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Friday, February 19, 2016

Inspirational Quotes for February 19, 2016

Aerial view of Mt. Saint Helens, 2011

Photo by Sara Fogan

Every now and then I like (and need) to take a few moments and remind myself about what is really important to me, in my life. If you follow me on my Calminsense Hypnotherapy Facebook page you may have seen some of these quotes before on this page, or will in the future. Many of these Quotes of the Day are beautiful examples and illustrations of the work I do as a hypnotherapist, so I will probably draw on them in future essays.

“If you wait until all the lights are ‘green’ to leave home, you’ll never get started on your trip to the top.” – Zig Ziglar

“There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to deal with them.” – Phyllis Battome

“Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment!” – Rumi

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” – Coraline, Neil Gaimon

“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” – Lao Tzu

“One of the happiest moments ever is when you find the courage to let go of what you can’t change.” – Unknown

“It’s impossible,” said pride. “It’s risky,” said experience. “It’s pointless,” said reason. “Give it a try,” whispered the heart. – Unknown

“The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” – James Allen

“Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who wait and the best things come to those who never give up.” – Unknown

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified 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/.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

How This Snickers Ad Got it (Sort of) Right

You probably laughed when you saw the Marsha Snickers Ad on television during the 2015 Super Bowl. I sure did—and not just because it was a brilliant spoof of how the oldest, “perfect” Brady Bunch daughter/sister might have had a melt-down because she got too hungry. The sketch is perfect in its 1970s retro feel, with the ever-patient Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) placating her cranky daughter with the following suggestion: “Marsha, eat a Snickers.”

“Why?” Cranky Marsha (Danny Trejo) demands.

“Because you get a little hostile when you’re hungry,” Mrs. Brady explains. After just one bite, Cranky Marsh transforms back into Cute Marsha (Maureen McCormick).

“Better?” Mrs. Brady asks with a knowing smile.

“Better!” Cute Marsha says with a grin.

Did this ad hit home for anyone else? Do you ever feel cranky or get overly frustrated when you are hungry? If so, you are not alone. Hunger—which is the most obvious “symptom” of low blood sugar—can also be accompanied by a variety of other physiological and psychological responses. As I explained in my blog titled What Do You Eat?, nutrition plays a huge role in how we perceive and respond to events in our environment.

Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D. observed that low blood-sugar levels can exacerbate or even cause a person’s presenting problem (behavior or belief). For example, a sudden drop in blood sugar can trigger physical symptoms such as shaking, light-headedness and feeling tired, or even psychological symptoms such as depression, paranoia, irritability and memory problems. Furthermore, Dr. Kappas found an association between a person’s low blood-sugar levels and fluctuating suggestibility with the onset of a phobic response. This (irritability) reaction is illustrated in the advertisement when Cranky Marsha threatens to strike her sister with an axe for punching her in the nose. The script implies that with the candy in her system because she is no longer hungry, Marsha will calm down to the point of being coolly dismissive of her sister; or, at least she would no longer want to attack poor Jan with an axe.

I have to hand it to the creators of this ad: they were very clever to associate increased/decreased emotional volatility with hunger and tie the amelioration of this reaction with eating their product. There is certainly no doubt that eating something when we are hungry makes us feel better and more like our normal selves. However, if the food source is high in sugar and other carbohydrate sources as a candy bar no doubt is, this relief will be short-lived. Once the initial sugar boost wears off, we will likely in the same situation.

Consequently, when I work with my hypnotherapy clients, regardless of their therapeutic goal, one of the first things I explain is the role of good nutrition and how what they eat can affect how they behave and think. For example, while the peanuts in a Snickers® bar are a good source of protein, the sugar and many other ingredients that make this item so tasty undermine the healthy “benefit” the manufacturers might promote. Conversely, that handful of peanuts would be a great snack on their own because these legumes are a good source of protein that will help to assuage hunger and reduce moodiness and anxiety.

For more information about how nutrition affects mood and behavior, and other practical techniques to help reduce anxiety, I invite you to read my blogs titled The Origins of Fears and Phobias and Irritability.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

My Professional Network Group

While I was training to become a certified hypnotherapist, the instructors at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute spent a lot of time teaching and coaching students how to promote and market their hypnotherapy practice. In addition to producing attractive business cards and informative brochures, the instructors also emphasized the importance of business networking to promote our hypnotherapy practices. They encouraged us to enroll in a local Chamber of Commerce, join one or more professional networking groups, practice on-line marketing/social media, perfect the 30-second “elevator speech” and do lectures about hypnosis every chance we got. Since membership with an organized professional group was required to graduate HMI “with honors”—a personal goal—I promptly joined a local professional marketing group: Network Referral Group of Santa Clarita. This organization is the focus of my blog this evening.

Formed in 2002, NRG is a medium-sized group that features a variety of small businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, California. Many of the founding members—a probate attorney, a small-animal veterinary practice, a chiropractor, an accounting firm, and a personal loan consultant—are still in the group. Other members include a massage therapist, an insurance broker, an interior designer, the owner of a car-repair shop, a software developer/online marketer, a termite/pest exterminator, a real estate agent, a building contractor and a financial advisor. I have used the services of these members, and learn something about their business and what they do at our weekly lunch meetings.

Over the years, I have become much more comfortable promoting and marketing my business. I love being a hypnotherapist—it is the dream job I never knew I wanted—and I seize every opportunity to talk about what I do and how I do it. Belonging to NRG and having a chance to watch and learn these marketing skills from other professionals in the group have really helped to increase my confidence and comfort promoting my own business. In addition, my eyes have been opened as to how my work can complement and enhance the success of my NRG partners’ businesses.

What I value most about belonging to this group is the camaraderie, friendship and professional support that I receive from each of these members. Even though I had to resign from the group several years ago because of schedule conflicts, I knew that I would return to the group as soon as I could. Fortunately, my category (hypnotherapy) was still vacant and there were no other members in the group who might have had a professional conflict with what I do—NRG is category protected—I was welcomed back into the fold.

I count all of my NRG partners as friends; a few are very good friends and one is like a sister to me. I know that if I a pipe burst in my home, I could call Edwin Cruz and he would come over and make the repair for me. The day I (finally!) ever get a dog, Dr. Evelyn Vega will be my pup’s doctor. When I met Rob Stern ten years ago, I knew I would never have to worry about turning in my tax returns again. Dr. Brian is a fabulous chiropractor and the first person I contact if I come off my horse (rare) or strain my back picking Galahad’s hooves or moving hay. Linda Hammond has done a fabulous job refurbishing a table and chairs for us. Carla Jung gives a great massage, and Sherri Risley will turn over any rock to find the best insurance package for your budget. As for the members whose services I have not yet had a chance to use, I know from weekly testimonials about the quality of their work and customer service I and anyone who contracts them will be in good hands.

For more information about the Network Referral Group of Santa Clarita, and its members and businesses, please check out our website at, http://www.scvnrg.com.