What is Attachment Theory and what does it mean in my relationships ?

What is Attachment?

Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. The roots of research on attachment began with Freud's theories about love, but another researcher is usually credited as the father of attachment theory. Bowlby shared the psychoanalytic view that early experiences in childhood have an important influence on development and behavior later in life. Our early attachment styles are established in childhood through the infant/caregiver relationship. In addition to this, Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component; it aids in survival. "The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals [is] a basic component of human nature" (Bowlby, 1988, 3).

Attachment refers the particular way in which you relate to other people. Your style of attachment was formed at the very beginning of your life, during your first two years.  Once established, it is a style that stays with you and plays out today in how you relate in intimate relationships and in how you parent your children. Understanding your style of attachment is helpful because it offers you insight into how you felt and developed in your childhood. It also clarifies ways that you are emotionally limited as an adult and what you need to change to improve your close relationships and your relationship with your own children.

Early Attachment Patterns

Young children need to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver in order for their social and emotional development to occur normally. Without this attachment, they will suffer serious psychological and social impairment. During the first two years, how the parents or caregivers respond to their infants establishes the types of patterns of attachment their children form.  These patterns will go on to guide the child’s feelings, thoughts and expectations as an adult in future relationships.

Characteristics of Attachment

Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment:

1) Proximity Maintenance - The desire to be near the people we are attached to.

 2) Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat.

3) Secure Base - The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment.

 4) Separation Distress - Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure.

During the 1970's, psychologist Mary Ainsworth further expanded upon Bowlby's groundbreaking work in her now-famous "Strange Situation" study. The study involved observing children between the ages of 12 to 18 months responding to a situation in which they were briefly left alone and then reunited with their mother (Ainsworth, 1978).

Based on these observations, Ainsworth concluded that there were three major styles of attachment:

1) secure attachment,

 2) ambivalent-insecure attachment

 3) avoidant-insecure attachment.

Researchers Main and Solomon (1986) added a fourth attachment style known as disorganized-insecure attachment. Numerous studies have supported Ainsworth's conclusions and additional research has revealed that these early attachment styles can help predict behaviors later in life.

Secure Attachment:

Ideally, from the time infants are six months to two years of age, they form an emotional attachment to an adult who is attuned to them, that is, who is sensitive and responsive in their interactions with them. It is vital that this attachment figure remain a consistent caregiver throughout this period in a child’s life. During the second year, children begin to use the adult as a secure base from which to explore the world and become more independent. A child in this type of relationship is securely attached.

Avoidant Attachment:

There are adults who are emotionally unavailable and, as a result, they are insensitive to and unaware of the needs of their children. They have little or no response when a child is hurting or distressed. These parents discourage crying and encourage independence. Often their children quickly develop into “little adults” who take care of themselves. These children pull away from needing anything from anyone else and are self-contained. They have formed an avoidant attachment with a misattuned parent.

Ambivalent/Anxious Attachment:

Some adults are inconsistently attuned to their children. At times their responses are appropriate and nurturing but at other times they are intrusive and insensitive. Children with this kind of parenting are confused and insecure, not knowing what type of treatment to expect. They often feel suspicious and distrustful of their parent but at the same time they act clingy and desperate. These children have anambivalent/anxious attachment with their unpredictable parent.

Disorganized Attachment:

When a parent or caregiver is abusive to a child, the child experiences the physical and emotional cruelty and frightening behavior as being life-threatening. This child is caught in a terrible dilemma: her survival instincts are telling her to flee to safety but safety is the very person who is terrifying her.  The attachment figure is the source of the child’s distress. In these situations, children typically disassociate from their selves. They detach from what is happening to them and what they are experiencing is blocked from their consciousness. Children in this conflicted state have disorganized attachments with their fearsome parental figures.

 

Adult Attachment Patterns

Secure Personality:

People who formed secure attachments in childhood have secure attachment patterns in adulthood. They have a strong sense of themselves and they desire close associations with others. They basically have a positive view of themselves, their partners and their relationships. Their lives are balanced: they are both secure in their independence and in their close relationships.

