Neuroplasticity, you’re Firing and Wiring System

The more I work with the mind the more it amazes me!  I’ve experienced seeing fabulous changes in clients in sessions that just blow your mind away!  As a therapist, seeing these responses and changes in sessions, for me, is the reassurance that the mind certainly can create powerful change.  Sometimes in the simplest of ways. 

Neuroplasticity in Hypnosis

Having experienced both sides of the coin, the receiving end and the guiding of Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis sessions, you start to click onto various aspects of this powerful part of us, our mind.  It truly is a powerful tool, and one that plays many tricks on us in the cleverest of ways.  It can in fact be quite stubborn!  If we know these tricks in which it can play on us, surely, we can use this consciously to work with.  That’s what we do in hypnosis. 

One part that really fascinates me is something called ‘neuroplasticity’.  We have had a bit of a focus on that this week, so let’s have just a brief look and learn a little of how our brain wires.  I’m no scientist, but just having a simple understanding can guide us into a world of new directions, new thought processes and new responses.

What is neuroplasticity?

In a nutshell it’s the brains incredible ability to change itself.  It is the brain’s ability to create change and respond to new information within its neural networks and pathways.  We all have this function working within our minds, it just does it!  Neuroplasticity is also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity.  

We all go through life, and we change as time passes.  We all have different needs at certain times of our life, especially when we are learning something new. We experience different situations, and we learn from them.  Our brain can change as we grow, and it reorganizes our functions, thoughts, and responses for us if it differs from how we were previously functioning in an old habit or way in our life before. It can even help people who suffer from a brain injury. 

Brain injury

Neuroplasticity is often spoken about and associated with brain injury.  It allows the nerve cells to introduce a new way to deal with the situation at hand.  It compensates for what’s lost and adjusts itself so that the person can respond to new situations and changes that have taken place in their life and their environment.  The body adjusts, and it adjusts very quickly.  Neuronal firing happens between the neutrons in our brain via electrical impulses and neurotransmitters. Just like in times of change we adjust, so can the responses for someone experiencing a brain injury.

Music and Neuroplasticity

Being a music teacher for the most part of my life, I’ve seen neuroplasticity in action.  It always makes me smile.  Let’s use this as an example.  It can also be applied to any new situation we experience.  

First Learning

Think about when someone first decides to learn piano or a keyboard instrument, in fact it could be any musical instrument.  Initially, we get the person to be aware of the shape of the keyboard the layout of the ebony and ivory on the piano keys as I call it.  At first, they don’t know which note is what, they haven’t got a clue! They don’t know about keys, sharps or flats, Middle C etc, but after a few lessons they start to become aware of the information that they can process from reading the simple dots on the page to transferring it onto the keyboard.  

Dexterity Functions

Think about if you try to use your five fingers on a piano.  Most people press a key with their forefinger they don’t apply all five fingers.  So, when you ask them to play five notes from thumb through to little finger controlling each note individually it can become quite a task.  Their brain isn’t used to processing the information quickly and easily at first.  The fourth finger and little finger get in a muddle usually and almost don’t work properly.  After a few weeks practice the fingers start to work individually for themselves.  You know which finger to place on which note and you press it.  It starts to become automatic; you don’t have to think about it.  

Something New

What you have created in this instance is the firing and wiring of learning something new.  Your brain has made new connections within it to allow you to create that function physically, and the process of mentally reading the music and transferring the information.  Now normally you would think nothing more of this and just get on with learning the instrument, but this is neuroplasticity in action!  It’s the same as typing on your computer keyboard, or the mini keyboards on our phones. Think how quickly someone can type a text message, their finger, or fingers, depending on whether they use one hand or two flies round the letters.  How is your brain processing that information? It has had to create new neural pathways to do just that, and it did it easily for you, with practise.  Just like practise is required to learn the piano. 

Everyday Life Growth

So, you see we use neuroplasticity every day of our lives, we are constantly experiencing growth within our brain, and our brain just turns up to do the job.  Anything that we no longer require it disconnects it.  It no longer fires and wires it together. Think of the old saying ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it!’ it’s very true.  I suppose another way we could look at this is the age-old wisdom.  Growth is of course inevitable, for all of us, and we gain that wisdom as we go. 

