Are You Sticking To Your New Year's Resolution or Are You Stuck?

By Kerry Rollins

A month has passed since you made that New Year's resolution.  So, how's it going?  Do you still have the same level of motivation or have you lost your drive?  If you've already fallen off the resolution wagon, you are not alone.  Change can be difficult, especially without effective planning.  The majority of resolutions fizzle and fail as a result of choosing too large or vague a goal, lack of effective and durable motivational strategies, an insufficient support group and/or failure to eliminate or develop a plan to resist temptations.  But don't worry, it's never too late to start over, this time being armed with a plan for success.  You are about to learn how you can use hypnosis as part of a comprehensive plan to increase the likelihood of reaching your resolution goals.  

Clinical hypnosis has been used to treat a range of issues and effectively help people control pain, eliminate unwanted habits, reduce anxiety, improve self esteem and reach personal goals.  For example, hypnosis has been shown to increase weight loss when added to a weight management program.  One of its' benefits is increased motivation to reach your goals.  Although it's designed to facilitate change, hypnosis is not a miracle cure or a "sure thing."  Contrary to public perception, hypnosis doesn't work by magic, voodoo or mind control.  It is actually much simpler and a lot less scary.      

Hypnosis is sort of like guided daydreaming.  It involves the use of guided relaxation to help induce a trancelike state of heightened awareness and attention in which you are in full control.  During this state, your conscious mind is quieted while the your unconscious mind remains fully aware; open to suggestions for change or to explore, uncover and address unconscious barriers to change. Through hypnosis, you learn to identify and utilize your inner strenghts to facilitate changes in thinking, feeling or behaving. It can be used to develop new skills, such as self control, relaxation and problem solving.  Through the power of your imagination, you can envision future changes and possibilities, try on new behaviors, change perceptions and experience the feelings and sensations associated with your future success.

Working with a therapist that includes hypnosis as a tool may provide the necessary structure and support to help your keep those resolutions.  When you first meet with a therapist, they will collect a detailed history of the problem or habit you would like to break.  Together, you will identify the goal and break it into smaller objectives.  Then, you will design a plan of action that focuses on both existing strengths and newly developing skills.  The therapist will utilize guided hypnosis in session and teach you how to practice self-hypnosis on your own.  You may also create a personalized audio recording of your hypnotherapy session so that you can listen to it between sessions.  Finally, you are on your way to success!