Qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified NLP practitioner Fiona Brennan is based in Dublin. Fiona helps clients with a range of issues including weight loss, smoking, stress and anxiety, fears and phobias, insomnia, pain control and more. Fiona explains how hypnotherapy works.
Hypnotherapy is a therapy that uses hypnosis as its main tool; this allows people to experience the power of their own mind by speaking directly to the subconscious; by using positive suggestions the mind can be reprogrammed to accept healthier alternatives. It is essential to get to the root of where the behaviour was learnt and how the belief was formed.
Many people who struggle with weight loss are eating too much and eating the wrong type of foods. Hunger is normally the last reason for overeating. Comfort eating, emotional eating, eating when stressed, tired, bored or even when happy are often at the root of the problem. By breaking up the learnt associations and triggers the mind creates new, positive neural pathways that allow the client complete control over their diet and lifestyle.
I tackle the psychological reasons why people may have an unhealthy relationship with food. In order to lose weight and sustain it over the long term, the battle needs to start and finish in the mind, and this is where the relevance and power of hypnotherapy becomes evident.
I develop a strategy with each client that starts with an initial phone conversation, then I send them a personal history and a sound file which explains more about hypnosis. The first consultation takes an hour and depending on the nature of the issue, we then schedule a number of appointments; an average of three is usually required but results can sometimes be seen in less.
An important part of the therapy is that the client feels relaxed and comfortable and a positive rapport is established. The only thing that can stop any person from entering hypnosis is either fear or doubt and once these have been removed the subconscious is open and ready to accept the positive suggestions.
‘Hypnos’ is the Greek word for sleep, though the actual state of hypnosis is really the opposite as clients are very aware of everything that is going on and especially of the hypnotherapist’s voice. During therapy all clients are asked to listen to a CD for 21 days and longer if they wish. This is a really important back-up to the sessions.
It is incredibly rewarding to witness the shift in a person from negative, self-destructive behavioural patterns and thinking to positive, life-affirming ones.
CASE CONFIDENTIAL: Hypnotherapy helped me kick my food cravings
‘Susan’ is 41 and lives in Dublin
My weight was always going up and down by up to 1 ½ stone and it was down to my very sweet tooth. I love chocolate and could eat a lot of it every day, especially after dinner when my children had gone to bed. I am a real chocoholic.
I had tried all the well-known diets, but just found it disappointing and the weight went back on again.
When I decided to return to college I realised that the new routine would leave me very likely to put on weight again and I was concerned about it. Then I read a story in the paper about a woman who had found hypnotherapy helped with her food cravings.
I showed it to my mum who said I should give it a go. So I contacted Fiona Brennan and we agreed to meet in six weeks’ time. She sent me a questionnaire which made me do a lot of thinking about what I wanted out of it.
In the first session we explored why I eat and where I eat. Fiona is very good at getting you to pin down what you think your issue is.
Then I had two more sessions – some people have more I have heard – and these were very much hypnosis based. Consultations cost €75 for an hour and sessions are €100.
I dropped ½ stone the following week. It was like Fiona just switched off my desire for chocolate. At the end of the treatment I had dropped 1 ½ stone. I am now back into a loose size 12 with very little effort.
My last treatment is now over six months ago and I just don’t want to eat anything sugary – it’s like the sugar demon has just gone. I am sleeping better and have less sugar highs followed by an energy crash. It has regulated my energy levels better and I am healthier overall.
A year ago I would have been quite distrustful of something like hypnosis, but now I think it is the best weight-loss technique ever.
Bach Flower Advisor Del Eagle has trained with the well-known author and flower essence expert Julian Barnard at his centre near Abergavenny, South Wales. She has held workshops and private consultations, helping many individuals discover the subtle but powerful ways that flower essences work.
Bach Flower Essences are a very simple method of healing. They work in a gentle and subtle way to help us cope with the emotional states encountered in our daily lives. Anxiety, fear, guilt, insecurity and many other emotional issues can be greatly helped with this gentle method of healing.
A flower essence or remedy is the energy of the flower captured in water. It is not a herbal tincture or a homeopathic remedy. The energy of the sun transfers the life force of the flower to the water, the water receives the life force of the flower.
The essences, individually or in combination, act on the emotional levels, which Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936) considered to be the place where problems, either emotional or physical, originate. Each of the remedy states that Dr Bach described has a positive and a negative aspect – he saw the negative conditions as the true cause of illness and disease. The flowers embody the positive state – their natural vibrations help us to be happy and to return to health.
Edward Bach was born in Birmingham in 1886. He trained as a doctor and bacteriologist, and developed an interest in investigating the role of chronic disease. His research led him to believe that there are clear personality types that relate to various patterns of ill-health, irrespective of the physical symptoms being presented by the patient.
