Turn Down the Heat on Menopause - learn to cool those hot flushes with self hypnosis in this 3 week course!
Could self-hypnosis be the answer to your hot flushes and night sweats?
‘I wake, heart thwacking, as heat flows up from my stomach, courses behind my face, and radiates out through the top of my head...I throw off my covers and feel, in the first pocket of spooky quiet, that flames are burning from my inner organs up into my muscles toward the skin. I’d run away, but how does one flee one’s own body? Each hair is a thin electric coil heating up my head.’
Darcey Steinke – Flash Count Diaries
The shifting hormones of perimenopause are often associated with a rising volcanic heat and, for some women, this can continue into post menopause. At this time, the hypothalamus (the part of your brain that coordinates the stabilisation of your body’s hormones) becomes extra sensitive to even the slightest changes in body temperature. I like to imagine it as a stressed-out supervisor, amidst a complicated company restructure. It tends to over-react.
Hypnotherapy has been clinically shown to help with the management of hot flushes. One study found a reduction in frequency and intensity of up to 80%. That’s more effective than any other hot flush treatment besides hormone replacement therapy (HRT).[1]
How can hypnotherapy help with a physiological symptom?
Hypnotherapy works in a number of ways to help manage hot flushes and night sweats. First of all, it teaches you to elicit the relaxation response - you might have noticed that hot flushes are often worse during periods of stress. In fact, women with a history of anxiety, panic attacks or depression are more likely to be affected by hot flushes.
We can also use this relaxed and focused state to teach your body to respond differently to temperature fluctuations by using visualisations of cool imagery.
Have you ever shuddered at the thought of something unpleasant or felt the pleasant quivering of butterflies as you anticipate something wonderful?
Our bodies are like shrewd PAs, constantly listening for cues on how to respond to our environment. Next time you feel a hot flush rising, pay attention to the thoughts that arise and ask yourself how your PA might respond. You may find that anxious thoughts arrive, pushing you into the fight or flight response. Perhaps you have thoughts of heat, warmth and discomfort? These will only exacerbate and fan the flames of the rising heat.
Changing your thoughts as the symptoms of menopause arise can dramatically affect their impact. Learning to visualise a wintery landscape or imagining taking a sip of water with ice cubes clinking against the glass can be a very useful tool to dowse the heat from a flush.
And, a beneficial side effect is that hypnotherapy has been shown to improve sleep. In studies, 42% of women using hypnotherapy for hot flushes reported that the quality and length of their sleep had also improved!
This online course will teach you visualisation and relaxation techniques to manage your symptoms as well as providing an opportunity to reflect on your triggers. Using mind/body techniques to restore physical and emotional balance you can embrace the second, wiser, half of your life.
Where and When?
From the comfort of your own home.
Starting Tuesday 29th April, 6th and 13th May 6.30-7.30pm.
Course Outline:
Week 1: Is it hot in here? What's going on with our thermostat at midlife? Learn to use cooling visualisation
Week 2: Triggers and quick fixes. Learning to manage your flushes and installing a cooling short cut through hypnosis
Week 3: Take control - I'll be sharing one of my favourite hypnotherapy techniques: the control room. I'll also show you how you can use this technique to manage a host of other symptoms!
Course includes:
* three hour long group sessions live on Zoom (this will be recorded and sent to you so that you can catch up if you aren't able to make the live or if you want to revisit it)
* three guided hypnosis downloads to be listened to daily
* all handouts and resources
What other women have to say about the course:
'You're magic! Each time (I used the snow globe technique) I got a cool breeze sensation!'
‘I have used (the Snow Globe Technique) so much since I saw you! It has really helped me! Actually, during my course, I had a moment…felt it (a hot flush) rising and managed to deal with it whilst learning!’
'I just wanted to say a massive thankyou because my hot flushes have disappeared! Yippee!'
[1] Elkins GR, Fisher WI, Johnson AK, Carpenter JS, Keith TZ. Clinical hypnosis in the treatment of postmenopausal hot flashes: a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2013 Mar;20(3):291-8. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31826ce3ed. PMID: 23435026; PMCID: PMC3556367.