Dismissive Personality:

Those who had avoidant attachments in childhood most likely have dismissive attachment patterns as adults. These people tend to be loners; they regard relationships and emotions as being relatively unimportant. They are cerebral and suppress their feelings. Their typical response to conflict and stressful situations is to avoid them by distancing themselves. These people’s lives are not balanced: they are inward and isolated, and emotionally removed from themselves and others.

Preoccupied Personality:

Children who have an ambivalent/anxious attachment often grow up to have preoccupied attachment patterns. As adults, they are self-critical and insecure. They seek approval and reassurance from others, yet this never relieves their self-doubt. In their relationships, deep-seated feelings that they are going to be rejected make them worried and not trusting. This drives them to act clingy and overly dependent with their partner. These people’s lives are not balanced: their insecurity leaves them turned against themselves and emotionally desperate in their relationships.

Fearful-Avoidant Personality:

People who grew up with disorganized attachments often develop fearful-avoidant patterns of attachment. Since, as children, they detached from their feelings during times of trauma, as adults, they continue to be somewhat detached from themselves. They desire relationships and are comfortable in them until they develop emotionally close. At this point, the feelings that were repressed in childhood begin to resurface and, with no awareness of them being from the past, they are experienced in the present. The person is no longer in life today but rather, is suddenly re-living an old trauma. These people’s lives are not balanced: they do not have a coherent sense of themselves nor do they have a clear connection with others.

Source:

http://www.lifechangehealthinstitute.ie/what-is-attachment-theory/

Top Ten Psychosomatic Symptoms

The origin of a psychosomatic illness is within the brain.  The illness is the brain’s attempt to throw a person’s consciousness off guard by inducing physical changes in the body, in order to prevent the person from consciously experiencing difficult emotions, such as rage, sadness, and emotional distress.

People with psychosomatic illnesses contribute millions if not billions of dollars to the medical industry in the form of various treatments, including operations, medications, physical therapy, etc.  People can spend decades chasing down physical symptoms when the root causes of their problems are emotional.

The reality is that somatic symptoms are extremely common. Research has found that approximately one-third of all physical symptoms fall into this category.  However, patients are not quick to accept or believe that their symptoms do not have an actual physical cause. Only about 15 to 20 percent of patients will accept such a diagnosis.

To be technical, the proper term for psychosomatic illness, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is somatic symptom disorder.  There is an overlap across the spectrum of somatoform disorders, and this designation helps reflect the complex interface between mental and physical health.

What follows is a list of the ten most frequent somatic illnesses:

1. Chronic Pain Syndrome
2. Fibromyalgia
3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
4. Gastrointestinal syndromes
5. Migraine headaches
6. Frequent need for urination
7. Tinnitus and Vertigo
8. Allergic phenomena
9. Skin rashes (Eczema, hives, acne, etc.)
10. Eating disorders

Source:

http://pro.psychcentral.com/recovery-expert/2016/01/top-ten-psychosomatic-symptoms/#

语言发展迟缓儿童

曾经有客户一进来中心见我就要马上做治疗，我接受他的要求但也会很清楚的告诉客户治疗效果会有限。因为对我来说，个人历史Case History对于治疗成果的好坏扮演着非常重要之角色。

就拿一个被诊断为身心发展迟缓并无法说话的孩子之案例来谈。当我分析他的脑电波，个人历史，和与父母交谈后发现到疑似的根源问题。即这孩子从小不停的跌倒并进院无数次，导致他对于世界充满恐惧和焦虑感（甚至出现白袍效应white coat effect的现象）。

焦虑和害怕这点从他的行为和脑电波可以清楚地窥探到。

于是当我和儿童心理学家进行了研究和对孩子进行脑电波反馈疗法治疗后的2个月内，孩子有了明显的进展。母亲告诉我们说两个月后的今天，这孩子开始会用单字沟通了，并且不再那么害怕周边的人事物；甚至他跌倒的次数也显著的减少了！

