Album Description
This CD is an extension and companion to the book, An Easier Childbirth. For a complete preparation program, use the CD and workbook together.

Body-centered hypnosis has proven to be a powerful tool for increasing the likelihood of normal delivery and developing the bond between mother and unborn child. Dr. Gayle Peterson uses vocal intonations and symbols to encode messages to the body that address emotional concerns which affect the pregnant woman during… More >>

Body-Centered Hypnosis for an Easier Pregnancy and Childbirth

Surprised? Well you may be even more surprised to discover that it’s not a new development but a simple therapy that has been around for centuries. This miracle cure for all the modern-day trials of childbirth was pioneered by Dr Grantly Dick-Read, the founder of the National Childbirth Trust no less. He was a leading proponent of the use of hypnotherapy in labour when he wrote ‘Childbirth Without Fear’, originally published in 1933.

Inspired by the good doctor, the HypnoBirthing movement gathered pace in the US in the latter part of the 20th century. Created by hypnotherapist Marie Mongan, it provides a structured training programme for practitioners as well as books and CDs offering practical advice and information for expectant parents.

Extensive research, mainly in the US but including some small studies in the UK, demonstrates without exception the many benefits of hypnosis in childbirth. Despite this and the fact that there are a growing number of hypnotherapists trained to support maternity services, HypnoBirthing is not available within the NHS.

Midwives in Scotland who dipped into their own pockets to pay for hypnotherapy training earned numerous testimonials from happy parents for their trouble. But, as is the case with the majority of alternatives to drug-centred treatment, the medical establishment is reluctant to acknowledge hypnotherapy as a valid treatment for any kind of condition. And this is even though a study conducted back in the 1950s gave it sufficient credibility for the BMA to recommend that hypnosis techniques should be taught to all medical students. Needless to say, the recommendation was never taken up.

However, the National Childbirth Trust is a testament to parent power, proving that sizeable numbers of us would prefer to keep medical intervention in childbirth to a minimum using safe, simple, tried and tested methods. On the whole, our heroic midwives support this aim and we are fortunate indeed to have all the technology NHS budgets can afford to provide life-saving treatment when things don’t go to plan. That said, if you do a straw poll of any number of mums in your acquaintance you’ll find an unsettling number pale at the memory of their labour and, if pressed, will reveal something traumatic about the birth of their cherished little ones.

In fact, I’d describe my own two experiences of childbirth as harrowing to say the least and believe they would have been very different if I had the knowledge I have since gained as a clinical hypnotherapist.

So let me explain how hypnotherapy helps mother and baby, making the job easier for attending midwives and ultimately reducing complications and subsequent costs. Dr Dick-Read rejected the need for pain relieving drugs during childbirth on the grounds that pain was principally a product of preconceived fear and tension. He called it the ‘fear-tension-pain’ syndrome and believed that women who were properly prepared could control labour pain themselves without having to resort to medication.

Our innate fear of childbirth is a belief derived from cultural conditioning. There are non-westernised cultures where it is considered normal for babies to be delivered without pain. But, for us, the term ‘labour’ automatically conjures up thoughts of pain and struggle. And we relate hospitals to sickness and death, not life.

So, two evocative negative images already exist deep within our psyche, in the subconscious, where thoughts and beliefs gathered through a lifetime are deeply embedded. It is this part of the mind where hypnosis does its work and where hypnotherapy can begin to transform the birth experience by dislodging negative conditioning.

Contrary to popular belief and a mystique cultivated by stage performers, hypnosis is no more extraordinary an experience than day-dreaming. It is a trance-like state between waking and sleeping which we frequently go into quite naturally during the course of a day. What is exceptional about hypnosis is that it enables us to access the subconscious part of our brain and change our way of thinking through imagery and suggestion.

We cannot consciously ‘unthink’ long held beliefs any more than we can learn not to read any more. We cannot, through sheer force of willpower, decide not to feel pain. But hypnosis enables us to overcome fears and focus our attention away from pain to a degree that makes it possible to block it out completely.

