It's Only the Wind

 In compliance with current WHO and CDC recommendations to minimize risk of exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus, I am temporarily suspending in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone and Skype/Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

 

(This blog was originally posted on January 15, 2014)

 

 

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

 

 

 

One of the first things people learn about horses is that these animals (can) shy or “spook” at anything and everything—but wind is Public Enemy Number One. Even if it is just an errant breeze rustling the leaves in a tree overhead on an otherwise still day, the breath catches in our lungs and our heart pounding in our chest. If the Santa Ana Winds snaps a tree bough nearby, all bets are off: we instinctively prepare our bodies to make an unscheduled dismount in case (when) our horses bolt and head back to the security of the barn. We tighten our grip and/or shorten the reins (to get better control of the horse’s head and try to prevent him from looking at anything), collapse our rib-cage and assume a “fetal position,” as described by Sally Swift, look down at the ground (ostensibly to choose the perfect landing spot, just in case) and tighten every muscle in the body as we prepare to hang onto our panicked steed (if we can) as soon as he takes off.

Your subconscious mind is likely to send these kinds of instructions to your body if your mental script and previous experience, knowledge and expectations tell you that this is how your horse will react in a specific situation. Consequently, your anticipation of a possible problem, or “anticipatory anxiety,” will virtually guarantee that your horse will act like there is really a problem because your body has told him that there is one. Here are some suggestions and visualization exercises that I provide for equestrians to override this automatic fear response so you can both enjoy the ride.

• Be sure to eat some protein before you ride/work with your horse to help reduce anxiety and stabilize your mood. (For more information about the role of nutrition and anxiety, see my blog titled Nutrition and Development of Phobias).

• Spend a few minutes practicing deep-breathing exercises before you go out to work with or ride your horse. While you are relaxing in an area of peace and quiet, visualize, imagine or picture the kind of ride you want to have with your horse. Sit up straight and tall in the saddle. This posture enables you breathe deeply and easily, which will help you to relax. It also tells your subconscious mind that you are relaxed and confident.

• Think about/reflect on a very good ride or time that you recently spent with your horse. Bring up the positive images and emotions associated with that experience and then anchor that association by pressing or rubbing together the thumb and index (pointing) finger of either hand. You can activate this anchor any time to remind yourself how good, enjoyable, etc. it is to ride or be with your horse.

• Send/think only positive images and expectations about the ride you are about to have: “I am confident and relaxed when I am on my horse. I am having a great ride.” Only use adjectives and emotions in this imagery that will increase your confidence, sense of control, etc. for and during the ride.

• Reassure your horse that you are in control and are your horse’s leader during the ride. Give him plenty of ­physical/vocal rewards such as pats and praise, etc. to let him know that you are there and will take care of everything; all he needs to do is listen to you and do what you ask him to do. This physical and vocal contact isn’t just for your horse; it is also a way to comfort and reassure you, and reinforce your role of the brave, confident herd leader in your subconscious mind.

• Practice some simple mounted exercises such as figure-eights, lateral work, etc. so you must focus on riding and interacting with your horse and your horse must focus on you (not what is going on around him).

•  Activate your finger-press anchor throughout the ride, as needed.

I hope these suggestions help you to relax and enjoy the time you spend with your horse, regardless of what is going on around you. I am not a riding instructor, and I encourage everyone to consult with a trainer or instructor to resolve riding and horse-related issues. However, I have found from personal experience as well as my hypnotherapy work with other equestrians that setting positive expectations for a good ride is the most effective way to achieve that goal. For more information about my hypnotherapy work with equestrians, please contact me via my website at www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com.

 

Limited-Time Offer: Free Phone, Skype or Zoom Consultation

This is a great opportunity to find out why hypnosis is so effective and how hypnotherapy can help you achieve your self-improvement goals. Call/send me a text message at (661) 433-9430 or send me an e-mail at calminsensehypnosis@yahoo.com to set up your free, 30-minute phone, Skype or Zoom consultation, today! (Limited to one consultation per person.)

Offer valid through September 30, 2020.

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. In July 2019 she was voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2020

 

               

How Hypnotherapy Can Alleviate Fear of Failure

(This blog was originally posted on February 22, 2016)

Photo by Rick Hustead

At some point during our lifetime, we will fail at something. Whether it’s a geometry test in high school, not waking up when the alarm goes off in the morning, a relationship doesn’t blossom the way we hoped, etc., failure of some kind is likely to touch us all. Despite the negative connotations and associations with this term, however, failing at something can actually be one of life’s greatest gifts because it usually presents an opportunity to try something else that suits us better. Dr. John Kappas, the founder of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, used to advise his hypnotherapy students and clients to think or say “I like it!” even when the situation was unfavorable. Allowing ourselves to see the opportunity in perceived misfortune or inconvenience is a chance to look for and find that alternative path.

However, fear of failure is also a very real phenomenon that affects many, many people to the point of their becoming unwilling or even unable to pursue a goal or complete a task in case something goes wrong. Of course, consciously we know that not taking an action to realize that goal is another and more reliable way to guarantee failing at it. However, the subconscious mind is secretly relieved because this state of immobility is comfortable, familiar and “known.” Hypnotherapy can help you manage and overcome this fear to get back on track to pursue desired goals.

When I work with someone who has a fear of failure, one of the first things I want to do is help the client identify where and how this fear evolved. If the individual does not know or can’t remember its origin, I might suggest that the person will have a venting dream about the incident to analyze in a future hypnotherapy session. I would also desensitize the person to this fear and any stimuli that trigger this anxiety and replace the fear of failure with smiling or laughing, whenever he or she thinks about it. 

Another effective strategy is to employ plenty of imagery/visualization exercises to prepare the client to get rid of this fear, and tie a stronger relaxation response to override the fear/anxiety. “You need to double-bind the client by substituting a positive suggestion for negative feelings or fear,” Dr. Kappas advised. For example, tie the client’s fear of success with the image of actually achieving that desired goal. If the person does not have any recent experiences or memories of achievement, I would work with him or her to choose and set small, achievable task to start this process. As the person continues to succeed at these projects, I would reinforce the association between relaxation and increasing confidence with achieving these new and increasingly challenging goals. Ultimately, eventually, the “fear of failure” will be replaced with a new subconscious known: enjoyment of success.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified clinical hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2018