Have you ever had that feeling, that a belief you have is true but you cannot prove it? Well, scientists have very kindly confirmed a long-held view that I have, that the brain and mind create associations with words (auditory cortex) and sights (visual cortex) that stimulate internal mental states that effectively keep us locked into various mental health conditions . . .

Isn't it nice to know that within your brain, there are individual cells monitoring your mistakes! It's even more interesting to know, that we can create states of mind that maximise the efficacy of those neurons to correct our mistakes; hypnotherapy can play a significant role in increasing the efficacy of our inbred error correction system . . . 

A few years back, almost by accident, I discovered the existence of PGO (Ponto-Geniculo-Occipital) brainwaves, so, it seems too coincidental that this research ends up in my inbox; or is it . . .

As a general rule, when working with a client, for any condition, I always look for the potential for stress and/or anxiety in any presenting issue. The rationale being, that stress and anxiety are known to limit or inhibit normal brain function. It is always going to be more difficult to help anyone when their brain isn't firing on all four cylinders! The research below adds a little weight to my treatment philosophy, as well as a clearer picture of the WHY factor . . . 

While the markets suffer and the price of commodities fluctuates more than the temperature of an English summer, it seems that one (precious) metal, copper, is proving to be priceless to who we are and how we develop! Want to find out 12 natural sources of copper for your diet? Then you can find them here

Tell a pregnant mother not to drink or smoke during pregnancy and she may look at you in astonishment! But what would she think if you told her not to take antidepressants, perhaps not so easy to swallow if you are clinically depressed?

Another threatening virus but mostly those affected aren't even born yet! The Zika virus is a strange one because there are little or no, observable, symptoms in the carrier and that makes it hard to detect. So, for now, all we can rely on is our own vigilance and follow the advice that may keep us safe.  Mosquitoes

Researchers activate previously dormant memory cells! It is my contention that both the upside and the downside of life is, not only contingent on memory but a cause and consequence of it. The research below seems to confirm and ratify my assumption.

We live in a world where it's getting more and more difficult to tell real from fake: nevertheless, the brain acts on what it determines to be its reality. Researchers have discovered the reason that allows us to ignore facts and evidence and hold onto our beliefs .  .  .

Many people smoke, drink alcohol and/ or eat unhealthily, despite that, they appear to want to live a long and happy life! After all, they love their favourite death stick, couldn't live without that daily shot of hooch and that burger, yummy . . .

Scientists claim an unknown effect on an inhibitory interneuron related to learning and memory. When over-activated memory and learning deteriorate and when under-activated learning and memory improved. So, how do we personally affect the activation of these interneurons? Simple; we get stressed . . . 

While we sleep our brain sets about organising and reorganising our memories, a process called sleep-dependent memory (SDM) consolidation (for new long term memories) and SDM reconsolidation (updating current memories). Our life experience is, to a degree, the collateral effect of these processes  .  .  .

Serotonin and dopamine are or at least should be, as much of a household name as Kellogs Cornflakes or Heinz Baked Beans. However, unlike cornflakes and beans, there is seemingly no end to how much they continue to find out about these little neurochemical critters! But is there a connection to these findings and hypnotherapy  .  .  .

Memories, we all have them, every thought, feeling or behavioural outcome is, in some way, related to some form of memory, be it genetic, explicit (declarative or implicit (non-declarative). But how often do you stop to think about how wonderful memory is and why you should do all that you can to enhance and develop it? Mostly and sadly, the answer is, very little! So, for a moment, think about that, then remember the most wonderful experience you've ever experienced in your life  .  .  .

Scientists discover a way to bypass brain damage and help patients re-encode nascent memories, leading to the natural formulation of long-term memory. Hypnotherapy can actually help you to do that; without the need for brain damage! Why wait for a tragedy or trauma as a prerequisite experience for a better life?, In some sense, the quality of life is a consequence of the quality of our memories  .  .  .

Do you use or need Facebook or other social media platforms to give you an emotional boost and keep the lid on your emotions? If you do, this could be worth a read because you may well be on the wrong pathway to emotional stability .  .  .

The way we perceive our environment, eventually influence the way our brain, then our body, responds to it. This also applies to your unborn child during pregnancy. If you are in a good place mentally, then so is your unborn child but it is also a two-way flow when you're in a bad place  .  .  .