This is powerful stuff so it’s worth stating loudly that no-one can be hypnotised against their will or be forced whilst under hypnosis to behave or think in a way they do not wish to. The act of becoming hypnotised is, in effect, self-hypnosis, whether induced by a therapist, by listening to a CD or simply by relaxing and using well-practiced techniques. This alone reduces tension and creates a feeling of well-being and calm.

Ante-natal hypnotherapy sessions enable pregnant women to fine tune this natural ability. With the guidance of a clinician, anyone can learn to use what is described as the ‘hypnoreflexogenous protocol’ to create a ‘conditioned reflex’. Put simply, it is possible through hypnosis to prepare emotionally to remain in control of and respond confidently to the physical process of childbirth. So, women giving birth can overcome the ‘fear-tension-pain’ syndrome using self hypnosis to achieve the best possible outcome in their given circumstances. There are even examples of caesarean sections being carried out using hypnosis alone as anaesthetic. But this is at the extreme end of the spectrum of uses of hypnosis because of the degree of preparation required for a patient to undergo any kind of surgery in this manner.

All you have to do is Google ‘HypnoBirthing’ or ‘hypnosis and childbirth’ and you will find numerous clinical studies revealing to varying degrees, but nonetheless quite staggering, statistical success stories. Time after time you will find evidence of considerably shorter labours, particularly for primigravid women, with the first stage reduced by three hours or more. Typically, twice as many women using hypnosis require no pain medication and the majority delivery spontaneously without any surgical intervention. Interestingly, though perhaps not surprisingly, higher Apgar scores are recorded for ‘hypnobabies’.

What is clear from research findings is that hypnosis is a safe and effective way to decrease the perception of pain whilst increasing your ability to manage the sensations of labour. With plenty of practice, it is possible for some women to use self hypnosis to eliminate pain completely and experience only pressure during contractions. While not all of us can achieve this, we are all capable of decreasing our perception of pain and increasing our coping skills. When tense, anxious or frightened, our bodies create a ‘fight or flight’ response.

Animal research shows that, if threatened by predators, mammals will flood their bodies with ‘fight or flight’ chemicals to stop labour so they can get themselves and their babies to safety. This was also demonstrated during the Blitz when it was noted that women in labour would stop when air raid sirens went off only to start again after the raid was over. In a normal environment, the ‘fear-tension-pain’ syndrome can create the same response, leading to prolonged labour, greater foetal distress and lower Apgar scores.

Conversely, self hypnosis creates a state of deep relaxation whilst fully aware, totally relaxed and in control. It generates feel-good endorphins, making it possible to maintain energy levels throughout the physically demanding process of childbirth. And the benefits don’t stop there. Research reveals that mothers who deliver under hypnosis overwhelmingly report positive feedback on the whole experience. Complications are fewer and more pregnancies go to full-term. Partners are more engaged as they are involved in maintaining the right conditions for hypnosis to do its work and they do not have to experience seeing the mother of their child in extreme distress. Postpartum, these mums recover more quickly and are less susceptible to post natal depression.

Given all this evidence, it is my passionate belief that all parents-to-be should at least be made aware of the incredible power of hypnotherapy and have the opportunity to experience the advantages for themselves.

A Hypnotherapist’s Casebook. No 1.

Hypnotherapy for Healing.

A little over ten years ago I was between jobs. I had been working in Psychiatric Hospitals and other Institutions, as an Admissions Counselor, Chemical Dependency Counselor, Case manager and Discharge Planner. I was attending some college courses, hoping eventually to obtain a Psychology degree, when a friend of mine suggested, “Why don’t you study hypnotism, you could help people stop smoking and make some money.” It seemed like a good idea, so I ended up attending classes at the world renowned Gil Boyne Hypnotism Training Institute, in Glendale.

