Hypnotherapy Articles

Hypnotherapy Articles

Strong Relationships are Good for Your Health

You know that maintaining intimacy is important for your relationship with your partner. But did you know that it's also good for your health?

Psychologists and researchers have discovered a number of benefits for people who experience intimacy in their committed relationships. In fact, closeness in relationships has been found to influence social, emotional, and physical health.

People in intimate relationships...

• Are better at successful navigating various developmental stages
• Are more likely to maintain solid, lasting friendships
• Are less likely to be in car accidents
• Are more resistant to diseases and mental illness

On the other hand, individuals involved in committed relationships that lack intimacy and closeness are more vulnerable to a whole handful of ailments: stress, depression, psychosomatic disorders, and mental illness in general. (To read more about this research, see: "Marriage and Romantic Relationships: Defining Intimacy in Romantic Relationships," by Barry F. Moss and Andrew I. Schwebel, in Family Relations, vol. 42, no. 1, January 1993, pp. 31-37.)

If you're in a committed relationship, take the opportunity to work on intimacy with your partner today. Small gestures can go a long way toward creating a closer relationship. Not only will you be investing in the strength of your future relationship, you'll be protecting your future health and happiness.

Shared Couple's Trance, a hypnosis program developed by Dr. Michele Ritterman, is a fun and easy way to explore your relationship with your partner and build intimacy. Together, you can recreate positive feelings, while discovering your own sense of safety and closeness in the relationship.

To learn more about Dr. Ritterman's program, click here:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/relationships.php

© 2007 The Hypnosis Network. All rights reserved.

The Importance of Intimacy: How to Make Your Marriage Last

A recent study revealed a few interesting new aspects about intimacy and marriage. A few of these developments have the potential to change the way marriage counselors – and involved spouses – think about marriages. Specifically, how to keep them strong and healthy!

This 13-year study began in 1981, when researcher Ted Huston began following 168 newly-wed couples. By the time the study ended in 1994, 56 of the couples had divorced. In the meantime, Huston learned a whole lot about intimate relationships, causes of conflict, and how to maintain a happy marriage. One of these findings is proving groundbreaking for marriage and family counselors.

Previously, family counselors had always believed that conflict – arguments, antagonism, and lack of respect for differences – was what eventually led to divorce. But Huston\'s research showed that loss of intimacy and affection was the factor most likely to send the relationship spiraling downwards toward divorce. While fighting and conflict usually preceded the split, conflict was the result of lack of intimacy, not the cause. Huston was quoted as saying, "This ought to change the way we think about the early roots of what goes wrong in marriage. The dominant approach has been to work with couples to resolve conflict, but it should focus on preserving the positive feelings." (See "Will Your Marriage Last?" by Aviva Patz, in Psychology Today, January 2000.)

The moral of the story? To protect and preserve your marriage, focus on maintaining intimacy and closeness with your partner. Here are a few steps you can take to maintain the feelings of closeness that marked your relationship as newly-weds:

• Express your affection frequently, through hugs, kisses, cuddling, small gifts, and special favors.
• Communicate effectively. Share your feelings, talk through issues in the relationship, and be honest (without being hurtful). Keep your partner up-to-date on what\'s happening in all areas of your life – even the little stuff.
• Be supportive and encouraging, so your spouse feels safe sharing his or her thoughts, feelings, and emotions, too.
• Find a project or hobby to enjoy together.
• Plan for your shared future, focusing on exciting and positive goals that you can work toward together.

Shared Couple's Trance, a hypnosis program developed by Dr. Michele Ritterman, is a fun and easy way to explore your relationship with your partner and build intimacy. Together, you can recreate positive feelings, while discovering your own sense of safety and closeness in the relationship.

To learn more about Dr. Ritterman's program, click here:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/relationships.php

© 2007 The Hypnosis Network. All rights reserved.

Raising Self-Esteem

High self-esteem is a critical factor that can positively affect many areas of your life. On the other hand, if you have low self-esteem, it will act as a constant challenge . . . a hurdle you have to jump over each time you want to try something new, a constant force dragging you down.

