Stress can be defined as a state we experience when there is a mismatch between perceived demands and our perceived ability to cope. Stress can also be defined as an adaptive response by a body to change in the environment. Stress response evolved to enable humans to deal with life-threatening dangers or stressors such as being confronted with a wild animal. Situations like this required action – the activation of stress response whether to stay and fight or to run away.

Today we hopefully won’t have to face the same dangers as our ancestors but the stress response to demanding situations we face is still with us and our mind and body still prepare for fight or flight when confronted with this equivalent of the wild animal. This is where the problem may begin as activation of the fight or flight response with no physical outlet, such as if we are stuck in a traffic jam and can’t fight it or flee it, or maybe an unfair confrontation in the workplace where once again the response for action may be triggered but we cant vent it by fighting or running away without consequences we would rather avoid. Perhaps both of these events and more are experienced on the same day, perhaps every day, and the stress builds within us until it can damage our health if a solution is not found.

When we face a stressor but perceive we have the ability to deal with it successfully a feeling of success and achievement can be gained. Getting the balance right between good stress to motivate us and encourage us to grow, and our ability to cope with the stress is possibly the key to remaining healthy, positive and active in whatever arena of life we find ourselves, particularly after this election.

Changes in hormones prepare a person to either stay and deal with the anxiety or to take flight/run away. This immediate state of alarm is when the body prepares to take action, and in this state a person will be extremely alert to their surroundings but also very anxious and possibly unable to concentrate.

There are many people at this time considering the flight response and running off to Canada or elsewhere. Before such radical decisions are made give yourself some time to decompress a little. 

Self-Hypnosis allows an individual to enter a state of deep relaxation which in itself is a very useful therapy for combating stress. It also allows one to become calm and focused, as all parts of the mind work together and concentrate on solving the problem at hand.

Listening to relaxing recordings and breathing can help. Here are some options to help you through this time:

http://journeysinwardhypnosis.com/anxiety-stress-m...

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

Getting a good night’s sleep is so important for so many reasons. If you are sleep deprived, you simply do not feel like yourself and you probably find it difficult to function well. Lack of sleep may be caused by stress or a sleep disorder, and you may be frustrated with the thought that the only thing you can do about your insomnia is to take sleeping pills. If you are one of the many insomniacs who wants a drug free solution to sleeplessness you may want to try hypnosis.

Sleep is essential to good health. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you are probably tired and irritable during the day. Approximately 30% of adults have symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia can affect many different areas of your life and it can drastically affect your mood, causing you to be irritable with the people around you. In addition, it saps your energy and reduces your ability to function throughout the next day. Your brain may have that “foggy” feeling, and you may feel like you aren’t fully present as you go through your day. Insomnia can be caused by an inability to relax, and it can take several different forms. Some people toss and turn, unable to fall asleep, while others keep waking up throughout the night. Either way, if you don’t sleep well, you know the toll that it takes on your health and energy. And the harder you try to fall asleep, the more anxious you will become, making it even less likely that you will be able to fall asleep or stay asleep.

There are a number of treatments for Insomnia. Perhaps you have tried herbal remedies, warm milk or prescription medications without much luck. Some people resort to having a glass of wine before bed, a habit which has obvious consequences of its own. Medications also have side effects and can be habit-forming. So what else can you do to get a good night’s sleep?

If you have tried everything and still can’t sleep, and want to avoid medications, hypnosis may be the sleep aid you are looking for. With hypnosis, you can learn gentle suggestions to help you relax and fall asleep. A Hypnosis MP3 can give you suggestions for relaxing and unwinding at the end of the day. It can lull you into a deep, restful sleep and help you release the cares of the day so you can sleep soundly. The best thing about it is; it is drug free and a natural remedy for sleeplessness.

