teachers, any enjoyment was dependent on what was on my mind.

Research by the charity Education Support [2019], suggests that around 75% of teachers and school leaders describe themselves as stressed; and OfSTED 2019 note that while teachers overwhelming love their profession, they report numerous negative factors affecting teacher well-being and the impact on learning. Almost 20 years after the UK government passed a bill to support the work-life balance of the teaching force, the emotional well-being of teachers is still in question. Just this week I read a Facebook post that asked, “Are there any other supply teachers who feel nervous to start back to work?”

When I returned to the classroom after 17 years in school leadership, part of me was daunted. My reception class to be were a lively bunch and whilst I couldn’t wait to enjoy them, I wondered whether I’d lost my touch! Luckily for me, I now had NLP in my toolbox – a wealth of knowledge and skills that enabled me to think differently and experience class teaching in a whole new light. Challenges that in the past would have caused the ‘jitters”, were now welcomed opportunities allowing me to apply my new skills and discover their impact. By 09:15 on Day 1, I was in my element! Whilst there were children whos behaviours revealed I needed to fine tune my approach, when things went “wrong” that is the past would have adversely affected my emotional state, I was able to respond differently. And, the same was true of Sundays. Instead of dreading that dread, I now felt excited for the week ahead.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to manage any jitters that you may have and feel positive your working week?

In the accompanying video, I help you to know how our thoughts affect our feelings and teach you a few strategies to think differently, feel better and enjoy the prospect of your working week. Follow the link to watch now and get to know just some of the skills, I learnt
via Dr Richard Bandler [co-creator] and the Society of NLP or read on to experience the key learning in a nutshell!

I hope that anyone new to NLP has enjoyed learning via a glimpse into the types of strategies you can learn, as and when you decide to train. Follow the instructions below to realise the impact of the strategies that you’ve learnt today and once your planned and ready for the week ahead, take time to enjoy your Sunday! And teachers, you can use the
strategies with your class so they can benefit as well.

Exercise 1: NLP Spinning Feelings – Dissolving Discomfort

Dr Bandler talks about e-motion, or energy moving. If you can notice how an uncomfortable feeling is moving and reverse it, you can change how you feel.

1. Think of something that puts you out of your comfort zone; remember what you see, hear, feel when you’re uncomfortable or nervous [e.g. Meeting someone new, public speaking, walking into an interview, the back to work jitters or something else].
2. Notice the feeling inside your body. Where does it start? How does it move? Which direction does it spin? [Clockwise? Anti-clockwise? Forwards? Backwards?]
   Top tip: To realise this easily, spin your hand in the four directions and sense which spin “fits” best with what you’re feeling inside.
3. Slow the feeling down. Notice how you can make it STOP!
4. Now, spin it the other way and notice that discomfort dissolve.

Exercise 2: Keep Calm and Breathe!

I first learnt this technique from Tina Taylor, master trainer of NLP and author of her book Painless Childbirth. In a nutshell, you can control your jitters/anxiety by using your breath to override the sympathetic nervous system and increase a sense of calm, slowing down your heart rate and releasing tension.

1. Breathe in for a count of 7…
2. Breathe out for a count of 11…
3. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes, noticing that increasing sense of CALM as you complete each round…

Exercise 3: Visualise – Imagine a great start to your working week!

Dr Bandler notes that our brain doesn’t know the difference between real life and make believe. This means that if you take time to imagine your working week going well, your brain will think it’s already done it; a bit like an actor rehearsing! Visualising the whole week ahead may prove onerous so chunk down to the first session, a lesson or a meeting that you know will benefit from the opportunity to think ahead.

1. Choose a place and time when you can visualise without being disturbed.
2. Take three deep breaths in through your mouth and out through your nose. On the third
   breath, close your eyes, relax and go inside.
3. In your mind’s eye begin to imagine that session, lesson or meeting you want to go well.
4. Pay attention to your senses. I wonder what you see, hear, feel that tells you what’s going well?
5. Notice how well you respond to each and every challenge, the skills you have that make the difference. If your teaching, notice what you do that has the biggest impact on the children’s learning.
6. When you’re finished, take 2-3 activating breaths to bring yourself back to a full waking state.

