Panic Attacks website inspires Bristol group ALTHOUGH the internet sometimes seems a million miles removed from the ‘real world’, the ‘panic-attacks.co.uk’ website is starting to have a real impact. People have sent emails from all over the World saying how much they appreciate the clear, down-to-earth information it provides via the free email course. In addition, an impressed user of the site has just set up a group in Bristol with our diploma trainee Ross Fisher to help people who are suffering with anxiety and panic. Ross’s course takes place over 2 sessions, on November 19th and 26th, 2001 and will teach panic sufferers how to deal with panic attacks. If you live in the Bristol or Bath area and would like more information, you can contact Ross at rossfisher@beeb.net or on 07812 678366. Thanks! TO those who have avidly collected the newsletters over the years and sent them to us in response to last issue’s request for help - thanks very much! Soon, back issues will be available through the website. Top Tip ABCDE your way to happiness WE all know that we shouldn’t ruminate, or accept statements from ourselves that make us feel bad, but it can be easier said than done. Here’s a neat technique that makes thought-stopping or challenging easy. A - Spot Adversity when it occurs (e.g. you miss the bus) B - Be aware of the Belief it creates in you (e.g. ‘Things like that always happen to me’) C - Notice the Consequences of that belief (e.g. Feeling sad and depressed.) D - Dispute the Belief with other evidence or perspectives (e.g. That’s nonsense, I usually catch the bus, besides, that morning the alarm didn’t go off.) E - Notice the effect on your Energy levels (e.g. Feel happier, with more energy) Writing your thoughts down in the best way to use this technique.  Startling Statistic
‘The Optimists Win Again (but then, they probably expected to)’ AMAZINGLY, if you take the last 29 US presidential races and choose the most optimistic candidate each time, you will predict the winner correctly 27 out of 29 times! It seems that people (or at least Americans) love optimists. Optimists tend to make other people feel hopeful and positive. This uncommonly startling statistic comes from the book ‘Learned Optimism’ by Martin Seligman. Testing for optimism is done using the explanatory styles model from the introductory hypnosis weekend. Success Story A booming business is born! Two graduates from the Uncommon Knowledge Diploma course are enjoying great success with their new venture - ‘Hypnobirthing’. On completing the Diploma course, Steve Griffiths and Jill Wootton studied with the American HypnoBirthing Institute, and are now running courses for pregnant women and their birth companions. They combine the powerful use of self hypnosis with childbirth education, guided imagery and special breathing techniques. This has been shown to drastically reduce the risk of complications and the need for medical intervention. In a recent US study, half of a group of 42 pregnant women were taught self hypnosis. 60% of the non-hypnosis group needed surgical intervention, compared with none of the hypnosis group. In addition, only 1 of the hypnosis group remained in hospital for more than 2 days after the birth, compared with 8 of the non-hypnosis group. The study’s findings were that overall, hypnosis leads to a more comfortable, positive and natural birth experience. The first mothers from the Hypnobirthing course have just given birth. ‘AD’, having her third child said “the difference was incredible”, and felt that she knew how to work with her body, maximising the effectiveness of each contraction, and relaxing deeply in-between. During the birth, she calmly said to the midwife “this is a very strong contraction”. The midwife was astounded to find that AD was 9cm dilated, (normally pain levels would let her know much earlier!), and said later that she believes the techniques shortened the birth by at least two hours. With twenty two years experience she reported that “there is no doubt that the Hypnobirthing made an enormous difference to AD’s birth, and has changed the way I view pain control.” The Hypnobirthing Course consists of 3 fortnightly sessions, each lasting 2 to 3 hours and starting at around 30 weeks into the pregnancy. The mothers are then followed up 2 weeks after the birth. Hypnobirther Steve Griffiths said ‘In the absence of fear and tension, severe pain does not have to be an accompaniment of labour.” “A relaxed mum will produce a natural anaesthesia, endorphins which replace the stress hormones that cause pelvic muscles to constrict and cause pain.” Steve and Jill have broadcast on Hypnobirthing on local radio, and are receiving a supportive response from the medical community. | | (Success Story contd...) If you’d told Jill and Steve 2 years ago that this is what they’d be doing with their hypnotherapy diploma, I bet they’d have given you more than a sideways look! Our best wishes to Steve and Jill in their venture. If you would like more information, contact Steve on 01273 412009 or Jill on 01444 410957, or at jwootton@uncommon-knowledge.co.uk  Teaching Tale
