Confidence, Success and Hypnosis

“……Entrepreneurs across the spectrum would do well to further develop their grasp of the psychological art”

– Forbes Magazine

Hypnosis has long been used to treat all manner of issues – addictions, medical problems, pain, confidence and peak performance.

Sportsmen and woman have been using hypnosis for decades to help them achieve their greatest goals, and now the business world is catching on to this powerful tool.  Companies and entrepreneurs the world over are using hypnosis to ensure they reach their full potential without crashing and burning. 

Extraordinary people who have used hypnosis for peak performance

Albert Einstein was known to use self hypnosis every afternoon. He used these trance sessions to develop his ideas including his theory of relativity.

Thomas Edison used self—hypnosis on a regular basis.

Car manufacturer and billionaire Henry Ford regularly used hypnosis.

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airlines, used hypnosis to prepare for his round-the-world trip in a hot air balloon.

Sir Winston Churchill used post-hypnotic suggestions in allow him to stay awake and alert all night long during WW2.

Mozart was said to have composed the famous opera “Cosi fan tutte” while hypnotized.

Aldous Huxley used trance states whilst exploring the nature of Consciousness.

Rachmaninov was said to have composed one of his concertos following post-hypnotic suggestion.

Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud created their ideas on modern psychiatry as a result of learning about and practicing hypnosis.

Lord Alfred Tennyson used to write complete poems while under hypnosis.

Chopin (1810-1849) pianist and composer took classes in hypnosis at the University of Strasbourg.

According to a study performed at Stanton in 1995 on the use of hypnosis to boost confidence, 100% of the 22 participants demonstrated improved levels of confidence following the treatment.  6 months later those confidence levels had been sustained by all the participants. 

Stanton, H.E. (1995). Lecturer confidence building: The use of age progression and ego enhancement. Higher Education Research and Development, 14(1), 121-127.

“…It’s sort of a secret weapon for a lot of very successful, very wealthy people.”

– Dr Steve G Jones

Dolly Parton – song writing ability.

Lilly Tomlin (comedian) – creativity in her comedy writing and performing.

Michael Jackson – musical mental blocks

Tennis

Billie Jean King

Andre Agassi – 17 gold masters

Jimmy Conners – 148 titles and 8 grand slams.


Baseball

Kirk Gibson

Nolan Ryan


Basketball

Michael Jordan

Los Angeles Lakers

Chicago Bulls

Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)

Phil Jackson (Chicago Bulls / Los Angeles Lakers)

Kobe Bryant


Golf

Tiger Woods

Jack Nicklaus

Ian Woosnam

Gaganjeet Bhullar

Deana Rushworth

Talmadge Griffiths


Ice Hockey

Wayne Gretzky

Sidney Crosby

Kevin Weekes

Guillame Latendresse

Brad Richards

Montréal Canadians

Toronto Maple Leafs


Skating

Dorothy Hamill

Nancy Kerrigan


Gymnasts

Kerri Strug

Mary Lou Retton – Olympic gymnastic gold medallist

Russian Olympic team


Diver

Greg Louganis


American Football

Ronnie Lott

Jack Youngblood

Bob Reese (Head trainer – New York Jets)

Bill Bates (Dallas Cowboys)

Jeff Jaeger (Oakland Raiders)

Chuck Clausen (coach Philadelphia Eagles)

The Pittsburg Steelers

Jeff Jaeger

Boomer Esiason


Swimmer

Gertrude Ederle


Racing Driver

Dale Earnhardt


Cricket

Mike Brearly


Boxers

Mohammed Ali

Frank Bruno

Steve Collins

Nigel Benn

Ken Norton

Ingemar Johannson

Kevin McBride


Runners

Billy Mills

Ivan Thomas – 400m world cup winner


Baseball

Chicago White Sox

George Brett

Rod Carew

Nolan Ryan

Maury Wills

Don Sutton

Mark McGuire

Ozzie Smith (St. Louis Cardinals)

Damion Easley (Anaheim Angles / Detroit Tigers)

Jim Eisenreich (Minnesota Twins)

Bill Buckner (Chicago Cubs / Los Angeles Dodgers)