Best wishes for a wonderful week…
Tanya

I’ve lost count of the number of times that my pregnant colleagues or clients have noted how tired or sick they are feeling in the first trimester and each time I hear them; I remember it well!

If you’re currently pregnant, I’m sure you remember that moment when it suddenly dawned on you that you might be pregnant. Maybe you missed your period or maybe, like me, you noticed a few tell tale signs that got you thinking.

Tip 1 – Dealing with Morning Sickness

Almost 30 years later, I clearly remember an uneasy tummy on route to college. It wasn’t the sort of tummy upset that turns you off your food, in fact it lured me into eating a British Rail Breakfast from the buffet car. After a few days, the nausea hit before I left the house so having decided that I must be ill, I phoned in sick and skipped a day from teacher training college. I was dozing in my bed when I suddenly realised it was morning sickness. With that, I was up and out, running to the chemist at top speed with a full bladder and returning home to confirm a positive pregnancy test within the hour. Lucky for me, the nausea subsided after the first trimester; unlike my second pregnancy when it continued until my daughter was born and required me to leave my classroom on a regular basis. If only I knew then what I know now…

Richard Bandler, Co-Creator of Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP], teaches his students and clients to recognise their feelings. He notes that e-motion is energy moving; and, that the Vagus nerve that wanders from the brain into the organs in the neck, chest and abdomen has so many nerve endings that we are able to sense the direction in which the feelings are moving. So much so that you can recognise the direction and shape of the feeling. To combat unwanted feelings in NLP, we teach people what they can do to instantly reduce or stop the feeling. So, the next time you feel nauseas you can:

Dissolve Discomfort & Reverse the Feeling of Morning Sickness

1. Notice the feeling inside your body. Where does it start? How does it move? Which direction does it spin? [Clockwise? Anti-clockwise? Forwards? Backwards?] To realise this easily, spin your hand in the four directions and sense which spin “fits” best with what you’re feeling inside.
2. Slow the feeling down. Notice how you can make it STOP!
3. Now, spin it the opposite way and notice that discomfort dissolve.

The term Morning Sickness is misleading as it can occur at any time of day or night! It also affects people differently. Whilst some Mums can just get on, others have more severe symptoms and may even need to avoid certain foods or smells that exacerbate the symptoms. If you have noticed certain trigger foods, you can use the next NLP strategy to switch your thoughts to something more comfortable.

I guess that if you remember a food or activity that makes you nauseas now, there will be a picture, sound or smell associated with it. If you dwell on it, the feeling gets worse, does it not? So, not only can you slow down, stop and reverse the spin; you can also swop the picture, sound or smell to something more palatable using another NLP technique called the swish pattern.

Swish Pattern: Switch a negative to a positive in 5 Easy Steps

1. Notice the picture that forms in your mind when you feel nauseas [e.g. roller coaster or trigger food]
2. Remember a picture that makes you feel comfortable [e.g. a calm place or a favourite meal]
3. Bring up the “Nauseas” picture in your mind and insert the “Comfortable picture” in the bottom left hand corner.
4. Count to three and then gently swish the pictures quickly so that the “Nausea” picture shrinks down, and the “Comfortable” picture appears as life size in your mind. Do this 4-5 times. As you feel more and more comfortable; swish [or swop] quickly so that you rewire your neurology to focus on the good picture. Turn the colours up, notice any sounds or pleasant smells and notice how much better you feel.
5. Now, notice the good feeling associate with the “comfortable” picture; gauge which way that feeling is spinning and make it spin faster and faster, noticing that any unwanted sensations can be replaced with a renewed feeling of comfort.

It’s also important to get plenty of rest because tiredness can make nausea worse.

The example above has been written to support you to swish from nausea to comfort. You can follow the same steps to swish [or switch] form any negative thought or picture in your mind to a positive. One of my Mums in her third trimester recently arrived late for a Painless Childbirth Session because she was tired and emotional and focusing on a negative aspect relating to her workload prior to going on maternity leave. When I spoke with her, she actually wanted to focus on the final preparations for welcoming her new baby into our world. So, we combined the two strategies outlined above by swishing the picture, stepping into the new picture in her mind, noticing how the feeling changed and then doubling the good feelings again and again.

