Thinking about our problems doesn’t solve them! We can’t ‘think’ our way out of a habit, out of anxiety or out of a challenging life situation. In fact the more we think about our problems the worse they get.

Our  ‘conscious’ mind knows all the good reasons why we ‘shouldn’t’ reach for the next helping of food – why we ‘should’ go for a walk every day – why we ‘shouldn’t’ let ourselves get angry about small things – why we ‘should’ stop pining over our lost love.

With our tricky mind we tell ourselves, ‘I’ll start tomorrow’ . . . ‘I’ll do something about it when I’m less stressed’.   And yet somehow that ‘tomorrow’ never arrives and we find ourselves stuck in the same old patterns.

Our conscious mind gives us the ability to use reasoning, logic and analytical thinking. It also gives us the ability to think about both the past and the future, to ruminate & worry, to judge ourselves and to engage in self talk'.

However to perform all these functions it relies on a vast storehouse of information that lies below the surface of our everyday awareness. Change happens when we slow down enough to become aware of what is happening 'below the surface'.

‘We can only know what we know but we can always learn what we don’t know’

The ‘subconscious’ mind refers to the many complex brain structures that operate  behind the scenes of our everyday awareness. 

Within these structures are stored the memory of everything that we have ever learnt or experienced throughout our lives - our talents, our practical skills and our wisdom - as well as - unwanted habits, thoughts and emotional responses that we have learnt along the way.

Those memories form who we are as a unique individual - our sense of self - our core beliefs - our values and how we relate to others. They shape and drive our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. 

The good news is that no matter how stuck we feel in our habits, thoughts and emotions our brain is very capable of learning something new.

Within the structures of our subconscious mind lie the components of our autonomic nervous system. These systems function without any input from our conscious mind and are sometimes referred to as the 'unconscious' mind.

Our parasympathetic nervous system monitors and regulates all the systems of our body - bodily functions such as digestion, heartbeat, breathing, hormone regulation, hunger, thirst, and libido.

Our sympathetic nervous system, sometimes referred to as the 'primitive' or 'reptilian' brain, is responsible for triggering all those lightening quick responses that bypass our conscious thoughts - that includes our response to stress and danger as well as all as our habits. actions and emotional responses such as anger and trauma responses - all the things that can appear to be out of our control.

No matter how stuck we feel in our habits, thoughts and emotions our brain is always capable of re-learning, re-framing and learning something new.

Throughout our lives biological changes happen in our brain as we learn the complexity of skills that enable us to negotiate our environment. Neuroplasticity recognises this ability of our brain to adapt and change - to create and strengthen neural pathways in response to new experiences.

Hypnosis is one way that we can target and influence the neural pathways associated with habits, emotions, or behaviours. Using techniques such as visualisation, guided imagery and mind rehearsal we can literally change the 'programming' of our subconscious brain.

How Does Our Brain Learn?

Our brain learns through experience, practice and repetition and it responds to imagined experience just as effectively as if it were real. It fires the same neurons, which stimulate the same neurochemicals, which create the same response in our body as if we were actually living through the experience.  The more we repeat a thought or behaviour, the stronger the neural pathways become.

When we vividly imagine ourselves reaching certain goals our brain is stimulated to fire up and strengthen new neural pathways

Similarly if we vividly imagine ourselves failing at something we are more likely to fail.

When we mind rehearse, or visualise, thoughts and actions that are targeted towards achieving our goals we are building the neural pathways that will strengthen our resolve  and maximise our success. Just like exercising a muscle to make it strong the brain circuitry that is required to help us make healthier choices, or to get out of bed and go for that walk grows and strengthens. 

Athletes use mind rehearsal as ‘mental workout’ to imagine all the steps and mind-set for peak performance.

Musicians can practice their instrument by imagining the position of their fingers as they play notes and chord formations.

Public speakers can imagine speaking in front of a group feeling calm, relaxed and appreciated.

Students can imagine themselves taking an exam while feeling relaxed and focused with good access to memory. 

Hypnosis can harness this power of your imagination to create the changes you would like to see in your life.