While self-esteem can be difficult to change, it's not impossible. We've come up with a few time-tested tips for improving your self-esteem, and feeling better and more positive about yourself on a daily basis. Here are a few ideas:

• Make a list of things you like about yourself – and refer back to it often. This list should include your successes and achievements, and your positive traits and qualities. The more you practice liking and accepting yourself, the more things you'll be able to add to the list.
• Surround yourself with people who are loving and accepting. Don't let yourself get dragged down by the negative attitudes of others. Your true friends will like you the way you are.
• Take care of yourself. Give yourself the care and attention you deserve, whether that means breaking a few bad habits, paying more attention to your physical health and appearance, or taking a break with some relaxing time alone.
• Do what you love. Find a way that you can shine, using your strengths and talents to the best of your abilities. Pursuing activities that you're good at is one of the best ways to build self-confidence!

High self-esteem is a powerful motivator and an important predictor of future success. You can get started improving your self-esteem today.

Core Inner Strength, a hypnosis program developed by Dr. Shirley McNeal, is a fun and easy way to improve your self-esteem. In just four hypnotic sessions, you will discover the life-changing secrets behind experiencing comfort and safety in yourself, raising your self-esteem and self-confidence, and finding your inner strength.

To learn more about Dr. McNeal's program, click here:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/self_esteem.php

© 2007 The Hypnosis Network. All rights reserved.

Make It Personal - Know Your Own Reasons for Quitting

You know you want to quit smoking.

But do you know WHY?

For many people who are trying to quit smoking, it helps to have a list of reasons why -- a kind of map that you can turn back to when the going gets tough.

What are YOUR reasons to quit?

__ You want to add more years to your life, by decreasing your health risks.
__ You want to stop spending money on cigarettes, and save that extra spending money for yourself.
__ You want to prove to yourself that you can meet this challenge . . . so you can go on to improving your lifestyle in other ways.
__ You want to experience more natural energy, better health, and better quality of life.
__ You want to model healthy living for your children and grandchildren.
__ (insert your own reasons here -- and keep the list)

Whatever your reasons are, you should write them down and keep them close. Have them in front of you. Repeat them to yourself again and again. Keep a 3"x5" card in your pocket or purse with the list. In doing so, you'll be laying the psychological groundwork to make quitting easy.

We've been telling you about a comprehensive hypnosis program for smoking cessation, The Non-Smoker's Edge. And, as we thought about the importance of wanting to quit smoking, we realized that this program perfectly demonstrates those principles.

The Non-Smoker's Edge uses new techniques in cognitive behavioral therapy and clinical hypnosis to help you truly want to quit smoking . . . with your mind, body, and soul. Using a holistic approach, it helps you keep your goal in mind at all times. And not just your goal, but the reasons for this goal.

Desire is critical to action. Maybe that's why multi-session hypnosis has a 66% success rate at helping people quit smoking. That's higher than any other smoking cessation method that there is.

To learn more about hypnosis for smoking cessation in general and The Non-Smoker's Edge in particular, see this page:

http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/quit_smoking.php

The publisher, The Hypnosis Network, guarantees the results for a full year. If you're not satisfied, you can return the program for a full refund of the purchase price less shipping. And right now they're offering a great deal for our readers - $50 off the regular price. You can get the whole program (7 CDs) for only $99.

Make your list of reasons. And then make the next move to quit.

Self-Esteem: the Magic X-Factor

Self-esteem is one of the most important aspects influencing your performance and success in many areas of life. It can help you get a job (and keep on getting promotions!). It can help you make friends and get dates. And people with high self-esteem generally feel happier, healthier, and more stable and secure.

Don Hamachek is a highly respected author and researcher in the field of psychology. He's had a big influence on studies of self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. His research was published in Encounters with Others (New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Wilson, 1982). Here are some of his findings on the importance of self-esteem:

People with high self-esteem . . .

• Usually see other people in a better light, too.
• Expect other people to like and accept them.
• Perform better in high pressure situations, and do better work when the standards are high.
• Feel confident and secure enough to shrug off negative comments from others.

On the other hand, people with low self-esteem . . .