Tip 2 – Controlling Tiredness

It’s common to feel tired or even exhausted in pregnancy, especially in the first 12 weeks when hormonal changes can affect your energy levels and emotions. I remember falling asleep in my dinner and waking up when my husband attempted to take the plate away!

If you want to pace yourself, you can be mindful, Mumma. If you don’t already know, 20 minutes in trance is equivalent to 3-4 hours sleep. So, mindfulness, meditation or self-hypnosis will help you to re-energise throughout the day.

Tip 3 – Be Mindful, Mumma

Mindfulness, Hypnosis and Meditation all work by going inside, slowing down your breathing rate and ultimately slowing down your brain waves.

The main difference between hypnosis and the other two is the mental processing that takes place during hypnosis as a result of the use of positive or direct suggestions. In a nutshell, when you’re in this altered state, your unconscious is much more susceptible to suggestions that you or a Clinical Hypnotherapist can make to support you to achieve what you want, instead of anything else. In your first trimester, you can use self-hypnosis to:

• Improve your sleep pattern
• Relax
• Prepare for being a Mum
• Maintain good energy levels
• Induce relaxation and alleviate anxiety

You can also work with a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist to:

• Further manage morning sickness
• Learn self-hypnosis in preparation
• Establish better habits [if you’re giving up smoking and/or alcohol]

If you want to be more mindful, you can:

• Listen to a guided visualisation.
• Learn self-hypnosis.

If you want to learn NLP and Hypnosis for a relaxing and a comfortable pregnancy, you may want to get started as soon as possible, preferably no later than 30 weeks gestation.  If you want to access my service, please contact me directly on 07985415650 to share your hopes and dreams for your baby’s welcome to our world and I will share how I can help.

Warmest wishes,
Tanya x

This article is for parents to be who know how they want to welcome their new baby into our world but don’t yet have all of the skills to achieve their ideal birth. They may even have fears or limiting beliefs that result in them feeling stuck when it comes to writing a birthing plan.

What is a birthing plan, and do you really need it?

The good news is that a birthing plan can be whatever you want it to be.

As every child’s birth is unique and has many variables, your birthing plan is your perfect opportunity to realise what aspects are most important for your “trio team” (Mum, birthing partner and baby) throughout the process.

The following list gives you a starter of things that you may want to consider:

• The right environment and atmosphere for your “trio team”.
• Your wishes or goals for stage one and two and after the birth, i.e. cutting the cord, placenta, feeding and bathing.
• Your preferences regarding procedures during the birth, i.e. pain management, shaving, enemas, induction, episiotomy.
• Your preferences in the case of any unexpected events.

Hypnotherapy for childbirth

In a nutshell, hypnosis enables you to enter into a relaxed or altered state that supports the birthing process because it keeps the body out of the fight/flight mode which is known to slow down labour. It uses strategies that including breathing, progressive relaxation and visualisation, to support mum to work instinctively with her body and the baby.

Hypnotic anaesthesia uses a range of hypnotic phenomenon that supports mum in managing her own pain relief without needing to rely solely (or even at all) on pain relief drugs that also slow down the birthing process and make baby sleepy before and after the birth. The number of skills that you will learn at hypnosis for childbirth classes will depend on the qualifications, experience and skills of your trainer.

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) complements the use of hypnosis because it works with your “map of the world” (values, beliefs and behaviours) to change any limiting beliefs or fears and to train your brain to support you physiologically during the labour/birthing process.

In summary, when you decide to train with a clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner using painless childbirth (the Tina Taylor way) you will learn:

• About the history of hypnosis in childbirth, why and how it works.
• The impact of stress and how to release it.
• NLP strategies to support your emotional state, manage fears and change limiting beliefs.
• Trance skills and hypnotic phenomena to support the birthing process including pain management.

Want to find out more about how Hypnotherapy can help with your childbirth?

Tanya Bunting helps to change any limiting beliefs and teach you a wealth of skills to ensure relaxing and painless childbirth. Through hynotherapy classes, you can manage your emotional state to help you and your baby throughout both your stages of life. This is including a relaxed state to support breastfeeding and Self-hypnosis for re-energising yourself during the day. Read more about how Tanya can ease childbirth using hypnotherapy and NLP.

