Recent News

Hypnotherapy for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a relatively new discovery and this is part of the reason that it is difficult to recognise and diagnose. The basic symptoms are extreme exhaustion which you can't really attribute to anything, with such excessive tiredness that functioning on an everyday level is a real struggle. If you are experiencing these symptoms on a frequent basis then it is important you don't discount them as the results of a particularly busy week at work. This is a real...

Too many exams make children ill

Sitting more than eight GCSEs can actually make school pupils ill, reports BBC News. The new children's commissioner Maggie Atkinson believes this new revelation could be related to the fact that society puts children under too much pressure to succeed. She believes that limiting exams and reducing the homework load would enable children to have a little more 'down time'. Atikinson, who was formally the director of children's services at Gateshead council believes that more creative...

Extra funding will help veterans with mental health issues

The pilot project which supports armed services personnel who are experiencing mental health issues is to be extended, reports BBC News. The scheme has been trialled in Cardiff and two other areas and proved to be such a success that it is now being extended to cover the whole of Wales. Government funding of £485,000 a year is to start in April and will be going towards providing servicemen and women with access to clinicians who specialise in veterans mental health. There is also...

Spring treats from Bobbi Brown

Bobbie Brown can always be relied on to provide beauty lovers with a 'must have' product each season and this Spring is no exception. Eye creams are extremely difficult to find, simply because our eyes are such a sensitive area. If we put the wrong eye cream on then it could result in them looking more puffy then how they started! Bobbie Brown's Extra Eye Repair Cream is as light as a feather and extremely gentle. It is packed full of peptides, natural plant oils and humectants that...

Out darn spot!

If you've tried everything you can to banish the blemishes but nothing seems to be working then this could be just what you need. Origins have 'hit the spot' quite literally with their new tingly blemish busting elixir. The product is fairly new to the market and has already picked up the U Magazine beauty award for 'Best Blemish Buster'. Its now one of Origins best selling products and we can believe it. The salicylic acid reduces the look of redness while the oregano and clove buds...

Internet Addiction

Can the internet really be classed in the same league as drug and alcohol addiction? The medical world seems to be split in two over whether internet addiction really exists. Certainly we have heard stories of people becoming so wrapped up in online gaming they prefer virtual worlds to their own reality. It was only last week that a couple in South Korea were arrested for starving their daughter to death. The couple neglected their child for up to 12 hours a day while they were playing an...

Hypnotherapy for low self-esteem

Having low self-esteem might mean that you see things in yourself that others do not. You'll be unable to see any of your good points but you'll have a heightened awareness of your bad points. you will feel low in confidence and like you are incompetent of fulfilling tasks at work. The lower you feel the less receptive you will be too criticism (even if constructive) and you will beat yourself up for making small mistakes that could have happened to anyone. Low self-esteem is a difficult...

How the menopause can improve life

Women spend most of their lives worrying about the emotional roller-coaster that is the menopause. Hot flushes, depression, insomnia, irritability as well as feelings of isolation and a lack of purpose doesn't exactly sound like a walk in the park. However a recent article in The Times actually highlighted the good things that can come out of your post menopausal years. The menopause does not only change our bodies hormonally but it also changes our minds and the way we think about things....

How the art's can help alzheimer's

A new care project has shown how literature, music, art and love can improve the lives of dementia suffers reports The Times. Actress Rita Hayworth was diagnosed with Alzhemier's in 1981 at the age of 63. Her behaviour was said to have been extremely demanding and difficult. She suffered from anxiety, aggression and agitation all common to Alzheimer's but as the disease progressed she found solace in painting. Her experience could be the key to understanding how to give support to those...

Overcoming Procrastination

You have an extremely important deadline looming for a report at work. It needs to be on your bosses next at 9am the next morning and you have only written the first sentence, so what do you do? Put on the kettle, do some research, have a bath, do a brain storm, walk the dog? Procrastination is a state of frustration when you envisage a possibility but then put up a mental barrier which prevents you from achieving it. It can be something a lot larger then an office report, perhaps it is...

