Photo credit: kakisky from morguefile.com

I’m amazed that hypnosis is not more readily available in GP surgeries and within hospital settings. It can also be easily added into Health and wellbeing in the work place. I’ve recently attended a conference hosted by the London College of Clinical Hypnosis: Evidence Based Practice in Clinical Hypnotherapy. Below are just a few snippets from the 2 days.

All the techniques below can be easily taught either in one to one sessions or as part of a work based training package. If you are interested in knowing more then please contact me and I’ll be happy to discuss your requirements. When you weigh it up against the cost of taking time off due to sickness, well ……… and if it were a prescription drug, I wonder what it would cost?

To start with; looking at studies into burn healing (Moore LE and Kaplan JZ 1983 – American journal of hypnosis) Hypnosis sessions were carried out 2 weeks prior to surgery and up to 6 weeks after. 8 x 30 minute sessions. Results showed accelerated burn healing rate, reduction in pain relief medication, reduced stress and more relaxed before surgery, less surgery needed and less general anaesthetics needed. (Burger MM, Davadant M, et al 2010) Saving per patient = £11.340, 5 days less in ICU, 6 days less on general ward.

Breast cancer research; Recovery after surgery. Results showed improved healing, reduced stress prior to surgery, less side effects, and reduced pain. (Montgomery GH et al 2004, various journals)

Persistent pain; Georgie Oldfield spoke about pain. Some people just have pain for no reason and for her it didn’t add up. I think most of us can say we’ve experienced this in some form or another. “I only got out of the car” or “ I just lifted it up awkwardly and my back went” whereas others have pain for no reason, “I just woke up with it” “it just came on” 88% of people who had back pain also had additional stress conditions (The Divided Mind) There has been a 4% increase in lower back pain resulting in time off work (Occupational Health Statistics) As we know, pain is activated in the brain by neuro pathways being triggered but just as it can travel on a pathway, this path can change track and go in reverse. With education, self-direction and improved self-care, bad behaviours/pathways could be reversed. You are able to re-programme healthy nerve pathways using Visualisation, Mindfulness and additional tools.

Work based health improvement when using Self-hypnosis. This study is looking at a preventative step as well as enhancing general wellness for everyone. Not only did the groups who had been taught self-hypnosis have an improvement but the difference between them and the control group was that the effect was sustainable and they maintained the gains achieved in the study period.