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What is lymphoedema?

Lymphoedema is a chronic or on-going condition that causes swelling (oedema) in body tissue. It can affect any part of the body and often develops in the arms and legs. The extent of the swelling can vary from Grade 1 [mild oedema] to Grade 4 [gigantic oedema]. Consequently, patients with lymphoedema can be thought to be morbidly obese by those who lack knowledge and understanding because it’s a condition we hear little about.

How hypnosis helps

The NHS notes that although there is no cure for lymphoedema it is usually possible to minimalise swelling by minimalizing fluid build-up and stimulating the flow of fluid through the system. This includes: Wearing compression garments, skin care, manual lymphatic drainage.

Therapists who use psychoneuroimmunology will create imagery that will support their patients to ‘see’ their system working effectively.

NLP master practitioners trained in using Richard Bandler’s Design Human Engineering (DHE), will support clients/patients to use their own imaginary control panel. With practice, you can influence sensations that previously you may have thought as being out of your control. That is to say, you can achieve a temporary loss or reduction of pain using a very simple technique.

Talking lymphoedema and the benefits of hypnosis

You can read the full article to find out more about lymphoedema and how hypnosis can benefit. Tanya Bunting is a clinical hypnotherapist and NLP trainer, believing that every barrier to learning and achievement can be addressed through coaching.

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When clients contact me for their free 20-minute telephone consultation, they ask whether they should book in for NLP or Hypnotherapy. My answer is always the same…I don’t know…yet! So, what informs my answer to their very important question?

First and foremost, I want to know: What do you want?

In my experience, clients are very good at articulating what they don’t want. They don’t want to be fat, they don’t want to be in pain and they don’t want to feel “blue”. However, it is only when clients know what exactly what they do want that the really magical change begins…

1. Do you know what you want or even what you don’t want?
2. Are you interested in coaching to determine your goals?
3. Do you want to find the motivation and strategies to reach them easily?

Then, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and/or Hypnotherapy can help.

What is NLP?

Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP] is a set of techniques used, primarily, as an approach to personal development. NLP studies the structure of how humans think and experience their world, and provides a powerful tool that is effective in changing human behaviour and capacities

Dr Richard Bandler invented the term “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” in the 1970s. He was recently asked to write the definition that appears in the Oxford English Dictionary. It says:

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is, “a model of interpersonal communication chiefly concerned with the relationship between successful patterns of behaviour and the subjective experiences (esp. patterns of thought) underlying them…a system of alternative therapy based on this which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective communication, and to change their patterns of mental and emotional behaviour.”

It is based on the idea that mind, body and language interact to create an individual’s perception or “map” of the world. One of the pre-suppositions of NLP notes:

“The map is not the territory.”

That is to say that perceptions, and therefore behaviours, can be changed by the application of a variety of techniques. Put simply, if you change how you think, you change how you feel. You can try it now, by following this simple technique.

Exercises

Think about something or someone you don’t like. Notice the image [picture in your mind], the sounds [it might be your voice, or somebody else’s] and the associated feelings. Be aware of your physiology…your heartbeat, your posture or body tension, where the feeling is in your body and how it’s moving. Now change the experience, try:

1. Changing the image, e.g. Big to small, coloured to black and white, near to far.
2. Change the sound, e.g. Loud to quiet, a threatening voice to a silly voice.

These exercises give you an insight into some of the techniques you will learn when you work with me. I can help you to explore further and significantly change your internal experience [thoughts and feelings]. Consequently, you will take control and manage your beliefs to improve your performance. Imagine how much easier it will be to reach your goals when you know how to let go of the stresses or fears that are holding you back…

NLP helps us to focus on how we do what we do. Another presupposition of NLP states: “The resources individuals need to effect change are already within them.”

Imagine how much easier it is when you know how to apply the strategy for something you do well to something you want to get better at…

NLP helps you to explore what makes your version [or map] of the world different to somebody else’s. Where those differences are beneficial, you can learn from the strategies of other successful people. NLP gives you the tools to affect your positive performance. By ‘modelling’ those who have achieved excellence, you are on your way to experiencing your own success.

