Why talking about the splinter in your finger does not stop it from getting infected...

I often get asked how my work is different from Psychology, Counselling or even most other Hypnotherapists… Also, since about 90% of my clients come to me through word-of-mouth referrals, I thought it’d be helpful to share my ‘splinter in the finger’ analogy… 🌟

First, let's understand what hypnosis is:

It's a naturally occurring state of the brain that you probably enter several times a day. Think about those moments when you're driving, and suddenly you realise that you can't recall passing a specific landmark or roundabout. You were daydreaming, and a part of your subconscious was handling the driving, fully focused on the task at hand, while your conscious mind was elsewhere. 🚗

Children do this all the time, seemingly lost in their thoughts but absorbing everything around them. Similarly, when people are glued to their phones, mindlessly scrolling, and then wonder where the time went – that's akin to a state of hypnosis.

The more you do it, the better you get at it

As with everything else in life: the more you practise, the better you become at it. So keep listening to the complementary hypnosis recordings I sent you… 

The splinter in your finger analogy… 

Imagine one day you notice that you have a splinter in your finger… You don’t know how long it’s been there, but now you know it’s there: It's bugging you and often it’s painful and occasionally it even gets infected… 🤕

Is it really all that helpful to know which piece of wood the splinter came from? Was it this bench you sat on? Or that bench? Or maybe that sleeper? Or was it a different thing altogether…? 

And does it help you to know if it was pine or oak or camphor laurel? In which forest the tree grow, where it was milled, who built the thing that ultimately resulted in you having a splinter in your finger...?? 🌲

Even when you can accurately answer each of those questions… That’s lovely…! It might even give you a very short-lived sense of relief… 

Because ultimately you STILL have a splinter in your finger... And it hurts! And over the years that splinter will still become infected and fester. 

At times it might calm down a bit but then you bump it and it hurts again… 🤒
And again… And again… 

Clearly “trying to understand and uncover” every single detail does NOT make it miraculously disappear! 

Here is my style of therapy: 

Do you want to do what it takes to stop it getting infected, remove the splinter, do the exercises so it can all heal up properly so that you can get on with life…?

Because knowing where the tree grew and how it got into your finger is all lovely but it doesn’t change a thing…!

All I want for you is to help you remove the splinter so that you can live life again. ❤️‍🩹

As a bonus, you’ll also learn how to stop more splinters from getting in that easily. 

So when you’re ready please just give Jane a call on 0422 525843. In case you haven’t met Jane yet: Jane is my wonderful, kind and helpful receptionist and friend who has been with me for at least 12 of my 15 years as a clinical Hypnotherapist… 

I can’t wait to help you get rid of your splinters…! 

Yours in happiness and wellbeing

Silke 🌟

Best Hypnotherapist on the Sunshine Coast

Woooohooooo!

What an honour to be once again recognised by Three Best Rated as the Top Hypnotherapy Service on the Sunshine Coast...

Here is what they say how they assess who deserves to be part of Three Best Rated: “Expert recommended in a fair dinkum way using a 50 Point Inspection including reputation, history, complaints, ratings, customer satisfaction, trust, price, reviews and excellence.”

It’s just nice that after 15 years of helping people make changes with Hypnotherapy and NLP my work is being recognised again and again, not only on the Sunshine Coast but also online.

Woooohooooo!

Give me a call today to find out more how I can help you with what you are struggling with...

This may be one of the most important things you’ll read this year...

The following is inspired by Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. He had a great philosophy on life…

Below are some questions, you don't actually have to answer them…

Just ponder them or read straight through them and you'll get the point.

Questions part 1

1. Name the ten wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Brownlow Medal winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss Australia pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of NRL premiership winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

On the first question I got about 4 out of ten…

Questions 2 till 6….? Yeah, I got zero or one or maybe with a lot of guessing two…

All those people which I couldn’t name (and I somehow doubt that you did much better…) These people are not some second-rate achievers.

They are the best in their fields!

But the applause dies…

Awards tarnish and collect dust.

Achievements are forgotten.

Accolades and certificates get buried with their owners.

Now before we all get too sad about that reality, here's another quiz.

See how you do on this one:

1. Name a teacher who really helped you in school.

2. Name a teacher who made things much harder than it needed to be in school.

3. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

4. Name a person who bullied you or let you down when you really needed them.

5. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

6. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

7. Think of two people you enjoy spending time with.

Was that easier…?

Heck yeah!

In case you need it here is my takeaway from this:

The people we remember are not the ones with the most awards, trophies, money, credentials or achievements…. Nope!

The people we remember the most, are the ones who made us feel something. Good or bad…

And the people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials or the most money or the most awards.

They simply are the ones who care the most!

And the same is true the other way around… By being someone who really cares, you make a difference in other people's lives.

And in order to do that it really helps when you become more and more the best version of yourself, become more true to your own inner self and in alignment with your own values, even though most of us need some help first to first figure out what those actually are…

And because all of these are such subconscious processes hypnotherapy and NLP really are the fastest, most efficient and long lasting way to become truly aligned with your own true self. And those parts that get in the way of that (fears, guilts, procrastination etc) all of those are also completely subconscious. Which is why again we need Hypnotherapy and NLP to sort those out.

