​Over the years, we have been asked by quite a few people if there is a meaning behind our name,
Therapy in the City.

The short answer to that question is yes!
 
To us, the words Therapy in the City are a way to describe finding your calm in the rush of life.
 Let us explain…

The Therapy Part...

Therapy is of course part of what we do as a global hypnotherapy and mind coaching practice and is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a treatment that is intended to relieve or to heal. For our clients, therapy is a process they can use to relax their minds and bodies, it allows them to refocus, reenergize and reinvigorate their lives.
 
However, this idea of finding calm is not just something we believe is reserved exclusively to therapy sessions, it is everywhere. It can be found in small things such as a well-deserved quiet moment with a good cup of tea or a quick cuddle with the dog to big moments such as climbing mountains and travelling the world. To find any sense of calm is to find your therapy and that is where the first part of our name comes from.

The City Part...

The second part, City, might at first seem self-explanatory. We currently work from clinics in St Andrews and Dundee but over the years we have held practices all over the UK and of course we are now available for sessions online in cities, towns and villages all over the world. So, the City part of our name refers firstly to the location of our business but on a deeper level it refers to the general rush of everyday life.
 
Many of us are living in a hectic hurricane, we are torn between the things we need to do and the things we want to do. For many people day to day life can seem to fly past in a blur of work and to do lists and over time this state of constant tension can lead to anxiety, stress and even depression.

#find yourTITC
 
That is why we believe it is important to take even just five minutes a day to find a little piece of calm and enjoyment, to take a step away from the rush of life and allow yourself some Therapy in the City or as we call it TITC.
 
Come and join our search for calm over on Instagram and #findyourTITC 

#Fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-al-juh) is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder resulting in widespread pain and fatigue throughout the body.

Pain radiates from the fibrous tissues such as tendons and ligaments and is described notably by those suffering from the condition as an aching, stabbing and burning sensation from head to toe.

The actual cause of Fibromyalgia has yet to be identified but research suggests that it often develops after some form of trauma that acts as a trigger such as a fall, car accident, childbirth, viral infection, operation or an emotional event.  However, it can develop without any visible trigger.

Symptoms of the Condition - In addition to #chronicpain and #fatigue there are a number of symptoms experienced from person to person, some of these can often include:

• Sleep Disorders
• Chronic Headaches
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Tingling, numbness, Prickling or burning in hands or feet
• Sensitivity to external factors such as weather
• Allergies
• Cognitive Disturbances (#FibroFog) such as lack of concentration, temporary memory impairments, slow or confused speech
• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)

Read more about Fibromyalgia Symptoms on the NHS website.

Current treatment of this condition seems to be focused on treating the symptoms and not the actual condition itself.  This may be attributed to on-going research into the actual cause of Fibromyalgia.  Prescribed medication is the primary treatment provided by the medical profession.  However, those suffering from the disorder believe learning to manage the symptoms will provide greater relief as current medicinal drugs have been suggested to be insufficient in controlling symptoms

Managing Symptoms with Hypnosis - #Hypnosis is a mind-body therapy and can help those suffering from Fibromyalgia to make positive changes both mentally and physically.  With the application of hypnosis those diagnosed with this chronic condition can begin to manage the symptoms and aggravating factors to provide them with a lifelong management system for the disorder. 

Effects of Hypnosis on Fibromyalgia Sufferers - many sufferers attribute a reduction in their symptoms with the treatment of hypnosis and often use hypnosis as a way to limit their pain symptoms and increase their energy and comfort level.

 1. Pain Relief - Hypnosis has long been utilised in managing pain and works in three phrases.  The first is complete physical relaxation.  This is important as the muscles of those in pain become tense and this in turn increases pain.  Hypnosis can bring about a level of relaxation required for total muscular relaxation.  The second phase is sensory alteration, transforming the pain into another sensation whereby triggering a different perception of the pain in the patients mind.  The final phase is a form of mental distraction, to draw the sufferer's attention from the source of the pain, which in turn has the ability to server the connection between fear in the mind and symptoms in the body.

2. Stress Management - Emotional stress and #anxiety can trigger muscular pain, headaches and in extreme cases anxiety attacks.  It can also cause sleep disturbances which in turn increases symptoms of the condition.  Learning to successfully deal with stress using hypnosis can help patients to manage symptoms and the condition easier.

3. Quit Smoking - #Smoking is an aggravating factor in Fibromyalgia.  Those suffering from the condition have reported finding that inhaling nicotine can trigger and flare symptoms.  The reason for this is due to the fact nicotine impairs the function of your muscles and as it enters the bloodstream it reduces the amount of oxygen circulating the body.  With a reduction in oxygenated blood, muscles don't receive the vital oxygen and are unable to repair themselves, causing the sufferer pain.  Nicotine has also been linked to muscle contractions, which in turn can lead to sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome.  If you want to ease your symptoms and manage the condition, it is highly suggested you consider cutting nicotine out of your life.

