In this interview on The Logros Show – in association with The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce – Lee Dinsdale talks to Stephanie Newton, from Diamond Hypnotherapy
Interview with Stephanie Newton at Unity Radio – The Real Sound of the City.
Lee: Good afternoon everybody. My name is Lee and this is Unity Radio – The Real Sound of the City and we are broadcasting live from The Landing here in Media City UK on 92.8 FM DAB and on line at unity radio.fm. We are joined here today by Stephanie Newton, who is from Diamond Hypnotherapy and she is a highly recommended advanced clinical hypnotherapist specialising in weight loss and anxiety. She has great success in helping people achieve a healthy and positive mind-set. The reason I invited Stephanie in today is because hypnotherapy these days is now becoming considered as an alternative form of therapy and also is very good for embedding positive mind-set. As it is the beginning of a new year and we may have been looking at resolutions, some which may be weight loss, maybe being more confident, but whatever it is Stephanie is going to describe what hypnotherapy is. Welcome Stephanie, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself first of all?
Stephanie: I’m Stephanie Newton and I am an advanced clinical hypnotherapist. I represent Diamond Hypnotherapy which has a range of advanced therapeutic techniques which will help you to make those positive, long lasting changes which you wish to make in your life. This includes advanced clinical hypnotherapy, EFT, NLP and each type of therapy is very powerful and life changing for some people. I can help you with losing weight, anxiety, increasing your confidence, business goals, quitting smoking and many other positive changes that you wish to make in your life.
Lee: Can I ask a question, because hypnotherapy often has got a bit of a bad press over the years because, when people go away to sunny Magaluf and someone is on the stage and dancing like a chicken, they have been told that they are hypnotised. Can you dispel that myth now and give us some misconceptions of what hypnotherapy isn’t, so that everybody listening doesn’t switch off straight away. Can you give us a bit more information – what is hypnotherapy?
Stephanie: The biggest misconception that I find that many people have is that hypnotherapists take control of your mind and basically this is impossible. You can only be hypnotised if you want to be and you can only take on suggestions that you want to take on. There has to be a willingness to make changes in your life. It’s not like waving a magic wand. People often get confused with hypnotherapists on stage, but before a performance there will often be a suggestibility test. As well as finding exhibitionists who enjoy going up on stage there are actually only about five percent of people who are this suggestable that will go up.
Lee: So that’s what it isn’t. So what is hypnotherapy?
What is Hypnotherapy?
Stephanie: So hypnotherapy is basically a very deep state of relaxation. It’s a state where you can make positive changes in your life. If there is anything that you wish was different hypnotherapy just allows you to access your subconscious mind in order for you to make those changes.
Lee: Okay, so it’s also likened to guided meditation as well isn’t it?
Stephanie: Exactly, it’s exactly the same to be honest. It’s about relaxing your conscious mind so that you can have access to your subconscious which will help you to make the changes.
Lee: If I’m right and I did a little bit of research this morning, it is your subconscious mind that holds all your habits and your emotions and your beliefs so by passing your conscious mind, you go into your subconscious which then embeds your goal setting into your daily habits, is that right? So how does it work?
Stephanie: Basically you have your conscious mind and your subconscious. Your conscious mind is like the gatekeeper to your subconscious. So we bring down the conscious mind through relaxation and basically we access the subconscious mind through word association. Then we do part therapy and regression and lots of visualisations to help you to really envisage how you want to be and to implement that, and embed that in your subconscious mind.
Basically you have your conscious mind and your subconscious. Your conscious mind is like the gatekeeper to your subconscious. So we bring down the conscious mind through relaxation and basically we access the subconscious mind through word association.
Lee: There are quite a few things there then that we can come on to like, what is regression, because I don’t know what that is either. Can anybody be hypnotised?
Stephanie: Anyone can be hypnotized, as long as they want to be. You go into hypnosis every day. For example if you are daydreaming, if you are travelling on a train and looking out through the window and slip into a dream, that’s a form of hypnosis.