如果我们忽略了分析Case History这环，或许我们就无法那么快看见孩子的进展了。

自律神经失调简易治疗法

操練腦力才能治自律神经失调

自律神經失調要獲得好的治療效果，必須從根本問題解決，學習因應壓力。不過，還是必須以藥物來緩解症狀，例如，有心跳過速或換氣過度等急性不適症狀時，主要是交感神經過度亢奮，可以給病人穩定交感神經的藥物；如果是腦神經觸發點部位引起的問題，可能開抗焦慮藥物，先使患者腦部穩定下來，或依病情的嚴重度，也可能上述兩種藥物都用。

緊急時給藥很重要，因為壓力除干擾腦細胞功能外，還可能造成結構永久傷害，藥物能讓腦細胞受傷的功能部份回復，不讓傷害變永久，也能避免患者對自己健康信心不足，否則治療效果一直不好，病人很容易對醫生、對自己的健康沒信心，以致於到處逛醫院，拿藥吃了沒效，丟著，造成醫療損失，慮病症也讓患者身心都受煎熬。

但很重要的一點是，藥物雖然在短期解除症狀，但不能只靠藥物，因為藥物的作用只有短暫，而且藥量太大也會造成反應變慢，影響思考及行動，所以更重要的治療，是要學習如何加強自我對腦的操練。

操练脑力的方法除了有简单易学的足定气静法，还包括：
1）自我催眠疗法
2）EEG biofeedback脑波反馈疗法
3）心理治疗法

简单易学的足定氣靜法，給神經系統做SPA
足定氣靜法可以說是對神經系統的按摩。足定氣靜，意思是站得穩，氣要定，就不容易緊張。

總共有四個步驟，可坐在舒服的椅子上，或躺在床上操練。

步驟1：放鬆肩膀。擴胸，把肩頸肌肉往下拉，感覺到肩頸肌肉放鬆。因為肌肉一緊張，肩頸肌肉會很明顯拉上來。

步驟2：做5次腹式深呼吸。先吸飽氣，憋氣2、3秒，然後吐氣。重點是感受深呼吸時，橫膈膜向下壓，腹部肌肉整個放開的感覺，一定要體會這種感覺，才會真的傳達到大腦，讓大腦感覺肌肉放鬆。

步驟3：再做5次腹式深呼吸，同時加上腳趾的動作。吸氣時用力收緊腳趾，像要抓住地板般，憋住2、3秒後，吐氣、鬆開腳趾，頭腦想著腳趾放開的感覺。因為腳趾肌肉很小，用力抓緊再鬆開的動作，會有用力後的疲倦感，微血管的血液會再補充，而有熱熱脹脹的感覺。

步驟4：恢復正常呼吸，但同時做收緊、放開腳趾的動作。改採一般的呼吸方式，以免過度換氣，但此時心緒不要想腳趾，轉而想整個腳底的感覺，讓微血管擴充瀰漫整個腳底。

這四個步驟的特點，是能讓大腦從頂放鬆到底，因為掌控腳底的位置，是在大腦頂部，而掌控呼吸是在大腦底部的腦幹，掌控腹部則在腦中間部位，所以等於整個腦神經都按摩到了。

這套足定氣靜法可連做15分鐘，在頭兩輪深呼吸後，不要再深呼吸，只需輕鬆平穩地呼吸，並輪流把意識放在肩膀、腹部再想到腳底，深深地感受肌肉放鬆的感覺。建議日常生活中，不論何時，即使是開會中，每小時都可做一次，甚至只要3分鐘，讓你的腦隨時可以「放下」。

如果使用了这个简易的方法还是无法得到明显改善，建议咨询心理治疗师或临床催眠治疗师以便量身定做适合你的治疗方法。


资料来源:
http://www.twhealth.org.tw/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=487&

Brain Imaging Shows Brain Changes in Depression

Traditionally, depression is suspected when symptoms that suggest impaired psychosocial functioning are present for more than two weeks. Symptoms of depression include an overwhelming feeling of sadness, difficulty to experience pleasure, sleep problems, and difficulties with engaging in everyday life.

