It is that time of year again, after a period of rest and indulging, looking down the barrel of a long stretch to Easter, when all kinds of issues can pop up. Relationships have possibly been strained (or healed) with this time spent together. Weight is also an issue at this time of year, after the parties and the good excuses for lack of exercise. I really enjoy helping people with weight issues. I firmly believe that the combination of hypnotherapy and counselling is the best approach. Eating can be a very emotional affair with roots sometimes as far back as childhood, "mindless eating" relates to our Child Ego State.

Hypnosis and counselling can be used effectively to help with such inner child issues, and I will often use John Bradshaw's Inner Child Therapy as a framework to work through with clients. Often, a confidence boost is required in the initial stages ; working on breaking habits attached to food, or even aversion to certain food types (chocolate/cakes etc?) can be helpful.

I am also becoming increasingly interested in the use of metaphor in therapy. David Grove's metaphor model can be extremely cathartic for those who have suffered a trauma of any kind. My doctorate work is now following this fascinating subject, I look forward to sharing my research results in the future.

I recently attended a wellbeing day at a school in Plymouth. Working alongside my colleague Chris Dawson talking about managing stress with 82 teachers and teaching staff was a joyful experience, and informative to me too. The subject of stress continues to interest me, I was intrigued to hear that the "normal" level of stress in 2012 would have resulted in the hospitalisation of someone in the 1950s! Stress really is the modern day epidemic and affects all of us. Chris and I are embarking on writing a book on the subject of stress and wellbeing, drawing on our work with clients and schools over the last 4 years. We have a working title - The Cat Sits in the Sun...             

Exciting times!!

If you would like to know more about my private practice of counselling/hypnotherapy in Bramhall, Cheshire, please call or email to arrange an initial chat.

Jonathan Lloyd