Lee: So even driving in a car you can be in a hypnotic state. Maybe having a shower you go into a hypnotic state as well so you are in trance more often that you actually know throughout the day time, is that right?
Stephanie: Exactly, it’s just whenever your mind drifts off or whenever you are not completely concentrating on what you are doing.
Lee: We are going to talk now about the projects that Stephanie delivers on weight loss, quitting smoking and anxiety. First of all Stephanie, tell us what did you have to do to become an advanced clinical hypnotherapist?
Stephanie: I took the diploma in advanced clinical hypnotherapy which was about seven months. Then I registered with the CNHC and the GHR.
Lee: Which are?
Stephanie: General Hypnotherapy Register and the Complimentary & Natural Health Care Council.
Lee: So, that is like a governing body?
Stephanie: Yes.
Hypnotherapy and Losing Weight
Lee: So when people think, right I want to look at hypnotherapy to help me lose weight, or they have a goal in mind to improve confidence, what would they expect on the initial appointment? How does it work?
Stephanie: Initially I would have a telephone call with them. It would probably take about fifteen minutes, just to get to know them, see what they are looking for and see if hypnotherapy is right for them. In the first appointment I would do a full consultation and give them a full instruction to hypnosis and hypnotherapy and also give them a general experience depending on whether they are wanting the anxiety treatment, quitting smoking or weight loss. It just differs depending on each course.
Lee: Do you mind going through the different techniques? Let’s start with weight loss. Is there a general amount that people want to lose, like five stone or twenty five percent of their body weight, how does it work?
Stephanie: There are no limitations to be honest. There could be somebody that just wants to lose half a stone or five stone. It really depends what they want to achieve.
Lee: Okay, why do you think people will turn to hypnotherapy for weight loss?
Stephanie: Usually people come to me when willpower just isn’t working. So they’re finding it really difficult to resist eating the cakes or the pies or whatever it is.
Lee: Let’s just touch upon the more serious point around emotional eating and why people will overeat. Can you touch on some of the reasons in terms of happiness and maybe state of mind?
Stephanie: A lot of the reasons why people over-eat is because they are emotional when they are eating. For example people might come home from work; they’re feeling stressed and tired. People might eat just to make themselves feel better when they’re feeling sad, angry or bored even, so there are a whole range of reasons why people might be eating. A lot of the time as well people are feeling empty. They have an empty feeling and are trying to fill a void with food so it’s basically trying to fill that empty space.
Lee: So it can be a lack of love, or a need or loneliness as well?
A lot of the reasons why people over-eat is because they are emotional when they are eating. For example people might come home from work; they’re feeling stressed and tired. People might eat just to make themselves feel better when they’re feeling sad, angry or bored even, so there are a whole range of reasons why people might be eating.
Stephanie: Exactly. Also this emptiness can come from when you were very young and we were talking about regression before. It goes back to the very first moment when you might have felt like this and helping you overcome that with hypnosis. It’s very powerful when you go back to that first moment because everything else just falls into place.
Lee: Yes I’ve noticed when I go to the fridge to eat the cake I’m thinking why am I eating this cake? Is it boredom; is it just to give me that immediate sense of satisfaction? I don’t really need to eat the cake. I should be doing something else instead like reading a book.
Stephanie: A lot of the time you might not know why you are doing it but your subconscious mind does. Once you access your subconscious mind through hypnosis you have the all the answers as to why you are doing anything that you don’t want to do.
Lee: So let’s get into the first weight loss programme. How does it work?
Stephanie: In the first session I will give you a full instruction and also I will give you a mindful gastric band.
Lee: What is that?
Stephanie: So basically it helps you to have that mind and body connection to help you to realise when you are full.
Lee: So it’s effectively getting your mind to think your stomach is full when it is not?
Stephanie: No. It’s about reducing your portion sizes and to get you to realise when you are full. A lot of the time you might eat beyond when you are full. For example if your mum always told you when you were younger to eat your dinner and finish your plate, that’s what is automatic in your mind.