As soon as I saw on the first video what Mr. Boyne was able to achieve with hypnosis I exclaimed to him, “You are getting people to give you information in a few minutes that would take six months to a year in therapy, because consciously they don’t know these things!” I knew I had encountered something I had always wanted, a means to make my work as a counselor more effective and economical in terms of both time and money. As yet I was not aware of the possible depth, speed and range of change available through hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

I have since discovered that hypnotherapy can be divided into two aspects. 1). “Putting in the good stuff,” or suggestion therapy. To most people this is the most familiar, planting suggestions in a clients mind of a beneficial nature, such as, “You will act on the powerful desire you discover today to stop smoking for good.” etc., while a person is in a hypnotic trance. The other aspect could be described as, 2). “Taking out the bad stuff,” by altering and/or releasing historical causations of difficulties. This trance-pires by entering the subconscious mind, the other seven eighths of our mind we have little awareness of, and relieving difficulties in hypnotic trance. Of course, both aspects may well be implemented concurrently, (at least by me), with any client.

The effectiveness can be astonishing. One client returned after the first session and stated. “I stopped drinking coffee, watching soap operas, and have emerged from a low grade depression of many years duration.” As a bonus, this man had a thyroid condition called “Bright’s Disease,” which caused his eyes to be permanently popped out, so he looked angry or scared all the time. It was now only barely visible around one eye. In addition, three quarters of the anxiety, regarding supervisory duties at work, which initiated his visit, had vanished. Though hypnotherapy is not always so dramatically effective as this, I inform prospective clients that eighty percent of those I work with usually see major positive changes within four sessions. I have seen the client’s blood pressure go down from regular use of one of my self-hypnosis tapes. Persons have obtained rapid healing with little pain from invasive medical procedures and surgeries. Young persons, (around fourteen to twenty one years,) if willing, can often gain astonishing progress, due to being so open, and mentally fluid.

My process produces all kinds of general positive change, then I also work on the specifics. I help a person gain access to inner resources and increased self-esteem, while removing blocks that are keeping them stuck, so they can resume personal growth without me. Naturally, the amount of time and work necessary to obtain relief from any difficulty is related to it’s prior nature, duration, intensity and severity, and the available inner and outer resources.

What kind of problems is hypnotherapy useful for? Traditionally it has been successful, with habit control, smoking, weight, bedwetting, nail biting, stuttering, and so forth. Also to increase self confidence, motivation, memory, concentration, creativity, productivity and self esteem. For reducing anxiety, releasing fears, phobias, headaches and nightmares. Sexual problems of both sexes may be amenable to hypnotic methods. The rapid release of grief is often very easy to facilitate, and unresolved grief from past losses is a significant contributor to more difficulties than is generally known. I have found that even the death of a beloved animal can leave a person in a state of frozen mourning. I use Hypnosis as an adjunct to treating drug and alcohol problems.. I receive referrals from Psychiatrists, Doctors, Psychotherapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Alternative/ Complementary Medicine practitioners, to assist clients who may be stuck in some way, or have a problem, such as mental and physical tension, that the referring party does not treat.

Correction of many obstinate physical/mental/emotional situations can be initiated. In fact, the holistic hypnotherapeutic process is as unlimited as the boundless Shaman’s Imagination of the practitioner, and to the extent that he can utilize his Wizard Words to conjure up Magical Image Processes that heal, as becomes a Charm-ing Mage. Hypnosis then works in the I of the mind, as an Alchemical Philosopher’s Stone, trance-muting the unknown into the golden healing known. Now I will close with the words of Tiny Tim, from a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens,
“God bless us all, each and every one.”

Till the next time, Brian.

A Hypnotherapist’s Casebook. No 2.

Releasing Past Grief.

One of the most useful aspects of hypnosis is that in trance, a person’s emotional defenses are softened or lowered. This allows for the release of previously submerged and trapped emotions. A heightened awareness of thoughts and feelings also trance-pires. This combination allows the possibility of resolution of difficulties following the rapid location of their deeper source.

