​Well it’s been a busy few months here as I embark on a couple of new projects!
As many of you are aware, I trained as a BWRT® practitioner a couple of years ago, and the therapy is so successful I have dedicated a separate website to it, as it is completely different to hypnosis. So, as well as Eden Wellness, I now run BWRT® Ireland, offering appointments in the same health centre, and also over the phone and via Skype. As BWRT® can be offered in this way, my hours of operation are spread throughout the week, held mostly in the evenings.

In May, I attended a Reiki I workshop, which I absolutely loved. I followed it up with Reiki II last weekend, and am in the process of practicing, organising and getting ready to offer it as part of Eden Wellness’ treatments. I did my training with the brilliant Anam Nasca, at Atlantis, Castlebar.

But, the main thing I have been focussing on lately is setting up my very own Hypnotherapy training school, EICH Ireland. I have now set dates for a Professional Practitioner Course, which will take students from complete beginners to completely ready to set up their very own Hypnotherapy businesses. I am very excited about this new venture and hope that you will be too! The course is very well known, as it has been taught in the UK since 1999 at the Essex Institute. It is taught in other countries around the world, but this is the first time it will be available in Ireland. Written by Terence Watts, UK professional therapist (also creator of BWRT® amongst many other therapeutic techniques), The Professional Practitioner Course starts in September 2016 and is being held in the beautiful Breaffy House Resort, Castlebar. Spread over the course of 10 months (one weekend per month), it is ideal if you have work and family commitments, and the weekends will be wonderful journeys of self-discovery, growth and empowerment as well as educational.

So, why study hypnotherapy?
My own journey toward hypnotherapy started a few years ago. I had always been interested in the workings of the mind, and studied Psychology A-Level before going on to study it at Kingston University, along with History of Ideas. My path changed for a while when I went to study Linguistics and English Literature at Hertfordshire University, but I still felt there was something else I should be studying. In 2004, I took up a foundation course in hypnotherapy to get a deeper understanding of the workings of the mind, and was instantly hooked. I then signed up to the Professional Practitioner course, then the Advanced Professional course, and haven’t stopped since!

Hypnotherapy can give you a greater understanding into your own mind and the reasons you feel and think the way you do. It can provide you with tools to enhance your potential, stop unwanted behaviours, increase confidence, clear negative emotions, to name just a few things. Practicing as a therapist is hugely rewarding, as you empower clients to recognise their own strengths and qualities. After you qualify, you will probably be drawn to studying the subject in a much greater depth, or to explore other areas entirely. You will be entering a new world of growth, learning and personal development which, I have no doubt, you will just love.

As a hypnotherapist, you will be able to work for yourself, choosing hours that suit you, so you can work around your family, or alongside an existing job. You can choose what areas you would like to work in, perhaps deciding to specialise in particular subjects.

Overall, whether you choose to continue your hypnotherapy path after qualifying is up to you, but you will have a valuable tool for life, which you can use daily for yourself and for your family. You will be able to train your mind to think in a way you would prefer to think, you will be able to choose your thoughts carefully, and you will be far more mindful as to how every action you take, every thought you think, and every word you speak, all have a profound effect on your life.

​Find out more by visiting EICH Ireland, or send an email.

December – a time when many of us sit back and reflect on what the year has brought us – whether it’s challenges we have overcome, goals we have reached, or trials that have made us stronger. Whatever it may be, we often put pressure on ourselves to be better, do well, achieve more, and if when February or March comes we have not stuck to those goals, we will probably engage in harsh self-talk, believing we have not got the year off to a good start, and that this has set the stage for the rest of the year.

This time, why not just promise yourself that you will take each day as it comes, and that no matter what each day holds, you make a promise to only allow positive self-talk when you go to sleep each night, and talk to yourself the way we would to your best friend? This will be far more encouraging than telling yourself  you've failed in any way, and it’ll be far more likely to result in happier reflections this time next year!

Hypnosis – or in this case, self-hypnosis – is a great way to make sure you stick to this wonderful habit. By repeatedly saying positive things to yourself instead of beating yourself up, you will begin to feel differently. Then, you'll start to behave differently. You'll feel differently. You'll put less pressure on ourselves and will feel happier with whatever your days entail. A simple daily habit that is easy and effortless – and all it really is, is a reversal of what many of us usually do (think negatively).

If there are any anxieties (or anything else) that are in the way, these can be cleared up with BWRT, a model of psychology and psychotherapy created by UK professional therapist, Terence Watts, MCGI. It’s a totally confidential method that does not require you to reveal your private information or personal secrets to your therapist, and it is carried out in a completely conscious state, and for it to succeed only needs you to know what you want to change in your life. BWRT has been approved by the British Psychological Society - find out more on www.bwrt.org

If you have habits, traits or behaviours you’d like to stop, give it a try. Whether it’s giving up smoking, losing weight, getting rid of years of negative emotional energies, increasing confidence and self-esteem, or for a chat about anything else, get in touch and I’ll do my best to help you achieve it - while being kind to yourself every step of the way.

Make 2016 your year, without the added pressure.  Be kind to yourself, praise yourself when you do well, recognise exactly what doing well is, and be your own best friend. It will make a huge difference to your life.

I hold appointments in Kachina, Castlebar, every Saturday.