Safe Hypnotherapy uses The Gordian Pillars of Strategic Psychotherapy – For Post Traumatic Stress (image pictured above).
This gives us the ability breakdown the symptoms of anxiety into easy to understand pathways for dealing with stress.
The process begins with the foundation stone:
External Locus of Control – This is often perceived as an external force having an internal and emotional negative impact. For example “IT” made me angry or “IT” causes me anxiety. Sometimes people also take things too personally or feel guilt over things outside of their control.
The reality is “IT” can’t make you feel anything. You have full control over what you choose to get angry or upset about. Perception is the key here.
Global Thinking – Is a lack of distinction or process. Example of a global statement – “This always happens to me”. That statement can’t be true unless “IT” happens to you every second of every day even while you sleep.
Internal Orientation – People have a tendency to believe that every thought or feeling they have is valid. This not true and some of our thoughts & feelings need to be challenged in order to improve our mental health.
Ineffective Compartmentalisation – People believe that worrying about something is taking action. How much worry would you have to do to get an outcome on something?
Low Tolerance For Ambiguity – This is one of the key factors in anxiety. People are often afraid of the unknown. Yet all your future success exists in the unknown. The love of your life may exist in the unknown. Sport would be pointless if we all knew the outcomes to every game that was played.
Avoidant Coping Style – People avoid responsibilities if they believe there is a chance they will experience anxiety. This often leads to people feeling stuck.
Intrusive Thoughts – Flashbacks – Triggers – Flashbacks to past trauma will make people feel like their thoughts and emotions are working against them. By address the unresolved trauma we can begin to calm to entire system, both mind and body.
Sense of Injustice – People that have experienced trauma due to neglect or persecution will also often believe, paradoxically, that by holding onto that trauma they are somehow holding the perpetrator responsible.
Past/Future Orientation – People that run anxiety often spend much time thinking about negative outcomes happening to them in future situations. The truth is 98% of the time, those negative future expectations never actually happen. Negative thoughts trigger stress hormones to be released into the mind and body.