This clinical presentation of depression guides physicians to make a diagnosis and to select antidepressant treatment such as drugs or psychotherapy.

Currently, at least 40 percent of depressed patients actually benefit from antidepressant treatment, whereas 20 to 30 percent of patients may suffer from chronic depression that negatively impacts their quality of life.

Emerging research addresses the neural bases of depression as well as how treatment can induce changes in the brain. Modern brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are often used to view brain modulations.

This line of research expands the commonly accepted premise that depression is associated with dysfunction of specific brain regions involved in cognitive control and emotional response.

In order to improve the efficiency of treatment and reduce the burden of depressive disorders, depression clearly needs to be defined at the neurobiological level.

A recent fMRI study showed that depressed patients had an abnormal activation of the medial prefrontal cortex. During this study, subjects had to judge whether personality traits described them or not (i.e. ‘Am I selfish?’), or whether it described a generally desirable trait or not (i.e. ‘Is it good or bad to be greedy?’).

The dysfunction of the medial prefrontal region may explain specific complaints of depressed patients such as self-blame, rumination and feeling of guilt.

It was observed that this activation pattern was maintained over the course of depression after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment. These results are difficult to interpret but suggest that, after remission of depression, some patients show persistent abnormalities of specific brain regions.

Such abnormalities may indicate the need for complementary treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy in order to reduce the risk of depressive recurrence.

Overall, these findings contribute to the argument that brain imaging studies could provide biomarkers of diagnosis and improve patients’ chances to responding to specific treatment modalities. Such neurobiological markers of depression may help psychiatrists to tailor antidepressant treatment to the brain and the biological needs of the patients. However, despite over a decade of such research, no such biomarkers have been found.

In the general population, depression is still frequently associated with or perceived as a bad lifestyle, impairment of judgment, bad choices, and ‘psychological weakness.’

However, the results of brain imaging studies demonstrate that depression impacts the brain, and is associated with dysfunction of specific brain regions involved in cognitive control and emotional response.

Source:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/09/02/brain-imaging-shows-brain-changes-in-depression/17541.html

What Really Happens During a Therapy Session?

When you take your car to the car mechanic, you know what’s going to happen: Your car will get repaired.
When you break a bone and visit your doctor, you know what’s going to happen: Your bone will be set in a splint or cast and eventually heal.
But when you make an appointment to see a therapist, do you know what’s going to happen? Many people aren’t quite certain. Will you just talk? Will you have to discuss your childhood? Will you be “hypnotized?" And what’s the “point” of seeing a therapist, anyway? Why not just talk to a friend?
There is a great deal of uncertainty in our society about what actually happens during a therapy session, what types of issues and problems are suitable for therapy, and what benefits a therapy session can provide. I’d like to address a few typical questions—and misconceptions—about what therapy is, what it isn’t, and how it really works.

Q: Do I have to be “sick” or “disturbed” to go see a therapist?
A: No. Thinking that one has to be “seriously disturbed” in order to see a therapist is a myth.
While some therapists do specialize in severe emotional disturbances—including schizophrenia or suicidal thoughts—many focus on simply helping clients work through far more typical, everyday challenges like mapping out a career change, improving parenting skills, strengthening stress management skills, or navigating a divorce. Just as some physicians specialize in curing life-threatening illnesses, while others treat “everyday” illnesses like flus, coughs, and colds, psychotherapists can serve a wide range of clients with a range of needs and goals, too.
In fact, most of my clients are successful, high-achieving people who are quite healthy, overall. Most are challenged by a specific, personal goal—like losing weight, creating more work-life balance, finding ways to parent more effectively, or feeling anxious about dating again after a rough break up.