Bach gave up his successful medical practice in London to search for a simpler method of healing. Near Abergavenny in South Wales, he found his first three plants, Impatience, Mimulus and Clematis. He subsequently found 38 remedies in all from 1928-1935. He died at the age of 50 on 27 November 27 1936.
Stock bottles of Bach flower essences are available in good health stores nationwide. It is important to ask your health store assistant, for a ‘stock bottle’, as some brands are not sold in this form, and may be already diluted.
Put two drops from your chosen stock bottle into a small glass of water, and sip frequently, at least four times per day. Two drops in a 30ml dropper bottle can be carried in a pocket or bag. Up to six remedies can be mixed together.
Some health stores offer a pre-mixing service, which is less expensive for short-term use than buying a separate stock bottle of each remedy. However stock bottles are themselves extremely good value, lasting for a number of years.
The original ‘Rescue Remedy’ (also known as Five Flower) contains Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Impatiens, Cherry Plum, Clematis, and is the most well-known of the remedies.
It is useful for many stressful situations encountered in modern life. Visits to the dentist, fear of flying, job interviews, and of course exams are examples of times when people take Rescue Remedy. Pre-exam nerves are helped by combining four drops of Five Flower with two drops of Larch (lack of confidence) in a glass of water sipped throughout the day. Five Flower remedy, Exam mixture, Stress and Sleep mixtures are currently also available in spray and pillule form from your local independent health store. The remedies in pillule form are especially useful for those who need to avoid alcohol.
Five Flower Cream is really useful for minor skin irritations, nappy rash and soreness.
The remedies can be used internally, externally and for babies, small children, animals and even plants. Many pet owners have found them particularly useful for timid, injured or traumatised pets. These simple and gentle essences will help you to help yourself, to bring harmony, happiness and health.
CASE CONFIDENTIAL: Flower essences are good for my mind
‘Anna’ is 31 and lives in Dublin
I like using flower essences because they are good for helping me to recover from some difficult emotional experiences I had in the past with my parents. My past was difficult, but since I started using flower essences I am able to keep my emotions under control.
I decided to look for something more natural to treat general hormone inbalance problems. In general I think it’s better to use natural ways to get your hormones into a more balanced state.
I get bad PMS and it can make me irritable, sensitive and moody during that time in the month. So I take five drops of rock rose or cherry plum in 5ml of water three times a day until I feel better.
I use rock rose because it’s helpful if you are lacking confidence and fearful. It gives natural support to people facing challenges in their life and boosts their courage and inner strength. Cherry plum is good for helping to keep the mind in a positive and calm state and promoting peace and balance.
I also use milk thistle in a tincture because it cleans the liver and is linked to hormones in the body. And I take a reishi mushroom powder which is good for the immune system and hormone balance. I find that natural remedies such as these keep me more balanced.
Del Eagle can be contacted at deleagle1@eircom.net
Homeopathy is a safe, gentle and highly effective therapy that can help all kinds of conditions from birth to old age.
It uses naturally-occurring substances from the world around us in the form of remedies that stimulate the body’s own healing power.
It does not address symptoms in isolation, but examines the whole person on a mental, emotional and physical level and recognises that each individual experiences symptoms in their own unique way.
The word homeopathy means ‘similar suffering’ and is often referred to as ‘like cures like’. Its central philosophy is that a substance that can produce symptoms in a healthy person can help those same symptoms in a person who is ill.
For this reason, homeopathic remedies are tested on healthy people. One example is that, while coffee in a ‘healthy’ person will bring on insomnia, in certain circumstances coffee in homeopathic form, Coffea, is used to help someone with sleeplessness. This homeopathic approach was first described by Hippocrates 2,500 years ago, then later by Paracelsus and in the 18th Century it was developed into a complete system by a German physician called Samuel Hahnemann.
Homeopathic remedies are prepared by diluting a substance in distilled water repeatedly until it is extremely diluted.
Remedies can also come in the form of pills and powders.
Homeopathic remedies can be used on everyone, including babies and pregnant women, and there are no unwanted side-effects.
Remedies are made from natural ingredients.
The regulatory minefield
According to Dr Robert Verkerk, founder and director of the Alliance for Natural Health, “As in other parts of Europe, public demand for homeopathy remains high despite plenty of homeopathy-bashing by sceptics. Almost 16% of Irish citizens treat their children with homeopathy. “The Irish Medical Board is responsible for licensing homeopathic medicines in Ireland,” he says. The bad news is that “products are increasingly being lost and not available to the public, not because they are banned, but because they are prohibitively expensive to get through the regulatory obstacle course that has been created for them.