• Frequently dislike others.
• Expect that other people will dislike and reject them.
• Have trouble performing under pressure, and find it hard to work in demanding environments.
• Are more vulnerable to negative comments and reactions from others.

These tendencies can spill over into all areas of a person's life, with major consequences. That's why self-esteem is the critical factor – it's one of those make-or-break variables that has the power to transform your life, for good or bad. High self-esteem is a little like a magic spell that works in any number of situations.

If you're struggling in any area of your life, whether personal or professional, it's possible that your problems are just symptoms of a bigger problem: low self-esteem. Find a way to improve your self-esteem, and you can expect things to start improving in lots of ways.

Core Inner Strength, a hypnosis program developed by Dr. Shirley McNeal, is a fun and easy way to improve your self-esteem. In just four hypnotic sessions, you will discover the life-changing secrets behind experiencing comfort and safety in yourself, raising your self-esteem and self-confidence, and finding your inner strength.

To learn more about Dr. McNeal's program, click here:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/self_esteem.php

© 2007 The Hypnosis Network. All rights reserved.

From the Psychotherapist: Dr. Randy Gilchrist on Quitting

Randy, you have worked with people to overcome their bad habits, especially smoking. Can you tell me why people continue to smoke even though they know that this is slowly eroding their health?

There are two main reasons as I understand it. First, smoking is a stubborn habit that naturally connects with many everyday activities, times of day, social interactions, and emotional states that continually "trigger" the urge to smoke — often at an unconscious level. In this way, smoking becomes like a reliable, old friend that offers relaxation, comfort, and focus with every interaction (puff). It's like the old song goes—"breaking up is hard to do."

Second, smoking acts as an addiction as well. Because the body and mind become used to the "rush" from regular nicotine fixes, quitting can immediately trigger strong and uncomfortable physical and psychological withdrawal cravings to pressure a return to smoking. This discomfort can last for several weeks or even months. Typical withdrawal symptoms include irritability, restlessness, sadness, nervousness, coughing, a slight sore throat, constipation, insomnia, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, a decreased heart rate, and/or an increased appetite. With all of this, it's no wonder most people have a hard time quitting on their own!

If there were three things that a cigarette smoker could right now to help them drop the habit, what would they be?

First, smokers should immediately have a physical examination with their primary care physician to learn the extent to which smoking has already begun to affect their health. An examination should also include recommendations to do to start reversing any present damage. This one is essential.

Second, ask several supportive, understanding family members and friends to give the emotional encouragement and listening ears you'll need during your change process. Make sure these supportive people aren't smokers themselves. It can be hard to quit with someone always lighting up in front of you!

Third, get healthier! Strategically improve your diet, exercise, and sleeping patterns. Study it. Plan it. Do it. Because quitting smoking can involve temporary lapses in energy, lowered concentration, and increased moodiness, you will need to take better care of yourself to replace your "nicotine highs" with "natural highs" and better self-control. Healthier living is what makes this possible. Remember, there are no feelings that nicotine gives you that the brain can't also generate through healthier means. You just need to plan more, be creative, and commit to the process.

Randy Gilchrist, Psy.D., is a fully qualified psychotherapist with a masters degree and license in marriage and family therapy, and a doctoral degree and license in clinical psychology. He specializes in strategic multi-session hypnosis programs for complex issues such as smoking cessation, and is the creator of The Non-Smoker's Edge, published by The Hypnosis Network.

Interview copyright 2007 The Hypnosis Network.

We're impressed by the research on hypnosis for quitting smoking. This is because we have seen that the long term success rate of hypnosis eclipses that of other methods. And right now the Hypnosis Network is offering a great deal for our readers - $50 off the regular price. You can get the whole program (7 CDs) for only $99.

To learn more about Dr. Gilchrist's 7-CD program, click here:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/quit_smoking.php

Increase Your Physical Strength Just by Using Your Mind!

Sounds like one of those too-good-to-be-true claims, we thought. But researchers at Bishop's University in Quebec recently conducted a study* which indicated that mental training alone could increase muscle strength.

The two-week study took 30 male university athletes and divided them into three groups. The study focused on the hip flexor muscles, since that is one muscle group that can't be readily exercised in other contexts or with free weights.

