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Wednesday, December 25, 2019

AnxietyBlog #3 The Triggers

AnxietyBlog #3

The Anxiety Triggers

What triggers your Anxiety?  What are Anxiety Triggers? How do they develop? 
How do I get rid of them?

Your subconscious mind functions by firing your Flight Fight or Freeze reaction.
Flight Flight or Freeze is a Normal Natural Reaction. It’s our warning system of danger, it keeps us safe. When it works properly its great, when it works overtime it becomes a bad habit reaction. Triggered by sensory input.

Your Subconscious Mind is designed to Protect you, Keep you safe, and meet your needs, that’s its job.

The subconscious mind is best thought of as a an audio visual device or camera, Always on record. It is recording All of our experiences 24/7. Audio,Visual, Auditory, Sensory/Feeling. 

So you experience and event or trauma: your subconscious mind records Everything about that experience, related to it and UNrelated to that event.

So for example: You have a car accident. Your brain, your subconscious mind records everything around that accident that happens. And also records Everything surrounding the accident that is Not directly related to that accident. For example, lets say there’s a guy walking by the accident wearing a red coat, UNrelated to the accident, but present.

So it’s 6-8 months later and let’s say you are walking downtown; it’s a sunny day, your with friends, near a cross walk, and you Consciously don’t notice but a guy walks by on the other side of the street wearing a red coat like the guy the day of the accident. Suddenly you are experiencing an Anxiety/Panic attack. 

So if you decide to flee downtown, you have kept the “red coat guy” trigger for anxiety, and added a few more triggers, such as downtown, crosswalks, perhaps crowds downtown etc. ... 

However if you stay, and perhaps sit down or just stand there, and use the diaphragmatic breathing technique** (Relaxation Breathing**), what you will notice is that your anxiety will go slightly up at first and then come steadily down until you are comfortable again.

What you have accomplished is HUGE. You have just eliminated the “guy in the red coat” trigger and prevented the addition of any additional triggers.

Each time you use Relaxation Breathing** in a stressful, anxiety provoking experience, you eliminate a trigger for stress and anxiety, and thus reduce your reaction to triggers. Experiences of anxiety become less and less. You become more and more in control of your level of relaxation. The more you use Relaxation Breathing the quicker it works, the better it works and the less likely you will react to that trigger in the future. it is always with you and available to you wherever you go.

You are more and more in control of your level of relaxation. Where’ve you are, whatever you are doing, whatever is going on around you.

** Relaxation Breathing MUST be diaphragmatic breathing! 

Any other breathing technique will NOT work.

Relaxation Breathing

Relaxation Breathing

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced at least once per day. Practice at bedtime to use to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress.

Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage. Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back arching slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.
This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily several times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.
The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.


Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.

Monday, November 18, 2019

AnxietyBlog #2 The Anxiety Experience

AnxietyBlog #2 The Anxiety Experience

I was in high school. I can’t recall the name of the class, when I was asked to read my paper in front of the class. Yup, just read my paper. My handwriting, paper right there in front of me.

I remember standing at the podium in front of the class, paper resting on the podiums light wood surface. I vaguely recall the students in the desks in front of me.

I do remember feeling suddenly very, very hot. I struggled to breathe. THe paper in my hand was shaking.  The words on the page began to blur and swim across the page. I began to sweat. Then I started to stutter my words...

I don’t remember what happened after that, but I’m sure it was a sudden experience of overwhelming anxiety. Perhaps the teacher asked me to sit down. Perhaps I passed out, i have no recall of the rest of that class.

For years afterward I would avoid any kind of public speaking or standing up addressing an audience. If a class required putting your paper on the overhead projector even, I would transfer out of that class so fast my head would spin. I would also not explain to my friends why I was not taking the AP English class with the rest of my friends.

Five or seven years ago now, I was asked to present on Hypnotherapy and treating anxiety and PTSD at an informational presentation for veterans with PTSD. The presentation was at the State Theater in Traverse City, MI. There were over a hundred people in the audience.

As I waited to take the stage, alone, to present, my stomach began to flip-flop with butterflies.
I uncrossed my legs, put a hand on my stomach just below my rib cage. I began some slow deep “belly” diaphragmatic breaths. I counted 3 or 4 Breathes while affirming positively my enjoyment of speaking in public. The butterflies went away. I heard my name introduced.
I took the stairs to the stage and I enjoyed my presentation, being on stage and answering questions about Hypnotherapy.