This is especially relevant for the release of blocked or frozen grief. A significant number of my clients suffer from this as a major component of their difficulties. It contributes to poor concentration, irritability, feeling “down”, physical and psychosomatic problems, and accentuates any other problem a person might have. This may be despite a person’s belief that they mourned the loss. Over many years with many clients, when probed in a relaxed trance state, only two had no residual pain regarding a major loss. For most, rapidly obtaining complete relief is a relatively simple matter. After the release, remarks such as, “I never knew that was there.. still bothering me so much,” etc. are made. One female, having dinner with a friend after a session, was told, “The look of pain that was always in your eyes has gone.” This was after the release of grief entangled with guilt, as is often the case, subsequent to an abortion.

Grief is not restricted to the death of a loved one or family member. Miscarriages as well as abortions. The loss of a beloved pet animal can be agonizing, especially for those who have fewer deep connections to other human animals. The end of a long-term relationship is often like a death. As an addictions professional, I am aware that saying goodbye and mourning the loss of the “old friend” that could always be “depended on”, whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, or whatever, is a sometimes a necessary step along the road to abstinence.

To close, I will detail these simple easy cases where the release was a mini-miracle, immediate and complete. The first was a lady who had lost a baby due to a miscarriage a year before she came to see me. After assisting her to enter a relaxed state I began, “You mentioned the loss of your baby… ” At these words, her head went back, and a wordless howl of agony emerged, on, and on, and on.. finished at last.. no words.. that was it, all of it.

While on vacation, a man’s long term pet, his dog, had died. Somebody remarked, “You have to take them on a last walk before they die,” and he had become deeply guilt stricken, feeling he had failed his old pal, and had sunk into a deep depression. In trance, I pointed out to him that he had taken the dog for his last walk, before he departed on vacation. The guilt resolved, with further grieving he came to peace, and laid his canine friend to final rest.

A young woman had had an emotional breakdown, after rejecting her partner for being a womanizer, with no interest in changing. She was hardly eating or sleeping, barely living, going to work like a zombie. Coming out of the first trance, after grief release she said, “I’m hungry!” Returning for the second session she said, “When he calls me on the phone, instead of feeling so desperately awful, I see myself saying goodbye to him as I visualized in trance, and I’m O.K.” Aligning her head and heart while releasing the tears of grief was all it took. Because she had no other problems to complicate matters, only one session was needed to initiate her recovery process. Though not always this simple, healing is always a possibility.

Till the next time, Brian.

A Hypnotherapist’s Casebook No. 3.

Working With Young People.

Hypnotherapy with young persons, from the ages of approximately 13 to 21 years old, can often produce extraordinarily powerful results. One reason is that their minds are so open and flexible, so that the process of change is easily assimilated into their own current growth and development. In addition, their personality and self esteem are still being formed by incorporating the “messages” conveyed by the words and behavior of family, authority figures and peers. Positive suggestions absorbed in trance give them the necessary emotional support and nurturing that they need.

The common antecedent to many problems is parental conflict, especially separation and divorce. Adults usually have little idea how these events devastate a child’s sense of security. A rapid drop in academic levels, or sudden negative behavioral changes, (if not the result of alcohol/drug problems, another common cause), frequently indicates a problem at home. Remarriage often brings on or further aggravates difficulties. Much of the time the child is classed as either mad or bad, when in fact they are caught in emotional traps. Because young people are very in touch with their situations and emotions, especially in trance, it is often quite a simple process to assist them obtain relief. Many require no more than four or five sessions, of two hours plus, for virtual elimination of their troubles. Simultaneous initiation of ongoing emotional improvement processes adds many more benefits. Realizing that a person’s life may be radically improved for fifty or more years is personally very rewarding to me. Also, my own adolescence was so disastrous, agonizing and bereft, that I have a deep compassion and understanding of troubled teenagers, and love to provide them with the assistance I never knew I needed, and of course did not get.

