Irritable bowel syndrome, known as IBS, is one of the most common digestive problems in the population1. It affects up to 20% of people in their lifetime and tends to be a long-term condition. People with IBS find it upsetting, uncomfortable and often embarrassing. IBS is a collection of symptoms, rather than a specific condition. Symptoms vary but can include abdominal pain, cramp and distention, constipation or diarrhoea. The unpredictability of the condition can cause anx

Most people wanting to change their weight, size or shape have tried dieting at some time. Diets have become a ‘normal’ way of attempting to rectify what we see as a problem. But do they work? Are they helpful? If they are so effective, why are we still overweight? In the UK people of normal weight reduced from 45.5% in 1993 to 35.1% in 2018. Obesity levels went from 14.9% to 27.7%1 It seems evident that the problem lies outside the simple idea of food choice and restrictio

When you think of hypnosis, you may imagine the stereotype stage hypnotists, using hypnosis to manipulating suspects into behaving in unexpected or embarrassing ways, to the delight of the audience. As many people now know, this depiction is far from the hypnosis used in clinical hypnotherapy to help people overcome mind-body related problems such as anxiety, low mood and unwanted habits. So, what exactly are hypnosis and hypnotherapy? “The best bridge between despair and hop

Follow @nowflourish You’ve decided to seek help from a hypnotherapist. So what now? You fire up the Internet and Google ‘hypnotherapist in my location’. Then a string of plausible sounding people pops up and you choose one, right? Hypnotherapy is a self-regulated industry, so almost anyone can practice anywhere with little or no training, experience or insurance. But don’t let that alarm you. Here are five steps to ensuring you have the right therapist at the right time. 1 Wh

Follow @nowflourish Panic disorder affects thousands of people and can be very debilitating. People with panic disorder have sudden and repeated attacks of intense fear that last for several minutes or much longer. If you think that sounds like small beer, imagine the feeling of stepping out into the road without looking and discovering a bus is about to hit you at speed. That’s how it is, not for a merciful split second, but for minutes or longer. The subconscious mind canno

It was during hypnotherapy training that a certain resemblance between the traditional Anglican service and hypnotherapy occurred to me. That’s not to say that your local vicar is covertly trying out hypnosis on his willing flock. Consider this, though. On Sunday morning a number of people put on their Sunday best, leave the house and go to a quiet place. Quiet, apart from the sound of rhythmic bells, that is. Like a breath, like a heartbeat. The congregation arrives and each