Hypnotherapy works. Proper Relaxation Breathing techniques work, if you know the correct way to do it.  I know from experience and you can too.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Big Steps Forward with Hypnotherapy

Life Changing Power of words with Kristin Rivas at TEDxRainier 
Follow link below:


https://youtu.be/joj7_brYWt8

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

AnxietyBlog #1

AnxietyBlog #1

Welcome to the Anxiety Blog. So you have symptoms, sensations... like tingling in hands, feet, arms, legs; upset,”butterfly stomach”; tight chest, feels like you can’t catch your breath, we feel our heart race, breathing is high in the upper chest and shallow,  hands, we sweat, our neck and face become red, we can’t think, concentrate or focus, access to memory is limited.
Essentially we feel awful. 

What is really going on in our bodies? 

ALL of these symptoms are simply a result of not enough oxygen in our system.

The key to lowering stress and getting rid of anxiety reactions is simply getting more oxygen in the body.

The simple fact is: You cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, and at the same time that you are relaxed, calm and peaceful.  (Try it. Try to feel those two groups of emotions at the same time. It simply is impossible. The body cannot do this.)

How do we get more oxygen in the body when we need to, or choose to be, more calm and relaxed?

The following Relaxation Breathing exercise is the answer. You can choose to be as calm and relaxed as you wish, when you wish, anytime, anyplace. You can be in control of your level of relaxation.

You have a muscle that crosses your body, beneath your lungs, called the diaphragm. When you breathe in this muscle pulls down, drawing air into the lungs like a bellows or a plunger. This muscle helps you take air into your lungs. When you walk fast, or run, or do physical work, you can feel this muscle automatically kick in, and you feel your belly expanding so you can inhale more air. This happens normally and naturally. This is the natural breath you were born with.
Learning to use this muscle with each deep breath is the key to your relaxation.

Follow this exercise and learn how to be a more relaxed and calm
person, as relaxed and calm as YOU choose to be.

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced 6-8 times per day, until it once again becomes automatic, natural, the breath you are born with. Practice at bedtime to use it to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress. Good times to practice: standing in line at the store, at a stop light in your car, in the waiting room of an office, on commercial breaks while watching a movie.

Relaxation Breathing Exercise:  Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage, start your breath here. 
Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back expanding slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to gently push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.
This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily many times, 6-8 times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving, sitting at a stop light, waiting in line…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.
The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.

Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.



Thursday, June 13, 2019

Quit Smoking with Hypnosis !!!

Grand Traverse Hypnotherapy and Counseling has a 
92% Success rate for Stopping Smoking
For people completing the 4 session program.
Call 231-590-7759 for more information. 
Be Healthy make your appointment.

On stop smoking with hypnosis:

REPORTED SUCCESS RATES FOR
DIFFERENT SMOKING CESSATION METHODS

60% - Single session Hypnosis
30% - Cassette tapes with Hypnotic suggestion
29% - Exercise and breathing therapy
25% - Aversion therapy
24% - Acupuncture
10% - Nicotine Replacement Therapy
6% - Willpower alone
Source: New Scientist magazine, volume 136, issue 1845, 31 Oct 92


Receive Support, Guidance and tools to help you be more calm and in control of your habits. Learn easy techniques for self calming and quieting urges and cravings for cigarettes. Build Life changing, healthy habits.

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Weight Loss with Hypnotherapy

Lose weight Feel GOOD while you do it! Build your Self Esteem, get your Relaxation. Feel better about yourself. Eat Healthy for life. Enjoy your body. Feel comfortable, relaxed, Happy and motivated to Enjoy exercise. (Not torture). Enjoy eating more fruits and vegetables.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

CBTi - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

Grand Traverse Hypnotherapy and Counseling 
Now offering: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia - CBTi

See new insights into Sleep, what’s normal sleep time, what you can do to improve sleep:
The New Science of Sleep 

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Video On-Line Hypnotherapy & Counseling

Now Offering Live Video On-Line Hypnotherapy and Counseling. 
Meeting the needs of long distance patients.


Wednesday, March 6, 2019

What you eat can treat your depression:


The Food That Helps Battle Depression

The right kind of diet may give the brain more of what it needs to avoid depression, or even to treat it once it’s begun


You’re feeling depressed. What have you been eating?
Psychiatrists and therapists don’t often ask this question. But a growing body of research over the past decade shows that a healthy diet—high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and unprocessed lean red meat—can prevent depression. And an unhealthy diet—high in processed and refined foods—increases the risk for the disease in everyone, including children and teens.
Now...