Serious problems such as trichonomania, (compulsively pulling out of hair and eyelashes), obsessive hand washing, night terrors, and so forth, have also yielded to my hypnotic ministrations. I have helped a succession of young males reverse declining grades and other unacceptable behavior at school, by resolving resentment regarding a stepfather, especially if the stepfather is “mistreating” a mother the son is very close to. Unfortunately, when a young person gets poor grades, not knowing this is the result of emotional stress, they may conclude they are stupid and may begin to regard themselves as a failure. In fact, I have retroactively dealt with these issues in adults, still carrying scars to their self-esteem from precisely this sequence.

Till the next time. Brian Green.
http://www.mindmagic123.com

Most people do not understand what hypnosis really is and therefore cannot appreciate how vital its use can be in taking control of your pregnancy and well being.  Hypnosis is normal and natural and is finally becoming recognized in the medical profession as an extremely valuable tool to assist in many areas of health, not just in pregnancy and childbirth.

In the Jenkins and Pritchard study referred to above, not only was delivery time dramatically reduced, significantly less pain medication was administered.  They also found that the incidence of postpartum depression was reduced and the incidence of spontaneous deliveries was increased. All this of course, is better for mother and child, and also the medical personnel dealing with mother and child.  In the Omer study mentioned above the birth weight of the babies was significantly greater than in a control group.  Again, this is much better for the baby.

Hypnosis is also known to be a natural aid to increasing your chances of conception.  This makes very good sense as hypnosis is a state of relaxation and reduces stress which is known to be a barrier to getting pregnant.  It is also quite logical that the more relaxed you are during pregnancy the more comfortable and relaxed your baby is as well.  Once again, medical research supports this phenomenon. Mothers using self hypnosis to reduce stress and anxiety whilst pregnant had fetuses that moved more actively than those who didn’t. (Zimmer, Perets, Eyal and Fuchs).

Other than the prime importance of having a healthy baby, the thing that every single prospective mum is interested in is, of course, pain control.  A lot of research has been carried out in this field and so I’m not going to refer to particular studies, but merely say that its effectiveness has been sufficiently well proven.  Simply type “hypnosis for pain control in childbirth” into Google and a whole host of information will appear.  It is worth remembering that before pharmaceuticals became available to assist in pain control, the only technique available was mind control; and you can learn to use your mind to put your natural opiates to work.  I’m not advocating that you use hypnosis instead of pharmaceuticals; simply that this is a natural option open to you and both are complementary.  

I think everyone will agree that in the Western world medicine in general has moved from one end of the scale to another with the advent and easy availability of so many new pills and potions.  It has become the norm to look to the medical profession to provide a pill in answer to every circumstance instead of looking to see if there is anything you yourself can do to assist.  For best results, a combination of mind and medicine cannot be too highly recommended.

In what other ways can hypnosis assist in making your pregnancy a more comfortable experience? How would it feel if you could overcome morning sickness?  Or have a confident body image through pregnancy and after the birth?  You can also use hypnosis to avoid the baby blues and overcome post natal depression…and help is even at hand to get your baby to sleep well!

So you can now see that there are many, many ways in which hypnosis can help you to have a comfortable and relaxed pregnancy and an easy childbirth.  Suggestions can be given which will help you through each of the three trimesters, assisting you in reducing not only anxieties and tensions and emotional ups and downs but also physical symptoms like aches and pains, heartburn, flatulence, backaches, swollen feet and legs, high blood pressure and so on. 

What’s great about hypnosis as well is that the more you practice it the deeper the states are that you will achieve.  As you relax in hypnosis your brain wave patterns change from the beta waves of normal waking consciousness to the alpha waves of drowsy relaxation to the theta wave patterns associated with dreaming.  You have plenty of time whilst pregnant to practice your hypnosis so that you can readily access the deeper states (just as yogis learn to do this) which will allow you to more greatly numb your perception of pain at the time of the birth. 