Yours in happiness and wellbeing

Silke

PS: If you want to become more and more who you actually are then give Jane a call on 0422 525 843 and book a Hypnotherapy session or two. It’s never too soon to make a change!

I just adore Charles Schulz - creator of the peanuts

Crush Your Resolutions: Here is how to!

Happy New Year

I hope you had a good Christmas and are now getting ready for the New Year. It’s 2024!

Many people have set themselves New Year's resolutions and if you are one of them: Go you!

If you are not one of them: Go you!

I am a huge advocate of change

As anyone who knows me just a little bit: I am a huge advocate of change. It’s what I do with hypnotherapy! And it’s what I help people with. So why is it that I am not the biggest fan of the traditional and conventional New Years resolution…?

Well first of all: Researchers suggest that only 9% of people who make resolutions actually complete them. In fact, research goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the first week, and 43% quit by the end of January.

Whoa!

The problem with ‘shoulds’

Many resolutions are set because it is tradition. Therefore it’s just something that the person feels “they should” do or change.

A ‘should’ is not a real “oh man if I don’t change this, it’s going to be horrible for all these reasons but if I do change it then it will be so awesome for all those reasons!!! Heck yeah, let’s do it come hell or highwater” And that’s when a skilled and very experienced hypnotherapist is your greatest asset!

In essence a proper New Years resolution is a bit like setting a goal. “Look after myself more” / “I want to drink less” / “Get fit” / “I want to work on myself” / “I will eat better” / “Overcome anxiety” and so on…

The problem with all of those goals is that you have no way of knowing when you’ve reached it or if you’re even on the right track to getting there. Most people haven’t actually done the work to get the clarity of what reaching that goal would look like specifically and how they’re life will be better once they’ve done it.

As long as it is a ‘should’ there just isn’t enough “oooomph” behind it for you to last the distance. By doing the above you create more ‘oooomph’!

And when you’re ready then you need the right method and the right support to become the person who has made that change and loves being that new you.

Therefore all change has to start when there is a true need for change. And if that is because you have used the break to take stock, reflect and do the work then Heck yeah! Go with that New Year's resolution and no matter what do NOT let yourself off the hook…

A real strategy for change:

1) Imagine achieving what you want. Get super specific about the nitty gritty details on what that will look like, feel like, sound like

2) Get clear about what obstacles are between you and your goal

3) Decide on very specific and clear steps which take into account how you will overcome those obstacles and succeed.

4) Consistently pay attention to the feedback and adjust your strategy and you steps

5) Get adequate support

Here is to a wonderful, healthy and joyous 2024

Yours in health, happiness, hypnosis and wellbeing

Silke

PS: We are all back on deck so please give Jane a call Jane on 0422 525843 or send me an email if you have any questions at all.

Hypnotherapy on the Sunshine Coast Peregian Beach and Birtinya

It was such an honour to be invited to present at the prestigious AHA Symposium

Thank you to the Australian Hypnotherapists Association for inviting me to present at the AHA Symposium recently!

🤗 Sharing my expertise about grief and anxiety with other professionals showed me again how needed it is

🙌 Being part of the expert panel was great and I loved all the questions from the floor. I was really hoping for a question that I couldn't answer as it always helps me to go deeper. Alas that didn't eventuate but hey...

🤗 The more other therapists know the intricate details about working with grief and anxiety (which lets face it, many don't...), the more we can prevent so much pain and suffering down the road...

😢 "Down the road" it usually shows up 3, 5 or 20 years later after the person had enough of being overweight, or drinking too much, or being burnt out, or no motivation, or anxiety or depression....

👉 Getting the right help is crucial!

🌏 Every therapist I taught: We are making the world a better place. One human, who got relief from their excruciating pain, at a time...

👉 It was wonderful to have that many people come to me before to tell me how excited they were about my upcoming talk and after my talk to chat and ask questions... It lets me know just how important this is!

Thanks to all the organisers who must have put sooo much time and effort into this. My heart is full 🙏❤️ 🙌🤗

Hypnotherapist Silke Herwald as a public speaker in front of a sign Australian Hypnotherapists Association for her presentation on grief anxiety with hypnotherapy

"Why Anxiety Soars After Major Life Events" 😌

As you know, I work with all sorts of anxiety, phobias, and fears 😬. The power of hypnotherapy and NLP has helped my clients make massive changes for the better.

Today, I wanted to share with you why there is often a massive flare-up of anxiety after certain life changes. I have been seeing many clients recently whose anxiety became much worse after a separation or the death of a loved one or other big life changes. It got so bad that they wondered if there was something seriously wrong with them. 😨

Here's the thing: It's not that they weren't dealing with anxiety beforehand. It's just that their partner, mother, coach or whoever else was their safety blanket. 

The other person was the one who:

💪 Provided reassurance
🙅‍♂️Helped them overcome self-doubt
🤗 Normalised things that happened
👍Pointed out the good things, and so much more…

The longer that went on for the more they learned helplessness, that they couldn’t do it and ‘that they needed someone else’.

