The old Blog still full of information!
This page contains information from old blogs. It still has lots of information and advice.
If you are searching for local hypnotherapists to choose then do make sure that you look at the experience and training of those people that you are thinking of working with. There are many directories now available. There are almost too many to choose from such as the hypnotherapy directory, the general hypnotherapists register, the hypnotherapistregister, BSCH, the hypnotherapy association, APHP, and the NHC. Take your time and pick the right person for you.
Posted 04/10/2012
Whenever I see a client who has come to me about weight loss we talk about exercise. In fact I talk about it with most of my clients. I run as often as I can and I also really like to get out and about on my bike and do some cycling. It's not just to help with weight and fitness but I really love being outside and getting fresh air. It really does help lift my spirits. Often, people say to me that they don't want to go to a gym. This can be either because its just very expensive or because it's not the right environment for them. I actually feel the same way. I just love the fresh air, so even if I am not running I like to get out and walk and just breathe that fresh air.
I really wanted to try something different to I went off to try a Zumba class. Run by Michelle Waldron of Fitness by Michelle I found myself surrounded by about fifty women who clearly knew the dance moves better than I did. I thought that the best thing to do was to record it so why not have a listen for yourself !
The thing about exercise is to find something that you like. It sounds obvious but if you find whatever you choose to do a chore then you just won't do it ! Find something that you can really enjoy !
posted 01/10/2012
Stratford Business Show
This Thursday I am really looking forward to running a seminar at the Stratford Business Show. It takes place at the Civic hall in Stratford upon Avon, which of course is my home town. It is the fifth year the show has been held and it is a part of Stratford Business week.
My seminar is called "Don't run your business in a trance" I will be talking all about hypnosis and hypnotherapy and how the techniques that I use can be used by both individuals and companies to help them look towards the future and achieve their goals. I will also be looking at presentation nerves and how you can avoid them with some simple tips and tricks.
I will be talking a little about some of the other things that I have done in my various careers and hopefully giving people some entertainment as well as being informative!
If you are in Stratford this Thursday 4th October why not come down to the Civic Hall? Entrance is free and there will be many different companies from the area exhibiting for you to meet. As well as my seminar there are lots of other seminars to attend as well. I will be talking at 3pm if you would like to come and say hello.
posted 26/09/2012
posted 20/09/2012
As we get closer to Stoptober I am getting more excited about things that can help people to quit smoking.
As an ex smoker I know exactly how much better you can feel once you give up the cigarettes.
One of the most important things that you can do is to focus on the positives.
Just think about all of the things that you will gain from becoming a non smoker. Taking that step can be daunting and hypnosis really helps you to understand all of the good things and to make kicking the habit happen much more quickly.
It takes about six weeks to create a habit. So if you want to stop smoking it takes a lot of willpower for a lot of weeks before all the cravings and thoughts go away. What happens with hypnotherapy is that we speed up that process. Most often smokers are very surprised at how relaxed they feel after just a single session. They struggle to even imagine wanting a cigarette at this point. I always make sure that I give them a CD of the audio that we record when working together and then they can listen to this to help them reinforce all of the good thoughts that they have had. Once a couple of weeks have passed then they really should not even crave a cigarette any more. In fact they often find the thought of "having a fag" even makes them start to get a horrible taste in their mouth.
I will shortly be announcing a special session to help smokers and raise money for Cancer Research UK and I can't wait until we finalise the details...Watch this space...and in the meantime why not contact me to find out more? What have you got to lose? Or putting it another way.....What have you got to gain !
As a special deal until the end of October all Stop Smoking sessions will be 20% off the normal price...To read more click here
posted 17/09/20122
Willpower Vs Hypnosis - How can I give up smoking?
According to the largest ever study that compared different ways of quitting smoking hypnosis is by far the most effective way to achieve your goal. It turns out that willpower alone is often just not enough.
According to statistics published by the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) the mortality rate for smokers is twice as high as that for non smokers. Also, on average a smoker will die six years before a non-smoker. Attitudes have changed a great deal over the years and nowadays three out of four smokers say they really would like to give up.
There has been a lot more research into hypnotherapy for smokers than you may at first imagine. One meta analysis combined the results of more than 600 of these studies which included well over 70000 people from Europe and America.
With so much information to work with the analysis can give us a very good idea of what helps and what makes it harder to give up cigarettes.
The highest rate of success was with patients who had been told that they had a serious cardiac disorder, clearly this is a very big incentive to stop. You may be surprised to find that after this the most effective method was hypnosis. It found that hypnotherapy gave a success rate of 30 per cent. When you consider this against people who give up because they are being told they have a very bad health risk then this figure is even more impressive.