Every once in a while a real Gem appears about the efficacy of Hypnosis. Hopefully, as the cost of medical treatments continues to rise, alternative treatments, like hypnotherapy will help to lower costs! In this particular article about IBS, hypnotherapy is a shining example of how the human brain, via our ability to effectively communicate with it, shows its potential  .  .  .

For most people I see, love, happiness and joy, are retrospective experiences. Something we become aware of through introspection or memory recall. Wouldn't it be nice to have more of an, at that moment, awareness (mindfulness) of life as it is happening? Hypnotherapy helps you discover the way to achieve that kind of life . . . 

Love it or hate it, dopamine is our friend through thick and thin, good times and bad. But like most well-intentioned people, it can act against what we really want, even what is really good for us; that's the essence of most anxiety. Hypnotherapy is the natural and safe solution to the life you want . . . 

Love is a many splendored thing, well, that's the way they sold it in the 1955 movie of the same name. A love story between an American journalist (William Holden) and a Eurasian Dr (Han Suyin). Things have obviously changed a lot since then and the need to connect with the feeling side of life offers the potential for an effective solution . . . 

When life is going well, it seems like a harmonious rhythm of your favourite band or orchestra. When it's not going so well, it's almost like you being chased by sirens, the never-ending whaling of chaos and calamity but why . . . 

See what you want and want what you see. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Wouldn't life be great if we could live by such maxims? Well, actually you can, for sure not all the time but enough to make life a great place to be. You see, it's what we do most of the time, the norm, that appears to shape the way our brain works . . . 

Have you ever noticed that some people are so complex, everything seems like a challenge to them? Each day is a contest, how can I make each molehill a mountain, what can I do today that will really screw it up?  On the other hand, others seem so simple in their approach to life, every tin can turns into gold, water always flows away from them; life is a breeze. While there are some genetic factors at play, mostly it's a case of non-conscious memory construction, based on life experience . . . 

If you want your children to have a great future, the earlier you start the better. Obviously, when I say the earlier you start, I am referring to you! You are the example your children use to interpret life and the greater the bond you develop, the more they are likely to imitate you because imitation is the greatest form of flattery and children will work you like a toy soldier to please you and to get what they want! After all, they are master manipulators . . . 

What would life be like without memory, imagine having to relearn everything, every day? But while we know we won't have to, it is also useful to know that memory can be as much our nemesis as it is our friend and just like some friends, it's not that reliable either . . . 

A marvellous study that epitomizes how hypnosis works, it's about visualizing a different representation of an issue, connecting the dots . . . creating a newer more empowering outcome - Simple really!

While we know that being calm makes life feel better, we also know that the world is a dangerous place, it's a dog eat dog world and if you don't get "them," they'll get you; right? Well, actually, no, that's not the way life should be, hypnotherapy will help you create a life of real value, real pleasure but how? Read on . . . 

Life doesn't just happen, it's an intricate lifelong journey of learning and adapting to a myriad of experiences, from birth to the day you decide to do something about it! Something that puts 'You' in control of that journey, is Hypnotherapy. That's simply because it is one of the most effective methods of discovering exactly how much you can control the way your life unfolds . . . 

Some interesting news on new ideas about memories, how they are formed, retrieved and restored. It has long been accepted that the process thru which this occurs is thru protein synthesis, Clayton Dickson and his team have other ideas. Keep an ear out for future news but don't hold your breath, these things take time . . . 

Scientists rejoice in finding a reliable way to predict negative human emotions through the discovery of a unique brain signature. Hypnotherapists rejoice when a client responds to positive active mind management; i.e. using the power of a positive mindset. That said, a positive mindset is more than the mere presence of positive thinking; it's as much about the absence of negative subconscious processing! That much is consequential in and of the teaching and learning that happens during hypnosis . . .

 A remarkable result on the role of one of the brain's glial (support) cells, astrocytes; the neural vacuum cleaners. This seems to be a real case of, prevention is always better than cure and with hypnotherapy, the cure is a very relaxing experience . . .

In the world of fun, excitement, exhilaration and joy, we are mostly led to believe that a reward is something we experience in the presence of something good but that is not the way our brain sometimes experiences reward . . .