In short, the person themself never learned the necessary tools to handle it and themself independently. And yes, it is challenging when a part of you knows that you don't have the tools or resources! 

Consequently, it was much easier to hand over responsibility to a partner, mother, or coach to boost their confidence. I get it! Therefore, they never got the tools nor the realisation that they could indeed work things out and eventually trust themself.😌

But there's nothing more self-assuring than knowing that you can work things out and that you will get through. It may not be enjoyable, and you may not enjoy the experience, but you will work it out and get back on your feet. Mostly it’s really difficult to do this consciously and with your logical mind. But by engaging your subconscious processes with the hypnosis, modern hypnotherapy and cutting edge NLP then finally things happen for the better. 💪👣

To sum it up: That flare-up of anxiety after or during a life change is a message from your subconscious that you need help to update your coping mechanisms...
It wants to let you know that you have to develop better subconscious tools to cope with life's challenges. 💡

If you want to acquire those tools and learn to trust yourself more so that you can be calmer, more confident, and self-assured, then give Jane a call at 0422 525 843. ☎️

Yours in happiness and well-being, 

Silke

The three secrets to beating anxiety and panic attacks in a way that actually works

1) You need an in-depth understanding of what anxiety really is.

I am always amazed by the sheer number of people who come to me who have previously been to see every Psychologist, other Hypnotherapists and so called specialist under the sun and nobody has ever explained to them what anxiety actually is. You need to really really get what actually happens in the brain, mind and body and why it escalates so rapidly.

2. You need the right tools to deal with and ultimately stop it

And I am not talking about breathing exercises or meditation here… All lovely but utterly useless in the moment. What you need are effective tools that work quickly and profoundly at the level of your subconscious mind so you can feel more calm and in control again.

3. Professional Hypnotherapy and NLP

Because anxiety, phobias and fears are such a subconscious response you need to solve this problem at the level where it actually exists: Which is not at level of reasoning and logic but at the level of your subconscious. This way you can reprogram your mind, alter your subconscious perceptions, lose the fear of anxiety and realise that it’s not as daunting, scary or life threatening as you once thought.

Without hypnotherapy and engaging your subconscious processes you will only ever be able ‘to manage’ your anxiety. With a skilled, well trained and highly skilled hypnotherapist you will be able to overcome anxiety fears and phobias so that you feel more calm, confident and in control,

Give us a call today when you want to find out more 0422 525 843

Appointments for Peregian Beach, Birtinya and worldwide online

Professional Hypnotherapist Sunshine Coast Silke Herwald sitting  down

Part two of our three fears

In case you missed the previous blog entry go and find it below….

Fear #2: Fear of Making Mistakes - Not good for any mammals 🙈🌪️

As the evolved mammals that we are, our DNA simply carries in it old survival tactics that involve a need to get things right. Our ability to differentiate edible berries from toxic ones was a useful skill to have. 

So, when we goof up, it's our ancient brain yelling, "Hey, remember the berries!" It's like having an inner caveman whose life motto is "Do it right, or be doomed!" 💥🍇

Fear #3: Fear of Exclusion - The Wild Wolf Pack 🐺❤️

Now, imagine us as part of a lovely furry wolf pack. We're social creatures, intricately woven into the fabric of our pack. (Family pack, work pack, club pack, etc…) Hunting, staying warm, defending ourselves all of that is a lot easier as a pack. When a wolf gets excluded from the pack (usually due to challenging the alpha) life gets very hard, very very quickly for that lone wolf. 

Fearing exclusion is also often expressed as: “worrying about what other people think…” , “wanting approval…”, “fear of being judged…” 🏕️🌟

How Do We Dance With These Fears? 🤷‍♀️

Use your mind for a change! Amongst all our aspirations, we so often forget our primal mammalian roots. 

We're busy chasing success, financial freedom, happiness, rainbows and cosmic white light while our inner mammals don’t want a bar of it… 

Your unconscious job is to protect you and it has been doing so for eons. 

Those three fears are inherent to being human. They may have been exasperated through childhood, trauma and other significant emotional events. Yet, to some extent they also are just there. 

If you want to really use the power of your mind, so you are not victim to that old mammalian reflex anymore, and instead get the grit and determination to “feel the fear and do it anyway”, then join the upcoming course on:

Deal successfully with anxiety, overwhelm and stress!

You know what stresses me out? The fear that my clients end up in the wrong location!

Find us on the corner of Heron Street and Kingfisher Drive in Peregian Beach!

For any questions please call 0422 525 843. We’d love to help you out!

All consultations are by appointment only, so please call to book your hypnotherapy appointment in Peregian Beach

So here is the corner again: and sneak peak into the lovely interior of the Australian Hypnotherapy Centre in Peregian Beach.