You may or may not be surprised to hear that the least successful method was people getting advice from a GP. I guess that none of us like being told what to do, even if it is for the good of our health.
And I wonder if you can guess the success rate in people who used willpower alone?
It was just 6 per cent. So, there really is no need to try and do it alone with just willpower. You can get help and advice and it really will give you a great chance of success.
posted 08/09/2012
What a wonderful idea Stoptober is ! I love how hypnosis can really help you with so many things, and it's especially good if you want to give up smoking.
It's an NHS backed initiative that aims to help people to quit smoking. Studies have shown that if you can give up smoking for 28 days then you have a really good chance of staying a non smoker. You really can kick the habit. I was going to write a little blog post about it but I decided that I love the idea so much that I have all the information you need about stoptober.
SO if you really want to quit smoking and you live in Redditch, Stratford on Avon, Worcester, Droitwich, Alcester, Studley, Bromsgrove, Solihull, Balsall Common, Hockley Heath, Alvechurch or any of the other places in Warwickshire and Worcestershire I would be delighted to help you to become a non smoker.
Here is a page all about Stoptober and full of interesting information and statistics...
STOPTOBER alll about the campaign and facts too !
Remember you don't need to do this by yourself. If you really want to quit smoking it will always help if you get advice and support from others.
It shouldn't really be seen as you giving up smoking, but as you becoming a non smoker and making a really positive change.
When you make that change why not treat yourself as you reach longer and longer without that habit. Go out and enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant, take some time for yourself, have a long bath or read your favorite magazine. You could take the kids for a day out at a theme park, or take a trip to the cinema, go for a bike ride or just have a day at the shops and treat yourself to something now that you are saving all that money !
posted 05/09/2012
What a difference an hour makes... it's a Tarantula!
Generally a clinical hypnotherapist would not give testimonials.There are a couple of reasons for this.
Client confidentiality. The advertising standards authority require that any testimonials should be verifiable so clearly this conflicts with client confidentiality. Anything you talk to me about is just between the two of us.
Also... believe it or not, some people in some industries just make them up ! I know its hard to believe but these these things happen.
Only yesterday I was contacted by a potential client asking for testimonials and I had to explain that even if I did have them there would be no guarantee. Success is entirely down to the individual. One of the ways that I make sure that I have success with clients is by not taking on people who really dont want to change. For instance if your partner has sent you to a quit smoking session but you don't really want to give up cigarettes then you probably won't. If however, you really do want to make a postive change then you are already well on the way!
So...having said that...sometimes people do want to shout from the rooftops when they have been able to do something that they could not do before. One of my clients came to me with a fear of spiders and has now written their own blog about what happened quite a while later when they came across a tarantula!
CLICK HERE to read the blog by my client who overcame a fear of spiders and now holds tarantulas!
I think it makes great reading so why not take a look at the picture for yourself.
...and remember if you have a fear of spiders and dont want to look at the picture then I can help you with that !
posted 26/08/20122
Sleeping problems
I have just read a very well written and researched article by Mariella Frostrup about her problems with sleeping.
It brought back to mind my own problems from many years ago. When I think back now it seems like a long time ago and is actually quite difficult to remember how things were, but if I think hard I can conjure up the thoughts of how things used to be.
There was not a night that I did not lie in bed awake and fretting that I would not be able to get to sleep. I knew that I would lie there for hours and that even if I did get to sleep I would only wake up again and lie there wondering if I would be able to get back to sleep and then if I did get back to sleep I would...well you can see where I am going with this.
When you do have trouble sleeping it is easy to get yourself into a cycle which only makes it worse. A good way to sum up what hypnotherapy does is to say that it can speed up creating a new habit, so in this case the habit of sleeping well. When you have had years of sleeping badly it can seem an impossible thought that you could change that. The reality is that it is just a habit that you have created for yourself. You have taught yourself that you can't sleep and each time you have problems you reinforce that thought in your mind. This may sound like a big problem, but the reality is that if you can get to the heart of the matter you can just push it away and relearn how to sleep. We all learn new skills and habits all the time. I have always been a light sleeper so I can be woken up by loud noises which others may sleep through, but the one thing that happens to me now is that I never need to worry what will happen when my head hits the pillow. It took only a couple of hypnotherapy sessions to learn that I would fall asleep and when I did see that and learnt that I was probably getting more sleep than I thought anyway the fears and worries that caused me not to fall asleep melted away.
There are practical things that you can do to help, such as going to bed at a regular time if you can, and getting up at the same time, even a few minutes earlier, just to train your body when it is good to sleep. Keeping the bedroom free of clutter and things like TV's helps you to associate the bedroom with sleeping and not wakeful activities too.