Q: How can I choose the right therapist for my goal/situation?
A: Choosing a therapist is like choosing any other service provider—it’s a good idea to visit the practitioner’s website, and read client testimonials or reviews (if they have any—many do not, for confidentiality reasons). It's also good to ask friends and family members, or your physician, for referrals (and of course, check to see who is covered in your health insurance network).
If you are hoping to work on a specific issue—overeating, smoking, making a career change—try to find a therapist with expertise in that area. Many list their specialties or areas of focus on their websites. There are therapists who specialize in relationship issues, parenting issues, anger management, weight issues, or sexuality—pretty much any issue, goal, or situation you can imagine. If you’re not sure about someone’s expertise, just call them and ask. If they can’t be of assistance with your issue, they may be able to refer you to someone who can.

Q: What actually happens during a therapy session?
A: Each session is, essentially, a problem-solving session. You describe your current situation, and your feelings about it, and then the therapist uses their expertise to assist you in trying to resolve that problem so you can move closer to having the life you wish to have.
At the beginning of a session, the therapist typically invites you to share what’s been going on in your life, what’s on your mind, what’s bothering you, or whether there are any goals you’d like to discuss. You’ll be invited to speak openly. The therapist will listen and may take notes as you speak; some, like myself, take notes after a session. You won’t be criticized, interrupted or judged as you speak. Your conversation will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. This is a special, unique type of conversation in which you can say exactly what you feel—total honesty—without worrying that you’re going to hurt someone’s feelings, damage a relationship, or be penalized in any way. Anything you want—or need—to say is OK.
Some therapists (like myself) may give clients some homework to complete after a session. That homework might be to set up an online dating profile and reach out for a first date, or to exercise three times a week. It may be to spend some time each day pounding a pillow to safely release pent-up emotions, make a nightly journal entry, or any number of “steps” and “challenges” relevant to your goals. During your next session, you might share your progress and address any areas where you got frustrated, stuck, or off-track.
Of course, every therapist is different, every client is unique, and every therapist-client relationship is distinct as well—which means that there is no universal description of a therapy session. Some therapists employ dream interpretation in their work. Others bring music or art therapy into their work. Others incorporate hypnotherapy, life coaching, meditation, visualization, or role-playing exercises to “rehearse” challenging conversations. The list goes on and on. Ultimately, regardless of their approach, a therapist will listen without judgment and help clients try to find solutions to the challenges they face.

Q: Will I have to talk about my childhood?
A: Not necessarily. Many people think that visiting a therapist means digging up old skeletons from your childhood, or talking about how awful your mother was, etc. That is a myth. What you talk about during a therapy session will largely depend on your unique situation and goals. And depending on your goals, you may not actually talk about your past that much. The focus of your therapy is as likely to be your present-day reality and the future that you wish to create.
That being said, if you REALLY do NOT want to discuss your childhood, the intensity of your desire NOT to talk about it might suggest that you should! When people have strong negative emotions—about their childhood or any other topic—it’s typically worth doing some excavating to figure out why that is. Whatever is causing them to feel such strong emotions about the past is more than likely impacting their present-day life in some way, too.

Q: How long will I have to go to therapy?
A: This varies from person to person. I’ve had clients who booked one session, we worked out their issue(s), and they were all set: They marched out and didn’t need a follow-up session. Sometimes, one brave, honest conversation is really all you need.
Other clients have booked sessions with me over a period of several weeks or months, focusing on one issue, resolving that issue, then perhaps moving on to a different challenge. Then there are other clients who I’ve been working with for some time—they appreciate having a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly “check-in.” They may share their feelings, sharpen their life skills as needed, or perhaps enjoy a deeply nourishing guided meditation or hypnotherapy experience to de-stress. As one client put it, “Every two weeks when I meet with you, I leave your office feeling like you pressed my reset button.”
Therapy is really about whatever a client needs—a one-time conversation, a temporary source of support during a life transition, or an ongoing experience to optimize health physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Q: Is meeting with a therapist over the phone—or through video chat—just as effective as meeting in person?
A: That depends on your personality and preferences. In the state of Hawaii, where I live, at least one insurer that I know of covers doing therapy virtually via video chat (like Skype or Facetime). This makes it a convenient option for people. Many of my clients do enjoy having some, or all, of their sessions via video chat because it means they don’t have to take time out of their busy schedules to drive, park, and so on. They can just close their bedroom or office door, pick up the phone or log in, and away we go—very convenient.
Where feasible, I suggest trying out both ways—do a traditional, in-person therapy session and then try a video session—and see which format is the best fit for you.