Spring nails

We know that pastel and ice cream shades are hot in fashion right now but it would seem the mint greens, sugar pinks and pastel blues have also made their way onto fashionable fingers! We saw a lot of 'Greige' (grey mixed with beige) on the finger tips of the spring summer models but where is the sense in wearing the same nail colour all season? Some of our favourite A listers have also been sporting some delicious looking neapolitan ice cream shades on their nails and we think you...

Hypnotherapy for morning sickness

Pregnancy is an emotional roller-coaster for women. There will undoubtedly be many highs where you feel overjoyed and glowing to be pregnant, other days you will be irritable, have back ache and will have spent most of the morning leaning over the toilet. Yes, morning sickness is no fun at all and nether is a grumpy pregnant woman on the war path so why not try and rid yourself of the inconvenience of nausea every morning? If you are, or have been pregnant then it is highly likely you...

Mac goes Gaga

Mac always has a fantastic line up of celebrities to represent their Viva Glam collection from which the proceeds go to the MAC Aids fund. This season however is possibly the most exciting yet as they have nabbed women of the moment Lady Gaga and also singing legend Cyndi Lauper, both of whom have created their very own shades. Sharon Osbourne interviewed the pair at the recent press day and took the opportunity to grill the wacky pair about what had attracted them to becoming...

Open relationships are on the increase

Despite most of us holding monogamy in high esteem, it would seem we are less willing to commit to only one person than we will admit reports The Times. Statistics state that although monogamy is expected by 95% of couples, 27% of 18-39 year old men and 18% of women reported that during their most recent sexual relationship, they had had sex with at least one other partner. The results of the survey, by the Social and Economic Science Research Centre at the Washington State University do...

Hypnotherapy can help cure a fear of needles

For those of you who are terrified of needles then hypnotherapy could be the solution for you. A recent article from The Gazette Extra examined a case study to see how hypnosis could erase one teenagers deep seated fear of needles. 18 year old Dan had a huge phobia of needles and was worried about some upcoming shots he was to have at college. His mother suggested that he go for a hypnotherapy session to see if it could help. Dan was unsure of when his phobia begun but he recalled...

Women who miscarry need more support from the NHS

Parents web forum Mumsnet has called for a new code of practice to be introduced to help women who miscarry. Last week, a co-founder of Mumsnet Justine Roberts met with representatives from the government the NHS and voluntary organisations to discuss proposals. Many of the points raised are already meant to be implemented by the NHS but are not carried out as they should be. Many women who miscarry are still being put in antenatal wards, labour wards or wards with women awaiting...

Coming out

We usually associate the issue of 'coming out' and revealing that we are gay as something that teenagers/children struggle to tell their parents, but what about when it is the other way round? How does a parent tell their children that they are gay? An interesting letter recently appeared on The Guardian website which tackled the issue and gave some great advice to a mother who was concerned about discussing the topic with her kids. This advice doesn't just apply to parents and children but...

Mental health homicides are higher than authorities admit

A programme aired on BBC2 yesterday evening aimed to highlight how the authorities are playing down the number of murders committed by the mentally ill, reports The Independent. The head of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Health Problems (NCISH) has said that approximately 50 people a year who had been in contact with specialist mental health care in the 12 months before the incident were convicted of homicide. The statistics are not...

Hypnotherapy to enhance work performance

With workplace stress constantly appearing in the headlines employers are gradually becoming more aware that the more stressed and stretched out a person is, the less efficient they will be at work. With looming deadlines, staff shortages, budget cuts and a plethora of other common workplace stresses it is no wonder that many of us often loose the motivation to work. Today we are constantly faced with tense situations and we all need to learn how to reconnect with that place of calm. It...

Give your eyes a DuWopping

This product may seem pricey on the surface, but when you think about everything it does it is in actual fact fantastic value. This products means there is no need to invest in new eye shadow shades as you can spice up old colours with this eyeshadow intensifier. The idea is to add a drop of du wop to your old dull powders and just like magic you will have a new and improved creamy shade! You can also use Du Wop to transform your old shadows into liquid eye-liners which means you now...