Did you know that by using self hypnosis mp3’s you can – virtually automatically – get that much needed rest by achieving a level of deep restorative sleep easier and faster than you ever thought possible? It’s easy to train your brain to shut off all the extra noise and immediately fall into a deep level of sleep that allows your entire body and mind to rejuvenate while giving you the ability to wake up feeling totally refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Using self-hypnosis, you can reset your internal clock so that whenever you need to get a power nap you are recharged for 30, 20 or even 10 minutes of needed rejuvenating sleep at any time you need.

If you combine hypnotherapy with good sleeping habits such as the ones listed below you will find that insomnia will no longer be a problem.

Don't eat a heavy meal close to bedtime.Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool, but not cold.

Use the bedroom only for sleeping

Don't go to bed until you're sleepy.

Avoid caffeine and stimulants at night

Make sure that the room you sleep in is totally dark

Exercise regularly but avoid exercising within three or four hours before you go to bed.

Be sure your mattress is comfortable.

"Turn off your mind" at bedtime remind yourself that you can think about these things tomorrow.

Don’t take naps

Listen to your Sleep well MP3 with hypnotic suggestions for sleeping

Before resorting to medications try some natural remedies from the health food store

Listen to quiet music

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

Stress and fatigue go hand in hand. When you are stressed, your body exerts additional energy, which can subsequently lead to fatigue. some effective techniques for dealing with fatigue and stress include exercise, meditation, eating a well-balanced diet, and listening to some relaxing hypnotherapy MP3's. Once you’ve regained control of your stress levels, you’ll notice an almost immediate improvement in your energy.                                             

So you may wonder what mindfulness is. Mindfulness is being fully aware of what you are doing, feeling, or thinking in the present moment. It is bringing the mind, back to the body, when it drifts away and looking deeply into your body, speech, and mind without judging, just noticing what is going on in the moment.
When you are mindful of what is happening in the present moment for a certain amount of time, it creates concentration. When your concentration is strong enough, it leads to insight or wisdom that helps you to overcome sorrow or difficulties so then you can generate more joy and happiness in your daily life.                                                

Get the support you need to make important life changes. Hypnotherapy can help you sort out your feelings and give you the courage and strength you need to move on with your life and set new goals.

Get your gift here: Mindful Meditation

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

YES! There is a safe place in your mind. Do you meditate or spend time in nature? Do you give yourself a little quiet time during the day when stress builds up? Agreed, these times are very stressful and if you listen to the news everyday it can put you into a very negative state of mind. Even if you don’t listen to the news, you can’t help but know what is going on around you with all the digital devices, Facebook and the like. So you can’t just pretend that it isn't happening but you can make sure you take some time for yourself each day to get centered and practice a little mindfulness.

If you would like to know more about mindfulness meditation or even begin to practice it, you can download one of my newest recordings called “Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety and Stress”

15% discount with promo code: MINDFULNESS till July 31.

Here is a link to some of my other recordings that may be helpful for stress and anxiety. There's lots of good stuff here:

http://journeysinwardhypnosis.com/anxiety-stress-management/

To learn more about mindfulness and try a little exercise read on:

Mindfulness is being fully aware of what you are doing, feeling, or thinking in the present moment. It is bringing the mind, back to the body, when it drifts away and looking deeply into your body, speech, and mind without judging, just noticing what is going on in the moment. When you are doing something with wholehearted awareness, whether it is sitting, standing, walking, eating, driving, washing the dishes, studying, or playing you can practice it. When you are mindful of what is happening in the present moment for a certain amount of time, it creates concentration and when your concentration is strong enough, it leads to insight or wisdom that helps you to overcome sorrow or difficulties. You can then generate more joy and happiness in your daily life, even with all the stresses going on around you!

To benefit from mindfulness you need to practice it. Practice bringing the mind back to the body, to the present moment, to be present with your actions and learning to be your true self. Mindfulness is a path leading to happiness and overall well-being.

