SMOKING EXCUSES

           My clients give me many reasons they smoke.  There are some common reasons that smokers use to explain why they smoke and what they get out of smoking.  All of these must be addressed to be a successful, healthy nonsmoker.

         "I use cigarettes for relaxation." Or, "Anytime I'm stressed I need a cigarette."  In actuality, cigarettes stress your body.  Among the 200 plus known poisons in cigarettes are benzene (a cancer-causing flammable liquid) formaldelyde (a disinfectant and preservative), carbon monoxide (a poisonous oxygen blocker) and hydrogen cyanide (a poisonous rat killer).  I guarantee whenever you smoke a cigarette, it actually stresses your body because you are ingesting poison.  In addition, nicotine is a stimulant which causes the release of adrenaline, "the fight or flight" hormone which can leave you feeling stressed rather than relaxed.  Relaxation and stress relief are triggered when you take the break at work, sit outside on your deck, get away from the aggravations and the deeper breathing when you inhale that slows down your blood pressure and heart rate.  So take your break and do some deep breathing -- without a cigarette.

         "I'll gain weight if I quit."  People don't gain weight because they quit smoking.  They gain weight because they eat more and substitute eating for smoking.  When you become a nonsmoker, stay away from foods high in fat and sugar, avoid nervous snacking and get more exercise."

         "I know a smoker who lived to be 95 and never had a smoking related health problem."  That's great for that person.  Just know that person is the exception rather than the rule.  Diane Stover, chief of pulmonary medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York once commented that eighty percent of the diseases she treats are related to smoking.  You don't have to believe the constant studies reported in the media, just go to any hospital and talk to the patients.  You are unlikely to be the exception.

         "I've tried to quit before.  I've never been able to quit."  Know that each person has their own path to being a nonsmoker.  Some people may try to quit more than one time.  Just know that each try increases the chance that you will succeed.  If you have tried patches and pills, hypnotherapy is another way to become a nonsmoker permanently.

LOSE BELLY FAT WITH HYPNOSIS

     If you are carrying extra weight through the midsection and dieting doesn't seem to work, it may help to understand why it's been so hard to lose your belly fat.  The problem may not stem from overeating or lack of exercise but from stress.  Stress affects you not only mentally and emotionally but physically as well.  When a person is stressed, chemicals are released by the brain to the adrenal glands.  The adrenals then created their own chemicals including the key adrenal problem behind belly fat, the steroid cortisol.

     Cortisol increases appetite and keeps blood sugar levels and insulin high which causes the storage of excess blood sugars as fat in the belly.  Unfortunately, diet changes alone do not affect belly fat and often frustrate a dieter when weight loss occurs but the belly still bulges.  In fact in many cases, fixating on diet may actually increase stress producing more cortisol and more belly fat.

     So how do you get out of this circle of frustration?  Certainly continuing to eat healthy foods and move regularly should be part of your plan to lose belly fat.  In addition, research suggests using Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C.  Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and trout, walnuts and flax.  Supplementation can also be done with omega-3 fish oil supplements.  Be aware that fish oil has a blood thinner action.  So check with your doctor before using the supplement especially if you already take blood thinners.

     In addition, eat vitamin C rich foods which can help with stress and belly fat.  Studies have shown that adrenal glands register vitamin C deficiency as a stress problem and increase cortisol output.  Fruits such as peaches, oranges and strawberries are excellent sources of vitamin C.  Vegetables including sweet red pepper, broccoli, tomatoes and cauliflower also are rich sources of vitamin C.  Supplementing with Vitamin C is also an easy option especially if you are not good about eating your fruits and vegetables.

     Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool in dealing with the underlying problem of stress.  By creating new tools to deal with the stress including triggering relaxation and controlling anxiety, you can stop the cycle of stress, cortisol production and belly fat.