One group performed physical training with a hip flexor weight machine; one group mentally practiced hip flexions at increasing amounts of weight; the third group did neither. At the end of the study, the group doing the physical exercises had increased its strength by 28.3%, which is not surprising. The group who did nothing not unexpectedly saw almost no difference. But what's astounding is that the guys who practiced only mentally saw their strength increase by 23.7%!

The bottom line of the study isn't that we don't need to exercise—of course we do—but rather that empowering your mind in order to improve your body can really enhance your performance!

We were intrigued by how much this mind-body connection can improve performance, so we did some checking around. Hypnosis is one of the most effective and safest ways to get into the zone. And Core Sports Performance, an audio hypnosis program from The Hypnosis Network, is by far the most thorough, professional, and effective program on the market. To learn more about Core Sports Performance, click here: http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/sports.php

* Erin M. Shackell and Lionel G. Standing, "Mind Over Matter: Mental Training Increases Physical Strength," North American Journal of Psychology, 2007, Vol. 9, No. 1, 189—200.

From the Psychotherapist: Dr. Randy Gilchrist on Hypnosis for Quitting

In your practice, you use hypnosis as one tool to help people quit smoking. Is this effective? If so, why would something like hypnosis work for something like this?

I have found hypnosis to be highly effective in helping my clients stop smoking. In fact, traditionally, clinical hypnosis has shown to be the most popular and helpful with two main issues: smoking cessation and weight loss. Because many smokers fear that they will gain weight if they quit, a good hypnosis program for smoking cessation should include a component on weight loss as well. This is like "killing two birds with one stone."

I think hypnosis works so well with smoking cessation because habits and addictions in general tend to be very psychological in nature. Among other things, hypnosis helps to change and improve the way a person thinks about his or her "problem." It also helps people gain greater access to the tools and resources they'll need during the change process. In fact, many of my clients acknowledge at the beginning that their habit/addiction is "mostly psychological" and that they just need to "change the way they think about it."

Is there any research supporting that the hypnosis you use is effective for smoking cessation? If so, please go into some detail and tell us where to find this information.

Yes. In fact, a great deal of research shows hypnosis to be highly effective with smoking cessation in general. The main studies I usually refer to come from the main reference book from The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors by D. Corydon Hammond. This book cites multiple studies showing about a 2/3 (60-67%) success rate with smoking cessation when a 4-5+ session hypnosis format is used (versus a 25% success rate when only 1 hypnosis session is used). In short, more hypnosis sessions = much higher results. This complementary, multi-session hypnosis format is what I base my program, The Non-Smoker's Edge, on (although my program actually contains 9 hypnosis sessions).

This 2/3 success rate for the multiple hypnosis session approach is far higher than all other research-based approaches to quitting smoking. Nicotine replacement methods, the anti-depressant medication Zyban, and behavior modification techniques have all consistently yielded success rates of just 25%.

There are many current and past research articles supporting the use of hypnosis with smoking cessation. Some great websites reviewing these articles from professional journals can be found at:
http://www.hypnosis-research.org/hypnosis/index.html
http://www.ijceh.com//
http://www.apa.org/psycinfo/

For more reader-friendly reviews, I recommend searching the smoking and hypnosis-related articles on the Psychology Today archive database. Their website is http://www.psychologytoday.com.

Randy Gilchrist, Psy.D., is a fully qualified psychotherapist with a masters degree and license in marriage and family therapy, and a doctoral degree and license in clinical psychology. He specializes in strategic multi-session hypnosis programs for complex issues such as smoking cessation, and is the creator of The Non-Smoker's Edge, published by The Hypnosis Network.

Interview copyright 2007 The Hypnosis Network.

We\'re impressed by the research on hypnosis for quitting smoking. This is because we have seen that the long term success rate of hypnosis eclipses that of other methods. And right now the Hypnosis Network is offering a great deal for our readers - $50 off the regular price. You can get the whole program (7 CDs) for only $99.