Q: Why see a therapist? Why not just talk to a friend or someone in my family?
A: If you are blessed with caring, supportive family members and friends, by all means, share your feelings, goals, and dreams with those people. They are a big part of your support network, and their insights and encouragement can be very helpful. However, people who already know you might not always be completely objective when listening to you. For example, you may want to change your career, and you confess this dream to your wife. She may want to support you 100%, and try her very best to do so, but she may also be dealing with emotions of her own—such as anxiety about how a career shift will change your lives, not to mention your income. These emotions could make it difficult for her to listen and support you objectively.
This is why working with a therapist can be so valuable. It's a unique opportunity to share everything you’re feeling, and everything you want to create, without anyone interrupting you, imposing his or her own anxieties onto the conversation, or telling you that you’re “wrong” or that you “can’t.”
A therapy session is a space where you don’t have to worry about hurting anyone else’s feelings—you can be totally honest. It also means you have the potential to solve problems faster and with greater success. In the long run, that’s better for you and everyone else involved in your life, too.

To sum it up:
Therapy is a valuable tool that can help you to solve problems, set and achieve goals, improve your communication skills, or teach you new ways to track your emotions and keep your stress levels in check. It can help you to build the life, career, and relationship that you want. Does everybody need it? No. But if you are curious about working with a therapist, that curiosity is worth pursuing. Consider setting up one or two sessions, keep an open mind, and see how things unfold. You have very little to lose and, potentially, a lot of clarity, self-understanding, and long-lasting happiness to gain.


Source: Dr. Suzanne Gelb @ www.psychologytoday.com/

The brain-computer duel: Do we have free will?

The background to this new set of experiments lies in the debate regarding conscious will and determinism in human decision-making, which has attracted researchers, psychologists, philosophers and the general public, and which has been ongoing since at least the 1980s. At that time, the American researcher Benjamin Libet studied the nature of cerebral processes of study participants during conscious decision-making. He demonstrated that conscious decisions were initiated by unconscious brain processes, and that a wave of brain activity referred to as a 'readiness potential' could be recorded even before the subject had made a conscious decision.

How can the unconscious brain processes possibly know in advance what decision a person is going to make at a time when they are not yet sure themselves? Until now, the existence of such preparatory brain processes has been regarded as evidence of 'determinism', according to which free will is nothing but an illusion, meaning our decisions are initiated by unconscious brain processes, and not by our 'conscious self'. In conjunction with Prof. Dr. Benjamin Blankertz and Matthias Schultze-Kraft from Technische Universität Berlin, a team of researchers from Charité's Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, led by Prof. Dr. John-Dylan Haynes, has now taken a fresh look at this issue. Using state-of-the-art measurement techniques, the researchers tested whether people are able to stop planned movements once the readiness potential for a movement has been triggered.

"The aim of our research was to find out whether the presence of early brain waves means that further decision-making is automatic and not under conscious control, or whether the person can still cancel the decision, i.e. use a 'veto'," explains Prof. Haynes. As part of this study, researchers asked study participants to enter into a 'duel' with a computer, and then monitored their brain waves throughout the duration of the game using electroencephalography (EEG). A specially-trained computer was then tasked with using these EEG data to predict when a subject would move, the aim being to out-maneuver the player. This was achieved by manipulating the game in favor of the computer as soon as brain wave measurements indicated that the player was about to move.