Toronto Blue Jays


Body Builders

Cory Everson – Miss Olympia six times

Dorian Yates – Mr Olympia seven times

Dexter Jackson – Mr Olympia Winner 2008


Skiing

Swiss Olympic Ski team gold Medallists

Shannon Bharke Olympic free style skier, world cup champion and silver Medallist


Shooting

Vincent Hancock Olympic Gold Medallist in Skeet Shooting

USA Olympic Skeet – Gold Medallists

Walton Glenn Eller – Gold Medallist Men’s Double Trap


Athletics

Billy Mills – Olympics gold medal

Adam Nelson – Olympic Gold medallist shotput

Steve Hooker – Olympic Gold Medallist (Beijing) Pole Vault

Alison Rodger – shotput


Rugby

Dan Luger


Wrestling

Andre Shaquille O’Neal

Sophie Dahl – weight-loss

Geri Halliwell – weight-loss

Nigella Lawson – weight-loss

Princess Diana – public speaking

Bruce Willis – stuttering

Martha Stewart – recurring nightmares of jail

Johnny Mathis – stage fright

Tony Curtis – fear of flying

Prince Harry – smoking

Samual L Jackson – smoking

Ellen DeGeneres – smoking

Research on the success of hypnosis on fertility:

More Clinical Evidence:

Relaxation training improves IVF conception rates

In a study of 63 women about to undergo an IVF treatment cycle, those who chose to attend a 2 weeks worth of sessions on relaxation training were significantly more likely to conceive on their first IVF attempt.

(Farrar, Holbert, and Drabman 1990)

Reduction in stress and depression can improve conception rates

Women with unexplained infertility who went through an 8 week program of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring and self instructional management were significantly more likely to conceive than a control group who receive no training. Within the 2 month study period, 4 out of 7 experimental subjects conceived, whereas non of the 7 control subjects conceived.

(Rodriguez et al., 1983)

Behaviorally induced reproductive compromise in women and men

Psychosocial problems can affect the central GnRH-LH/FSH drive and cause ovarian compromise…. Attitudes, moods, and behaviors can have endocrine consequences and cause definable reproductive disorders….Misattributions, negative images of self and others, unrealistic expectations and emotional disharmony can cause neuroendocrine havoc.

(1997 Semin Reprod Endocrinal 15;1:47-53 Berga, S.L.)

Mothers who used hypnosis for anxiety and stress management had fetuses who moved in a much more active manner than a control group.

(Zimmer, Peretz, Eyal and Fuchs, 1988)

As mind/body programs are effective for reducing negative emotion that may impair IVF success, patients should be offered such a program in conjunction with IVF.

(Fertility and Sterility Journal 1998 vol 69)

Women with depression, when treated showed a 60% viable pregnancy rate within six months, contrasting with 24% when depression went untreated.

(Journal of American Medical Women’s Association 1999 vol 54)

Hypnosis based on imagery and a relaxation strategy was successful in facilitating pregnancy. The treatment was considered to have resulted in beneficial modification of attitude, optimism, and mind-body interaction.

(The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis (Volume 38, Issue 1, 1995, 22-26): Hypnosis in the Treatment of Functional Infertility)

Hypnosis beneficial to IVF porcedures

Hypnosis as an adjunct to IVF procedures could be beneficial to those who are unable to conceive naturally.

(Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (Vol. 31, No2, 2003, 121-127) Recipe for a Miracle: Determination, Optimism, Medical Technology, and Hypnosis in IVF)

Infertile women utilizing mind/body techniques such as hypnosis have a 42 – 55% conception rate as compared to 20% with in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

(The Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association 1999 and The Journal of Fertility and Sterility 2000.)

Hypnosis based on imagery and a relaxation strategy was successful in facilitating pregnancy. The treatment was considered to have resulted in beneficial modification of attitude, optimism, and mind-body interaction.

(The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. (Volume 38, Issue 1, 1995, 22-6): Hypnosis in the Treatment of Functional Infertility.)

Anxiety impacts egg production and quality

Women undergoing IVF who were ‘worried’ about the medical aspects of the treatment had 20% fewer eggs retrieved and 19% fewer eggs fertilized.