Money is the thing that many seek, ostensibly because they believe it equals success. In reality, it is how and why you manage to accumulate money that says more about how successful you are. But one myth we must let go of, is, that money will make you happy, if it did, then everyone who had it would be happy and we know that is not true, don't we? So, are you happy, do you want to be . . .

If you are experiencing challenges in life, feeling anxious, depressed or generally fearful, just ask a friend for help, they'll likely tell you to pull yourself together, that'll do it; right?  If it did, I'd be very surprised but good for you if it does! In reality, some go to a Dr others self medicate. The problem with either of these approaches, is, that the brain is a pharmacy but we are not pharmacists and without proper testing, neither is the Dr! So what can you do . . .

Imagine, you are having a great day, when, all of a sudden you have this overwhelming feeling of foreboding, your pulse starts racing, your chest is pounding and you say; for no reason, I became very anxious! Hmmm, the brain doesn't become anxious for no reason, so what is going on . . .

Scientists have discovered that the fat is more likely to be the holy grail that extends life, not the previously thought resveratrol in red wine but the story doesn't end there . . .

Hypnotherapy, the user manual for the brain, helps us better process life at levels below the conscious awareness of what is going on around us, e.g. the daily onslaught of bad news we are subjected to. While the media are plying us with bad news, presumably, because we have a right to know, scientists are finding ways to help us understand why things are going wrong and, hopefully, how to fix it . . .

The dynamic role of sleep and REM sleep, in particular, is slowly but excitingly, being unravelled. The role of sleep states be it during our nighttime recovery mode and healing in hypnosis is awakening the power of the brain and how we can learn to manage it more successfully . . . 

The challenges faced by frequent drinkers or alcoholics also has implications on how well we develop as life progresses. This is evidenced by the number of adults with an emotionally challenging life, as a consequence of being a relative of a drinker . . . 

While fear is a primordial survival mechanism, in modern life, it has been surpassed by anxiety; but aren't they the same thing? No . . . but they involve the same defensive system, just for slightly different reasons. So, how can we tell the difference . . .

What we see may not be as important to us as we believe. This is because, what the brain sees, or at least thinks it does, is what ultimately forms what we call the outcome. Awareness is merely a human perspective, a consequence of cellular level processes, resulting in an intracellular second messenger cascading effect, that finally results in what we see, or believe we do (the outcome) . . . 

This is a regurgitated blog from a year or so back but I thought it was worth a rerun or update because of my last blog! So, it's an add on to memory consolidation that occurs during sleep, occurs during REM and NonREM phase 2, and adding NonREM 3 to certain levels of memory and learning . . .

Isn't it nice to know, that while we sleep, our brain is busying itself in preparation for the day ahead and building up our database of knowledge and new memories; that is why it is so important to get a good night's sleep; it can lead to a good day ahead and a better ability to remember it in the future . . .

That happy, calm, relaxed and motivated people will generally perform better in most, if not all areas of life, is old news. But despite knowing that, business owners and managers still persist in behaving in ways that stress and demotivate their employees! Oh my, oh my, when will they ever learn . . .

I notice many people turning up late for church, every week, at the start of the service the place is half empty (when it comes to tardiness, I'm a half-empty kind of guy). If you ask them why they were late, time or the lack of it would be in there somewhere! So where do they find the time to while away their day on social media . . .

Have you ever wondered why you have forgotten something or find your recollection of it a bit hazy? And why, sometimes, things we thought we forgot, actually pop up into our mind, long after we thought we had forgotten about it, e.g the name of that face. While you think you have forgotten, the brain carries on its search; while you just carry on . . .

I often get asked, "how can I get rid of negative thoughts?" My answer is pretty much the same, it depends! It depends on what the thoughts are, over how they developed, how long you've had them (to a lesser degree) and how emotively strong they are etc. But the real cruncher; is, what is your language like . . .

Sometimes we need to learn to think like a kid, not so much in the sense of being childish, just in a way that allows us to recapture our youthfulness, to regain that innocence and simplicity that comes from a young and uncomplicated brain  . . . 