So just for a moment, close your eyes softly and start to disengage the mind from your busy thoughts and ideas. Allow the outside world to gradually melt away and dissolve into empty space. Inhale through your nose, hold it for a second and then exhale by blowing out of your mouth a long slow breath. Say to yourself the word, relax on the inhale and as you exhale release all your stress by blowing the breath out. Do this for as long as you like and see how you feel. Do you feel a little better? Ready to get back to work? It only takes a minute or two out of your day to just re-center yourself.

Use this PROMO CODE: Mindfulness

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

It is now just after Memorial Day and our nation has yet more to grieve about! Whether you have just lost a loved one or perhaps it has been many years, the loss of a loved one is the most difficult thing most people ever experience. It is extremely painful to be left with the void and emptiness that was once filled with a loving relationship. Healing happens gradually; it can’t be forced or hurried and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving. Everyone grieves differently, grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. Start with a grief counseling center in the city where you live.

Grief counseling becomes necessary when a person is so crippled by their grief, overwhelmed by loss to the extent that their normal coping processes are disabled or shut down. Get the help you need and find others who have suffered this same tragedy to be with.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve but there are healthy ways to cope with the pain. You can get through it! Writing all your feelings in a journal, can be extremely helpful to just let it all out! Keep a journal by your bed and write at night before you go to sleep,just let your mind go and write whatever you are hearing in your head without censoring or judging. It is called stream of consciousness writing and it can be very cathartic. Write a letter to your loved one as if they will be able to receive it. Tell them about what has been going on in your life,feel their presence. Listen for their voice and imagine what they would say. Allow yourself to feel a comfort in knowing that, they are just on the other side of the veil that we cannot see, draw on your faith at this time. It’s ok to tell them everything you are feeling, as you are feeling so many mixed emotions and it is good for you to let these emotions out on paper. If you are angry at them for leaving you or angry at yourself for not doing or saying more; write it all down.Write about your loneliness and deep sadness, you can write anything you want now that perhaps you couldn’t tell them before. This is part of the healing process that will eventually help you to find peace and acceptance.

Perhaps even try your hand at poetry, remembering the wonderful things about your loved one. After my mother died I wrote quite a bit of poetry, it felt as if it were just being channeled through me. I was amazed at what I wrote!

The emotions you experience can range from anger and anxiety to sadness, emptiness, denial and fear.

There are five stages of grief:

• Denial- when you say, “This can’t be happening to me.”
• Anger- “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
• Bargaining-“Make this not happen, and in return I will do anything”
• Depression- “I’m too sad to do anything.”
• And finally Acceptance-you are at peace with what happened.

You do not have to go through each stage in order to heal. You don’t need to experience them in an exact, sequential order, so don’t worry about what you “should” be feeling or which stage you’re “supposed” to be in. There will be ups and downs.

The single most important factor in healing from loss is having the support of other people. Sharing your loss makes the burden of grief easier to carry.Wherever the support comes from, accept it and do not grieve alone. Connecting to others will help you heal.

When you’re grieving, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The stress of a major loss can quickly deplete your energy and emotional reserves. Looking after your physical and emotional needs will help you get through this difficult time.

You will eventually begin to accept what has happened and know that there is a greater purpose in the world and a reason for everything. Freedom from grief comes when you accept those things in your life that you have no power to change.

Whatever your grief experience, it’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to unfold naturally. It may seem like this is impossible and that life will never feel good again, but this is not the case. It is possible for your loved one to live on in your heart and your memories, and you can heal from grief and begin to live life more fully again. Listening to this "Grief and Loss" hypnotherapy MP3 can be extremely helpful at a time when you feel like you need support but just don’t have the energy to even get out of bed.

~ Mariah Shipp

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

Mind over matter is a term we have heard many times. What does it really mean?The definition in the English dictionary says the power of the mind to control and influence the body and the physical world generally. A famous quote by Henry Ford says: "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't — either way you're right."