Australian Hypnotherapy Centre Sunshine Coast Peregian Beach Heron Street Corner Kingfisher Drive

Image of the great interior of Australian Hypnotherapy Centre, Peregian Beach

Writing in the new location about one of our three fears

Probably a good 80% of my work is helping people with overwhelm, stress, anxiety, fears, PTSD and phobias. Plus the habits that have come from trying to mask, numb or outrun these things… 

I am in the new space of the Australian Hypnotherapy Centre at Boardwalk Professional Suites in Peregian Beach (Corner Heron St/ Kingfisher Drive). There is a constant hum of the cafes downstairs and it’s just such a nice atmosphere… And that’s the view from my window, straight onto Raw Energy and the French Patisserie next door…

I am just putting the finishing touches on a 3 week online program to help people like you handle anxiety & overwhelm so they can feel more calm, centred and in control. At the end I’d like to ask you a couple of questions so that I can make sure I have it all covered… 🎉🚀

So let’s get stuck into the 3 fears that so often hold people back. These 3 awful critters are trying their best to rain on your happiness parade. But with a bit of humour, mammalian wisdom and using the truly powerful mechanisms of your mind we shall be victorious. 

Fear #1: Fear of the Unknown - What A Massive Abyss 🌌🤔

As mammals it's in our nature to prefer the comfy embrace of familiarity. All mammals seek security to thrive, familiar territory helps the squirrel store more nuts for winter. 

‘The unknown’ forces us to be on the lookout. We don’t even know what the next thing is that could potentially harm us but we better look out for it… So when faced with the unknown, our inner squirrel gets its fluffy tail of concern in a knot. 🐿️🌟

As more evolved mammals once we got a roof over our head, food on the table and can support our loved ones needs we’re good. And pushing beyond that goes against our mammalian instincts…

In order to be able to push against that we do need some serious mind-training tools and hypnotherapy. Because the combination helps you overcome those inherent fears and instead push forward in the way you want to!

Struggle is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

Go get em.

Next time I will write about the Fear of Making Mistakes and the fear of being excluded…
Watch out for that!

Insights into Purpose

Last week in a hypnotherapy session a client asked me: “What do you think is the purpose of life…?”

 I really had to think about it for a moment but then I said: “I think it’s simple: For me the purpose of life is to be happy and help others do the same…”

The next question was: “So then how do you know if you’re happy…?”

Hmmmm, more reflection.  And then I heard myself saying:

“To me happiness is the absence of internal dialogue
and when I’m free from suffering and feel resourceful and full of life.”

Here is a simple yet very important differentiation:  Not free from problems!
Not free from struggle! Not free of all stress….

But free from feeling victim to it and not taking it personally. Every being on the planet struggles. => Suffering is optional.

People who want to selfishly get themselves ahead often do so at the expense of others. And narcissistic tendencies are never fun. Not fun for anyone. 

People who always put themselves last and spend most of their time looking after others eventually resent it because they eventually feel used and disappointed. 

The answer to this is: We need a bit of both. 

Always work towards becoming an even better version of yourself. And when they actually want your help: Then you can help others to be their very best.
Which sometimes is done by taking a step back or by referring them to the most skilled hypnotherapist you know on the Sunshine Coast.

Is it time you stepped into your true personal power…?

You know where to find me when you want help with any of this…
Becoming free from internal dialogue is probably one of the best things you can do for yourself!

The brain just does what it gets rewarded for...

How many times have you heard me say: “The brain just does what it gets rewarded for.” Right….?

If you keep engaging in that “what if…?” thinking and solving imaginary problems your brain will reward you by doing more of that thinking and producing more anxiety.

That is a fact. 😬

I can’t count how often I get asked how I stay motivated (with regards to anything…) or how I kept going when I had more crises happening at the same time than I have fingers on my hand… Well obviously hypnotherapy, self hypnosis and NLP help me a lot!

And also the truth is: After years of BSing myself, I changed what I am focusing on and rewarding myself for.

Over the years I have changed what I focus on:

❌ Massive action towards a goal and when it’s not working, deciding that either I can’t do it, I am not good enough or throwing even more action at it. 
👉🏻 Exploring my options first, deciding on the best strategy from the current status quo, then taking action, learning from that, searching for and responding to the feedback ✅

❌ Focus on outcomes and big goal
👉🏻 Focus on feedback and adjusting my strategy accordingly ✅

❌ Validation from peers and seeking approval from others
👉🏻 Developing my own philosophy, signature frameworks, unique solutions, and methodologies in alignment with my personal values and rooted in my own critical thinking. Plus always crafting the art of hypnotherapy and my own way of working with clients, hypnosis and NLP,
(Changing this years ago was one of THE biggest game changers…) ✅

❌ Giving in when clients were chasing quick fixes
👉🏻 Deeply understanding what my clients truly want, what is stopping them deep down and then helping them make real and lasting changes that last and are in alignment with their values. Therefore helping them fix the underlying real issue instead of the symptom… ✅

It is for you to choose whether you want to be proud of yourself for achieving a certain outcome or if you are proud of yourself because:

✨ You showed up today, you did what you said you were going to, managed your focus and your emotions

✨ You got the help you needed so you can grow and do what you need to

✨ You want to be a long-term thinker and appreciate that every change you make within yourself gets you further (even if it's indirect)

✨ You took some time out for yourself and maybe even thought about what gives you meaning and purpose

So what’s important to YOU…?

