I am delighted to announce that Sir Richard Bowlby the son of John Bowlby will be presenting a day-long workshop on his understanding of Attachment Theory. It will take place at Edgeley Park, Stockport on the 22nd February 2013 and the cost is £95 including refreshments and lunch. You can book online at www.mindsite.co.uk.

I met Sir Richard a few weeks ago at a talk he delivered in Barnsley and was very impressed by his knowledge of the subject and his passion about current child-care issues. He has certainly impacted on me personally and how I am with clients. If you would like to no more about Attachment Theory, Sir Richard Bowlby or the course - you can always call me here at Calm Minds in Bramhall.

You can find more information on Sir Richard Bowlby as well as further information on the day-long workshop  by clicking here

I am looking for other therapists to interview about their use of metaphor. I'm delighted that The University of Manchester have validated my doctorate research into the use of metaphor in counselling. I believe that this is a rich and mostly unexplored area and would be interested to hear from you if you are counsellor in practice who has stories of the powerful use (or not) of metaphor in your work with clients. I have written before of my interest in metaphor, psychological landscapes and the work of David Grove for trauma resolution.

I am presenting two workshops on this topic: the first is at The Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy on the 3rd July and then Leeds Counselling Training in January next year. Please contact me if you wish to attend either of these events.

I will be back blogging shortly on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which I find fascinating, freeing and potent.

Jonathan Lloyd

Calm Minds - counselling & hypnotherapy in Bramhall,Stockport.

I have increasingly thought that hypnotherapy can be a useful therapy for all of my clients, including my clients on the Autistic Spectrum ; why not? Clients on the spectrum have all the same issues around weight loss for example as the rest of us. They usually have a heightened anxiety level (which doesn't help with weight loss) and relaxation techniques such as self hypnosis or breathing can be of great help. General issues around exam nerves, driving tests can be dealt with, along with deeper seated issues such as bullying and "inner-child" resolution.

As with any therapy, hypnosis isn't a cure all, and it doesn't suit everyone. However, allied with counselling and talking things through it can be an extremely useful therapeutic tool.

Classic hypnosis can be engaged through progressive relaxation and deepening techniques, also the alpha state can be engaged in the therapy room without any formal trance inductions. This natural state, is a relaxed state where healing can take place. Often imaginative, creative and emotional connection can occur in the alpha state.

A great state for any of us to enter, particularly those of us who struggle to generally relax. Interestingly clients who are often in their "flight or flight" are the ones who relax quickly and deeply when given the permission to do so.

If you would like to know more about therapy and autism, that is counselling or hypnotherapy, please contact me at my Bramhall, Cheshire office.

Jonathan Lloyd

I am delivering a talk on the 10th February in the centre of Stockport (7.30 pm).The title is working with people on the Autistic Spectrum and their carers. I will be talking about the results of my 2008/9 MA on how fathers with autistic children cope along with how I work as a counsellor and (occasionally hypnotherapist) with clients on the spectrum.

If you would like to attend the event, please contact me asap as numbers are restricted.

Jonathan Lloyd

It is that time of year again, after a period of rest and indulging, looking down the barrel of a long stretch to Easter, when all kinds of issues can pop up. Relationships have possibly been strained (or healed) with this time spent together. Weight is also an issue at this time of year, after the parties and the good excuses for lack of exercise. I really enjoy helping people with weight issues. I firmly believe that the combination of hypnotherapy and counselling is the best approach. Eating can be a very emotional affair with roots sometimes as far back as childhood, "mindless eating" relates to our Child Ego State.

Hypnosis and counselling can be used effectively to help with such inner child issues, and I will often use John Bradshaw's Inner Child Therapy as a framework to work through with clients. Often, a confidence boost is required in the initial stages ; working on breaking habits attached to food, or even aversion to certain food types (chocolate/cakes etc?) can be helpful.

I am also becoming increasingly interested in the use of metaphor in therapy. David Grove's metaphor model can be extremely cathartic for those who have suffered a trauma of any kind. My doctorate work is now following this fascinating subject, I look forward to sharing my research results in the future.

I recently attended a wellbeing day at a school in Plymouth. Working alongside my colleague Chris Dawson talking about managing stress with 82 teachers and teaching staff was a joyful experience, and informative to me too. The subject of stress continues to interest me, I was intrigued to hear that the "normal" level of stress in 2012 would have resulted in the hospitalisation of someone in the 1950s! Stress really is the modern day epidemic and affects all of us. Chris and I are embarking on writing a book on the subject of stress and wellbeing, drawing on our work with clients and schools over the last 4 years. We have a working title - The Cat Sits in the Sun...             

Exciting times!!

If you would like to know more about my private practice of counselling/hypnotherapy in Bramhall, Cheshire, please call or email to arrange an initial chat.

Jonathan Lloyd

As the clocks go back I am left reflecting why my counselling client appointment requests increase in the winter?

There may be some obvious reasons, dark nights, bad weather, less time out and about, less sunlight.

There is a long leap from the summer holidays to Christmas with a short October break for some. Stress caused by chronic ongoing unwanted demand can leave some of us feeling down, depressed, anxious or even ill. It can often affect our relationships, leaving us on a short fuse, ready to dump the day’s anger on the safest (loved) one. How many of us are guilty of that?

If we feel stressed or down due to increased workload, the bad weather and lack of light can affect us even more. Our control seems to be external. In other words our happiness depends more on what is happening ‘out there’ rather than us taking control. If the weather is bad than that makes us feel sad, if people aren’t nice to us at work we feel down. This external locus of control can be the cause of stress and make stress worse, a vicious circle downwards.

If you would like to find out how to take more control of your happiness and feel less down the winter than last, through counselling or hypnosis, please call me at Calm Minds in Bramhall.

Jonathan Lloyd
Oct 2011