To learn more about Dr. Gilchrist's 7-CD program, click here: http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/quit_smoking.php

"Deliberate practice": what separates the merely good from the great

"He's just a natural" is what people always say when trying to explain the greatness of a Tiger Woods or Pete Sampras. This belief that you have to be "born" to the sport is both commonplace—and wrong.

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review by some noted researchers totally debunks the myth of "the natural."* Studies by more than 100 scientists consistently and overwhelmingly proved this: experts are always made, not born.

Moreover, the studies show that the great ones in any field do something the average ones don't: they achieve greatness by hours, days, and years of always practicing deliberately.

To achieve success, you not only have to work at it, you have to work at it on purpose. You don't get better just by playing. As the authors of this article say, "Living in a cave doesn't make you a geologist." Just playing a couple of sets or a few rounds several times a week isn't going to make you a better player either. You have to continually set goals for yourself, and you have to put your entire self into it.

Putting your whole self into your practice means getting your mind into it too. Why? Because, Tiger Woods recently said, "The mind controls the body, so if the mind tells the body what to do, it will just do it. It's a matter of getting the mind under control, which makes your body respond."**

So what do you do to learn how to get in the zone mentally and stay motivated to continue to improve physically? Hiring a private coach would be awesome, but not practical for most of us. After researching various methods, we think we've found a great answer: audio hypnosis.

Getting in the zone has never been safer, faster, or more effective. Dr. Jack Singer, a nationally recognized sports psychologist, has created a powerful program called Core Sports Performance to give you that mental edge that will spur your increased prowess in whatever sport you choose. And, because the program's on CDs, you've got your coach whenever you need him. The program comes from The Hypnosis Network, a company that works only with licensed mental-health professionals like Dr. Singer. And this company is so sure of the effectiveness of its programs that it gives you a one-year money-back guarantee. Check it out at http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/sports.php.

* "The Making of an Expert," Harvard Business Review, July—August 2007, authors K. Anders Ericsson, Michael J. Prietula, and Edward T. Cokely.

** Golf Digest, November 2006.

"I Can't Smoke in Here! Wonderful!"

These days smokers are always hearing or reading "No." Whether it's in the workplace, a favorite restaurant, or the smoker's own house, "Not in here!" is getting more and more frequent.

But even though these smokers know that smoking indoors is hazardous to their health and others', many of America's estimated 4.5 million adult smokers can't help feeling like a bad child who's always being punished. Maybe you're one of them.

But wait! Aren't you at least thinking about quitting? Then maybe it's time to re-program this "deprivation" into an opportunity.

This is not some New-Age mumbo-jumbo suggestion. On the contrary, it's derived from a scientific study just published in the American Journal of Public Health. The researchers found that workers whose employers enforced a non-smoking policy at work doubled their likelihood of successfully quitting.

And on a more personal level, those smokers who decided not to smoke in their homes were almost 10 times as likely to be successful quitters as smokers in homes where smoking was permitted.

So, choosing not to smoke in your own home not only decreases the amount you smoke and the hazardous effects on others around you, it will help you quit!

That's what we mean about changing your thinking. If you think of not smoking at home as an opportunity, you've changed two major aspects in progress toward becoming a non-smoker: you've changed your behavior and you've changed your thinking.

Changing your thinking from the negative to the positive feels a whole lot better too. Instead of focusing on "I can't smoke here," and all the similar "I can't"s, you'll be thinking "I am choosing to make my home smoke-free."

So, clean those ashtrays and put them away. Your non-smoking guests, your family, your pets, and your own body will celebrate your achievement!

* Chung-won Lee and Jennifer Kahende, "Factors Associated with Successful Smoking Cessation in the United States, 2000," American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 97, No. 8, August 2007.

"Deliberate practice": what separates the merely good from the great

"He's just a natural." How many times have you heard someone say that in order to explain somebody else's greatness? This "explanation" derives from the commonplace belief that certain individuals have an innate gift that the rest of us didn't get and never will. There's just a slight problem with this belief: it's wrong!

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review by some noted researchers totally debunks the myth of "the natural."* Studies by more than 100 scientists consistently and overwhelmingly proved this astonishing truth: experts are always made, not born.