When and how often are you giving yourself a pat on the back….?

What are you deciding to call a great day, week or month…?

Where do you spot patterns in your own behaviour or thinking that could do with an update? Because updating your own inner software programs… That’s what my work with hypnotherapy is ideal for.

If you want to align yourself for growth, it really helps to rethink your inner reward structure.

Redefine what you consider successful and what the things are that make you proud of yourself 🤗

As always, I hope you'll find insight and a couple of helpful thoughts or ideas here.

Small shifts can make a big difference.

Hugs

Silke

PS: Your mission should you choose to accept it: Give yourself a pat on the back for no reason at all! Not because you’ve done something, achieved something or whatever.

Just because. 

Because that is a way towards true self-acceptance, warts and all…

PPS: To book, please call Jane on 0422 525843

Speaker at the Hypnotherapy Symposium and powerful questions

My highlight last week was that I got an email of the kind I don’t get everyday:

“Congratulations on being selected as a speaker at the 2023 Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association Symposium!” 

I was deeply moved because I have created so much of my own framework which has taken my art and science of hypnotherapy to a different level and I am sure I will find myself sharing insights that I didn’t even know I had. The opportunity to inspire other therapists and support them to get better results for their clients, really warms my heart!

I love human connection, having meaningful conversations and working things out on a deeper level… Because the right person can ask you questions that reveal that all the right answers were inside you all along. Which is such a great feeling.

I've got a few tips that might help you ask better questions to yourself…

Trust me, these questions could be a game-changer! 

 #1: Goal-Oriented Questions: Start asking questions based on the outcome you want to achieve. For example: "What steps would I need to take to feel calm and confident about X…?" - "What thoughts or beliefs would I need to change to be able to do that…?"

 #2: Be Patient with Yourself (and your kids / pets / family / coworkers…): I know it's tempting to want answers right now. But sometimes, our best insights come when we give them time to brew… So, when I ask a big question, I always give it time to simmer. I let it work its magic in the back of your mind.

You might not have an answer straight away, and that's okay. I’m sure there were many times when I asked you something in a session and days or weeks later something popped up for you…. It's amazing what can happen when you are patient and open to the process.
(My “Eureka moments” usually happen when I’m walking with my dogs.)

 #3: Ask Your Future Self: Picture the most resolved, aligned, highest version of you.

What would that future-you do? What advice would they give you right now? Asking questions from this perspective can be incredibly powerful. After all, this "consultant" is you! And therefore they always have your best interest in mind.

Let me know if you want some more of these powerful questions to ask yourself…

And to book in for hypnotherapy sunshine coast (Peregian Beach or Birtinya or worldwide online hypnotherapy) give my superstar receptionist Jane a call on 0422 525 843

Reclaim Your Brilliance

Confidence is something that everyone seems to want more of. 

But what happens when we strive for confidence without having the necessary competence? It's a common dilemma for so many people. 

Confidence without competence is purely annoying.

And unfortunately there are some hypnotherapy schools out there who give their students unwavering confidence. It’s actually a bit scary.
The confidence to give it a go is essential and best when it comes with some competence.  

The truth is this: true confidence emerges from a solid foundation of competence. So today I will explore the vital link between competence and confidence. And you’ll see it comes full circle back to the importance of embracing courage to step outside our comfort zones and develop the skills that lead to genuine competence. And I’ll also go into how hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can accelerate the journey to increased competence and, consequently, boost your confidence levels.

Competence and confidence are linked

and by developing competence it always enhances confidence. When you got both: you have congruency. And congruency is what helps propel you towards success.

Of course we need the bravery to start ‘somewhere’ so that we can become more competent, which in turn boosts confidence. There needs to be a certain humility and openness to know that there is always more to learn. Hypnotherapy is one of the easiest ways to help increase bravery.

That way we can start to explore that chain reaction of acquiring competence and experiencing heightened confidence. The beauty of it is that with hypnotherapy and NLP it is so much easier to uncover the unique abilities to unlock dormant potential, accelerate learning, and cultivate competence.

It’s a bit like rewiring the mind

Rewire your mind to be open to give it a go… And then get feedback from those actions. In order to do that we need to understand that making mistakes and getting it wrong is human. It is normal. Because everything in life is an opportunity to learn and grow. Only when we become more tolerant and forgiving of our own ‘failures’ can we truly unleash more of our true potential. 

So in conclusion: 

True confidence flourishes when we nurture competence. And the journey towards competence begins with the courage to step out of our much loved comfort zones. (No matter how uncomfortable those may be). 

By being super aware of the unbreakable link between competence and confidence, we can embrace the process of continuous learning and growth. Can you imagine how boring life would be if there was nothing new to learn…?

To accelerate competence we need to bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement. 

I love this saying: “Dreams are just like goals. Only without all the hard work…”

With each step you take towards becoming more competent, your confidence becomes more natural, and you unlock more and more of your true potential. With each step you become more and more ready to turn dreams into real goals and go for them with unwavering assurance.

