Attainable Sustainable CHANGE Book Release!

I am proud to announce the release of my latest book Attainable Sustainable CHANGE.  It's your guide to creating a healthy eating, exercise and stress relief program that you can actually stick with.

It comes from my training as both a professional hypnotist and health coach and encourages you to look at the lifestyle modifications you wish to make from a perspective that does not consider the mind and body separate. 

When trying harder hasn't worked, isn't time to do something different?

Considerable attention is given on developing the mindset of health creation. Topics include:

• Connecting with your deeper motivation.
• Overcoming obstacles.
• Empowering self-talk
• Safe nutritional and exercise guidelines.
• Lapse and relapse prevention.

Attainable and Sustainable CHANGE is available in print and Kindle formats at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0776FFRYZ

Digital formats other than the Kindle can be found at Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/757484

P.S, The contents of this book are also at the heart of the 6 Week Attainable Sustainable Change program I offer, details at https://www.njhypno.com/health-coaching

Tinnitus Stress Magnified?

I occasionally  participate in an online forum for people looking for effective strategies when it comes to dealing with tinnitus.

Recently I posted this question to the members there:

"I have been an ATA support group leader in the past here at the Jersey Shore. I also see clients with tinnitus in my hypnosis practice. Here's the question. Do you believe that the initial interactions with your healthcare providers when you developed tinnitus helped or hindered your recovery? I am curious as I have encountered people who felt they were treated with less than adequate sensitivity and this created a sense of hopelessness and panic. For example being told "you have tinnitus, there's nothing that can be done, go home and learn to live with it" without being given any actual direction on coping strategies. Is this commonplace or just a few healthcare providers with a deficiency in empathy and communications skills?" 

Dozens of group members took the time to reply and indeed it does seem that the being traumatized by poor communication from healthcare providers is unfortunately rather common.

While some respondents stated they received supportive care, many didn't replying with comments like:
"I was told by an ENT that I waited 9 months to see "just ignore it". My visit was 4 minutes long"

"I saw an insensitive audiologist at a well know high street store who told me people committed suicide with tinnitus. He thoroughly depressed me and scared me to death!! Thank god I saw a hospital audiologist who gave me hope my brain would get fed up and filter the sound out."

"My G.P. used those very words!! "You have Tinnitus, we can't do anything for you, you'll have to learn to live with it!!"

"I'm in Perth Australia and YES I also hate the doctor who said exactly what you wrote. I cried for weeks without any direction. It was  horrible."

The experience of having tinnitus is complex as I am sure you are aware. There is the neurological misfiring that is creating the perceived noise and then there is a person's response to that signal which can vary depending on stress levels and personal expectations.

I suspect that those people who received negative, pessimistic or dismissive communication from their initial healthcare provider had insult heaped on injury in that it increased anxiety and a sense of hopelessness and made the subjective perception of the tinnitus worse.

Never underestimate the reach of the mind/body connection to work in the other direction too.  People who feel better tend to heal better and anything you can do to reduce stress, anxiety and pessimism will help in the long run.

If you could use some help, please consider me a resource. A free initial phone consultation is available, call (732) 714-7040 to set that up.

P.S. I also have free self-help resources for tinnitus you can access at https://www.njhypno.com/tinnitus-nj-help

On the heels of the recent revelations regarding a Hollywood mogul who apparently is a monstrous sexual predator, the hashtag #metoo this week became a way for women to show solidarity on social media platforms, indicating that they too had been victimized by this type of abuse and harassment.

It was very saddening to see how many women have been mistreated in this way and keep in mind these are just the ones who are willing to be publicly identified. The real number is surely much higher.

These kind of traumatic events may leave lasting negative imprints that can significantly impact a person's quality of life unless address properly processed.

After a traumatic experience takes place, for a time there will usually be strong emotional reactions when it is recalled. In the process of healing, the emotions eventually dissipate and the event goes to what is called, "narrative memory." You know it happened, yet it doesn't provoke as powerful a reaction when you think about it.

Yet for some the memories remain fresh; even decades later it can seem as if it happened yesterday.

This becomes problematic since anything that reminds the person of the original event can provoke feelings of fear and anxiety due to a process known as pattern matching.  For example, a person isn't just afraid of the man who abused her, but is fearful of all men in his age group. This kind of dynamic takes place in many other types of unhealthy fears such as public speaking, heights, insects, etc. The generalization ends up limiting the individual that in a way that is not helpful.

A highly effective technique for decreasing the effect of negative memories is the Rewind Technique. I was trained in it a few years back and have seen some notable successes with it.

