Friday 31 July 2015

Jetting off? Overcome your fear of flying

Have you still got a holiday to look forward to this year?

Left right and centre it seems people are packing their suitcases and jetting off for a much needed dose of sun and sand.

However, there are many people who come to dread holiday season.

A fear of flying is becoming more and more commonplace these days, as long distance travel becomes easier and more accessible. I have spoken to people who say they are so frightened of flying they can’t sleep the night before they fly, and become a nuisance to other passengers with their nervous behaviour.

I have had reports of people spending a small fortune on dubious sounding ‘quick fix’ courses, sleeping tablets to take during the flight, and even missing their holiday altogether out of fear.

Hypnotherapy is an ideal solution to help people overcome their fear of flying. There is nothing unusual or magic about it, really! People are placed into a state of deep relaxation, where they can help themselves to focus and think about a situation that would normally cause fear or anxiety.

This method allows people to face their fear of flying safely, while still in control-people have told me hypnotherapy is a much better option than taking strong medications with side effects, or simply trying to ‘grin and bear it.’ On the day of their flight.

The number of hypnotherapy sessions needed can vary depending on the person, and the level of their phobia. I have seen people have just one session and be able to board a plane the week after with no worries, while for others it can take further sessions until they can face a flight.

If you are interested in finding out how hypnotherapy can help you face your fears, don’t hesitate to drop me a line on my email address or browse my website.


Sheila x

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Sheila eyes prize for work with youngster's minds

“Being nominated for this award has come as a complete shock” 


A SELFLESS East Yorkshire-based clinical hypnotherapist has been nominated for the Mail's Pride of East Yorkshire Awards for her work helping students adopt a positive mindset and deal with exam-related anxiety.

Sheila Granger, a professional lifestyle engineer and clinical hypnotherapist who works as far a field as Australia and the USA, launched the Educational Performance division of her business four years ago in response to growing concerns over the number of children on mental health service waiting lists.

She recognised that by providing support mechanisms to those young people with lower levels of anxiety, it would prevent their problems from escalating into something with much more devastating consequences.

Now, she has trained a team of more than one hundred Educational Performance Practitioners worldwide to ensure young people, their parents and their schools can access support of this nature no matter where they are.
Sheila has been nominated for the Mail’s Business in the Community award by her communications partner Mercury.

“Being nominated for this award has come as a complete shock,” said Sheila. “I thoroughly enjoy my work with schools and it’s been incredible to see the Educational Performance side of my business go from strength to strength due to increased demand over recent years.

“We all have expectations placed on us, either by ourselves or by others, and it’s these expectations that can cause us the greatest stress. Students with low expectations who believe they are going to fail, find it difficult to think positively – which ultimately impacts on their performance.

“In much a similar way, top performing students have to contend with the weight of increased expectations and sometimes the pressure to deliver can set them up for a fall. For teachers, there is already a vast emphasis on the delivery of pastoral care and teachers have the added role of coaching individuals through the exam experience, as well as preparing them academically.”

There’s no place quite like home for Sheila. She says it’s been an honour to work with students and teachers on her doorstep, in her hometown of Hull, to make a difference to their lives.

She has been working closely with students at Endeavour High School in recent months, which is closing at the end of this school year, to make sure pupils go out on a high.
Teachers at the school say the initiative has paid real dividends with students better prepared than ever before.

Headteacher Stewart Edgell said: “If you have a student who is worried and you bring someone in who can help them by arming them with new strategies and coping mechanisms, they feel valued that someone has taken note of their concerns and is doing something with them.

“Sheila’s work has dovetailed nicely into giving students a positive outlook and creative ways of preparing for exams, such as setting aside one hour a day when they can worry but during the rest of the day putting any negative thoughts out of their minds for example.

“I am in no doubt whatsoever that this work has had a significant impact on the students who have worked with Sheila.”

Rachael Dean, account executive at Mercury, nominated Sheila after working closely with her in recent months and being inspired by the true difference she is making to young people in East Yorkshire.

She said: “It always moves me when I see the life-changing results of Sheila’s work. As a recent graduate myself, I know how detrimental the effects of exam-related anxiety can be and it’s really inspiring to see how Sheila can help shape someone’s future who, in their mind, might have already lost all hope.”


Friday 17 July 2015

Too late to shape up for summer? NEVER!

Summer is finally here, and yes it will probably be gone before you can say BBQ, but that doesn't mean you still can't kick those bad habits that you've been promising to do since January. 

When the days are long, dark and cold, it’s all too easy to munch on that extra biscuit for a much needed sugar fix, wear extra layers and stay warm on the sofa instead of donning trainers and going for a walk in the fresh air.

Staying in and popping the telly on seems a much better idea than getting out and about with friends, and it can be easy to become isolated.

Summer is the wake up call many people need to start getting back to their healthier, happier lives and getting rid of those bad habits!

By following my basic tips for banishing the blues, you can claim back your body confidence and back into that bikini before you know it!

1.    Practise mindfulness. Start off by making small goals. They can be anything-fitting in a twenty minute walk on your lunch break, or trying something new for tea. Ticking off those you achieved on an evening bring a fantastic sense of achievement.
2.    Get healthy: Winter is an excuse for a binge-when the weather is miserable and dark, we crave carby, sugary food in order to boost our low moods. Start off by banishing those calorific snacks in favour of healthier alternatives.
3.    Sleep it off: Make sure you are getting enough sleep! Going without our recommended eight hours can have all sorts of effects on us long term, including irritability, poor concentration and even a lower immune system!
4.    Talk it through: Has the long winter and busy holiday season left you feeling a little bit flat? There’s nothing like making fun plans and chatting through any problems you have with friends. In fact, regular interaction with others has been proven to improve depression and boost self-esteem!
5.    5: Be Realistic: Many people start off with unrealistic expectations-the trick is to take small steps, be honest with yourself, and if in doubt seek more help!

If you are interested in finding out more on how my popular hypnotherapy sessions can help you achieve happiness and health, or to find out when my next seminars will be, don’t hesitate to drop me a line on my email!


Sheila x