Want a hand with all that? Give Jane a call on 0422 525 843 to book your hypnotherapy appointment now, both for Sunshine Coast and online

How to overcome fear and boost self confidence

I got lots of great questions to my last email. Thank you to everyone who sent a comment, a question or a thought! I love it when what I write resonates so much with you. 

The questions mainly fell into three categories: 

  1. How can your hypnotherapy and NLP techniques help me to overcome fear and boost my confidence?

The hypnotherapy and NLP techniques I use can be incredibly effective in overcoming fear and boosting confidence. Through hypnotherapy, you can access your subconscious mind and reprogram limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns that contribute to fear and low confidence. NLP techniques also work with your subconscious processes and offer different tools so you can transform your thought processes, change your perspective and build more empowering beliefs.

Especially more self belief. Therefore you let go of some of the fear-based programming and develop a greater sense of self-assurance and confidence.

2. Can you give me some examples of specific tools or methods you use to help me rewire my mind and get more courage?

In hypnotherapy, tools like guided visualisation, positive suggestions, and regression techniques are utilised to address underlying fears and reframe them into empowering beliefs. NLP techniques often involve language patterns, anchoring, reframing, and modelling successful behaviours to shift thought patterns and encourage courageous actions. These methods help to rewire the mind by replacing fear-based responses with more empowering and confident states of mind.

3. I struggle with as you said ‘reaching down into myself’ to get to my hidden reserves of courage. How can you help me unlock them so I can face my challenges with more grit or determination?

With hypnotherapy and NLP I assist you by tapping into the subconscious mind and accessing your inner resources. Through guided hypnosis and NLP techniques, you can explore past experiences (where you did have courage), get rid of or reframe limiting beliefs and connect with inner strengths and capabilities that you may not have been aware of before. By getting easier access to your own inner reserves, you can develop a deeper sense of self-confidence and determination to face challenges head-on.

Remember:

We need to remember that courage and increasing confidence is a journey and it is super unique to everyone. As a highly skilled master hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner we will work together to help you get the most suitable tools and techniques for your specific needs. 

What applies to everyone however is that unlocking your innate courage and creating unshakable confidence is one of the best things you can do for yourself. 

Gratitude: 

Today I am grateful for my health. Honestly, it’s one of these things we tend to take for granted. I know it’s weird but I feel that when I take a moment to express gratitude for my health it’s like my cells are smiling back at me… Yep, I am that hypnotherapist… 

Yours in happiness, health and wellbeing

Silke
PS: All my bookings for hypnotherapy on the Sunshine coast and all online hypnotherapy sessions are handled by my fabulous Jane. Please give Jane a call on 0422 525 843 and she will answer any questions you may have

Harness the Power of Courage: The Link Between Fear, Courage and hypnotherapy

Yesterday I received an email from a dear client who is going through a fair bit of hell and back. She said: “Even though we are not currently doing sessions, you continue to save my a***!!!” 

And it got me thinking about how to keep going in times of massive adversity and the links between  fear, courage, confidence and having our backs against a wall…

To me it seems that in the times of adversity, courage comes out as the driving force which continues to propel us forward. Courage to me is the ability to confront fear. Not the absence of it. 

But how exactly are courage and fear connected? 

And how can I help you with hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) boost your confidence and enhance your capacity for bravery? Because yes, it is so much easier to just stick your head in the sand and to do just enough to keep your world from imploding completely.

To me the relationship between courage and fear has always been really intriguing. Especially since I spent a lot of time in between the two. And when we go into the life changing potential of hypnotherapy and NLP techniques to create more courage life in the long run becomes somewhat easier. And more rewarding.

So what actually is courage…?

Real courage is when a torrent of fear grips you so tightly that it threatens to drown your bravery. And even though you are shaking in your boots you decide to reach deep down inside yourself, pull out something you didn’t even know you had, and with shaking knees you stand firm in the face of uncertainty and push beyond what you thought your limits were. 

These three steps are crucial:

  1. Firstly we need to acknowledge what is happening on the inside.
    To me it’s a bit of a dance between courage and fear. Each trying to pull you one way or another.

  2. It’s about having the right tools and the right method to rewire your mind. Not every tool works for everyone. You need an expert to guide you to find the right tools and the right methods for you. 

  3. You need to unlock hidden reserves of courage. With hypnotherapy and NLP you can buy yourself more clarity and more options. That way you do recognise the fear but don’t go into the whirlwind anymore and instead you can choose to keep going towards your goals.

So really: courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it! 

Hypnotherapy and NLP for more confidence and courage is the logical conclusion.

And by understanding the powerful relationship between these two we can start to nurture more and more bravery within ourselves. 

If you want some help to unlock more and more of your innate courage, reprogram your thoughts, and empower you to face challenges with determination I’m here to give you a hand. 

