Dan’s Blog

Back in Ultramarathon Training – Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jan 16, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Back in Ultramarathon Training – Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

I know many of you share my love of running and I always enjoy sharing stories of races and training with clients I am working with. And I know many more of you, even if not runners, like to know how I’m getting on with my running (even if only to tell me, like my wife regularly does, that I must be mad!).

And so this is just a little update to let you know that I am now back in full ultramarathon training mode! My long runs are already starting to nudge up in distance with a fourteen mile run yesterday and there is lots more mileage to come on top of that in coming weeks. Whilst some runs seem more challenging that others, yesterday was one of those occasions where I just lot myself in my thoughts. It was as much a meditation as a run and one of those occasions where I wish I’d taken a notepad and pen with me to write down some work ideas that came to me.

Those of you who have spoken to me about exercise in the past know that it is one of the primary ways I take care of both my physical and mental health. And there is a lot of evidence and research to support running and exercise to help with anxiety and depression. I’ve included some links about that further on. For those of you who want to improve your running performance and mindset, I’ve also included some links to articles about sports hypnosis and running psychology. When it comes to the mind-body connection and enhancing your well-being, it really is the case that exercise and movement should be right up there on your priority list.

Last year, I came out of some sort of race retirement and managed to complete both a marathon and 50k ultramarathon and, as a result, was able to bag two shiny new medals for my collection. This year I’m aiming to do another one or two 50k ultramarathons and hopefully a bit more fluidly than last time out.

Yesterday, the bulk of my run was along the riverside here in Ely. It’s one of my favourite routes around here. It’s mainly off-road, the paths are pretty quiet and there is so much wildlife and nature to enjoy (to distract from the heavy legs!). As much as I miss the hills of Wales, there is a beauty to be found and appreciated in the landscapes and views around the Fens.

Here’s the view looking back along the fields and river towards Ely, with the Cathedral always present and standing over the town:

Free Hypnotherapy Initial Consultation in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jan 15, 2024 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Free Hypnotherapy Initial Consultation in Ely and Newmarket

I hope that your New Year has started well and that things are progressing positively for you. It’s been a busy one with hypnotherapy appointments and I’ve already been working with many people to help them with problems such as anxiety, controlling eating habits, panic attacks, overcoming fears, low confidence and insomnia.

And on top of that, at home, we went straight from Christmas into the madness of my eldest daughter’s birthday (I’m too young to be a Dad to a sixteen year old!). And I’m starting to ramp up my weekly running mileage as I look forward to a Spring ultra-marathon (or two if my body holds it together!).

In the busyness of helping people who contact me to make changes to their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, I sometimes forget to remind you about my free hypnotherapy initial consultation.

I know that many people are a little hesitant and sceptical about hypnotherapy, especially if all you have to go on is what you’ve seen on TV or heard about stage shows. And sometimes the most challenging thing is taking the first step to start therapy. That’s why I’ve always offered my free hypnotherapy initial consultation. I want you to be sure that working with me is the best thing for you to help you feel better. And I want you to be able to do that with no obligation when we first meet and chat.

Think Like Sherlock To Tackle Anxiety

by Dan Regan | Jan 8, 2024 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Think Like Sherlock To Tackle Anxiety – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

We are into the start of the new year as I write this, and the Christmas festive period is now well and truly over for another year. I’ve written before about my love for A Christmas Carol and all things Dickens over the festive period and there was certainly some of that. However, things were certainly much more dominated this year by another character and his creator.

I’ve loved everything Sherlock Holmes since I was a teenager and I first picked up the books. I’ve re-read them dozens of times over the years, along with many other Sherlock stories from different authors. Over Christmas, I watched a couple of Sherlock films that were on, a fascinating documentary series about Sherlock and his creator, Conan Doyle, as well as a less fascinating programme on the same subject. And things certainly went Sherlock crazy at home when my daughter received a present of a Sherlock board game.

In the game you are given a case to solve and with the game afoot, you then move around the board picking up clues along the way. It’s one of the most enjoyable games we’ve had and we all got involved with a new case each day. It requires a bit of strategy and some thinking and then nothing beats that ‘a-ha’ moment when you can put the clues together and work out the culprit, the weapon and the motive. Elementary, my dead Watson! (Although that phrase doesn’t appear in any of the Sherlock books!).

One of the things I admire about Sherlock Holmes and his methods is the way he approaches issues and solves things using evidence, science and logical thinking. It’s exactly the sort of mindset that can help you if you need to tackle anxiety, fear, worry and overthinking. Rather than the feelings and emotions of anxiety driving your thinking towards worst case scenarios, you want to be able to think clearly, evaluate what goes on inside your head calmly and so then be in control of your own thinking and subsequent responses. Whereas most hypnotherapists sadly do not draw upon any of the science and evidence in their methods, thinking like Sherlock can help you to successfully tackle anxiety, feel better and stay feeling better.