Lee: My mums listening now. We used to always have this thing about carrots, hi mum! They say if you eat your food with your eyes closed you don’t actually eat as much, because you just automatically eat until you are full.
Stephanie: Yeah, that’s a really amazing idea. Good technique.
Lee: So how long does the programme last for weight loss?
Stephanie: It is a four week programme. Within that programme you also go back to the very first time where you might have begun to eat for reasons other than hunger. So basically we get to the very root cause, the first time where it becomes a problem and go through the healing process so that when you look at food there is no emotion attached to it so that you can gain control.
Lee: Over four weeks, what kind of results typically have you seen, so that people can get an idea of the impact that it can have?
Stephanie: It varies from person to person. Recently a man that I was working with lost twenty-two pounds within six – eight weeks. In the first week you are expected to lose about six or seven pounds, and then one to two pounds thereafter until you reach your ideal weight. It’s not an overnight solution; it is a long term lifestyle change.
Lee: And do people come back to you in the next session and say yes I’m eating less because when I go to eat the cake out of the fridge, I don’t want to eat it anymore?
Stephanie: Exactly, people often are really surprised at the results.
Hypnotherapy and Quitting Smoking
Lee: Okay if people want to quit smoking, tell us about this programme.
Stephanie: With the smoking it is a ninety minute session. It’s basically giving you the understanding of why you smoke and once you understand that, your attitude begins to change. For example, if you were to see a colleague at work who you got on really well with and you suddenly caught then stealing, your attitude would change towards them immediately. Basically it’s about changing your attitude towards cigarettes because at the moment you might believe that you need smoking for survival, because it’s a habit. It’s something that you’ve ingrained in your subconscious mind to believe that you need to smoke to survive, which is why when you look at a cigarette packet and see that disgusting picture it doesn’t have any impact whatsoever.
Lee: So it’s the dependency element. How do you overcome the nicotine addiction? It’s quite strong isn’t it, or is this a myth?
Stephanie: Yes it is a myth actually. Nicotine is not strong at all, it only stays in your system for about three days and then it’s gone. After that it’s all in the mind. Many smokers can quit for three or four days at a time, however that nicotine has left your system by then so anything beyond those three days is all about habit which is how hypnotherapy works so well.
Lee: Okay so as an example and I know everybody will be different but if say someone has seen a death in the family due to smoking, and they want to be healthier for their children, what would be a typical example of what you would say to someone in a session.
Yes it is a myth actually. Nicotine is not strong at all, it only stays in your system for about three days and then it’s gone. After that it’s all in the mind. Many smokers can quit for three or four days at a time, however that nicotine has left your system by then so anything beyond those three days is all about habit which is how hypnotherapy works so well.
Stephanie: I would explain how smoking is a habit, so for example when you start to learn to drive a car, it might be really difficult at first and you are learning to move the gear stick, turn the wheel, park, all those things that are really difficult at first. Then it becomes automatic in your mind and so you realise that your mind believes that you need to drive for survival. For example if you break down on the motorway you would basically be in danger. Smoking is exactly the same in the sense that you are training your mind that you need a cigarette. So your subconscious mind believes you need it to survive and no matter what anybody else tells your conscious mind your subconscious believes it needs to smoke. My job is to persuade your subconscious mind that it’s going to kill you.
Lee: Okay and what kind of successes do you have or hypnotherapists have in general? I know that smoking hypnotherapy is a lot more expensive than a standard session. So what kind of success do you have?
Stephanie: It’s a ninety per cent success rate. You have to be at that point of quitting.
Lee: Now we are going to talk about anxiety. So this may be a programme that may help alleviate or ease those problems. What would you say is a good definition of anxiety? It is a word that is used quite a lot amongst people because of certain kinds of suffering.
Stephanie: I would say anxiety is constantly having negative thoughts going through your mind that needn’t be there. For example, you might be worrying constantly about a relationship, constantly worrying about work and basically the negative thoughts never let up. They are constantly going through your mind. You might find it difficult to sleep.