Yours in happiness, health and wellbeing

Silke

Do not trust your brain

Hi *|FNAME|*

As I was cruising down the motorway with my cruise control on I was wondering why my brain goes on autopilot when my car is in cruise control... It’s as if our brains just automatically think weird thoughts. After 13 years as a clinical hypnotherapist and doing this stuff every day, my brain still occasionally falls into those old traps. 🙄

You know stuff like:

·       I’m confused
·       I don’t know how / what
·       This won’t work for me / my situation
·       I’m already behind / too old (that one always makes me laugh…)
·       It’s too hard for me
·       I’m sure others can but I can't
·       This isn’t working
·       If I succeed, people won’t like me
·       I don’t want to work that hard at getting better
·       It’s not easy
·       I need this to work right now
·       I have to do it perfectly / or right
·       They don’t understand me
·       I never wanted to do XYZ

=> And many many more…

Thoughts create feelings:

How do these thoughts make you feel when you think them?

·       Not good
·       Not courageous
·       Depressed
·       Not creative and resourceful
·       Anxious
·       Not capable
·       Stuck
·       Not good enough
·       And if you do enough of those thoughts they create a loop that leads to "I'm useless, what's the point, it won't work for me..."

What's the point?

And if you do those thoughts really well they often result in “Why bother…?”, “What’s the point…?” So you gave up before you even truly started.

👉.    How are you depressing yourself…? See above.

👉.    How are you creating those anxious sensations…? See above.

It kinda makes sense but it doesn’t get you anywhere. Well it does get you somewhere because all of the above is a great way to depress yourself and to do anxious…

It is logical that you have those thoughts.
We all have thoughts every day about thousands of things. We barely even think about our own thoughts. We just accept them as true.

Time to take control

And that’s were you come in: stand guard at the gates of your own mind.

As a mammal we are hard wired to survival. And for millions of years using as little energy as possible ensured our survival.

The brain uses a lot of energy and creating change, forcing our brains to think differently and taking the necessary steps to improve our mental or physical wellbeing also uses energy.
So yes, it can be a natural inclination to go into conserve-energy-mode “too hard… Let’s go back in the cave and chill in the hammock…"
Of course you can stay exactly where you are, you do not have to come out of your comfort zone.
But one thing is certain: that is not where the magic happens…! 🚀

Remember: just because your autopilot-brain thinks thoughts, that does not at all mean that they are true…! Yep, those thoughts pretend to be reasonable and true but they are not. 🤯
Neither does it mean you have to keep those thoughts. Chuck em. 

You get to choose! Boom 👊

What new thoughts will you think to keep you moving forward into success?

P.S.: Want some hep with it all…?
Here are some options: Worldwide online hypnosis NLP sessions
Sunshine coast hypnotherapy Coolum and Birtinya for in person sessions

Yours in happiness and wellbeing

Silke

Happy Mother's Day (even when grieving)

Please think of anyone who is grieving this Mother’s Day

A day we celebrate all mums... I generally like to acknowledge all the fabulous women in my life. All my female clients who sort out whatever they are working on so they can be even better mothers, wives, partners, members of their community...

How to support someone who is grieving?

If you don’t feel you know them well enough to call then just send a text and you can always put in “no need to reply, just wanted to say I am thinking of you today…”

A simple way to help someone who is grieving is to call them before or on the day and just say:

“Hey I know this must be hard for you, would you like to go for a coffee / walk sometime this week”

“I just wanted to say I am thinking of you and X (insert name of their deceased loved one) today. I can’t even imagine how difficult this day must be for you”

“I wanted to let you know that I just remembered what a beautiful smile X always had / how friendly she was or this story of X (insert name of their deceased loved one)”

“I wish I could give you a hug today. I am sorry I am too far away would you like a virtual cup of tea with me…?”

Many people do not know this but I work a lot with the bereaved.

I certainly know what grief and loss feels like.

I recently was working with a young lady, let's call her Lucy, she told me she had lost her mum, let's call her Trish... Well sort of... Lucy's mum was still alive but she might as well not be... Ever since Trish's mum died 8 years ago, Trish had been stuck in grief, she wasn't present for Lucy when she was going through her first big breakup, struggled with uni and eventually graduated.

It's sad when one life is lost. But when a second life is lost to grief, depression, alcohol, anxiety, weight gain... That's a tragedy!

Give us a call and find out how I can help you in a way that:

  • honours your loved one

  • makes sure you always keep them close and

  • allows you to start participating in life again.

Yours in grief and hope
Silke

Mother's Day when grieving grief bereaved mother

Action and results

We all know that taking action creates results... 
No matter what it is what you'd like to change: we need to take action. 
Whether you want to get rid of weight, stop being anxious and become more calm and confident, become less angry and become more empathetic, stop being scary when you get scared, stop drinking too much, quit smoking or whatever else it is you want to change... 

It all starts with action. 
 

Doing something different

Why is that easier said than done...?
Because we all have subconscious programs that get in the way of the change. Those can be beliefs, negative emotions, old triggers or values that get in the way.

You've got a few options to change

Conscious decision

You can make a conscious decision and then you really try hard, resists the unconscious urges and that tends to go okay for a while. Until it doesn't...! There will alway be the point where it doesn't...