Hypnosis used to treat pain in breast cancer patients

This isn't the first time that the benefits of hypnotherapy have been pointed out in relation to pain control for cancer patients. However, further research has reiterated how hypnosis can be an effective means of treating pain in women with breast cancer. Lise D Butler is an associate professor from UB's School of Social Work and the first author of the latest study. The randomized trial measured pain and suffering, frequency of pain and degree of constant pain among 124 women with...

Marital bliss cuts the risk of strokes in men

According to research, if you are a man then a happy marriage can cut your risk of a stroke, reports The Daily Mail. The study was completed by Tel Aviv University, who followed 10,059 Israeli council workers and civil servants. The investigation began back in the 60's when the participants completed a heart disease questionnaire. Two years later and they were asked to rate their marriage as successful or unsuccessful or to say if they have never married. They tracked the men to...

Group therapy can ease back pain

Group counselling sessions have been found to be a cheap and effective way of alleviating lower back pain, reports BBC News. A UK trial has shown that after six sessions of group therapy, participants back pain was significantly reduced. As part of the trial the 600 hundred participants were also offered standard GP treatment which included pain medication. There are many rumours and old wives tales relating to back pain and what we should and should't be doing. The aim of these...

Do flirtatious texts equal infidelity?

It would seem that everyone is at it. Cheryl Cole has allegedly ended her marriage because of it, Tiger Woods got himself into a pickle over it and even that nice Vernon Kay has been doing it. Sex texting seems to be the preferred choice of infidelity. It may not be physical but nevertheless can be just as damaging to a relationship. Growing technology has now made it simple to text flirt, send videos or pictures and generally are a dangerous weapon that could spell the end of a...

Airbrushing is 'glamorising' eating disorders, say psychiatrists

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (The RCPsych) is calling for warning symbols to be placed on images that have been digitally altered or enhanced and for underweight models to be banned altogether. Children are now frequently exposed to airbrushed imaged of underweight models, leading them to believe that this is the natural body type they should aspire too. It was only earlier on this week that The Telegraph printed a shocking report about how half of Britain's six year olds want to...

The Ballet Bun

Knowing what to do with your hair is a constant battle. Gone are the innocent days of plaiting and pinning random sections of hair and still managing to look cute as a button. We all tend to opt out of trying to create interesting hairstyles and go for the failsafe option of wearing it down. Well the Spring catwalks have come up with some fabulous, interesting and wearable looks for your hair. We have already championed the plaited look so here is another slightly more sophisticated...

How hypnotherapy can help you to grieve

Losing someone we love is one of the hardest things we will have to experience in life. Often death causes such a flow of emotions that we find ourselves unable to grieve or alternatively we don't know how to stop. Ether way, hypnosis is a natural way to help you complete you grieving by ether unlocking whats stopping you or by helping you to move on. Everyone will react to death in different ways and there is no right or wrong answer. Unfortunately the void left behind by someone close...

Lush Colour Supplements

When we heard the news of Lush's new Colour Supplement we suddenly realised how totally crazy it was that no one had pipped Lush to the post with this multi-purpose pot of goodness. So what is Lush Colour Supplement? Well it's whatever you want it to be really. A foundation, a tinted moisturiser, a concealer. Take your pick. The colour base can be used in combination with other products or simply on its own. It works fabulously as a tinted moisturiser because it doesn't require you to...

Hypnotherapy for Alopecia and hair loss

Bad hair days for most people mean a few spilt ends, frizz, grease or lacklustre looking locks. Those suffering with alopecia however, have far more serious issues than a hairdryer on its last legs. Alopecia is a condition in which stress causes patches of hair loss on the scalp, often resulting in a similar effect to that of a patient experiencing hair loss through chemotherapy. With such a huge emphasis on looking outwardly beautiful these days, it is no wonder that Alopecia...

Workplace Bullying

With our own Prime Minister sparking rumours of bullying at number 10 we take a look at what really constitutes as abusive behaviour in the workplace and how to deal with it. It started with a missing memo telling you the time of an important meeting had been changed, it progressed to constant criticism from a collage and now you have been given a workload that would take an army to complete. If you feel like you are being set up for failure or you wake up every morning and feel terror at...