(Klonoff-cohen and Natarajan 2004)

High levels of anxiety impact IUI success rates and miscarriage rates

In a study with women undergoing donor sperm insemination, those with higher levels of anxiety prior to undergoing insemination took significantly longer to conceive and were also significantly more likely to miscarry than those with lover levels of anxiety.

(Demyttenaere, Nijs, Steeno, and Koninckx 1988)

Relaxation training improves IVF conception rates

In a study of 63 women about to undergo an IVF treatment cycle, those who chose to attend a 2 weeks worth of sessions on relaxation training were significantly more likely to conceive on their first IVF attempt.

(Farrar, Holbert, and Drabman 1990)

Reduction in stress and depression can improve conception rates

Women with unexplained infertility who went through an 8 week program of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring and self instructional management were significantly more likely to conceive than a control group who receive no training. Within the 2 month study period, 4 out of 7 experimental subjects conceived, whereas non of the 7 control subjects conceived.

(Rodriguez et al., 1983)

Behaviorally induced reproductive compromise in women and men

Psychosocial problems can affect the central GnRH-LH/FSH drive and cause ovarian compromise…. Attitudes, moods, and behaviors can have endocrine consequences and cause definable reproductive disorders….Misattributions, negative images of self and others, unrealistic expectations and emotional disharmony can cause neuroendocrine havoc.

(1997 Semin Reprod Endocrinal 15;1:47-53 Berga, S.L.)

Anxiety impacts egg production and quality

Women undergoing IVF who were ‘worried’ about the medical aspects of the treatment had 20% fewer eggs retrieved and 19% fewer eggs fertilized

(Klonoff-cohen and Natarajan 2004)

High levels of anxiety impact IUI success rates and miscarriage rates

In a study with women undergoing donor sperm insemination, those with higher levels of anxiety prior to undergoing insemination took significantly longer to conceive and were also significantly more likely to miscarry than those with lover levels of anxiety

(Demyttenaere, Nijs, Steeno, and Koninckx 1988)

One hundred pregnant women whose foetuses were in breech position at 37-40 weeks’ gestation and a matched control group. 81% of breech babies were successful conversions to a vertex position compared with 48% in the control group. The success was thought to be down to psychophysiological factors which may influence the breech position.

(Mehl, 1994)

100 women trained with hypnosis had a shorter first stage of labour for 100 (by 3.23 hours) compared to a control group of 88 women.

Abramson and Heron (1950) & Gallagher (2001)

Forty-five Hypnosis for Childbirth clients (first time mothers) had an average of 4.5 hours for the active labour, a significant reduction compared to the usual 9 hours.

(Harmon, Hynan and Tyre, 1990)

In a British study, 55% of 45 patients (first and second time mothers) required no medication for pain relief. In the other non-hypnosis groups, only 22% of 90 women required no medication.

(Harmon, Hynan and Tyre, 1990)

“A woman’s ‘self-efficacy for labour’ or confidence in her ability to cope has a powerful relationship to decreased pain perception and decreased medication/analgesia during labour. Anxiety is commonly associated with increased pain during labour, and may modify labour pain through psychological and physiologic mechanisms. “Fear of pain may be one component of labour related anxiety, and has a huge correlation with pain levels reported during first stage labour.”

(Lowe, N. 2002)

Thirty-eight out of forty-five Hypnosis for Childbirth mums, delivered spontaneously without the use of caesarean, forceps or venteuse. This rate of 84% is higher than the average rate of normal birth for the general population of first time mothers.

(Harmon, Hynan and Tyre, 1990)

Using hypnosis can reduce the length of active labour by 3 hours from the usual 9 hours.

(Jenkins and Pritchard 1993)

Hypnosis can be used to promote and to suppress lactation.

(August 1961; Cheek & LeCron, 1968; Kroger, 1977)

Let’s talk

Serious about transforming your life? Ready to invest in yourself? Want to know if I can help you? Great!

Let’s start with a 45-minute call so we can learn more about each other and decide if we’re a good fit. 

CC.Hyp. CPPD. MPMH. 

0800 0834491
andrea@andreayearsley.com

‘One of Many’ certified Coach & Trainer, Marisa Peer Practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Rapid Transformational Therapist and Trainer, Member of the National Council of Psychotherapists