Hypnosis is a wonderful way to practice mind over matter because you are working directly with the unconsciousness mind. Using strong visualization and post hypnotic suggestions or cues you can train yourself just by using your mind to create the results you want. It could be to heal an illness, reduce pain, create more happiness or change a bad habit, among so many other things you may be experiencing in your life.

Because your inner mind knows just what you need it is able to show you more easily when you are not trying so hard.  In a state of peaceful, calm awareness of effortless letting go, you can be free to allow the inner working of you creative mind to come forward and like dreams show you all that you need to know while letting go of old negative beliefs!

It can be as simple as, imagining a healing white light at the top of your head and then feel it surrounding your entire body. Feel it surrounding you and then feel it enter your body, circulating, cleansing and healing every part of your body.

Imagine that beautiful white light energy fills and surrounds your body with relaxation and healing as you exhale, see it washing over and through your body all the way down your legs, taking with it any tension or pain and releasing it right out of your toes…………………………Well now that I got you started, maybe you want to try it on your own with a beautiful hypnotic recording to help you heal something you know you can, with a little mind over matter.

http://journeysinwardhypnosis.com/self-hypnosis-wh...

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

Going through a divorce can cause great anxiety and despair. There is no doubt that the breakup of a marriage is one of the most difficult things a person can experience. If you were the abandoned spouse, you may feel betrayed and left alone. No matter who initiated the breakup, you are probably left with a mixture of difficult emotions. You may be angry, sad and scared. It may seem as though life will never get better and there is no point in going on.

You trusted and lost. Your brain was open to love and safety, and now it has to cope with betrayal and abandonment. You no longer feel safe. You feel alone but there is light at the end of the tunnel. As gut-wrenching as divorce can be, not only for you, but for the rest of your family, it is possible to get something positive out of the experience. The divorce happened for a reason, and you can learn and grow from the experience. You may come out a better, stronger, and happier person in the end. You will naturally have regrets, but divorce does not mean that your life is over.

If you are having trouble dealing with divorce, hypnosis can help. Hypnotherapy can help you deal with the anger, pain and grief so you can move beyond these troubling emotions and start living happily again. No matter how difficult the circumstances of your divorce may be, you can live with contentment and the happiness you deserve. You may even reach a place where you can look back on the happy memories from your marriage and feel an appreciation for the positive experiences you had.

Grieving is important. You must mourn whatever you lost — a betrayal, the loss of family, the loss of love, safety, dignity, etc. One should never grieve alone, and telling the tale of the trauma can help you gain some mastery over it. Sharing with a therapist can help you back on your feet more quickly. 

~Mariah

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

Happy New Year Everyone! Well the holidays are over and you may find that you are settling down a bit and thinking of yourself a little. Maybe you are thinking it’s time to deal with those issues that nag at you year after year. You made your New Year’s Resolution but are you going to do anything about it? Have you thought of using Hypnotherapy to address some of your issues?

What is it that you really want to change this year? Is it just a thought in your head that you would like to lose weight or stop smoking? Do you think about it a couple times a year and do nothing about it because you are too busy or it seems like too much work?

The first step is acknowledging that you would like to change and that is a good thing. The next step is finding a way to do something about it and that is where most of us give up. Maybe it isn’t just exercise motivation or stress management which many people associate with hypnosis. Maybe your relationship needs work or you are grieving a loved one. Perhaps you need advice on money management or you are depressed. Do you need to forgive someone or deal with a divorce? Have you ever thought that these problems could be addressed through hypnosis? You have thought about psychotherapy but it takes so long and is very expensive.