“It is ironic that products that are claimed by those who have had little or no experience of them to not work because of the absence of sufficient active ingredients, are now being thwarted by a medicines regime that is designed to make products safe and of acceptable quality,” concludes Dr Verkerk.
CASE CONFIDENTIAL: Homeopathy means we never need antibiotics
‘Jane’ is 36 and lives in Kilkenny
I have been using homeopathy for 10 years now. As a mother of three young children it is the first thing I turn to if they are unwell or not themselves. We have used homeopathy for all kinds of things such as coughs, colds, verucas, allergies and injuries. I am always amazed at how fast the remedies work.
When my little girl developed whooping cough overnight she went from not being able to get a breath or talk, and coughing until she was sick, to being cough-free within 48 hours after receiving the remedy.
The remedies are gentle but highly effective. I have learned that if you have one of those problems where you just don’t know where to go, homeopathy is usually the answer.
I was shocked one morning to find that my other daughter had a very obvious bald patch on the crown of her head, but on seeing my homeopath the hair was re-growing within days thanks to the remedy.
As a woman and mother I am so thankful for homeopathy as it keeps me and my family balanced. I recommend it to people every day, especially people who have a number of symptoms and are feeling no better on traditional drugs. We very rarely get bugs or colds even though they are being passed around the school and I put that down to homeopathy keeping us healthy. I am proud to have my children growing up using homeopathy and never having to use antibiotics, and I trust they will continue that with their children.
Mary Barr can be contacted at ebarr.mary@hotmail.com
Acupuncture is part of a system of health care called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest surviving medical systems in the world. It originated in China over 2000 years ago and is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be the second most widely used system of health care alongside western medicine.
Acupuncture works to restore and maintain the body’s natural balance by stimulating its own healing response. It aims to treat the whole person, so it can be effective for a wide range of problems – physical, mental and emotional.
The underlying principle behind TCM is that Qi or vital energy flows through our body in pathways or channels known as meridians. Pain or illness occurs when this Qi or vital energy is blocked and is unable to flow freely within these meridians, signifying that the body is out of balance. By activating the circulation of Qi, acupuncture allows the body to heal itself and addresses the cause of a health disorder as well as relieving symptoms.
Acupuncture is a safe treatment which involves the insertion of fine, sterile, disposable needles into specific acupuncture points to clear energy blockages and encourages the normal flow of Qi through the body. Acupuncture points may also be stimulated using other methods of TCM including cupping and massage.
Acupuncture can help with a wide range of health issues including fertility and gynaecological issues, pain management, stress and anxiety, sports injuries, digestive disorders, cardiovascular health, insomnia, hormonal imbalance, IVF support, headaches and migraines, respiratory and immunity, general wellbeing and much more.
Many patients seek acupuncture help for fertility issues. Couples will receive acupuncture for general Qi and blood circulation help before conceiving naturally and by assisted methods such as IVF. Greater numbers of male patients who want to try and improve the quality of their semen have acupuncture too.
Combining acupuncture with naturopathy is very effective in helping men with semen issues. Naturopathy is a medical system incorporating a natural philosophy and approach to health and healing. Naturopathic treatments may include nutrition, diet, lifestyle advice, tissue salts, flower remedies, herbal medicine, acupuncture and supplementation to support and promote the body’s own healing and regulating mechanisms. Other remedies may be prescribed such as body work, exercise or relaxation techniques that will help support your body, mind and spirit.
Naturopathy works well alongside acupuncture as you are targeting the whole body to heal, create balance and wellness.
CASE CONFIDENTIAL:
Acupuncture helped us get pregnant
‘John’ is 38 and from Co Meath
My partner and I had been trying for a baby for about two years with no success and we were referred to the National Fertility Centre, the HARI unit, in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.
Ideally before trying IUI or IVF they like sperm to have a 60% motility rate, but when mine was tested it was only 30%. They recommended I make some lifestyle changes and that I see an acupuncturist. I was willing to try anything that would help.
A friend recommended Helena Barker and I went for a session once a week for three months. Helena recommended I take nutrition supplements such as zinc and chromium and I changed my diet to something closer to vegan. I also gave up smoking, cut back on my alcohol intake and did more exercise.
Before my first acupuncture session I was a bit sceptical and nervous about the idea of needles going into me. Admittedly one or two points were sensitive, but overall it wasn’t bad at all. After the treatment I was completely exhausted and I slept really well. I felt tired but brilliant.
After three months of acupuncture my motility test came in at 48% which was a dramatic improvement and in January my partner and I had our first IVF cycle and she became pregnant straight away, so we are thrilled.