Hope for change

You can hope for change... I am a big fan of 'hope' but I know for a fact that it certainly does not work in this instance.

Subconscious changes

Or you can make changes at the level of the unconscious. with hypnotherapy and NLP
Because if there was a way that would work at least as well as the old way and most likely even better than the old way... Then I'm pretty sure your unconscious would give that a go... The power of your mind and hypnosis.

Example  

I was working with this hypnotherapy client and he was distraught because he couldn't help it but he often found himself yelling at his kids. On the one hand he hated himself for it and on the other hand he ket saying to himself 'well if they only did what I asked them to do I wouldn't have to yell, so it's their fault..."

However none of that was doing anything to help him change.

He had been trying to not yell. He had hoped that once the job became less stressful he'd be calmer... Nope.


So he took action with hypnotherapy and NLP


His action was that he booked in and committed himself to a series of sessions. Because he didn't want to hurt the people he loved anymore.

So in hypnosis we explored what the yelling part of him wanted... He wanted to feel heard…
There was an old subconscious pattern of nobody listening to him when he was a kid. So we needed to sort that out first with hypnosis.
Then it turned out the subconscious part that was doing the yelling wanted the kids to do what he asked them to do in the first place. Because then everything would run smoothly and when everything runs smoothly everyone would be happy and he could relax...
So all we needed to do (in hypnosis) was to help his subconscious processes find a way that would work at least as good as or even better than yelling to get the kids to do what he asked them to do...
His subconscious came up with lots of resources... Humour, empathy, being able to put himself into their shoes and see the world through their eyes, patience, love, giving them a hug, preparing them in advance and some other resources...

How cool is that?

And the result was that everyone was much happier.
Especially he himself! He was so stoked and proud of the change he had made. It had given him a new found trust in himself and his own ability to create changes.
Because I am always just a guide... It's every single one of my clients' who makes the real changes!

Let's not let the old programs get in the way!
 

It is all just learned behaviour. So you can change it with hypnotherapy and NLP.
It doesn't have to be the old way.
And it all starts with making a decision, taking responsibility and then doing it (come hell or high water)...

And yep, ever so often we have set backs... And that is totally normal too! And then we take that as feedback that something needs a little tweak and we take action on that.

Yours in happiness and wellbeing

Silke

Gratitude: 

Today I am grateful for everyone who takes action and works on themselves! One tiny change at a time we all become happier human beings!
 

Yours in happiness and wellbeing
Silke

Back to flexibility

Choices

If we only have one choice how to react to a situation we might as well be a robot. So choices and flexibility are a good thing! 
When A happens do X…. That is very simple robot programming. (A subject matter, I know nothing of)


Patterns of behaviour:

Can you spot a pattern in the responses your subconscious produces…? Then that’s a fair indicator that in those situation flexibility is missing. And the easiest way to get more unconscious choices is through hypnotherapy and NLP.

It’s a really useful exercise to pay attention and get curious about what patterns your unconscious does automatically and repeatedly…

I’m a bit of a list maker and I always have a list for spotting my own patterns so I always know what I need to work on. 

Some examples of fairly common patterns:

See a spider => Phobia or anxiety…

Have someone suggest a different way of doing things => Anger…

Give a speech and notice someone looking bored => Anxiety or Fear of public speaking…

Be criticised => feel not confident or depression…

Someone looking at you => Anxiety and wanting to run and hide…

People fail to realise

What people fail to realise that not having a different choice is a choice. 

Feeling insecure is a choice. Being negative is a choice. Being angry is a choice. Feeling fear is a choice. Taking no action is a choice. Improving your self-confidence is a choice. Deciding to let go of an old life story is a choice. Making the changes you want is a choice.

=> (Nobody said anything about it being easy…!) But with Hypnosis and NLP we can change these patterns a lot easier than with any other from of therapy.

Whichever way you find yourself showing up: you can change that!
Probably not by yourself , but with the help of skilled and experienced hypnotherapist you can absolutely change that and a brighter future is possible and within reach!

The thing about choices:

If you have one choice you’re a robot…

If you have two choices you have a dilemma…

If you have three or more choices then you have options..!

If those three options disappear…? Then what…?
=> You create new ones…!

And when you run out of options…?

The biggest freedom of all lies in the deep inner knowing that you always have the option to change how you feel. Nobody can take that away from you.
You can not control life but you can always control your response to life.

So back to flexibility


Unconscious flexibility is so important because it allows you to step out of your ego, leave the armour and defences behind and allows you to create a new image of yourself for yourself. You are not the same person you were yesterday. And you will be different again tomorrow. Letting go of the person you thought you had to be is an incredibly powerful use of flexibility!

The easiest way to get more subconscious options is with Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy and NLP. So book in today for an online hypnosis session or in my hypnotherapy practice on the Sunshine Coast. 07 5351 1970

"The history of free people was never written by accident, but by choice – their choice!"

– Dwight D. Eisenhower

Gratitude: 

Today I am grateful for this little cold snap! I just love having the fireplace cranking...! 

Yours in happiness and wellbeing
Silke