So many issues can be helped with just simply listening to hypnotherapy recordings. www.journeysinward.com It seems so simple and it is in a way; the trick is that you need to be consistent and listen every day for 21 days. The results will be truly amazing! Napolean Hill said, “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve,”

Hypnotherapy works! Quite simply, hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation where your subconscious mind is more receptive to ideas and suggestions. I call it “Coached Meditation.” You have been in hypnotic states when you daydream or when you are driving and so focused on your thoughts that you miss your exit. We all experience that “miles away” feeling from time to time. The advantage of hypnosis is that you have that day dreamy feeling but you are being directed at the same time to focus on your goals in a very creative way. Hypnotic states are a wonderfully pleasant state of relaxation. Hypnosis is an effective, scientifically proven tool to help you reach your goals. Hypnosis is not a magical cure. It is simply a tool. An effective tool!

When we access the subconscious mind we find a whole internal world of support that we may not have known before. It is very creative and helps us to unleash our potential, change our unwanted habits and behaviors, and find solutions to our problems and concerns.

During the recordings you are led into a very deep relaxation with gentle background music and maybe the sound of ocean waves.

You are then led through a progressive muscle relaxation from head to toe. Once all your muscles are relaxed it is much easier to relax your mind. You will then be led to a beautiful scene that takes your mind on a journey to someplace very comforting and peaceful.

Once deeply relaxed, your subconscious mind will be receptive to change; you will be given a number of suggestions. One of the most powerful tools of the suggestion process is in “seeing” the outcome. You will see, sense or feel yourself as a person who “used to smoke” but does no longer, or you will experience yourself at the desired weight you wish to be. You will be led through a series of visualizations to help you anchor this new way of being, like: “You see yourself in the mirror wearing that dress you remember looking so slim and beautiful in and you can feel your body gliding across the dance floor so gracefully. You can hear others commenting on how fantastic you look and how did you do it?

You will then hear affirmations that are similar to these suggestions like, “I enjoy eating small meals 5 times a day or I love how I look and feel in those clothes I have been wanting to wear and now I can”. You will be given a post hypnotic suggestion to seal in the positive suggestions and then brought back to full waking consciousness feeling very relaxed and confident that you will follow these new suggestions.

It is great to be able to just download an MP3 and listen to the recording in the comfort of your home without having to go anywhere but to a comfortable place in you house, put some head phones on and everyday do a little work on yourself.

It is probably the most powerful way I know of accomplishing your goals in a very short period of time.

~Mariah

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

As the holiday season approaches, many of us find the stress of commitments and activities can become overwhelming. Here are five steps you can take to ease your stress this holiday season.

1. Stop and give thanks for all of the wonderful things in your life.

When you feel yourself running around at a frantic pace trying to get ready for Christmas; buying the tree, shopping, entertaining, whatever it may be, STOP!

Stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Give thanks for your life and all the people you love. Give thanks for the blessings you have.

2. BREATHE!

Even though relaxation is a natural state, you might be surprised how difficult this can be for people to do. We tend to get in the habit of endless thinking, worrying, stressing and planning. In today’s hectic world people don’t seem to take the time to just sit quietly for a few moments or to just breathe. Conscious breathing can make all the difference when it comes to reducing stress and anxiety levels. Slow breathing lets the body know that it is time to relax!

Breathing is the most important thing, but not just any breathing. Try this:

Place your hands on your belly and begin to breathe from the abdomen. In and out through the belly, as you inhale let the belly balloon up and as you exhale let it sink down. Keep the breath in the belly. This is called abdominal breathing.

Ujjayi Breathing: ......Continue breathing with the belly but now add the “sounding breath” or in the ancient yogic tradition called Ujjayi breathing, making a sound in the back of the throat as if you had nostrils in the back of your throat. The "sounding breath" is created by moving the glottis (in the back of the throat) as air passes in and out. The throat passage is narrowed and the airway where the passage of air comes through creates a gentle snoring sound. The length and speed of the breath is controlled by the diaphragm. This strengthening is, partially the purpose of ujjayi as well as being tremendously relaxing and calming.

3. Visualize your entire body encompassed by a bright white light.

See yourself with loved ones or friends all surrounded by a bright white light.