If subjects are able to evade being predicted based on their own brain processes this would be evidence that control over their actions can be retained for much longer than previously thought, which is exactly what the researchers were able to demonstrate. "A person's decisions are not at the mercy of unconscious and early brain waves. They are able to actively intervene in the decision-making process and interrupt a movement," says Prof. Haynes. "Previously people have used the preparatory brain signals to argue against free will. Our study now shows that the freedom is much less limited than previously thought. However, there is a 'point of no return' in the decision-making process, after which cancellation of movement is no longer possible." Further studies are planned in which the researchers will investigate more complex decision-making processes.

Source:

http://www.neuroscientistnews.com/research-news/brain-computer-duel-do-we-have-free-will

World Hypnotism Day 4th January in Malaysia 今天不只是开学日，也是世界催眠日

今天不只是开学日，也是世界催眠日

全球催眠业界将每年的1月4日定为世界催眠日(World Hypnotism Day)。 很多人对催眠术的误解来自于科幻类书籍或电影，坊间也有许多关於催眠术负面的描述，例如很多人认为被催眠後就会受到控制，会在外界的引导下做出一些尴尬的事情，将每年的1月4日定为世界催眠日的目的，就是让人们改变这个错误的观念并了解事实，了解真正的催眠术能对他们的生活有怎样积极的改变，任何你可以想像到的坏习惯，都可以通过催眠术进行治疗，从而得到改善。

不少人对于催眠有很多迷思与误解，其实简单来说催眠可以说是处于一种“意识高度专注的状态”。它不是睡眠状态，也不是正常的清醒状态（如何肯定？本人都会以非侵入性的方式观测被催眠者的脑电波来探测）。从我对被催眠者的脑波观测与他们的口述回馈发现他们大致都会体会几种状态；有的人会进入高度放松的状态，有的人会进入非常祥和平静的状态。而我本身称它为一种“恍惚”般的状态。然而在这样的恍惚状态下，被催眠者依然能感受到身边所发生的事情和防范违反他们意愿的事情的。那感觉就如在高速公路驾驶数小时，在完全睡着前或者投入的看电影那般的感觉。

根据美国心理学会心理催眠部门 (American Psychological Association’s Division of Psychological Hypnosis)对催眠的解释是：“hypnosis is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests while treating someone that he or she experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. Although some hypnosis is used to make people more alert, most hypnosis includes suggestions for relaxation, calmness, and well-being. Instructions to imagine or think about pleasant experiences are also commonly included during hypnosis. People respond to hypnosis in different ways. Some describe hypnosis as a state of focused attention, in which they feel very calm and relaxed. Most people describe the experience as pleasant.”


I am celebrating World Hypnotism Day Jan. 4 by providing the email consultation regarding your concern. This day was established to help educate the general public of the fact and benefits of hypnosis.
Welcome to drop me an email: [email protected]

如海浪般的情绪

你可曾觉得突然间不想见任何人和做任何事？

突然变得好像行尸走肉一样，心情闷闷不乐?

那或许是有些事情你不想面对或做决定。

甚至可能是因为你睡眠质感出了问题。

这时你需要的是好好深呼吸并感受当下的情绪，并接纳此刻的心情。

要知道情绪像海浪般，并不是永远都会呈现大浪状态，但也不可能永远都风平浪静。

那么为何不给自己一些独处的时间来聆听自己内心的声音和情绪。

只需听，不需要评论，或许在不知不觉中你就会领悟些什么了。

笔者：Clinical Hypnotherapist Koo 临床催眠师

Merry Christmas 2015

There are so many gifts I want to give to you this Christmas. Peace, love, joy, happiness are all presents I am sending your way.

Scans Show How Hypnosis Affects Brain Activity

The word "hypnosis" tends to conjure up images of subjects partaking in silly activities they might not otherwise agree to. But over the past few decades, scientific study of hypnosis has begun to identify how the approach can work to alter processes such as memory and pain perception. According to a new report, hypnotic suggestions regulate activity in certain regions of the brain and can help it manage cognitive conflicts.