Moreover, the studies show that the greats in any field do something that the average ones don't: they achieve their greatness through hours, days, and years of always practicing deliberately. Golfing great Ben Hogan once said, "While I am practicing I am also trying to develop my powers of concentration. I never just walk up and hit the ball."**

These researchers say that when most people practice, they just focus on the things they already know how to do. That's why, for example, an average salesperson makes the same easy calls over and over—and still calls it "selling." But a great salesperson, on the other hand, deliberately works at what he or she currently can't do well. And the research shows that this continual, deliberate effort is the distinguishing factor between the good and the great.

So, what does it take to become adept at deliberate practice? We think it's not only having the right tools or techniques, it's also having the right mindset in the first place. You have to have your mind focused in order to apply the techniques you've learned.

If you find that you are:

1. Not practicing your skills regularly (like you tell yourself you are going to do)

2. Not able to perform "live" as you do when you are practicing.

3. Fearful (not your full self while prospecting).

4. Not stretching and constantly improving.

Then it is likely that you are experiencing subconscious blocks. These subconscious blocks can fight your conscious efforts every step of the way.

This is common, and probably the main reason why most beginning sales professionals and network marketers fail. However, there are things you can do.

Through extensive experience, we have found that the safest, fastest, and most effective way to overcome these blocks is through hypnosis. Now, we're not talking about that fakery you've seen in B-movies. Clinical hypnosis is a proven technique that has been approved by both the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association since the 1950s.

Hypnosis helps you uninstall those blocks and install a mindset that facilitates—not blocks—your desire to become the performer you know you can be. When you achieve this type of alignment, you find that deliberate practice becomes just something that you do, and you get better and better every day.

This of course means a direct and tangible benefit to your income, your financial freedom, and your options in life.

Finding a qualified psychologist who understands how to use hypnosis to help you in your sales or network marketing career can be difficult and extremely expensive. A great option is use a home study audio hypnosis program created by a known commodity.

We believe the cream of the crop is a program created by Dr. Peter Lambrou, one of the country's best-known sales psychologists (and a former successful salesperson himself). Dr. Lambrou is also the Chair of Psychology at Scripps Memorial Hospital (a major research facility).

The program is published by The Hypnosis Network, a company that works only with licensed mental-health professionals like Dr. Lambrou. And this company is so sure of the effectiveness of its programs that it gives you a one-year money-back guarantee. Check it out at http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/sales_prospecting.php.

* "The Making of an Expert," Harvard Business Review, July—August 2007, authors K. Anders Ericsson, Michael J. Prietula, and Edward T. Cokely.

** Golf Digest, November 2006.

"I Can't Smoke in Here! Wonderful!"

These days smokers are always hearing or reading "No." Whether it's in the workplace, a favorite restaurant, or the smoker's own house, "Not in here!" is getting more and more frequent.

But even though these smokers know that smoking indoors is hazardous to their health and others', many of America's estimated 4.5 million adult smokers can't help feeling like a bad child who's always being punished. Maybe you're one of them.

But wait! Aren't you at least thinking about quitting? Then maybe it's time to re-program this "deprivation" into an opportunity.

This is not some New-Age mumbo-jumbo suggestion. On the contrary, it's derived from a scientific study just published in the American Journal of Public Health. The researchers found that workers whose employers enforced a non-smoking policy at work doubled their likelihood of successfully quitting.

And on a more personal level, those smokers who decided not to smoke in their homes were almost 10 times as likely to be successful quitters as smokers in homes where smoking was permitted.

So, choosing not to smoke in your own home not only decreases the amount you smoke and the hazardous effects on others around you, it will help you quit!

That's what we mean about changing your thinking. If you think of not smoking at home as an opportunity, you've changed two major aspects in progress toward becoming a non-smoker: you've changed your behavior and you've changed your thinking.

Changing your thinking from the negative to the positive feels a whole lot better too. Instead of focusing on "I can't smoke here," and all the similar "I can't"s, you'll be thinking "I am choosing to make my home smoke-free."

In effect, you'll be positively re-programming your mind. After all, you spent many years as a non-smoker; you had to be programmed to smoke. So now you can re-program positively not to smoke—at least in certain places at the beginning.