More Reasons for Quitting Smoking – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jan 5, 2024 | Quit Smoking Hypnosis

More Reasons for Quitting Smoking – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

There are very few (if any) reasons for continuing to smoke and many, many good reasons for quitting smoking.

Top of the list whenever I help someone to quit is pretty much always your health. You know that smoking damages your health and, even if you’ve been able to make yourself ignore the unseen damage, there is always the lingering worry that sooner or later all those cigarettes are going to catch up with you. You could wait until you notice you get out of breath, that you have less energy, that you are coughing all the time and that things seem a bit harder for you now, or you could take action to change your habit and give up before the damage is too great.

Of course there are many other great reasons for quitting smoking too. You save an absolute fortune when you don’t smoke anymore. You’ll no longer worry about smelling of fags or needing to slip away and find the next opportunity for to smoke. And, of course, with fewer and fewer people smoking now, you can stop feeling like the odd one out when you are around others. You also get the freedom of no longer needing to rely on cigarettes, you will feel healthier as a non-smoker and you are no longer controlled by that old habit.

Many smokers think that their cigarettes help them to relax. However, there is nothing in a cigarette that does this, it’s just that you’ve got used to smoking in situations where you are already feeling calmer, such as when taking a break or having a few moments to yourself. And although nicotine plays a role, the biggest factor is your ongoing smoking habit is psychological. Having smoked so many times in the same situations, your mind creates a pattern that links the cigarette and the situation together and there is an ongoing psychological expectation of doing the same thing each time. That’s why smokers light up in the same sort of situations and may not even think about smoking when they are somewhere they have never smoked.

And as with any pattern and habit, with hypnotherapy and a bit of effort and action, it is certainly possible to quit smoking for good.

Control Eating Habits and Weight Loss Hypnotherapy

by Dan Regan | Jan 3, 2024 | Weight Loss

Control Eating Habits and Weight Loss Hypnotherapy

A major component of any successful and sustainable weight loss programme is always learning how to control your eating habits.

Rather than dieting and restriction, you can reach your ideal weight and still enjoy all the tastes, textures, smells and tastes of healthy and nutritious food. You simply learn to enjoy consistently eating the right amount.

So many of us learn eating habits that are less than ideal and then get stuck in a cycle of repeating them. Even if you make some changes for a while, without addressing the underlying psychological and behavioural issues, you soon find yourself back where you started. You may have been told when you were young that you needed to clear your plate (perhaps through the guilt of starving people in the world). You may have always eaten quickly, over-eaten or made less than healthy choices. And it’s quite common that once you had the freedom to make your own eating decisions then the calories came thick and fast (and perhaps sweet too).

Many eating habits get ingrained without you even realising until your weight is an issue. And, as with all habits, your brain is designed to repeat the same patterns, regardless of whether they are helpful or not. And so you eat too much, make unhealthy choices, crave certain foods, find it impossible to stop once you’ve started and mindlessly snack. You get stuck in a rut and, no matter how many diets you’ve tried, you can’t break free.

If your weight is an issue for you, you may already be trying to summon the motivation and inspiration you need to try and start yet another weight loss programme of calorie counting, restriction and deprivation. It’s a depressing prospect of struggle and likely failure.

However, with weight loss hypnotherapy it certainly is possible to take control over your eating habits and so to then successfully lose weight.

Happy New Year From Dan Regan Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Dec 30, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Happy New Year! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

As this year draws to a close, I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy New Year!

A massive thank you to everyone who has made this year such a great one. A massive thank you to all of my face to face clients and to everyone who has downloaded one and benefited from one of my hypnosis downloads. I’m massively grateful for all of your ongoing support and special thanks to everyone who recommended me to friends and family and who has very kindly left me a positive online hypnotherapy review.

It’s been a very successful year of hypnotherapy and I continue to love helping you to deal with issues such as anxiety, fear, overthinking and worry. I’ve also helped many people to take back control over their eating habits and to quit smoking for good.

Earlier in the year I was very fortunate to win another service excellence award at the Ely Business Awards and, outside work, I’m super happy to have completed my first marathon for seven years (and then an ultra marathon too).

As the current year ends, I always like to take a few moments for a private reflection of some of the highlights of the year and the things I’m pleased with and grateful for.

Tame Your Inner Critic – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Dec 27, 2023 | Confidence and Self Esteem

Tame Your Inner Critic – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Every waking moment you have a constant stream of thoughts running through your mind. You have ideas, you make decisions, evaluate things, replay things, imagine things and talk to yourself in an ongoing stream of thought as you go about your day. Much of the time you may not even notice this is particularly happening. Sometimes these thoughts are encouraging, positive and helpful and there may be moments where they are random or unfocused and your thoughts just seem to flow in all sorts of directions.