HYPNOSIS FOR ELIMINATING FEARS IN SPORTS

        Eliminating fears, anxieties and other obstacles which can hold you back from your best athletic performance is another way to use hypnotherapy.  Over the years, I have seen many clients who had an actual physical fear of their sport.  Little-leaguers afraid of being hit by a ball, gymnasts afraid of falling off the horse or equestrians anxious after a fall are some of those issues.  But there are other fears that may stand in the way of peak athletic performance.  Sometimes the fear is of failing.  Some of the children I see have been competing in their sports for much of their life. They know that many hours and much money has been spent to get them to the competition so the pressure and fear of failing can be enormous.  Professional athletes have both their economic lives and personal identities tied up in their sports so fear of failure can be a constant pressure upon them.  Sometimes the fear is of moving up to the next level and fear of a stronger more powerful competition is causing problems for the athlete.  Hypnosis can be used to eliminate those obstacles and allow the athlete to compete and enjoy their sport without fear.

SMOKERS TO NONSMOKERS

Are you thinking of becoming a nonsmoker?   You are not alone. In 2006 Charlize Theron, a three pack a day smoker, became a nonsmoker with the help of a hypnotist.  The following is a list of some people you may know who have become nonsmokers.

Whoopi Goldberg                       2007

Jon Stewart                                 Dec 2000

Matt Damon                                2005 with the help of clinical hypnosis

Geselle Bunchen                         with hypnosis

Kelly Ripa                                    2006

TWILIGHT acresses, Ashley Greene and Nikki Reed                        2009

Courtney Cox                               2006 with hypnosis

Billy Joel                                      with hypnosis

Christy Turlington                        1995

Vince Vaughn                              2005

David Arquette                            2008 with hypnosis

Mel Gibson

Drew Barrymore                           2001 with hypnosis

HYPNOSIS FOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

     A sports psychologist for a U.S. Olympic team once noted that 80 to 90 percent of an Olympic athlete's performance is in the mind.  In the 1960's in East Germany, Olympic trainers were working with athletes using hypnosis.  Today hypnotherapists work with trainers and sports psychologists at the college and professional levels as well as Olympic athletes.  Using your mind to improve physical performance can be of real value to you and hypnosis is a great way of using your mind.

     An issue for which clients come to see me is improving athletic performance.  I have had hypnotherapy clients who are professional athletes wanting to improve their performance in everything from football to golf.  Students come to see me hoping to release fears about getting hit by a ball or a tackle or improving their skills enough for a scholarship.  I have worked with Olympic hopefuls in diving, swimming and gymnastics.  All recognize that hypnosis can be a great tool to improve their skills in their chosen sport.

     There are a number of different ways that hypnosis can improve athletic performance.  Using visualization is a key part of such improvement.  Back in 1984, Mary Lou Retton competed in the Olympics.  She described her nighttime ritual of visualizing her routines, "I see myself hitting all my routines, doing everything perfectly.  I imagine all the moves and go through them with the image in my mind."   She did just that in the competition.  Note that the hypnotherapist does not need to know a great deal about your sport, you will give her a description and the words that will be used in your session.

What Will My Hypnosis Session Be Like

When people who have never worked with hypnosis are trying to understand what will happen during their session, they ask many of the same questions. What will it feel like? Will my eyes be open or closed? What will I do? Will I be talking during the session? Will I look weird while I am in hypnosis? What if I get into hypnosis and I don’t come out? One of the reasons I offer a free consultation before a client experiences hypnosis is so prospective clients have a chance to ask their questions. Perhaps I can answer some of those questions for you here.

What will it feel like? Many people describe hypnosis as just a peaceful, relaxed state. In fact, over the years, a number of my clients have described the session as “mind massage”. But the interesting thing, hypnosis doesn’t have to be a relaxed stated. In fact in hypnosis, a client can be instructed to become tense or even stiff. Most people have seen the comedy club hypnotist instruct somebody to lie stiffly between two chairs. There would be little reason for such a suggestion in a hypnotherapy session. In such a session, a client can move but usually remains still. Hypnosis is a state of high concentration. As you pay more and more attention to the voice of the hypnotherapist, distractions just seem to fade away. So, for most clients, your mind tends to be focused and mentally alert while your body feels comfortably relaxed.

Will your eyes be open or closed? A person can be in hypnosis with eyes either open or closed. I usually ask the client to close his eyes right at the beginning of the session. In this way, he is not distracted by certificates on the wall and book titles in the book case.