So, going back to that ever-important question, “What do you want?” It is your response that informs the techniques I use for you to change. I work flexibly with all my clients to empower their unique change. This is a bespoke service. What works for someone else isn’t always right for you, is it?

So, I take time to get to know you, what you want and the difference it will make to YOU. Thereafter, I use the skills and techniques from my “toolbox” that will secure your best result in the fastest and safest way I know possible.

For example, all kinds of Phobias can be eliminated using NLP and/or Hypnotherapy, so I will often distinguish a phobia and seal the change in trance enabling the client to make the most of being phobia free.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis describes a relaxed state that you are already aware of. It may be through meditation, prayer, imagination, daydreaming, guided imagery or relaxation. It enables you to take your attention from the bustling world around you to a focused state, “inside”.

Hypnotherapists like me, are trained to guide you into that focused state or “trance” to support you to overcome current difficulties and achieve your goals seamlessly and easily.

As one of my smoke-stop patients put it recently, “It take’s the pain away”. This is because it enables your sub-conscious to run the show! In a nutshell, it enables change to happen “automatically” without your conscious brain interfering. This is the reason why hypnosis is so successful. A client that I treated for performance anxiety [public speaking] was amazed at the difference just one session can make. This is because your brain doesn’t know the difference between role play and reality, so rehearsing a “change” in trance enables you to overcome those thoughts and beliefs that have been holding you back.

How does Hypnotherapy work?

The word ‘hypnosis’ is an abbreviation of Braid’s term ‘neuro-hypnotism’, meaning ‘sleep of the nervous system’. In this state, the mind becomes particularly receptive to suggestion and is somehow able to exert control over normally involuntary processes. So, while you are in trance, I make suggestions to your sub-conscious mind so that you achieve your goals.

What can Hypnosis help?

Hypnosis [trance] successfully aids personal development because it is a process by which clients can see themselves having completed the change they wish to make. Whether you think you can or you think you can’t you are probably right.” Henry Ford

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

What can Hypnotherapy treat?

Hypnotherapy is used successfully in treating many psychological, emotional and physical issues. Hypno-anaesthesia relieves pain in surgery and dentistry and is proven to be of benefit in Obstetrics.

In my work as The Birthing Coach, I teach pregnant couples to “trance-form” childbirth, using trance skills and hypnotic phenomena to enable a more comfortable birth. This approach can shorten the delivery stage and reduce the need for painkillers. My work is informed by Dr Grantly Dick-Read, an obstetrician working in the early 1900s and Tina Taylor, author of the book Painless Childbirth, NLP Master Trainer and Clinical Hypnotherapist. Grantly Dick-Read was brought up in rural England watching animals giving birth. He queried, “Why do humans experience birth differently?” And, researched childbirth extensively. Having attended a birth in Whitechapel where the lady refused Chloroform; afterwards, she said,

“It didn’t hurt, Doctor. It wasn’t meant to, was it?”

Dr Grantly Dick-Read found that contractions only became painful when the mother was afraid or tense, and stress hormones were released. So, The Birthing Coach teaches pregnant couples to use trance and hypnotic phenomenon to release hormones that support a comfortable birth. Furthermore, Hypnotherapy can help you to:

• Ease the suffering of a disability or terminal illness
• Overcome addictions such as smoking or alcohol
• Support the management of weight loss
• Manage panic attacks or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Overcome stress-related problems such as Insomnia
• Ease tension to manage conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Relieve symptoms of stress such as Eczema
• De-sensitise anxiety or phobias

Learning Self-Hypnosis often proves to be the drug-free solution that patients are looking for.

Is Hypnotherapy suitable for children?

In a word, “YES!”

Children love stories and participating in imaginary journeys, so childhood issues or habits such as bedwetting [Enuresis]and thumb-sucking can easily be treated in trance. In my experience, children are more likely to enter a deeper level of trance when they have ownership of the metaphor [story] or themes for guided imagery. A highly skilled hypnotherapist will work with you and your child to personalise the experience to match his or her interests, desires or goals and motivation. As an Early Year’s Practitioner, I am passionate about supporting children and teenagers to overcome any barriers to their learning or relationships. Teenagers can be supported to overcome stammering, blushing or similar issues that have a detrimental effect on their happiness.