Other benefits of hypnosis include:

• decreased muscle pain
• decreased morning fatigue
• fewer sleep difficulties
• increased relaxation

Fibromyalgia impacts the lives of those diagnosed with this condition on a daily basis.  However, with the application of clinical hypnotherapy they can learn to manage symptoms and begin to take back control of their bodies.

If you would like to discuss using hypnotherapy for Fibromyalgia or book an appointment at my #Cheltenham clinic, please contact me on [email protected] or call me direct on 07525 375957.

While reading the newspaper the other day, I read a story about a young woman driver being fined  £100 and receiving points on her licence because a policeman caught her sipping a nice cool drink through a straw while sitting in traffic.  The rest of the story is irrelevant and I like many others reading the story no doubt thought "I feel safer on the roads because of this vigilant officer.....not."  Time moves on and two days later there is another related story in the same newspaper but low and behold it is a police officer sitting in his police car sipping a similar drink while behind the driving wheel.

Shock horror what an outrage how could he?  The slant from the newspaper story not me.  Then came the feedback from readers; "typical, no one is above the law but those who serve the law, the driver from the original story should be reimbursed her fine and her points taken off, etc. etc."

Not exactly how I saw it myself because my thoughts were two separate instances with two people doing what the law says they should not be doing. Not two separate people doing the same wrong thing so because one is a police officer they should cancel each other out.  Slightly different perceptions of the same story but one that raises the question asked above; "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right Or Do they?"  For the majority responding to the second article that day in the paper it did.

How often do people tend to look for a mitigation to their situation by using the actions of others to cancel theirs out?  Personally, I find this way of thinking alarming as it shows a distinct lack of accountability from an individual to accept responsibility for their actions and speaks very clearly and loudly about their perception of what is wrong or right.

Everything we do in life is down to the choices we make and whether we believe them to be right or wrong it makes no difference when there are rules, laws, processes, that state the opposite.

Going back to the original newspaper article, this is how I would like to think this would be dealt with.  The driver should not be refunded the fine nor have the points withdrawn because in the eyes of the law she did something wrong.  The Police officer should be identified and disciplined for his actions and if warranted fined and have points added to his licence.

If you look at situations impartially and leave emotions aside you'll never need to wonder if two wrongs make a right in any circumstance.

How often do you wake up feeling tired?  One possibility is that your Smartphone or tablet could be affecting how much sleep you're getting.  Recent research has found that LED screens disrupt sleep by stopping the body producing the hormone melanin, which responds to light and governs whether you feel sleepy or not.

Studies support and suggest that the decline in the number of hours slept per night is affecting public health by increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes in adults and contributing to concentration problems in children.

2. Don't take your Smartphone/Tablet to bed with you for the fear of FOMO (fear of missing out).  Lack of sleep induces anxiety and makes day-to-day functioning difficult.

3. Recognise and be honest with yourself about the real reasons you can't unplug when you go to bed.  Are you being overloaded at work or is your manager imposing unrealistic deadlines. (read more on how France is trying to help workers with work-life balance).  Perhaps you're afraid to miss a text or update from your boyfriend/girlfriend...why?  A healthy relationship with trust should allow for time apart without you feeling anxious or needing to be in constant and instant communication.

Give it a try.... unplug and have a goods night sleep!

Sleep problems?  Why not contact Therapy in the City and change your sleeping pattern.

While talking to an HR Manager she commented "perception is reality".  I said "my understanding is that an individual's perception is reality" as not everyone perceives everything in the same way. The HR Manager immediately informed me I  was incorrect in thinking that and long story short... we agreed to disagree.

What is reality?
: the true situation that exists : the real situation
: something that actually exists or happens : a real event, occurrence, situation, etc.

What is perception?
: the way you think about or understand someone or something
: the ability to understand or notice something easily
: the way that you notice or understand something using one of your senses

Communication... how many times have you read that due to a breakdown in communication this or that happened or worse did not happen?  How many times have you heard people say " I am an excellent communicator across all levels".  Isn't it surprising then that a lot of the times you hear the former it comes from those that openly stated the latter.  Does that mean these individuals are confused about their skill level or is it simply their perception of reality is that they are excellent communicators whereas others perceive their communications skills differently?

Personally I believe that reality is perceived differently by all and it is only when you confirm aspects of reality that a true picture is obtained.  However, how often do any of us do just that?  Looking at the world I would say very few.

The next time you communicate something important to others, take the time to get them to relay back to you what you have discussed and where relevant what the outcomes will be. Why? Because if you walk away with your perception of reality and they walk away with theirs, then the outcome will no doubt not be what anyone expected it to be. Whereas, by taking just a little time to build a shared reality the outcomes will be what both or all of you perceived it would be.

Have a question for Graham? Email him at [email protected]