For me, the most important thing was learning that we all sometimes have a bad nights sleep, and if that happens we can catch up with it the next night and we will be fine. Knowing that took the pressure off me and helped me no end.
It is one of the things that gives me the greatest pleasure now that I help others. Having been there myself I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
We can all learn to sleep better, more soundly and restfully.
If you would like to read Mariella's article I have linked to it on my Facebook page HERE
posted 09/08/2012
I have been so pleased and inspired by how happy the Olympics have made the country that I put pen to paper and wrote to the Stratford Herald. I am delighted that they printed my letter.....
posted 02/08/2012 at 08.38
The feelgood factor
Can you cast your mind back just a few weeks to before the Olympics began?
Sometimes as a country we are a little guilty of being..how can I put this..negative. You may blame the media, certainly the tabloids seem to enjoy gloating about how bad things are.
No one can deny that this summer has had some of the worst weather that anyone can remember and it's true to say that the weather affects all of our moods. Despite that though the mood of a nation has lifted since the Olympic opening ceremony.
Watched by nearly twenty seven million people in the UK, and many millions more around the world it lifted all of our spirits. It was a celebration of what it means to be British and contained more wonderful music and great humour than any other ceremony that I have ever seen. Danny Boyle may have had the media rounding on him ready to complain about what he was doing but they, like the rest of us, were enthralled by what he, and the great team he worked with, created.
Who will ever forget the forging of the Olympic rings in steel, the Queen talking to James Bond and jumping out of a helicopter and even Mr Bean playing chariots of fire. I loved the fact that rather than just go for spectacle Danny Boyle chose to have one man playing one note on a keyboard and Rowan Atkinson had the world smiling and Sir Simon Rattle rattled.
Since the opening ceremony there has still been a little rain but it seems we have temporarily forgotten about it. We are all swept up in the excitement. For once the weather is not our only topic of conversation.
I have never been one to watch much sport. I much prefer to be taking part myself, but I have been as glued to the television as everyone else, willing our athletes on to medal success.
Watching Bradley Wiggings cycle his way to Gold victory, and seeing him hugging the family that he has hardly seen recently, its a tough person who doesn't find a tear of pride in their eye.
There is so much more to come and my biggest hope is that we can take some of the joy and pleasure and remember it once the Olympics and the Paralympics have ended.
Don't forget those smiles, the good will and all those feelings of pride that we have all felt this past week. It has only been a week since the opening ceremony and yet the nation has seen its level of happiness raised much like the incredible cauldron rose just last Friday.
Enjoy the rest of the entertainment, stay proud and keep smiling. It has made us all feel better.
Posted 30/07/2012 at 07.58am
If you are curious to find out all about hypnotherapy and also hear about my other work as an actor and radio presenter I will soon be speaking at the Catwalk Cafe in Knowle. It promises to be an entertaining and informative evening out and I am really looking forward to meeting you and maybe even helping with some issues on the night !
You can find out all about it and how to get tickets by clicking on the image below...
Olympic torch bearer hypnotised for success.
posted on 20th July 2012 at 08.24am
I was contacted recently by a lady who proudly ran with the Olympic torch in front of her family, friends and several hundred people, not to mention the many millions watching on the television (although I just did mention them!)
She was one of the very first people to run with the torch and at this point it was still getting wall to wall coverage in the media. It may seem surprising but she was hoping for some help with a fear of public speaking. Despite the fact that she had just appeared in front of so many people her fears were being even more realised now that she was being invited to talk about her experiences.
Many of the torch bearers have found themselves in great demand at local events since their moment to shine. My client was about to open a fete and she told me that she was finding the thought of it a very nerve wracking experience.
As a radio presenter, trained actor and a man who even used to be a stand up comedian I like to think that alongside my hypnotherapy I really can help people with fears like these from the point of view of someone who was in the same boat.
It may seem that I don’t suffer any of the worries that many people do but I was just like anyone else at first. I just found ways to make things easier and by doing this I also really enjoy being in front of an audience. It’s important not to underestimate that fact that speaking to people should be fun and not be a chore.
So, whether you are an Olympic torch bearer, a best man, or just getting up to speak in front of friends there are some tips that can really help you.
- Take a deep breath and relax. I know, that sounds simple, but the physical action of taking a deeper breath, holding it and then letting it go a few times really does calm you down. I have spoken in front of small and large numbers of people and I still make sure this is something that I do every time. It also really helps me to focus.
- Talk about something that you know. This sounds obvious, but it’s really something worth thinking about. You need to feel comfortable with what you are doing and knowing your subject is going to help you immensely.
