December is here, and with it, the holidays. There is less daylight and for many, more drinking. For students, December means finals and the end of the semester. There may be rushing around with the pressure to get just the right gifts and attend parties. Many people increase their debt. While the blues can occur anytime of the year, they receive more publicity around the holidays. In psychology, there are different ways we define “The Blues.” SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder occurs … [Read more...] about Treating Winter, Holiday Blues
Don Berlyn
Quitting is Winning
The Great American Smoke Out is Nov. 21, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The following information is according to the American Cancer Society: “More than 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. Smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths. And more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease. While the cigarette smoking rate has dropped … [Read more...] about Quitting is Winning
Incorporating Good Stress in Your Life
Not all stress is created equal. Stress can be positive. This good stress is called eustress. The stress people usually think of is distress. Negative stress with the feeling of being anxious and overwhelmed drags people down, sapping their energy and draining their joy. The bad stress leaves people stuck in fight, flight or freeze mode. This can result in high blood pressure and digestive, immune and reproductive problems. There is also difficulty thinking clearly and sleeping. There are … [Read more...] about Incorporating Good Stress in Your Life
Treating Phobias with Hypnotherapy
Overcoming phobias is a common issue seen for hypnotherapy. The following list is from clients seen at Flagstaff Hypnotherapy. A person with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) was the first official client of that practice. Other phobias treated in the clinic include fear of: heights, flying, germs, snakes, needles, blood, pain, tight spaces (including being in an MRI or similar device), wide open spaces, being in vehicles, driving over bridges, crowds, dentists, medications and public … [Read more...] about Treating Phobias with Hypnotherapy
Focusing on What You Want
When someone is told, “Don’t think of a white elephant,” usually, they visualize a white elephant. The reason is that while the conscious mind is great at language, the subconscious is not. The conscious mind works with logic, symbols, letters, numbers, language and math. The subconscious mind works with images, senses, emotions and the physical body. The subconscious does NOT work well with language. Although grammatically correct as a sentence, “Don’t think of a white elephant,” the … [Read more...] about Focusing on What You Want
Choosing Your Time Travel Experience
Except in science fiction, time travel doesn’t seem possible. The truth is, we time travel all the time. In fact, that’s probably how we spend most of our time. Every time we are lost in a memory or dreaming about or dreading something in the future, we are time traveling. If you think about it, in that moment, we might be sitting in a chair in a class or at work, driving or lying in bed. Yet, our mind is miles and years away. Much of the time when we time travel, it’s a negative … [Read more...] about Choosing Your Time Travel Experience
Springtime: The Season of Renewal, Fresh Starts
Spring in Flagstaff means snow, rain, dry, sunny, cloudy, cold, warm, calm, windy. In Flagstaff, we have it all. One thing about spring you can count on is new growth. Aspen and oak trees begin to bud, and sprouts begin to push up through the ground. Spring can be a time of new beginning for humans, too. Those goals and resolutions that laid dormant through the winter can sprout anew. Every time we wake up is a new opportunity to start over. Sometimes, it is helpful to launch a plan on a … [Read more...] about Springtime: The Season of Renewal, Fresh Starts
Will 2019 Be the Year Your Resolution Succeeds?
If 2019 is like previous years, about 8 to 9 percent of the people who make New Year resolutions actually keep them. Eighty percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February! Even so, it turns out that it is worth making resolutions because it creates a mindset to make progress toward a goal. People who don’t make resolutions, but just say they want some type of change in their lives, tend to not make any progress. Some proven tips to help achieve goals are: Write it down and say … [Read more...] about Will 2019 Be the Year Your Resolution Succeeds?
Offering the Gift of Inner Peace for the Holidays
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays are rapidly approaching. For many people, the holidays can be very stressful. There are three visitors who can bring gifts. First is the Ghost of Christmas (or, insert your holiday here) Past. Remembering how things used to be can bring happy memories or sadness, even anger. The happy memories can be resources for the present. To enliven the positive memories, find a quiet place, get comfortable, close your eyes, go back in time and … [Read more...] about Offering the Gift of Inner Peace for the Holidays
Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety
For most people, speaking in public can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Fear of public speaking is all in the mind. Here are some suggestions to work with your mind to ease the fear and deliver a better, more comfortable speech. Before the Talk Know your stuff. It’s much easier to be confident if you know what you are talking about. If you aren’t going to use technology, practice without technology. If you are going to use technology, practice with technology and without technology, … [Read more...] about Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety