How the brain works

My approach is based on neuroscience: using this to understand how we behave the way we do and how we can change those behaviours.

Let’s have a look at the brain. The Pre- frontal Cortex is the bit you know as you, your conscious part. The part you use to interact with the world. At the moment it is attached to a vast intellectual resource, the intellectual mind. When we operate from this part of the brain we generally get things right in life. It will always come up with answers based on a proper assessment of the situation and is generally very positive.

There is another part of the brain. This part is the original primitive part. The centre and influential bit of this brain is the amygdala. This is generally referred to as the fight/flight/depression area of the brain. It is associated with two other very primitive parts: the hippocampus, which holds all our primitive, and sometimes inappropriate, behavioural experiences and patterns. There is also the hypothalamus which regulates chemical responses in our body and mind.

When our anxiety goes up, and it can be a gradual process, we lose intellectual control and to a greater or lesser extent our primitive mind takes over. This mind always operates within the primitive parameters of depression, anxiety or anger or a combination of all three. If our primitive mind thinks, for one reason or another, our life is in some kind of crisis or danger then it will generally step in to help. Depression, anxiety and anger are all primitive opt out clauses.

Of course these responses were very useful when we were faced with life threatening dangers in the distant past but these responses are not so useful for modern humans when we have an important meeting, we have had an argument or face a stressful situation at work.

Thankfully, there are ways to control anxiety and reduce the anxiety that has built up so that you can stay in your intellectual brain to find innovative solutions in calm and considered way. In solution focused hypnotherapy, we discuss what kinds of changes you would like to make and we also use trance. Trance helps to access our subconscious and focus attention on changing the patterns of behaviour we want to change by using positive suggestions.

If you want to know if hypnotherapy is right for you, feel free to contact me to let me know what changes you would like to make. Get in touch for a chat to see how I can help you at Sandbox Hypnotherapy.

You can see me face to face for Hypnotherapy at my clinics in Harley Street, London or Faversham, Whitstable or Herne Bay in Kent. I also work online with clients in the UK and internationally. Book a free 15 minute consultation to find out more.