Lee: What would you say is the difference between anxiety and just natural day to day worrying about something?
Stephanie: It’s perfectly natural to worry about things sometimes, maybe about looking good on a night out or worrying about being late. Sometimes a bit of worry can help you to do something better. It’s not something that is so constant it’s something that is more natural.
Hypnotherapy and Anxiety
Lee: Okay in terms of your service, I come to Diamond Hypnotherapy and I want to look at easing my anxiety, describe the programme that you offer for that please.
Stephanie: In the first session I will do a general instruction to hypnotherapy and give you an experience of deep relaxation. Quite often clients that come to see me haven’t experienced that deep relaxation and mind space for quite a long time, so that in itself can be beneficial. I will also give them an audio to help them to practise going into hypnosis so when they at home they can experience that relaxation whenever they want. In the second session we get to the very root cause of why they are feeling anxious.
Lee: Have you noticed if there are any similar trends of root causes, for example if you have delivered sessions to a hundred people, fifty people have come with a root cause, which is this? Have you noticed any trends amongst people?
Stephanie: It could be when they were younger they heard their parents arguing a lot. Maybe there might have been a big event in their life that made them feel really sad, for example a family member being ill. So things that are from a long time ago can still be affecting them now.
Lee: Okay that’s interesting. Back to the programme then so we get to the root cause what happens then?
It could be when they were younger they heard their parents arguing a lot. Maybe there might have been a big event in their life that made them feel really sad, for example a family member being ill. So things that are from a long time ago can still be affecting them now.
Stephanie: When we get to the root cause in hypnosis we do something called Gestalt therapy. Basically everybody has an ’inner child’ that is still feeling those emotions from so many years ago, because it has never been dealt with. Within the hypnosis I basically take the client back to when they were feeling very sad or very angry or whatever is contributing to the anxiety, and then they be their older selves and then speak to the younger self so that they can calm down that inner child.
Lee: So I come in for an appointment. I’m lay on a sofa or a bed, I describe my situation. Then you repeat back the words under this guided meditation as I am very relaxed, and then describing this story of going back when you were younger talking to your older self and you solve it in your mind.
Stephanie: Yes exactly. So for example I might ask the client how upset or you feeling, how angry are you feeling within this moment, and they are actually in the moment. So maybe that younger them is feeling ninety per cent angry. Then it’s basically keeping on having the conversation with that younger self until they feel no anger whatsoever and they have dealt with the problem within the hypnosis, and have put it to rest.
Lee: So you can solve probably quite a few things like where your older self is speaking your younger self and you are alleviating a conflict, would you say that you have been carrying internally for so long?
Stephanie: Yes.
Lee: What happens then when you calm people down and they wake back up, how do they feel after that has happened?
Stephanie: A lot of the time people feel like a huge weight has been lifted. They feel a lot lighter. They just feel a lot happier. They just feel a lot more confident that they can go about their day with a clear mind.
Lee: So there are quite significant impacts there in terms of quitting smoking, anxiety and weight loss.
Lee: What was your inspiration to get into hypnotherapy?
Stephanie: I had an amazing experience with hypnotherapy myself. I found it to be quite life changing in the sense that afterwards I felt so calm and relaxed and my mind is always clear and focussed now. I suppose when I did my advanced hypnotherapy diploma I found the whole thing really inspirational because I enjoyed every moment. I enjoyed all the reading that came with it, working with people and helping them to achieve what they wanted.
Lee: What were you doing before you became a hypnotherapist?
Stephanie: I was a primary school teacher. I was living in Italy for four years. I was living in Milan and before that I was working in the inner city schools of Manchester.
Lee: So were you teaching English in Italy?
Stephanie: I was teaching in a primary school, so teaching all the different subjects.
Lee: So like a Tefl course?
Stephanie: No it was exactly the same as a primary school here in England but over in Italy.
Lee: So did you leave teaching to set up hypnotherapy?