My first consultancy with Helena which lasted 90 minutes when she assessed my needs and asked lots of questions was €60 and after that it was €40 for a one-hour session. I still go to acupuncture with Helena once a month and I found that it can really help other issues too such as a hurt knee which really improved.
I find acupuncture is great because there are no medicines, chemicals or doctors – it is the total opposite of the IVF process which can be very medical.
Our baby is due in October and we are thrilled. I put a lot of our success down to acupuncture.
Helena Barker can be contacted at helena_barker@hotmail.com
Herbal medicine has long been used to treat sickness and disease - in fact it’s the oldest form of medicine we have, and is still very relevant today. There is a temptation in medicine these days to disregard the wisdom that has evolved over centuries of using herbs in favour of more measurable procedures and drugs with exact known quantities, but must one really be sacrificed for the other?
There are many important differences between herbal medicine and what is often called ‘orthodox’ or modern medicine, although many drugs are derived from plants. However, once the chemical profile of an active ingredient has been identified, it is often synthesized for manufacture on a very large scale.
A key difference between herbal and pharmaceutical medicine is that the whole plant is used in herbal medicine, resulting in fewer side-effects. Plants have many different constituents which work together, with some modifying more powerful actions, making their effect on the body more gentle and having a truly ‘balancing’ action, whereas modern medical practice is more concerned with prescribing a drug that targets only the presenting symptoms.
Consider a common digestive ailment such as reflux - the orthodox treatment for this condition is to prescribe a drug that inhibits the production of gastric acid. This eases the symptoms but PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) also block the absorption of important minerals, creating a further problem. Using a combination of herbs with a soothing protective action (marshmallow, slippery elm), an effective anti-inflammatory agent (chamomile), a bitter such as centaury which helps to tonify the tissue in the upper gut, and perhaps herbs with a proven ability to reduce stress levels, herbs can address both the cause and symptoms.
Over weeks, symptoms are reduced and, in time, may be fully resolved. The herbalist tracks the changes and prescribes accordingly, and will advise on necessary dietary changes.
Herbal medicine is suitable for people of all ages and for all problems. It is very suitable for self-treatment and using herbs for minor complaints is highly recommended. Herbs work by supporting the body in redressing imbalances and correcting things that have begun to go wrong. There is however, quite a difference between using herbs such as Echinacea or Elderberries to treat a cold, or Peppermint for minor digestive complaints, and treating a condition that has developed into something more serious.
As with many traditional crafts, it is the skill, experience and training of the practitioner that determines the outcome. People on medication for an existing condition often enquire about the feasibility of taking herbs instead of, or alongside their prescribed medicine and, once again, this is best done under professional supervision.
Think of our precious medicinal plants as your allies in your own healthcare, and I hope you are inspired to learn more about how they will keep you well. Medical herbalists have been thoroughly trained in western medicine, and are experts in the most appropriate use of herbs for specific conditions, while tailoring the herbal prescription to your individual needs.
"Herbs helped my hot flushes"
‘Mary’ is 48 and lives in Dublin.
"When I was 45 I had a hysterectomy and they took one ovary. About two years later I started to go into menopause. Hot flushes started off mild but after two months they had become acute. I was wet through with sweat dripping from my face - my clothes would literally stick to me.
I was aware that the only conventional treatment was Hormone Replacement Therapy and I knew I didn’t want that so I tried different herbal teas, which didn’t really help. Then about a year ago my sister recommended herbalist Helen McCormack. I contacted Helen and asked her to recommend a tea – she asked me to come in for a consultation. To be honest I was a bit sceptical. I was reluctant but I was desperate so I went. I didn’t expect much.
Helen interviewed me for over an hour and asked lots of questions about my nutrition, my lifestyle and habits and my symptoms. At the end of the consultation she gave me a bottle of dark brown, smelly, intense herbal tincture which contained a combination of Chinese angelica, Rehmannia, Schizandra, Goji, Chinese Yam, Black cohosh and Sage.
She told me to take one teaspoon in a glass of water three times a day. This was impractical for me at work so I took one and a half teaspoons in the morning and night instead. Then I worked out that I could make up a bottle of water with the tincture in it, label it and sip that at work.
Within four days my hot flushes had just stopped and there were no side-effects. I was dumbfounded and couldn’t believe it. I went to see Helen a second time, then after that she was happy to keep in touch via email. She said that menopause is a time of depletion and through the consultation she was able to find out where I needed nourishment. The tincture costs about €10 euro per week. I would recommend herbalism to anyone."
Helen McCormack can be contacted at helen@homeofherbs.ie