Love is a feeling emotion but we mostly see it from a rhetorical perspective. So to feel loved, you have to move away from the semantics of it and get into the feeling side of life. Most clients I ask, "how do you feel" will tell me what they think. So, while it is said that Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, from my perspective, they are both way more Earthbound they realise . . . 

If you want to sharpen your brain, speak with more clarity, have more certainty in your life and just function better, then it's time to sharpen up your language! It's really hard to sharpen your mind with blunt ineffective language, hypnotherapy will help you make life more enjoyable and, you may live longer too . . . . 

While meditation gets a lot of good press and deservedly so, clients who have tried it very often say that it is hard and I think that difficulty leads them to give up? The pot of gold that one can get (figuratively speaking) from becoming a master at meditation, is, for most, too far away to seem achievable. Hypnosis is just as efficient, if not more so, and infinitely easier to achieve mastery; try it . . . . 

This research points out the positive connection between therapy and music. Scientists have discovered that certain music really can strike a chord or two that helps us to find a connection at the deeper levels of our mind . . . 

It is said that a life without a purpose, is no life at all. However, life is a process of trial and error and life's purpose very often unfolds out the trials and tribulations of the way we respond to our life events. Although it is true, that some get way more to deal with than everyone else, yet, often a truly inspirational life still emerges after the dust has settled . . .

Another example of how highly emotional or even out of the ordinary experiences of everyday life can affect the way we see our world and be less empathic, more self-centred as a result. It seems a collateral effect of normal or calmer states of mind is that we have more time to think of others and, make a better life experience as a consequence. . . . 

 Day by day science expands the envelope of brain research, so they are definitely moving in the right direction. So, hopefully, in the not too distant future, we'll get hooked up to brain analyzer, much the same way your car is when in for a tune up and come out in tip-top condition. Until then, I suggest you rely on a more traditional form of mental tune up, hyp[notherapy . . . 

Learning to differentiate fantasy from reality. The brain uses unique skills to filter out the relevant from the irrelevant. However, we cannot always determine what is relevant, because, when it comes to survival, the brain prioritises its own sense of relevance and in the process, we get sidestepped . . .

If life is not what you thought it would turn out to be, then you may be thinking . . . how can I change this? And that is a good question, so, I'll hopefully give you a good answer. If you want your life to take you in a different direction, then you need to start to do things differently, and, the best way to make that happen is through hypnosis . . . 

Is life without a purpose actually a life? Well, in terms of how life is defined, heart beating, brain functioning etc. if you are reading this blog, you are alive. However, in terms of your life's quality, well, that's way more than a beating heart or functioning brain, it's defined by your purpose . . . 

A picture is worth a thousand words or so they say! So, assuming that is true, what is the value of a true friend? But what is a true friend and how do you define one, do you even do that? Maybe categorising them can help, class A, B, C and U (unclassified) can help. Otherwise, how do we differentiate one type from the other? Like it or not, there are differences in what we get from (or add to), friends and you fail to recognise that, at your peril . . . . 

Imagine you had the power to heal yourself or perhaps make choices about how you want to feel as you begin your day?  Well, you actually already do have those abilities, you just might not know how, but I do. . . 

If you have a social anxiety disorder and you seem to have run out of options with medication, or, you just don't want to go down the "pill" route, why not consider hypnotherapy? It really can bring you happiness and inner peace . . . 

 There seems to be a lot of attention these days to self-centred, egotistical and, sometimes narcissistic, sociopathic personalities. However, some, or at least aspects, of those traits are quite normal and we all have them, at least potentially so! So, what happens when it goes wrong . . . 

Neurological conundrums - It's not always what you know or even what you think you know that makes life challenging. It's actually what your brain believes about what it thinks it knows; that's the problem . . . 

Do you ever get that feeling, the feeling that who you are with, cannot be trusted or where you are, just isn't safe? Well, it turns out this is nothing other than the defensive mechanisms within our brain, essentially it no longer trusts your judgment, it just makes those decisions for you. The problem for you is, that you actually don't necessarily trust it either . . . 

We've all heard of Gremlins, those little pesky but cute looking little monsters that run amok throughout our world. But what Ghrelins? All things being equal, this peptide that lives in our gut, tips off our brain to signal that it's lunchtime and the need for satiation shortly follows that lead. However, how often are all things equal  . . . 