And, of course, there are those thoughts that cause negativity, low mood and that limit you and hold you back in a variety of ways. Sometimes the things you might say to yourself in your head are not that kind. You can berate yourself, criticise yourself and put yourself down about something you have or haven’t said or done or a mistake you think you’ve made. Long after everyone else has moved on and forgotten about it, you can still find yourself criticising yourself over and over inside your own head.

You may even judge and be harsh about yourself as a person, putting down who you are, what you do and what you are capable of achieving. You wouldn’t let a stranger talk to someone you loved in the same way yet there you are putting yourself down all the time. And it has real life consequences in how you feel and what you do.

This inner critic is that part of you that grabs hold when you put yourself down and criticise yourself. You tell yourself you’re a failure, that you always mess up, that you’re a loser and that you aren’t good enough. And perhaps the worst bit is that this inner voice of yours follow you around all day, reminding you of every little mistake you’ve ever made.

Yet because this all occurs inside your own head it is very possible to tame your inner critic and to learn how to encourage and support yourself in ways that all you to move forward confidently and capably.

Merry Christmas from Dan Regan Hypnotherapy

by Dan Regan | Dec 17, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Merry Christmas from Dan Regan Hypnotherapy

At this busy time of the year, I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

It’s been a very busy and successful year here and I’m looking forward to having some time to relax and have fun with the family over the festive period (along with getting out for lots of running and having a bit of time to practice playing the guitar!). I’m already getting booked up and busy for the New Year. And I’m already excited for when I’ll be coming back refreshed and recharged and ready to help many, many more of you to successfully deal with issues such as anxiety, overthinking, weight loss, fears and much, much more.

Thanks so much to everyone who has worked with me this year, and a special thanks for all of the very kind positive reviews that you’ve left about your sessions and about my hypnosis downloads (new titles coming early next year!).

The Ageing Impact of Stress – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Dec 15, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

The Ageing Impact of Stress – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

In my last article, I wrote all about the stress response and the negative impact of stress on your mood, mindset, thoughts and feelings.

Stress can easily start to negatively effect your thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours in ways that make you feel worse and worse. You may feel anxious, depressed, overwhelmed and on edge. You can struggle to think clearly, make decisions and plan things. You may feel like you have no control over your life, or conversely, you may start to try and control every small detail. You struggle to relax and switch off. And there can be impacts upon your motivation, enthusiasm and general energy levels. Your sleep is disrupted, your eating and drinking habits can change and, all in all, you feel burnt out, lost and exhausted. If your stress has been going on along time then it may seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Stress clouds your mood and mindset, you feel like you are carrying a weight on your shoulders and you struggle to take a grip of your own thoughts and feelings. As I mentioned in that article, hypnotherapy can help you to start feeling calmer and to take back control over your thoughts and feelings. You can feel more enthusiastic, stronger and more self assured to tackle the challenges and problems that come your way. You develop the personal resources that will help you to deal with the demands placed upon you.

However, the impact of stress goes beyond the negative thoughts and feelings you experience. Recent research has also investigated the impact upon your biological age in response to stress.

The Stress Response – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Dec 14, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

The Stress Response – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

The stress response can have a massive negative impact upon your thoughts and feelings. When it feels as though the demands upon you are too great to cope with, you can easily start to spiral into a cycle of negativity and stress. And when your stress just seems to run and run, it can impact upon you detrimentally and start to weave into all the other aspects of your life too.

The stress response evolved to help us to navigate immediate and external threats and dangers. Stress hormones mobilise your resources for action. Blood and oxygen is directed to your muscles, adrenaline is released, your heart beats faster and you are ready to deal with the threat through fleeing or fighting. And although this is helpful when there is an immediate danger to deal with and where you need to act quickly, it can be less helpful when seeking to manage your life and to deal with more modern challenges.

And many of these modern challenges can come from things like relationships, other people, employment and other things that can be ongoing over a much longer period than out stress response system was designed to deal with. In many cases, it can be our own thoughts, perceptions, expectations and thinking patterns that stress us out and lead to endless worrying. And dealing with things over the longer term and that continually fire off your stress response can be pretty exhausting (mentally and physically).

The negative effects of stress can lead to a range of physical issues such as exhaustion, burnout, digestive problems and high blood pressure. You might feel overwhelmed, anxious, tense and struggle to think clearly or to make decisions. And, as a result of the physical depletion and mental fog, you will start to struggle with sleeping and healthy eating, and you might feel angry, apathetic and start to avoid things you usually enjoy. And, of course, all of these things just add to your stress load, making you feel even worse.

Yet no matter how much your stress response is negatively impacting right now, it is very possible to take back control over your thoughts and feelings. You can feel calm and more confident as you orchestrate your own internal thinking and feeling patterns and as you deal with whatever external challenges and problems may come your way.

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