How many sessions will it take?

Whilst nothing is guaranteed, a three-treatment plan is often enough to affect the positive change you are looking for.

Why should I choose a Clinical Hypnotherapist?

In the UK, hypnotherapists don’t have to have any specific training by law. So, when looking for a private hypnotherapist, it is wise to check that they are registered with an organisation that is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, such as the General Hypnotherapy Register. Likewise, if you are looking for someone to work with children it is wise to check that they are qualified and have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.

To explore the question “What do you want?”, arrange a free 20-minute telephone consultation, via the Contact section on my website. I look forward to hearing from you.

Warmest wishes
Tanya

As some of you know Tanya Bunting Coaching is currently in the Sunshine State completing further training with the Pure NLP team [Richard Bandler, John and Kathleen La Valle] with the sole intention of Inspiring You [my clients and students] to Shine. Read on to find out how I was able to test my NLP Change Work Skills on myself during a fab day out at Sea World.

“What will you do while I’m on the fast rides?” enquired Dave.
“Test my skills,” I replied.

A few years ago, I attended an NLP Practitioner course in London with Richard Bandler. I was curious after reading publicity that claimed NLP can change your life. Day 4 was Phobia Day!

There was a wide range of phobias for Richard to deal with, from the standard ones such as spiders and snakes through to public speaking, claustrophobia to ones that were more unusual.

During Richard’s dramatic introduction with a tarantula and an extremely long snake, I was the delegate at the door. The spider was on the move [albeit in a massive conference room] and I wasn’t taking any chances. Richard advised us that, after coffee, we would be working with each other in preparation for holding spiders and snakes. I made my way for a comfort break thinking, I could just go shopping in Kensington. My next thought considered phoning my Mum to which my internal dialogue replied, “You’ll never do it, if you take that risk!”

Richard’s introduction noted that, as humans, we are born with only two fears – a fear of loud noise and a fear of falling. So, what happens?

The theory of classical conditioning [Pavlov 1927] explains how behaviour is learned through ‘stimulus response’ associations. Basically, an event in the environment [stimulus] results in a psychological reaction that is then forged into an association. Phobias [irrational fears of objects or situations] are thought to develop in this way; for example, a person may climb to the top of a high building, and when looking down [environmental stimulus], experience nausea and dizziness [psychological response].

Interestingly, it is not the object nor the situation that causes the fear, but the conditioned response to that object or situation; for example, a person who feels sick when considering a height [real or imagined], learns to avoid it. This becomes a problem when it impedes his or her ability to self-manage. Let’s face it, if you can’t take a lift or travel on an aeroplane, your opportunities for work, travel or leisure are severely jeopardised.

The good news is that whatever you fear, YOU can take control, now.

Learning Theory states, if a behaviour has been learned [conditioned] it can be unlearned [reconditioned].

Traditional techniques include:

•  Systematic Desensitisation – gradually getting reused to a previously unwanted stimulus.
• Massed Practice – repeating an unwanted behaviour [phobic response] many times.
• Aversion – linking a response to a behaviour, e.g. nausea to drinking alcohol.
• Flooding – being thrown in at the deep end, e.g. into a room of spiders. A tad traumatic!

The NLP Fast Phobia Cure was devised by Richard Bandler in the 1970s, and is a highly effective means of inducing radical changes in feelings and behaviour. It is a dramatic demonstration of how NLP can be used to bring about real change quickly so that people can take control of their lives.

NLP incorporates a range of interventions, including trance work [hypnosis] because, as Richard Bandler says himself, you can’t treat every issue in the same way. And why would you, when one method is more effective for an individual or in a particular situation? When asked, Richard is very clear that practitioners should use the intervention that works. In my experience, listening to the client or patient is key.