If you want to live a happy, productive and fulfilling life, you absolutely must keep anxiety and stress under wraps. You just cannot be highly stressed, for too long or, too often and there not be consequences but how do you achieve that . . . 

When we are young, we are sharp, agile and, very often, decisive. However, once we pass 30 or so, that starts to move in the opposite direction, slowly at first and increasing with each passing decade. So, the best time to make decisions that will help you maintain your fitness and health, for longer, is obviously in your 30'. However, starting later, at any age, is better than never starting at all; here's why . . . 

If you are a smoker, then I'm sure that quitting has passed through your mind on many occasions but, here you are still smoking! So, the next time you want to quit, this one is just for you because the idea that stopping smoking is hard to do is one of the greatest myths of all time and here's why . . . 

In a world where every day we read about the selfish and horrible acts of humans, against other humans, even animals don't escape this malaise that has existed since ancient to modern times, it's nice to see the seat altruism emerge . . .

We live in a world where mental health disorders are on the rise and, coincidentally or not, so is anxiety, stress and depression. Of course, this is a puzzlement because considering all that we have going for us, these should all be on the decline. So, why aren't they . . .

Life is a funny old thing, we have a vague notion that we know what is going on but in reality, it is what is going on in our brain that ultimately decides what goes on, and, what of that we become aware of? In some sense, everything that we are is a consequence of what is going on; in there! After all, it's all in the mind or is it . . . 

Hypothalamic stem cells are the birthplace of new brain cells (neurons) and, as it turns out, the more of them the better, albeit quality is way ahead of quantity. So, it makes good sense to do what we can to get more of them; but how . . .

The more you actively engage in determining what you think about, in a positive sense, the more you get to direct your life. If you leave it up to your brain . . . well, you already know what that leads to. . . . 

Deep within your brain, some little critters called neuronal stem cells, are hard at work helping you build memories and, hopefully, a very happy and enjoyable life. The secret to that life though is while they are hard at work; you shouldn't be. . . . 

If you are constantly feeling tired, not getting enough sleep or just feel like you have way too much on your mind to get a good nights sleep, then be warned, you are putting yourself at great harm, maybe not now but for sure at some point in the future. To prevent that, why not try a hypnotic power nap. . . . 

I love the way life comes full circle! When I was young, if you weren't sane, they said you were nuts. Now they are saying you have to eat nuts to stay sane. Jokes aside, there is, apparently, something in these dietary marvels that help us remain cognitively sharper and mentally more healthy and that's nuts. . . . 

It is really hard to have a good life experience with a negative mindset. And equally, it's really hard to shake off a negative mindset when your brain is off-kilter. Find out how hypnosis realigns your mind, putting both sides on the same page, so to speak . . . 

Your spoken language is the key to your success and happiness. Change the way you speak and you change the way you think; change that and you change everything . . . 

We all know how important sleep is but did you know that too little, too often, really puts your life, both in terms of quality and duration, at risk. To make life better, we can use hypnotic power naps to enhance brain function and health. . . . 

The hippocampus has long been known to be involved in the creation, storage and retrieval of memory, scientists have now added a little more evidence to help understand how that happens . . . 

Do you have an anxiety disorder? Researchers discover that just 10 minutes of meditation a day will help anxious people focus better. But hypnotherapy enables the brain more easily and is better able to be tailored for specific results . . .

Despite what you know consciously about something, e.g. that smoking is bad for you and You Will die younger, your reward system can not only ignore that information, it can actually overwrite it and it so often does . . . 

"It deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny ipmrtoant tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. This is because a word is a picture and a picture is a thousand words, apaprnelty. . . 

Life makes memories and memories make a life but did you know that some memories can actually break or distort a life? Luckily, there is an effective way to change the way memories express themselves and in the process, life changes. . . . 

Hypnotherapy and scientists working in a parallel way just with different ideas as to why something happens and why it sometimes doesn't. I have worked for years with a conviction that there was a scientific and neurological basis that explains how hypnosis happens in the brain, want to find out what. . . . 

If you want to resolve an emotional or mental issue, use hypnotherapy. And if you want to maintain a well balanced and functional life, use hypnosis! Prevention is better than cure but hypnotherapy is effectively both, i.e. the cure and the prevention . . . 