The challenges of working from home

Waking up and already being at work or strolling into the office in your PJ's sounds like a dream. Chat to a client whilst you are mopping the floor and just think of all the money you'll be saving on travel and work lunches, it makes you wonder why anyone actually goes into the office nowadays. Working from home may sound like your dream situation but there are good reasons that not many of us do it. If you are thinking about setting up shop from home or making the move to work from a home...

Public services are not meeting the needs of families

According to recent surveys many parents would like more support and better access to services, reports The Guardian. A survey conducted by charity YouGov has found that as little as 3% of those taking part said job centres were family friendly, leading parents to believe that public services are failing to meet their needs and politicians do not understand the reality of their lives. Local councils and health services also scored badly, with only 8% of participants scoring their local...

Hypnotherapy for emotional eating

Emotional eating refers to eating because of how we are feeling emotionally, regardless of our physical hunger. This could be triggered by anything from anger to sadness but often it can turn into an unwanted and difficult to shift habit. We have all been guilty of emotional eating at some point. Who hasn't come home from a horrible day at work or after a fight with our partners and looked to see what we can find in the fridge, our favourite ice cream perhaps or a big bar of chocolate. This...

The Braidy Bunch

Fed up with your yawn worthy hair and fancy trying out a new style this Spring? Why not try giving your hair a good old plaiting. Every season we see some sort of revival of the braid, but never more than in Spring/Summer 2010. It has recently been spotted on the catwalks in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Dishevelled, fishtailed, sculptural or even intertwined with ribbons. Whether you prefer it loose and messy or tight and preened, you can't really go wrong. We know there are too many...

Speed therapy

'Speed Shrinking' Is New York's latest phenomenon, the title refers to the three minute speed-dating-esque slots with psychiatrists. From the above description the whole 'speed shrinking' idea sounds like something not to be taken too seriously, even the title is somewhat crude. The concept was in actual fact invented by accident. Author Susan Shapiro came up with it to promote her new comic novel of the same name. The novel is centered around one women's desperate search to find the her...

Body Shop Spring Collection

Body Shops new collection of spring make-up incorporates three key products, eyeshadow, lipgloss and blusher and we have to say that they are all bang on trend. The Shimmer Shadows £16 come in the same format as our ever faithful shimmer cubes. This time however they are not four colours from the same palette, but a gentle contrast of hazy shades and vibrants blues, greens and lilacs. Body Shop suggest that you snap up one of their fantastic Angled Brushes £8.50 and dampen the tip...

Testing Paul McKenna

A skeptical journalist from The Telegraph goes under Paul McKenna's spell to see if hypnotherapy can shift her caffeine addiction. McKenna is the author of numerous popular hypnotherapy books, the most recent phenomenon is his 'I can make you thin'. An independent study of the programme found that 71 percent of people lost weight and kept it off for a period of two years. When 20 people tested it for GMTV, 90 per cent of them lost weight. Journalist for The Telegraph Celia Walden asked...

How to achieve happiness in old age

As we age we will undoubtedly downsize our social lives and we will accept that we will no longer be able to be the centre of attention. This may be a comfort to some of us, but to others it will feel like we are losing our status. On top of this we will also begin to start experiencing many other losses such as our homes, way of life, friends or even our partner. We will also spend time thinking about what could have been, the things we didn't do, the places we didn't go, the people we...

Could happiness reduce the risk of heart disease?

We already know that depression can be a serious and life altering illness, but it was only recently that we began to understand what a profound effect our emotions can have on our physical health and well being. According to a recent study in which people were marked with a happiness score during an interview, those who scored highly in the happy stakes were less likely to develop heart disease. The scale ranged from one as the least positive to five as the most positive. Over 10 years,...

'Were painting our toenails red'

The imminent release of Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland seems to have got people all a frenzy. With heated discussions afoot between the big cheeses at Disney and a few of the big players in cinema over the release window, there is concern that some of us might not even get to see the film! This would be a travesty indeed but to ensure you get your piece of wonderland no matter what we suggest you invest in these delightful O.P.I nail polishes, or one of them at least. OPI has...