Could we direct this?

Yes, of course we can.  What if we chose to use it specifically? To direct it deliberately in a certain way? In a way that could benefit us.  What could we change?  knowing more about it and having just a brief simple understanding that this neuroplasticity exists within us in as mentioned above could change the way we respond. We could use it to direct our life in the direction we are choosing, rather than getting drawn into situations that could take us down the wrong route of negative thinking, actions, and responses. Direct a learning of how you want it to be. How do we do that?….

Becoming Aware

…By becoming aware. It’s good to STOP for a moment and think about what’s going through your mind, your thoughts and responses, no matter what task is at hand.  What could you be allowing to sink down into your subconscious mind today? Down that rabbit hole?  What is firing and wiring in your brain? 

Are you happy with what you are making connection with? Do those thoughts feel good to you? Are you creating something you want or don’t want? What new habit is being created by you right now? without even realising it. Our subconscious loves habit it’s good at it! We learn things naturally from our experience but have a think about what you could deliberately direct to let go of the old and bring in the new. Just how you want it.  It’s how our mind processes new information and it can change and run a new program, so direct it! Make it fun!

Get off your autopilot!

Rather than just going through your day on autopilot, make a conscious decision to check in occasionally. You can change it 😊 You can run new programs, just like updating your Apps on your phone or devices.

Simple but very powerful stuff! Enjoy your creating and learning. Enjoy updating your own person APP! Remember to Practice! Practice! Practice!

#neuroplasticity #learning #newhabits #create #perspective

The Power of Self-hypnosis

I can’t reiterate enough, that when we have a good understanding of how our mind works, we have the power to create powerful change in our lives.

Various Techniques

On my journey through dis-ease I’ve ventured down many paths, tried various techniques, and applied various thought processes to create change.  All these processes I’m gladly sharing in my book which I’m working on right now.  We still have a way to go with it, but it’s continuing to be a wonderful journey of enlightenment for me.  It’s also been reassuring to me as I look back at all these amazing processes. And believe me I’ve tried and tested them! It’s a great reminder to me as a therapist, as I am able to utilise these tried and tested processes with client’s or for myself as and when necessary. Sometimes we all need reminding that it’s beneficial to us.  

Where We Focus

You tend to find we focus on a specific technique at any one time. That’s what I’ve found along my journey.  You have many techniques to utilise, but you tend to stick with one or two specific ones.  You use the one that resonates with you for that moment. The bonus being you have all these, at hand in your toolbox, when required.  It’s reassuring in itself that they are there to literally grab hold of at times of change, or when you want to make a change in your life. 

Toolboxes

Our toolbox for life is constantly being updated and added to as we go through our daily life.  Just like we have been talking about in our recent blogs and positive quotes. We have learnt that our subconscious logs away information from our experiences, and our perceptions of those experiences.  Remember Perception is ‘Reality’. 

New Techniques

As we become aware of a new technique, we tend to get a little excited about using it. We are focused on applying it. It’s a new focus for us.  When we have something new it creates fascination. We are intrigued to see if it’s going to work. It’s almost like a new adventure.  As with most techniques, you can adjust them and apply a little of your touch to make them right for you. The general idea stays the same.  Again, you will perceive it in your own eyes and make the adjustments so that it works for you in the best possible way.

Working Wonders

One such process which is always very powerful, and one I use with many of my clients is ‘Self-Hypnosis’. I always love sharing this technique with them, once they have addressed and made positive changes from their sessions.  It’s giving them that special space to connect in with their subconscious, where they can make adjustments themselves.  This helps to maintain a healthy thought process, positive outlook, and positive responses.  It’s also about being kind to you. Using ‘affirmations’, or as I prefer to say ‘positive statements’ alongside self-hypnosis can work wonders.  Self-hypnosis doesn’t just bring you to a place of feeling calm. You really can address anything you are wanting to change or adjust.

A statement to yourself has POWER! Words have POWER!

Choose kindness and understanding within.  Remember you are always doing your best.

How Do We Talk to Ourselves?