On top of all this good news, you can get hypnosis downloads instantly and listen to them in the comfort of your own home, and they are really very inexpensive. 

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for healthy pregnancy and easy childbirth.

Hypnosis has been used for quite some time to help in numerous health-related issues, from relieving IBS symptoms to preparing for surgery to alleviating fear of dental procedures. Many pregnant women are now enjoying the benefits of hypnosis, allowing them to experience natural births with minimal pain.

In order to better understand how hypnosis can help pregnant women, it helps to gain a better understanding of hypnosis itself. To put it in simple terms, hypnosis is intense focus and concentration. Many people have likened the concentration with getting lost in a good book or television program. Utilizing that intense focus, hypnosis can actually slow down your brain waves.

Right now you’re probably in your waking state, which is Beta consciousness. But, by altering your conscious state through hypnosis, you are able to enter Alpha consciousness, where your brain waves actually slow down. And, when you slow down your brain waves you lose the “critical chatter” of the conscious mind and are able to slip in positive suggestions to the subconscious mind. These positive suggestions can be about any behavior you’d like to change, or any outcome you’d like to see take effect, such as having a natural, easy birth.

In addition, when you’re in a relaxed stated and imagining a desired outcome, the brain can’t tell the difference between reality and fantasy, and reacts as if the desired outcome was a reality. This phenomenon can be seen in pain management, when hypnotherapists use hypnosis and imagery on pain sufferers to help them lessen the intensity of their pain.

Hypnosis can aid pregnant women in so many different ways and in so many different stages of their pregnancies.

Hypnosis Can Aid in Fertility

Where inability to become pregnant is not due to a medical condition, many women have found relief with hypnosis. There are many who believe that if you can imagine it you can create it, and hypnosis is often paired with imagery to “visualize” oneself becoming pregnant and imagining a baby coming into one’s life. Hypnosis is also used to alleviate stress, which may be inhibiting a woman from becoming pregnant. Of course, women aren’t the only ones whose stress and anxiety may be inhibiting pregnancy. Many men feel the pressure to help their partners conceive. This stress can affect men’s sperm quality.

Hypnosis Can Aid in Helping a Woman Become More Comfortable

Many women experience discomfort from being pregnant, such as morning sickness, the intensity of which can be lessened through hypnosis. In women with high blood pressure, hypnosis can be helpful in helping them to relax, which in turn can help control the symptoms.

Hypnosis Can Help in the Actual Birth Process

Many women are now using hypnosis to help them have their baby naturally with no drugs. Utilizing hypnosis, women can help themselves relax during the baby’s birth. Since pain responses are greatly enhanced with fear and anxiety, creating a sense of calm helps in reducing the sensation of pain. The women will be awake and aware of everything that’s happening, including the contractions, but will be able to dictate to a great extent the intensity of the sensations she feels.

There are numerous hypnosis tapes and CDs available which can help reduce the fears and anxieties associated with pregnancy and the birthing process. If at all possible, it’s preferable to meet face to face with a hypnotherapist who can tailor the hypnosis to your specific fears, anxieties or needs.

How to Find a Hypnotherapist

The first place to look is your own doctor. (It’s always good to have your doctor’s input before beginning any treatment programs). Ask him or her for a recommendation to a good hypnotherapist. If your doctor does not have a recommendation you can utilize internet hypnotist referral networks to find one in your area. One good referral website is www.registeredhypnotist.com, where you can look up hypnotherapists in your area.

Another good internet resource is www.hypnobirthing.com, which lists practitioners across the country who’ve gone through the HypnoBirthing® The Mongan Method, a program specifically tailored to natural birthing.

Whether you plan on a natural birth or not, hypnosis can still help you relax more about the entire birthing process. Becoming more relaxed can help you gain control over your pregnancy, rather than have your pregnancy gain control over you.