A well-known example of cognitive conflict involves a person trying to name the color of ink used to print letters that spell out a different color. For example, the word "blue" spelled out in red ink. It usually takes subjects longer to read out such a list than it does to read a list of color names written in matching colored inks. In previous work, Amir Raz and his colleagues at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University had illustrated that hypnosis could be used to reduce this conflict in highly hypnotizable individuals. In the new work, they used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and readings from scalp electrodes to monitor brain activity while subjects completed the ink-naming task.

The researchers also gave the subjects a posthypnotic suggestion to interpret the colored words as gibberish, which presumably would allow them to focus more on the color of the ink instead of reading the word. Highly hypnotizable individuals had better accuracy and quicker reaction times compared to those previously identified as being less responsive to hypnosis. The imaging data indicated that the hypnotizable subjects showed reduced brain activity in both visual areas and the anterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in conflict monitoring. Thus, the authors conclude, the results "illuminate how suggestion affects cognitive control by modulating activity in specific brain areas.

Source：http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scans-show-how-hypnosis-a/

[Health talk and assessment] Rin Enzyme Annual Thanks Giving Event

Health talk for Rin Enzyme Annual Thanks Giving event. 

We hope you all enjoyed the health talk and the assessments.

[Corporate Health Talk on Stress Management] Group Hypnotherapy for the Manager of Public Bank

A full day workshop with Public Bank Managers, how can stress affect your productivity and performance and what are the ways to manage it.

Yes, the best way to manage your stress is to learn healthy coping strategies.

I taught a simple self hypnosis technique as a coping skill to manage stress for all of them.

It is easy, fast and you can see how your brainwaves relieve stress instantly.

Offering brainwaves analysis (for understanding your sleep quality, stress, focus and attention abilities) after the health talk for all managers.

Contact us if you are interested. 

A Comic Perfectly Explaining Why Anxiety & Depression Are So Difficult To Fight

A Comic Perfectly Explaining Why Anxiety & Depression Are So Difficult To Fight

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/thedoctorasky

What happens when your brain doesn't sleep?

Disrupted sleep and circadian rhythm can have major impact on emotion, cognition and physical health. 

Source: https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/11/how-sleep-and-mental-health-are-linked-in-the-brain/

简易快速提神之自我催眠法

看着我的钟表，不眨眼并注视它1分钟之后闭上眼睛。

闭上眼睛后继续看着或想象我的钟表。

然后深呼吸（吸气4秒，撑着气6秒，吐气7秒）10次后告诉自己3次：“我很精神！”，

接着算1到10后张开眼睛。

此时你就像睡了个午觉般精神。

p/s：这照片里的形象是电影电视里催眠大师给人的印象。事实上这只是众多催眠方法里的其中一种催眠引导法。这个自我催眠法的效果因人而异，欲达到最好又个人化的效果请电邮我查询。

Unreserved Magazine | Cover Story - Think Healthy For the Mind, Body and Soul

Currently I am attached to the SOL Integrative Wellness Centre as a clinical hypnotherapist at KL Malaysia, Malaysia. I work closely with psychiatrist, child psychologist, neurotherapist, chinese physician, nutritional therapist, naturopath and physiotherapist to offer non-pharmacological therapies for ommon health issues.

What is Neuro-hypnotherapy?

Neuro-hypnotherapy is first of its kind in Malaysia developed by Hiro Koo. It is a technique by combining technology and art of science. It is a safe, non-invasive, drug-free and painless procedure whereby one is able to determine the brainwave state while conducting the neuro-hypnotherapy. To analyse the brainwaves, your clinical hypnotherapist will use the neurotherapytechnology, whereby one can observe the brainwave going into different state such as delta, theta, alpha and beta brainwave while the suggestion is being given by the clinical hypnotherapist during the therapy session, personalized self-hypnosis method will be developed based on the brainwave observation.