Hypno-Desensitization - Coping with Out of Control Anxiety

Madeline’s husband loved to play golf and was excited to play Pebble Beach with an old college buddy. She wanted to make the road trip with him to Monterey (400 miles in 7 hours) but she felt scared, unsafe and out of control when he was driving. Around town together, she usually did the driving to avoid these fears. This trip was too long for her to use that coping technique and just thinking about it was making her so anxious that she was considering not going. How might I help her?

Hypno-Desensitization or Hypnotherapy facilitated Systematic Desensitization is an integrated method that combines the power of hypnosis and the proven behavioral therapy technique of Systematic Desensitization. It can empower you to manage, reduce and overcome a wide variety of specific, situational fears and the anxiety you experience in those situations.

In our first session together, we used hypnosis to help Madeline achieve a state of deep relaxation and I gave her an anchor.  An anchor is two words that “anchor” in the positive, relaxed feeling she felt in hypnosis.  She could close her eyes (as long as he was driving) and breathe in as she said “Beach” and breathe out as she said “Happy,” the two words that described her special happy place and the positive feeling it gave her. 

Next, I used systematic desensitization to help her let go of the feelings of being out of control and the anxiety that she felt when her husband was driving. She replaced the anxiety with the happy, positive feelings she feels at the beach.  In hypnosis, I reminded her that while the brain is a wonderful, complex organ, it can only have one thought at a time.  I encouraged her to get in touch with the feelings of being out of control while he was driving and then let those feelings pass and replace them with her feeling of being happy at the beach.  We did this several times until she was no longer able to access those feelings of being out of control.  This is systematic desensitization – replacing those negative feelings with a positive feeling of your special place. 

After a few sessions Madeline was able to go with her husband cheerfully to Monterey.  He thoroughly enjoyed his golf game.  She enjoyed the beach in Monterey very much and now uses it as a new anchor whenever she and her husband head out on a road trip.

Used in conjunction with Hypnotherapy, I find Systematic Desensitization very effective in empowering clients to manage and overcome unwanted fears and associated anxiety that limit their enjoyment of life.

Some common fears:

• Fear of Flying

• Fear of Public Speaking

• Fear of Driving

If this is something of interest to you, please give me a call (818-929-4944) or join us any Wednesday on my Hypnotherapy Q and A. You can register here..

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfu6trjIvGNZ8XkMGblRSB97cmXEKVT6p

Sincerely,

Cinda

HypnoNews and Resources

Here are 4 articles that go into more depth on fears and phobias and how they can be treated with Hypno-Desensitization.

http://www.positivehealth.com/article/hypnosis/the-hypo-desensitization-approach-to-the-treatment-of-simple-phobias

https://www.simplypsychology.org/Systematic-Desensitisation.html

https://web.wellness-institute.org/blog/bid/399324/hypnosis-in-the-treatment-of-anxieties-fears-and-phobias

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-would-aristotle-do/201105/the-fear-losing-control

From Fear to Freedom - Lessons for Overcoming Virus Fear

Very early in my career as a hypnotherapist, I had a young woman as a client who came to me for fear of driving.  She was afraid to get a driver’s license.  Living in Southern California was becoming harder and harder for the recent college graduate.  She had to walk almost a mile to catch the bus to work and almost a mile to her office after she got off the bus.  She was literally afraid of driving the car – it seemed large and foreign to her and she was afraid she could not control it.  She was correct to be afraid of the car.  A car is considered a lethal weapon by law enforcement.  Part of what I helped her see is that yes, she may be afraid of the car and to see that fear as healthy.  She began to understand that even through her fear she could learn to manage and control the car and use it to her advantage.  She practiced and practiced.  She started first in a parking lot and then finally on the streets.  I am happy to report she passed her test on the first try and promptly drove herself across country to relocate in Nashville.  A very happy ending to the story!

What can we learn from this story today?  I think it translates very easily.  We are living in a fearful time.  We should be afraid of COVID-19 and its consequences.  We can channel that fear to be safe and healthy when interacting with others.  Here are some suggestions:

• Planning becomes very important.  In the same way that you wouldn’t drive on the wrong side of the street, you also should be careful interacting with people who may have or be carriers for COVID-19.  Does that mean you need to stay inside your home 24/7 and never see any people?  Probably not.

• .It is important to get out of your home.  Go for a walk in an area that is not busy.  Take a drive and enjoy the beautiful scenery all around us.

• It is also important to have safe personal interactions.  Call your friends, schedule a zoom happy hour,or social distance outside with separate food and drinks.  There are many alternatives available that can help keep you safe and healthy while still giving you social connections.  Your friends will probably appreciate your calling!

Ongoing fear, worry or distress of any kind can lead to debilitating, life limiting chronic anxiety and even related physical symptoms. If your fear becomes overwhelming, I can help.  I will listen, ask questions, and help you get information and gain understanding of your fears.  We will develop transformative affirmations that focus on the positive outcome that you desire. You will be motivated and empowered to take action on your desired new behaviors with confidence and growing competence as you enjoy more freedom and less worry to hold you back or slow you down.

You do not have to cure Covid or wait for a vaccine to move past the virus fear, reduce anxiety, and bring a greater feeling of hope, confidence and freedom into your daily life.

To learn more, go to my website https://www.cindaroffman.com and register for my next free, live Hypnotherapy Q & A – Fear and Anxiety.

Or, to see if we can work together to help you, call now to arrange for a free, private, online video consultation - 818-929-4944.