What attracted me to the Rewind Technique is that it is completely non-traumatic to the client. It is not a process where a person has to vividly relive past hurt, but rather learns how to release the emotional charge. Another positive attribute of the method is that a person does not have to share much in the way of specific details related to the hurt or upset, a general description is adequate.

If you or someone you know may benefit from some assistance in getting over a negative past experience,. a free, confidential phone consultation is available by calling (732) 714-7040

P.S. If you are a professional hypnotist or other helping professional, you can learn about training in the Rewind Technique and other helpful interventions at the Uncommon Knowledge Web Site.

Lady Ga Ga's Pain?

I saw today that a new Netflix documentary is about to be released on the topic of Lady Ga Ga's personal ordeal with fibromyalgia (FM)

FM is a disabling condition marked by diffuse pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties. Currently there isn't a definitive and consistently effective medical treatment for FM and patients frequently suffer for years.

You will often see different self-care measures such as yoga, massage and mind/body healing methods like meditation and hypnosis mentioned as being potentially helpful and with good reason.

The experience of pain is greatly magnified when the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is continually activated, this is also quite exhausting and interferes with healing. So anything that puts you into a deeply relaxed state can help.

There is also many who believe that unresolved traumatic events can have a hand in the development of FM and other chronic pain situations. There are specific hypnotic techniques that enhance the healing process from past upsets such as the Rewind Technique that I was trained in.

If you would like to learn more, I am here to help. Give me a call at (732) 714-7040 for a free and confidential phone consultation or connect at my website at https://www.njhypno.com

Health Coaching, New Service Available

This week I passed my exam to become a Certified Health Coach through the American Council on Exercise and I wanted to let you know about a new service I will be offering in addition to hypnosis counseling. The program I completed is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the same body that accredits certifications for athletic trainers, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, registered dietitians and many other health professions.

Often a person wishes to make lifestyle changes related to exercise and nutrition in order to improve health and appearance as well as reduce stress levels. Yet it can be hard to know how to start and this is where the Health Coach can be of assistance. Services include:

-Assessing whether it is safe for you to begin a progressive exercise program.
-Helping you to identify goals and a plan to overcome obstacles.
-Providing guidelines on movement and nutrition based on sound, evidence-based research.
-Offer support and encouragement as you make lifestyle changes.

I know I learned a lot of things that I have personally found helpful in the process of this course and look forward to sharing with others. In particular, those who have repeatedly felt stuck and frustrated when it comes to creating a healthier lifestyle.

Health coaching services can be utilized as a standalone or can be integrated with traditional hypnosis services depending on your needs and preferences. I look forward to helping you move forward into your healthier future, give me a call at (732) 714-7040 if you have any questions.

The Egg Rescuer-A Back to School Story

Like a lot of parents, I experienced a mixture of excitement and apprehension sending the kids off to begin a new school year this week. While it is natural to worry a bit, its also important to step back and let the young people in your life struggle a bit with their challenges in and out of the classroom.

Which reminds me of a story...

Once there was a teenage girl who absolutely loved animals and she became a volunteer at an animal rescue center. She was very responsible and everyone appreciated the enthusiastic help she provided.

In the center was an incubator for bird eggs that had been abandoned by the mother or had fallen out the nest. For the past week there had been a large specimen in the incubator that had captured the girl's fascination.

What was the bird going to look like when it hatched? On this particular day she noticed the thin, flexible egg shell popping up slightly in one spot and then another-the baby bird was trying to peck his way out!

Excited, she took out her pocket knife and was going to carefully help her little bird friend escape from the egg until a voice behind cried out STOP! It was the director of the animal rescue center and she said, "thank goodness I caught you before its too late. I know you meant well, but that bird needs to struggle before it hatches or it won't be strong enough to survive afterward."

Happily the baby bird pecked his way out of the egg two days later and went on to be strong and healthy.

This story and others can be found in my e-book Hypnotic Storytelling, available at Amazon and other online booksellers.

P.S. If you or a younger chicken in your life could use some help, please feel free to connect with me by calling (732) 714-7040.

There is a meeting of the Jersey Shore Tinnitus Support Group scheduled for this Saturday, September 9 at 11 AM in Point Pleasant Beach in the conference room at my office.

This is an opportunity to give and receive support and coping tips. There is no fee to attend but preregistration is requested which you can do by sending me an email at james@njhypnotist.com- I will send you a set of directions when you do.

I hope all is well and hope to hear from you soon.


Best wishes,

James Malone

P.S. There are some free resource on stress relief for tinnitus you can access at
https://www.njhypno.com/tinnitus-nj-help