Visualize Christmas day and whatever you did or didn’t do is perfectly fine because you are with your loved ones and that is all that matters. Everything else will work itself out.

Visualization can be a very powerful and positive tool. The more detailed your visualization becomes, the more powerful a tool it will be.

4. Forgive both yourself and others.

Being totally honest is the only way to allow for forgiveness and start the healing process. Unresolved hurt continues to grow and fester. Set yourself free and allow yourself to move on.

Forgive both yourself and others who you feel wronged you. Put that bright white light around you and let all discord melt away. Try it just for the holidays if you want and see how you feel.

5. Try Hypnosis MP3’s or CD’s: ...... Hypnosis allows you to enter a state of deep relaxation which in itself is a very useful therapy for lowering stress. It also allows you to become calm and focused, so you can concentrate on solving your problems. Hypnosis is a state in which the conscious mind is temporarily suspended or distracted and in which all parts of the mind work in harmony for your highest good. Hypnosis MP3’s or CD’s can be very useful in helping one to relax.

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis

It was a rainy day in November and Joe walked into my office. He looked tired and a bit agitated. I noticed a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. He sat down and looked at me with a hopeless look and proceeded to tell me that he had been smoking for 30 years and had tried to quit a few times but had never been successful. He shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the floor and I knew immediately that he was another of many that had come through my office hoping for a miracle, but not really expecting one. His deep cough seemed chronic as it broke into our conversation continually. I wanted to help him, but I knew he needed to want to help himself for this to work.

I asked him if he had done the jar exercise that I had asked him to do. He said he had and it really made him think twice about what he was doing to his lungs! He had put a little water in the bottom of a clear jar and then every time he smoked he put the cigarette out in the jar and put the lid back on. It sat on his kitchen counter for the week before he came in to see me. Each time he had the urge to light up he would take the lid off the jar and take a whiff. It smelled foul and he said he felt sick especially after looking at what was accumulating in the jar over the week! He said his wife didn’t like the jar at all but put up with it in hopes that it would help him. She knew he was not well and was very worried about him.

I looked at the cigarettes in his pocket and asked him when the last time he smoked was. He said right before coming in for his appointment with me. He said he was ready to go cold turkey as I had recommended and that the pack of cigarettes in his pocket, he would throw away in my trash before leaving. We talked about 45 minutes as I questioned him about his smoking habits and I could tell he was less agitated and becoming more comfortable as we talked. He shared the same story so many others had told me over the years. He had started smoking as a teen when his friends had encouraged him to try it. He wanted to be part of the crowd and the peer pressure was very strong so he caved into it. Now here he was 30 years later and was feeling that it might be too late for him!

We then started our first hypnotherapy session and he began to relax in the comfortable lazy boy chair. His eyes closed and his breath slowed down. I could tell that he was going into a comfortably relaxed state. There was no sign of agitation at this point. I continued to suggest to him while he was in trance, how easy it would be for him to become a non-smoker. The hypnosis part of the session lasted another 45 minutes. He then woke up and looked very relaxed and smiled. I hadn’t seen him smile before. He said he felt very good and would see me in 3 days. We said goodbye to the pack of cigarettes and I watched him as he broke each one in half and dropped them into the trash.

Three days later he sat on my couch and when I asked him how the 3 days went for him and did he have any urges, he said that “he forgot to smoke” that it was so much easier than he expected and he couldn’t believe he waited 30 years to stop. He thought it would be too hard to quit and had always heard how difficult it was so he believed it. The smile on his face grew as he told me how the last 3 days had gone and how much better he felt. We were both sharing a very happy moment! He left that day and came back 3 weeks later still smoke free! Now 20 years later he remains a non-smoker! I check on him occasionally as I do all my clients and I am always so glad to see him living a healthy life, free of the fear that his life might end too early! He is free to enjoy his life with his family and to be able to now look forward to his Grandchildren among so many other things!

Mariah Shipp - Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Journeys Inward Hypnosis