A learned response…

In the past, my lovely mum often recalled me being comfortable with spiders when I was very young and wondered why things changed when Tanya [the head teacher] would evacuate her office and send for the caretaker! Fortunately, when teaching my Reception Class many years ago, I had the sense to leave the children [with the teaching assistant, I hasten to add] while the creature was dealt with. This, of course, avoided me conditioning a phobic response from the children. My Mum’s response, on the other hand, was priceless…

I recall a day when she found a spider in the bedroom. Leaving a hasty note for my Dad, she packed myself and my brother into the car assuring us that the said spider was “enormous” and provided a vivid description. When we got to where we were going [we had no idea] my Nan was pleased to see us. In the early evening, my Dad arrived laughing about what had happened. My Mum, beyond laughter, then interviewed him in an attempt to risk assess whether it was safe to go home. Eventually, she was reassured that her success criteria for the removal and destruction of the eight-legged beast was fulfilled. It included being caught, the method [hoover or hands], the destruction [won’t elaborate] and the final resting place!

Back to London…

Needless to say, there was no shopping to be had in Kensington on Phobia Day. I returned after coffee to the back of the queue with the intention of holding Tina the Tarantula. Seeing that I needed all the help I could get, my student peer enlisted Kay Cooke, a master NLP Practitioner supporting the team.

“Just imagine,” said Kay, “All the opportunities it will open up for you.
If you can face one fear, you can face the rest.”

That was the start of a major development in my learning and subsequent career plan. Today, I combine my teaching, NLP and therapy skills to elicit rapid change for people who like you, I guess, want to follow their dreams.

“She’s beautiful!” I said, marvelling at her fur coat and slender long legs.

NLP and hypnotherapy enable you to make positive changes easily.

How does NLP and trance work?

In a nutshell, your sub-conscious “runs the show”. That is to say, it works on autopilot. If it has been conditioned to respond to a stimulus negatively, that’s what it will do. Identify the antecedent, and you’re half way there. Programme your brain and you will achieve rapid change, providing you are supported to set positive outcomes that you can start and maintain, and that they are good for you.

And in the Sunshine State…

Yesterday, much of my learning came to fruition on a personal level. More about that in a minute!

My first visit to Sea World was 14 years ago. At that time, I was a head teacher who was always waiting to feel an assembly coming on. My husband and my son, enjoyed the fast rides whilst I became the family “locker”. I was happy strolling and watching with our daughter. In between fast rides, we enjoyed the entertainment as a family. I recall being grateful to Shamu, the Orca, for inspiring a welcome to the new school year assembly but struggled with some of the wild life during the other performances. I could have enjoyed the whole experience even more, if not for my:

• Fear of heights – The viewing tower and rollercoasters were not for me!
• Fear of birds – The release of parrots during the Dolphin Celebration hadn’t been so traumatising.

At UK theme parks, I did ride the teacups but hated the intense feeling of nausea caused by motion sickness.

I’m happy to say that all of that is now firmly in the past.

On entry to Sea World, I was greeted by a troop of wandering flamingos with their handlers lost in the crowd. No time to think about it, reversing the feeling, I enjoyed their pompous greeting. They’re pretty aloof, you know!

Manta [the rollercoaster featured above] has a top speed of 55 mph and a drop from 145 feet — one of the fastest, tallest and longest thrill rides in Central Florida. I loved it because I knew that I could use my skills, as necessary. As for Antarctica [the penguin experience] there was a choice to go sedately or ride on the wild side. The staff announced, “This one spins,” in anticipation of the motion-phobics! No problem for me, I did what Mr. Bandler taught me to do, reversed the feeling and “span” anyway. A further test was the Dolphin Days celebration when a soaring rainbow of tropical birds flew over me; they kept going too fast, I wanted to enjoy their colours even more.

So…having enjoyed sharing my success at Sea World, I am about to embark of a wealth of new learning. The Pure NLP Spring Programme 2018 includes:

• Persuasion Engineering [3 days]
• Design Human Engineering [6 days]
• Charisma Enhancement/NLP Trainer’s Training [6 days]

More information about the opportunities that these courses will open up for you to follow.

Do you want to rid your phobia for good? Learn how to spin good feelings? Change your life? Then, arrange a free 20-minute consultation to get started now. I check my professional emails twice daily and will contact shortly.

Warmest wishes