It’s all about quietening those ‘Busy’ Beta brainwaves and plugging into those ‘Thinking’ Theta ones instead
Do you only associate hypnotherapy with helping people overcome troubles in their life?
That’s an understandable start point – many of my clients come seeking help to optimise their sleep or combat their anxiety or stress and I love helping them Lead a Better Life – but it’s most definitely not the end of the story…
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy underpins my signature Executive Hypnotherapy™ approach and it’s all about understanding how the brain works and getting the most out of it. Did you know hypnotherapy is a technique which can allow your mind the time and opportunity to be innovative, creative and unlock that great idea? You can get that ‘Eureka’ moment! Hello Einstein! It really is all about optimising the mind’s brainwaves to achieve your own personal brainwave…
‘Busy’ Beta Brainwaves
So, let’s start at the beginning. We have ‘busy’ Beta brain waves regularly dominating our brain activity – these are your fastest brainwaves, produced in the left, logical hemisphere and all about the conscious. They’re functional and help you think rapidly, potentially giving you knee-jerk solutions to problems and they love to nail a cryptic crossword. Don’t get me wrong they’re brilliant at what they do, but use them too much and they’re exhausting – you can really feel it when you’ve been constantly dominated by ‘busy’ Beta all day.
‘Thinking’ Theta Brainwaves
But we also have ‘thinking’ Theta brainwaves – these are fairly slow and associated with the early stages of sleep and with Rapid Eye Movement sleep or dreaming. A great place to be – where you can be innovative! When Theta brainwaves increase you feel relaxed and carefree but, not only that, you possess good intuition, the ability to step back from the issue and advanced problem solving abilities. These are fantastic and bring so much personal benefit – they are the ones you want to be surfing to unlock that great idea… that brainwave.
Theta and Trance
Now during an Executive Hypnotherapy™ session with a client, I promote an environment in which we deliberately stimulate these ‘thinking’ Theta brainwaves through not only goal setting, solution focused language and positivity BUT ALSO the key technique of trance.
Please do not panic when you read the word ‘trance’ it is a state of mind which is completely natural and enjoyable. In fact, we go into trance all the time – driving along a motorway, watching the tv or cooking our favourite meal – no doubt you remember that feeling of ‘zoning out’. It’s one of the easiest and pleasant things to contrive, so I promote it in my treatment room – and the brain absolutely loves it. All you feel is complete and utter relaxation because your conscious mind allows itself to switch off – and when it does this your ‘busy’ Beta brainwaves reduce and your ‘thinking’ Theta brainwaves take off.
Giving your Theta brainwaves, and your right hemisphere of the brain, the chance to flourish can allow that great idea which has been locked at the back of your head the chance to come front and centre. I reinforce this change in brain activity by incorporating a metaphor story into the trance – this is where it’s different to mindfulness or yoga. This is the special bit so let’s unlock it a little more.
Power of the Story
So as soon as I say the words ‘Now whilst you’re pondering on those thoughts, I want to tell you a story…’ your left logical mind kicks into listening to the story. Alongside this, your ‘Eureka’ creative part of the brain, with all those Theta ‘thinking’ brainwaves, is being stimulated and you have a chance to think about things differently. It’s like jiggling lego bricks around in your head and coming up with a new and amazing creation you’d never thought of before. Plus I make sure that you’re in the right mindset to make best use of this state when we have a chat in the first part of our session.
Eureka!
So if you’re in need of that Eureka moment, in life or in work, then let’s get your brainwaves working to your benefit through Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. Because who doesn’t need a bit more innovation, relaxation and useful intuition in their life?
To find out more about how you can unlock your own Eureka moment, or about working with me privately through my signature Executive Hypnotherapy™ approach, visit oakviewhypnotherapy.co.uk
With thanks to Dr. Rachel Gillibrand, Chartered Psychologist and Director of the Clinical Hypnotherapy School, for educating me in the ways of EEG, brainwaves and hypnotherapy.