affinitytherapies.viviti.com

Tel 01415787329      Mob 07961484343 

Email: gmtysk@gmail.com

 Evidence Based approaches using :- Hypnotherapy, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) for the treatment of Anxiety States, Phobias, Management of Pain, Stress, PTSD and Chronic conditions , Low Self-Esteem and Confidence Issues.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Cognitive behavioural therapy is now often regarded as the most developed and comprehensive form of modern psychotherapy, purported by some sources to be derived from hypnotherapy. In actuality, CBT is not one but several therapy processes and quantitative methods which are designed to assist in understanding the interplay between thoughts and emotional processes as well as how these affect behaviour. Cognitions (which can be positive or negative) can be any/all of ideas, thoughts, feelings and memories, and understanding the role that these play is central to CBT, all the more so when they become problematic (so called NAT's or negative automatic thoughts).

 Recent research  using MRI scans has suggested that certain parts of the brain  (e.g. the anterior insula)  seem to have a role in affecting belief. At core, CBT, seeks to make transparent how problem situations arise, often starting with the ABC formula to enable understanding of the role cognitions have on behaviour. The ABC formula starts with C in this methodology (C standing for consequences such as say a panic state) where the problems which beset clients are the most readily understood part of the cycle. Working backwards from this the therapist seeks to uncover B, the beliefs which have arisen which underlie,  have impact on & may perhaps have caused problem behaviours. Understanding faulty & distorted thought patterns which link with feelings, allows the person to tackle toxic thoughts linked with the feelings which create disempowering beliefs.  A in this sequence refers to the original (or so called) Activating events from which  the beliefs have arisen. Stated in another way, ideas can give rise to emotions, which often create beliefs, from which behaviours arise. In comprehending how this pattern of thought-feeling-belief-behaviour fit together trends can become more apparent. Quantifying what we think & feel about our issues, and  the intensity with which we hold those sentiments respectively  is also a tool which enables us to notice,  identify  & comprehend our processes and associations in order to establish substitutional patterns of change.

 So what is CBT generally useful for?

• Addictions
• Anger Problems
• Anxiety States
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• Chronic Fatigue Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
• Panic Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Phobias
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorders

 According to some knowledgeable sources, some aspects of CBT (such as imaginal exposure) have largely been derived from hypnotherapy, and  some studies (e.g a meta-analysis by Kirsch*) suggest that cognitive hypnotherapy (i.e. hypnotherapy combined with CBT) is about 70% more effective than CBT alone.

One form of CBT which has become accepted as being useful for treating chronic conditions such as anxiety & depression or equally physical problems such as pain is CBT Mindfulness, based on Zen philosophy  developed as a form of therapy by Williams, Segal, Teasdale, & Kabat Zinn.

The process of using mindful observation of  what arises internally,  in the relaxed contemplative state can be used as a solo exercise, or in hypnosis, or as a group activity.

*Kirsch, I., Montgomery, G., & Sapirstein, G. (1995). Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 63, 214-220.