What do I do during hypnosis? Some people are concerned about doing something embarrassing. Over the years, several people have told me they don’t want to bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken. These images of hypnosis come from stage show hypnotists who are there to entertain an audience. In a hypnotherapy session, my job is to help you to improve your life by dealing with a personal issue or changing a behavior. Your job is to get comfortable, focus on my voice and accept the suggestions which are in your best interest.

Will I be talking during the session? Maybe – Maybe not. Most of the sessions that I do include a clinical interview in which the client has a chance to talk about their issue, how it is affecting their lives and what they want to have happen because they came to see me. Because of the clinical interview, there isn’t much reason for the person to talk during the actual hypnosis. In some hypnotherapy sessions, however, the client will talk. I don’t know where she misplaced her diamond ring or what happened when he was twelve years old.

Will I look weird while I am in hypnosis? Most people in hypnosis simply look relaxed. Some people’s lips part or their mouth may be open. Don’t worry about how you look. Hypnotherapists look at people with their eyes closed and their mouths open all day. It’s part of the job.

Finally, some people are concerned that the therapist might lead them into hypnosis and then not be able to get them out. No one has ever gotten “down there” and not been able to return to alertness. The hypnotherapist will lead you out of hypnosis and back to an alert state at the end of your session. A client once asked me “What if you keeled over while I was in hypnosis?” I replied then you will open your eyes and call 911.” You are not unconscious or asleep and you will return to alertness through the guidance of your therapist or your own choice.

My advice for anyone seeking hypnotherapy – find someone you trust. It’s not unreasonable to have some kind of free consultation to make sure you feel the person you are working with is a professional with whom you feel comfortable. Do your research about hypnosis, ask your questions of any therapist you are considering and make an informed decision to use this valuable tool to help you in making the changes you seek.

What does Hypnosis Feel Like?

Many prospective clients who have never been hypnotized will ask me "what does hypnosis feel like?"    Over the years, I have had many answers to that question.  I experience hypnosis as just a very pleasant, relaxed state.  The description that many people give is that hypnosis feels like "mind massage".  Others compare it hypnosis to how they feel when meditating. Time distortion is common in hypnosis.  Many clients are surprised to know that 45 minutes has gone by when they felt like the session had only taken a few minutes.

Hypnosis causes actual physical changes in your body.  Your muscles relax, your breathing slows and deepens, your blood pressure drops and your heart rate slows down.  In addition, even oxygen consumption and skin temperature can change.  As these physical changes take place, some people describe their body as feeling very heavy.  One client commented, "I felt like I was sinking down into the chair."  Just as likely you may feel light like you are floating or even tingly.  Some people feel warm while others begin to feel cool. I have never had anyone describe it as anything but pleasant.

Sometimes people will open their eyes at the end of the session and say "that was really nice, but I don't know if I was hypnotized or not."  For some people, the hypnosis session itself just isn't very dramatic.  As always, the proof is in the pudding.  When people lose the weight, or become nonsmokers, or deal with some other issue in their life, that's when they know they really were in hypnosis.

Often what people know about hypnosis is what they saw at the comedy club.  Stage hypnotists give silly or embarrassing suggestions for entertainment purposes.  The people who wind up on stage shows are people who want to be on stage shows.  They don't have to fake their responses.  They are exhibitionists who are extremely suggestible.  When you are hypnotized you always have the choice to reject any suggestion that is against your moral or ethical values. When you are working with a professional hypnotherapist, you are not there for entertainment or to show off.  You help to plan the suggestions so you can make the changes you want in your life.

Hypnosis is just a way of giving you a comfortable focused way to accept the suggestions you want to make the changes you want.  No one can force you to accept any suggestion. However, you experience it - feeling light or heavy, warm or cool, you are in control.  When you accept the suggestions and make the changes, you did it!

Welcome to the Jennifer P. Johnson Blog Site!

Hello all and welcome to the launch of the Jennifer P. Johnson Blog Site!

Our goal is to provide information to those who are interested in hypnotherapy and would like to find out more about how it works, reasons to consider having a session, and how people have been affected by their hypnotherapy.  These blog entries will be original articles by myself and contributing authors.

I will regularly update this site and hope that you come back regularly to find out more about hypnotherapy.

-Jennifer