The Red-Indian Cinderella Once, in an village on the edge of a lake, there lived a tribe of Native American Indians. At one end of the village there was a lodge inhabited by an invisible being, who was looked after by his sister. Everyone in the village knew that any girl who could see the invisible being would be able to marry him. Because of this there was a steady stream of girls who tried. When a girl wanted to try her luck, she would have to wait until evening when the Invisible One was returning home. Then, his sister would walk with the girl down to the lakeside. As soon as his sister saw him, she would ask any girl who claimed to be able to see him, “What is his shoulder strap made of?”, or “What does he pull his sled with?” Typically, the girl would answer, “A length of rawhide”, or “A young branch” or something similar. Knowing she had lied, the sister would then take the girl back to the lodge. Once they had seen the Invisible One’s moccasins suddenly appear when he took them off, girls realised he was real but invisible to them, and so they would leave. Now there lived in the village an old widower and his three daughters, the youngest of which was small, weak and often ill. Despite this, her sisters, and especially the older one, treated her awfully. The wicked sister would burn her hands and feet with hot cinders, so that she was covered with scars, and people would call her ‘Rough Faced Girl’ If asked about the scars, she would say that she had gone too close to the fire and fallen in. One day, the two older sisters decided to try their luck at seeing the Invisible One. Dressing in their finest clothes, they found the Invisible One’s sister and walked with her by the water. When they were asked if they could see him, they replied, “Yes, of course” and when asked about his sled cord answered, “It’s a strip of rawhide”. But of course they were lying, and so did not get much further. The next day, the father returned home with many pretty shells, and they set to work to make necklaces with them. The youngest daughter ‘Rough Faced Girl’, got an old pair of her father’s moccasins, and went into the woods. There she made a dress from birch bark and decorated it with marks in the traditional way. She made other clothes and adornments and begged a few pretty shells from the second daughter, who was kinder to her. Then, she set off down to the lakeside in her rag-tag outfit, her sisters yelling and laughing at her as she went. She looked such a sight as she arrived at the water’s edge, but the sister of the Invisible Once welcomed her kindly. Presently he came, and his sister asked “Do you see him?” “I do – and he is wonderful” said the Rough Faced Girl. The sister asked, “And what is his sled string?” The girl said, “It is the rainbow”. “And his bow string?” “It is the Milky Way”. “So you can see him”, said the sister and took the girl to the lodge and bathed her. As she did so all the scars vanished from her body and her hair grew again until it was long and dark, like a blackbird’s wing. Her eyes became like stars – in all the world there was no such beauty. The sister took out a wedding garment and dressed her in it. Then she told the girl to take the wife’s seat. There she sat and waited until the Invisible One came in. He looked at the girl and smiled, then looked at his sister and said, “So we are found out!” “Yes” said his sister. And so the youngest sister became his wife.  Competition
Answers, as usual, by post or email. (Please note: This competition has now expired!) A recent US study examined the impact upon mothers-to-be of teaching them relaxation and self-hypnotic techniques. The study recorded how many of the hypnosis group needed surgical intervention vs. the non-hypnosis group. Was this: A) 40% vs 80% B) 100% vs 0% C) 0% vs 60% (You may find a hint in the hypnobirthing article!) The first 3 answers drawn on December 1st will win a copy of this issue’s Top Book. Get your entries in now! Top Book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E Frankl.
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