Stephanie: Yes. I was a supply teacher when I came back to England. I had a very short stint in recruitment for a couple of months and then, as soon as I completed my course, I decided that the right thing to do would be to start a business. I did that the night that I finished my course.
Lee: We have quite a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs on this show. I am always interested in those people who have been working for someone and think, I want to set up my own business and go it alone, and obviously you have gone from employment into the wellbeing place as well. Can you remember, what was the trigger for you?
Stephanie: I had a real passion for this subject and I think if you have a real passion for something, you should just go for it. I think there is so much to be achieved in this world and it’s available for everybody. You should give yourself a chance and recognise that you are in charge of your own destiny. I think that really hits home when you set up your own business, and I feel really thankful that I found my calling and I found what I’m really passionate about.
Lee: That’s a similar trait. People always say that’s it’s a passion, a purpose and a calling. What do you like most about being a business owner?
I think there is so much to be achieved in this world and it’s available for everybody. You should give yourself a chance and recognise that you are in charge of your own destiny. I think that really hits home when you set up your own business, and I feel really thankful that I found my calling and I found what I’m really passionate about.
Stephanie: I think it’s basically being in charge of everything I do. I’m accountable for everything that I do and its very inspiring, very motivating. I just love what I do.
Lee: Brilliant. Now we are going to finish off with some techniques that people listening can take away and maybe do at home if they are not ready to go to a hypnotherapist yet. You are able to do some form of light self-hypnosis which is kind of like meditation. Can you describe to everybody listening if they wanted to experiment, what are the steps that they would take please?
Stephanie: So if you can put yourself into a deep meditation, and you can follow something on YouTube to help you to get into that deep state of relaxation.
Lee: How long would that be?
Stephanie: Maybe about ten minutes. Whilst you are in that state of relaxation, say to yourself positive affirmations for example, everything is well in my world, or I wish love peace and happiness to everyone around me. Just positive things that you want to achieve in your life. So it could be I want to be a great success at work, I want to get my promotion. Just keep saying those affirmations to yourself every day. ]
Lee: I believe you can also say, I am and put it into the present state as well can’t you? So you say I am amazing, I am the best person in work!
Stephanie: Yes so you can say I am the best at my job, or I am a great runner, I am a great writer, whatever it is.
Lee: How long would someone do that for?
Stephanie: I would say about twenty minutes, it doesn’t really take long. You can write down these affirmations and just say them every morning.
Lee: People can start doing affirmations and also gratitude as well because gratitude is a very quick source of creating a happy feeling isn’t it? So people do what they are grateful in the morning for and also affirming a positive state about themselves as well.
Stephanie: Sometimes if someone is really annoying or makes you angry, if you wish those people well, it makes you feel better.
Lee: I did a Buddhism course for six weeks and part of the meditation was exactly as you have described in that initially you say may I be well, the first person and then you think of a good friend and you say, may they be well and free from suffering. Then you think of someone that you just kind of know and you say, may they be well and free from suffering. The fourth stage is you then go to someone that you don’t really like or get on with in that meditative state and you have an intent of love and kindness towards them and keep saying that over and over. It is supposed to then improve your relationship when you come out of your meditative state because you have drilled it into your subconscious.
Stephanie: Yes when you wish other people love peace and happiness no matter what they’ve done, it releases you from any negative energy.
Stephanie Newton on Achieving Excellence
Lee: It also fills you with love, peace and happiness so it has a double effect. Okay we’re going to get into the last part now as it’s called achieving excellence, Stephanie what would your description be of how people achieve excellence in their daily lives?
Stephanie: I would say always go the extra mile, have a positive attitude. It’s never crowded on the extra mile, not many people do it. Have a willingness to change, accept things, do things differently and always do lots of reading surrounding what you are interested in. Always be teachable and always willing to learn.
Lee: Okay so always willing to learn. I like the expression, it’s never crowded on the extra mile. It’s a good one. I always say if you are not living on the edge you are taking up too much room. Thank you very much for coming in, Stephanie.
Stephanie: Thank you for having me.
Article Transcription by Terry Capostagno
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