Imagine if you spoke to your friend the way you talk inwardly to yourself. How would that make them feel?  We are all guilty of knocking ourselves down.  For example …  ‘I’m no good at that! Why did I say that? I don’t have confidence to do that! You are hopeless! I don’t like my shape! I could do better! That was totally rubbish!’   We’ve all done it at some point in our lives, beating ourselves up over what we have or haven’t done well.  We really should be talking kindly to ourselves within. Imagine what that negative self talk could create, if repeated.

Use Negative to Create Positive

We can use negative situations and negative self talk to create a positive.  Have you ever thought about using a negative to teach a learning? We learn more from negative experience than we do positive. We usually learn not do it again.  What you often find is people focus on the negative and hold it within them, which can then create blocks for them. Why not use the experience and say ’Well that didn’t go quite as planned but it has shown me the way to go now. I am now looking at other options that I would have never considered before’.  That negative experience has driven you to a new place of focus that could be life changing, allowing amazing new experience to come into your life.   If you can learn to look at it from that perspective imagine how your experiences would change! Imagine how your thought processes would change too!

So … what’s Self Hypnosis?

It’s basically connecting into our ‘Theta’ brain wave patterns. This is where we record and recall our memories. It also connects into the emotional aspect of ourselves. After all, the subconscious is our ‘emotional’ part of our mind. 

Your Space

Self-Hypnosis allows you to have space for you. To check in with yourself to make positive change.  A little like doing a meditation. A self-Hypnosis session could last as long as half an hour, an hour, or even just 1 minute. It all depends on what you want from your personalised session with YOU.   We spend 90 percent of our lives in hypnosis. So when we choose to direct ourselves specifically into this space, with specific intention, it’s amazing what you have access to. 

A Clear Direction

When working with clients, I direct them through a specific process, training their subconscious to automatically connect quickly and easily to those Theta brainwaves. We experience Theta brainwaves when we are in a hypnotic state, deep meditation, or light sleep. This also includes REM dream state. Clients gain an in-depth understanding through their sessions, which allows them to utilise self-hypnosis fully.  Something I learnt very deeply from my own healing journey, and now share with others.

Learning self-hypnosis as part of your hypnotherapy sessions for whatever issue is a common technique therapists share.  It’s a very good way of maintaining a positive outlook and is extremely good for dealing with anxiety or breaking a habit. 

Let’s look at a simplified version …

Beginners quick Self-Hypnosis Process

The fact that we spend most of our life in hypnosis, we are all able to connect into a hypnotic trance state.  It really is just a focused state of attention. 

  • GOAL. Firstly, set your goal of what you are wanting to achieve.  Create a positive statement in present tense.  E.g., ‘I am calm’, ‘I now experience….’
  • SET INTENTION. Honour that you are taking time for YOU! Set the intention that you are allowing yourself to connect into your own space. Make sure you are in a safe place, where you feel comfortable.
  • BREATH. Bring your awareness to your breath.  Take three deep breaths in and slowly exhaling out. Allow yourself to settle.
  • CONNECT. Connect with feeling relaxed. No one can get you while you are here in YOUR space.
  • ADDRESS. Address any part of you that is experiencing something you want to change or feel uncomfortable with. Check in with YOU.  Have a chat to yourself just like you would your best friend.  Replace it and focus on the outcome you want. 
  • VISUALISE. Visualise yourself how you want it to be. Remember the subconscious does not distinguish between reality or whether you are thinking it. It will believe it to be true. 
  • POSITIVE STATEMENT. Spend time visualising, experiencing your goal, repeating your positive statement until you feel you’ve done enough and feel more comfortable with it.
  • BREATH. Focus once again on your breath, start to make gentle movements bringing your awareness to where you are sitting. 
  • UP AND OUT. Count from 1 to 5 making yourself aware you will awaken feeling refreshed, energised and alert as you reach 5. 

This is just a very simple process. It’s a basic layout of how to go about self-hypnosis.  You don’t necessarily have to go into do any work on yourself. You could just enjoy relaxation and a connection to calm.

For a more detailed practise and understanding of self-hypnosis please do get in touch.  I personalise it to each individual client showing them the full benefit they can achieve from this amazing technique.

Enjoy 😊

#selfhypnosis #Hypnotherapy #selfhelptools #ownspace #negativetopositive