Altered Awareness
Sam Harris
Dip C Hyp, Dip NLP Life Coach
The Hypnomenopause Approach
As a fully trained HypnoMenopause® Practitioner, I’d like to take this opportunity to explain how hypnotherapy can help you during menopause and to answer some of the questions you might have.
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If you’re reading this page, it’s likely that you’re at some stage in the menopausal transition (or think you might be). The lead up to menopause, known as perimenopause, can last several years. Menopause itself is defined as the time when you haven’t had a period for twelve months or more, after which time you’re in the post-menopausal stage. Whatever stage of menopause you’re experiencing, you might be finding this time of life difficult for several reasons and wondering how The HypnoMenopause® Approach can help.
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For some women, this transitional phase is characterised hot flushes and night sweats, fatigue, aches and pains, sleep problems and a range of other symptoms which make it hard to function. It's also a time when women may be struggling with life pressures and a shifting sense of their own identity. HypnoMenopause® combines hypnosis, mindfulness and CBT to help women manage their experience in a completely natural way. In clinical trials, hypnotherapy has been shown to alleviate hot flushes by up to an incredible 74%, in addition to helping mood, sleep and sexual function.
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HypnoMenopause® was featured in Psychologies Magazine. Following a five session programme, journalist Clem Felix wrote, “I feel energetic and am looking forward to the future with real excitement for the first time in years. For now, at least, I feel a long way from needing HRT”. HypnoMenopause® creator, Dr. Claire Jack, writes regularly about the menopausal transition for online magazine, Psychology Today as one of their in-house experts.
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I am very happy to offer you a free phone consultation, during which we can discuss what you’re looking for from The HypnoMenopause® Approach and how I can best help you. In the meantime, please check out the Q&A section below which answers some of the most commonly asked questions about HypnoMenopause®.
What happens during a session?
The first step in our work together is a free consultation, by phone, during which I will answer any questions you have and establish whether HypnoMenopause® is the right approach for you. Following that, you will usually have up to five sessions, during which you will work on different aspects of your experience. During a session, your I will talk you into a relaxed, focused state and use a combination of guided meditations and powerful therapeutic tools including NLP, mindfulness and CBT to help you create your desired changes.
How can hypnotherapy help me with hot flushes/ insomnia/ brain fog?
We often think of the brain and body as being separate, when, in fact, they're completely connected. Everything we think impacts us at a physical level (take a moment to think of something which causes you fear, and notice how your body reacts). Hypnotherapy can help us connect with our body at a deep level and, in addition to changing the messages we offer ourselves, visualisation is linked to physical changes at the cellular level. Whatever physical menopausal symptoms you have, increasing your mind-body awareness has the capacity to help.
Is it guaranteed to help me?
As with any type of therapy, hypnotherapy isn't guaranteed to help. However, if you are genuinely motivated to create change and are open to exploring hypnotherapy, like many clients it is likely you will see an improvement in your symptoms.
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
We know from research that some people are more hypnotisable than others. If you've ever been really engrossed in a good book, or spent some time getting lost in a daydream, you have the capacity to reach a state of mind which is just right for you. We also know that the clients who experience the greatest transformations are those who are motivated - regardless of whether or not they're highly hypnotisable. In addition to that, HypnoMenopause® draws on a range of different approaches, including mindfulness, CBT and NLP and people tend to find that they respond well to this integrated therapeutic approach.
I’m on HRT. Is that a problem?
If you're on HRT and wish to continue taking it, it's perfectly ok to use hypnotherapy alongside your medication as a complementary approach.
Can this be used as an alternative to HRT?
Everyone's experience is unique and whilst some women stay on HRT during their HypnoMenopause® Programme, others seek it out as an alternative therapy. In clinical trials, hypnotherapy has been shown to have an effectiveness rate of up to 74% in the treatment of hot flushes - a similar success rate to HRT. It also helps with mood, sleep and sexual function so, for some women, it provides an effective alternative to medication.
Does it matter what stage of menopause I’m at?
HypnoMenopause® is designed to work with women, no matter whether they're perimenopausal or post menopausal. Menopausal symptoms can persist for several years and this programme can help you, whatever your experience.
I don’t have hot flushes. I’m just a bit down…
​Some women seek out HypnoMenopause® because of physical symptoms, some women seek out hypnotherapy because of mood disorders and some women seek it out simply because they're feeling stressed, fatigued and overwhelmed. HypnoMenopause® is designed to help with everything from coping with mid-life career stress, to empty-nest syndrome to hot flushes.
How many sessions do I need?
During your initial consultation, we can discuss your needs, including how many sessions you might require. Generally, it is recommended that you have five sessions and complete the full HypnoMenopause® Programme. This allows me to adopt a holistic and integrated approach with you. Unlike a doctor, I’m not just here to treat your symptoms. I’m here to help you pursue the fulfilled life which you deserve. As part of your programme, you’ll receive two recordings and will be taught self-hypnosis so that you can carry the work forwards for the rest of your life.