One of the most effective ways to de-program the smoking mindset and re-program the non-smoker back into your mind is through clinical hypnosis. Again, we're not pushing any magic on you. Clinical hypnosis is not the stuff of silly stage shows.

Clinical hypnosis has been recognized as a valuable technique for helping change your mindset and your behavior by both the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association since the 1950s.

Moreover, hypnosis is not only a mainstream method for altering your mindset, it's extremely effective for quitting smoking. In fact, multi-session hypnosis has about a 66% success rate, far higher than any other method!

So, start by doing some self-hypnosis on your own. Begin thinking, "I want a smoke-free home; I like how much cleaner and healthier it is now that I don't smoke in here." We bet you'll next be saying, "Look what I've accomplished! I thought I'd never be able to stand not smoking in the house, but I achieved it—and it wasn't at all as hard as I thought it'd be!"

And once you're ready to quit for good, consider the effectiveness of hypnosis. We urge you to ensure that you have a reputable hypnotherapist, but if you can't locate one that's affordable, consider audio hypnosis as an alternative.

Hands-down, the best audio hypnosis program is Dr. Randy Gilchrist's Non-Smoker's Edge. Dr. Gilchrist is a leading expert in smoking cessation through hypnotherapy. He's a licensed psychologist in private practice in California and holds a doctoral degree in psychology and extensive credentials in clinical hypnotherapy.

The Non-Smoker's Edge is published by The Hypnosis Network, the only audio hypnosis provider to earn the Health on the Net seal. The Hypnosis Network works only with licensed professionals like Dr. Gilchrist. They have such high confidence in their products that they give you a one-year money-back guarantee. Get more information at http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/quit_smoking.php

* Chung-won Lee and Jennifer Kahende, "Factors Associated with Successful Smoking Cessation in the United States, 2000," American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 97, No. 8, August 2007.

Facing surgery? Consider preparing your mind beforehand—and feeling less pain afterward.

Dr. Guy Montgomery of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and his colleagues just published some significant findings about hypnosis and pain relief in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.*

Two hundred women undergoing surgery for breast cancer took part in the clinical trial. One hour before surgery, each woman was randomly assigned to either 15 minutes of hypnosis by a psychologist, or to a control session in which she spoke to a psychologist. Each session aimed to increase relaxation, reduce pain, and decrease nausea and fatigue. The researchers then compared the use of pain medications and sedatives during surgery, along with the pain levels and other side effects occurring after the surgery.

The findings?

• The women who had hypnosis required less anesthesia;
• They spent an average of almost 11 minutes less in surgery (which also meant an average decrease in the cost of surgery of about $773);
• And after surgery, they reported less pain, nausea, fatigue, discomfort, and emotional distress.

"Together, the combination of potential improvement in symptom burden for the hundreds of thousands of women facing breast-cancer surgery each year and the economic benefit for institutions argues persuasively for the most widespread application of brief presurgical hypnosis," the authors write.

One of the nation's leading pain specialists is Dr. Carol Ginandes, a health psychologist on staff at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital. Recently featured in Prevention magazine, Dr. Ginandes is also certified by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and uses hypnotherapy with patients preparing or recovering from accidents or surgery or who suffer chronic pain.

Obviously, having Dr. Ginandes at your bedside just before surgery would be a patient's dream. But even if you can't have her in person, we think we've found the next best thing: her program Smooth Surgery, Rapid Recovery: A Systematic Hypnotic Approach.

This audio hypnosis program is published by The Hypnosis Network, which works only with recognized, licensed mental-health professionals like Dr. Ginandes. It's also the only audio hypnosis company on the internet to have earned the Health on the Net (HON) seal. And to demonstrate how confident they are that the program is effective, the Hypnosis Network gives you a one-year money-back guarantee. Check it out at http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/surgery.php. You'll be glad you did.

*G.H. Montgomery, D.H. Bovbjerg, J.B. Schnur, D. David, A. Goldfarb, et al. "A Randomized Clinical Trial of a Brief Hypnosis Intervention to Control Side Effects in Breast Surgery Patients," Journal of the National Cancer Institute, August 2007, Vol. 99, 1304-1312.