- Make some cue cards. Jot down some words that help you to know where you are. There is nothing worse than listening to someone just read from a piece of paper. Unless you are Patrick Stewart, it’s going to be a little boring. If you know your subject then a few words to help you along will be all that you need. Those cards will always be there if you need them and you may not even use them at all.
- Don’t worry about what the audience think about you. Put yourself in their shoes. They want to be informed and entertained by you, they are willing you to succeed. They are on your side. So, don’t be afraid to pause and take a breath any time that you need to.
- Remember it’s not school. At school we were picked on at the last minute asked questions we maybe didn’t know the answer to and perhaps even made to look foolish. That was a long time ago and now YOU are in charge of things, so it’s all down to your preparation. If you know your subject you can’t go wrong.
- ENJOY IT! If you enjoy it then the chances are that your audience will too. And the more you enjoy it the more that you will find you wish to do it even more.
Of course there are lots of other ideas and exercises that you can do. This is just the start and if you remember one thing, remember that the people who are listening want you to do well as much as you do. They are on your side and, unless you are in a bear pit late night comedy show at Edinburgh....they really want you to do well.
Oh...and if you are thinking “did Mark get a picture of himself with the torch?” here is the answer...
posted on 10th July 2012 at 09.38
If you are a smoker...how would you like a brand new iPad ?
OK... Let’s imagine that you smoke twenty cigarettes a day.
At about seven pounds per packet that works out at about fifty pounds per week.
A new iPad costs a little over three hundred pounds
So, if you became a non-smoker and saved that money you could buy a new iPad in just seven weeks.
Perhaps you don’t want an iPad...here is something else that you can think about then...
If you saved that money for a year you would have over two and a half THOUSAND pounds.
That’s enough for a pretty good holiday in the sun lazing on an exotic beach soaking up the rays, or skiing in the winter snow and enjoying the off piste in the evenings.
Or maybe a deposit for a car, or even some changes to your house.
And...that doesn’t take into account the benefits to your health, the fact that you are going to be able to taste your food and smell the flowers in the garden...and that you won’t smell of cigarettes any more.
Plus, if you have children imagine what a good example this sets for them...and how proud they will be of you and you of yourself.
It’s something to think about isn’t it? Many people don’t take the time to sit down and work out how much they spend on smoking and when they do it can really help to make a decision that moves them foward to a healthier and wealthier life.
I'm not suggesting that becoming a non smoker is really easy! It isn't, or you would already have done it. But thinking about it in a different way is a really good start. Looking at the positives and the things that will be better could just be the little thing that helps you to make the decision.
As a hypnotherapist I can’t make you give up smoking. No one can do that! It has to be your choice. However, if you make that decision to become a non smoker.. I can really help you towards your goal. I know how well it works, because it’s how I gave up. I wanted to stop and hypnosis helped me make that change.
Why not give me a call on 07980 233160 and we can have a chat about it?
There is no obligation at all, you can carry on smoking if you really want to.
It’s just something to think about...(since I wrote this the new iPhone5 has arrived so you never know you may want one of those instead! You may have to save a little longer though!
Previous Blog posts...
Posted at 17.50 pm on Thursday 5th July 2012
I thought that perhaps it would be a good idea to give you a chance to see and hear me just saying hello!
When you are looking for a hypnotherapist its really great to be able to have an idea of what they are like, and I think this can help to give you some idea of what I am all about and how I have used hypnosis myself.
Thanks for watching....
Hypnosis to grow back hair? An interview with Nick Cooke
Posted on 11:47am Wednesday 27th Jun 2012
...if you have ever wondered whether hypnosis can help you to grow hair on a bald head then I think you will be interested in this chat...
..There many questions that people want to ask about hypnosis and being in the fortunate position of presenting radio shows, I thought it would be a great idea to ask a hypnotherapist who has practiced for many years all about his experiences.
This chat was broadcast on The BBC Midlands Late Show presented by myself on 1st July 2012
You can listen right here...
Interview with Nick Cooke Hypnotherapist
Qualifications...
I am qualified in Cognitive hypnotherapy, Eriksonian Hypnotherapy, Solution Focussed Hypno Psychotherapy and NLP (neuro linguistic programming). Also in EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) and EFT (emotional freedom technique) so I have a great deal of techniques and methods to draw upon to help you to create the outcome that you really desire.
Stoptober is a government led initiative to help you give up smoking. if you want to quit smoking and live in the following areas then why not contact me and I can help. Stratford upon avon, warwick, leamington spa, henley in arden, alcester,solihul,knowle,Redditch, Studley, or anywhere else in the midlands, whether Warwickshire or Worcestershire then just click here.