If you want to live a long and happy life, it is imperative that you have the mental awareness you will need to create the memories of a beautiful retirement. What's the point of living to a ripe old age, only to have every day appear as a totally new experience, void of the memories of yesterday  . . . 

The brain is an amazing piece of kit if you know how to use it. Sadly, it seems, many people's brain's use them, a consequence of the way our brain encodes experience, especially in those formative years . . . . 

The brain has a duty of care to protect us but that only works when things are going well. When we are chronically stressed, the brain malfunctions and, unfortunately; so do we . . . 

Another role discovered about the brain's onion, the cerebellum, the onion-shaped structure at the lower back part of the brain. Previously its use was known for helping us to learn important motor skills, e.g. driving, a guitar, piano, or maybe darts but now there is more to add to its repertoire . . . 

Giving yourself positive and empowering feedback can be so easy to do but, it can also be very easy to not do and the truth appears to point towards too few people doing it. However, for those who do, the rewards are extremely beneficial. What would you do . . . 

As they say, the best way to secure the horse is to lock the stable door before the horse has bolted and the best way to increase your exam results, is to manage your anxiety ahead of creating it; if you are calm and relaxed, there's nothing to manage . . . 

Every one of our bodies comes complete with an onboard management system, the mind and an onboard entertainment system, laughter. One should never underestimate the power of both of these systems because laughter comes through the mind and feeds back into it! It is akin to the elixir of life. . . 

If your life is off-kilter or if you find every day a challenge, one of the first places to start making changes may be your diet. It is hard to have a good life if you are not fulfilling your body's basic needs . . . 

If you want a happy and productive life, you really need to manage psychological and oxidative stress and the anxiety that most often accompanies it. If you are looking for a solution to your stress, look no further; hypnotherapy is the answer you are looking for - Trust Me . . . 

Acetylcholine (ACh), maybe you have heard of it, maybe you haven't but either way, it works in the background managing the way your brain manages your life. Essentially it is the manager of the management system and our mind. Hypnosis helps us to selectively better manage the mind and thus enabling a more efficient outcome to life. . . . 

Life, to a certain extent, is the accumulation of all of our memories. The quality of our life is somewhat dependent on how those memories interact with each other and what the ultimate story of our life looks and feels like . . . . . 

Recently on TV, the idea was posed to people in the street, the prospect of living to a hundred or more. Some liked the idea, others were mortified by the prospect. But what if you could do that and remain looking younger, feeling and being healthy well into your 90's, what would you think about that . . . 

It is often a sad reality, that the decisions we make, be it as an adolescent or adult, about how our life will pan out, are often made too late to be fully and effectively implemented. What often gets in the way are the emotional memories formed, outside of conscious awareness, as a child but, there is a solution . . . 

In life we are told to focus, to concentrate but rarely are we told how! It is, perhaps, this lack of how to do this, of knowing what it actually means, that leads us towards the difficulties and challenges that life often presents to us. Therefore, as a consequence, life moves us away from where we need to be, where we need to be in order to discover our life's purpose . . . . 

We all know the importance of breathing but, according to much research, less than 10% of the world know how to breathe properly. Since breathing is essential, why not discover how to do it properly? Instead of just be willing to survive, why not breathe to thrive . . . 

Life can be best described as occurring in those moments when we are aware, aware of what is happening and how it feels. Sadly for many, life is their awareness of what happened; after it happened. The lights were on but nobody was home. How much of each day are you aware of . . . 

While scientists focus on the centres of fear in your life, as an explanation of why life can be so challenging, hypnosis focuses on finding the centre within your mind, the place from where peace and calmness derive. Find that and you find the essence of life itself . . . 

Is it true, that the more enabled we become, the more disabled we feel? Depression as a condition is on the rise, more people are being diagnosed with it, month by month, year by year. That, despite the fact that medical interventions have never been so good. So, if the medical profession is getting better, why are we becoming worse. . . . 

The unknown side effect of the beautiful game that parents may not know about, but will it influence the choice they may want to make or the one they should. . . . 

At the front of your head, just above your eyes, is one of the most important parts of our human selves, a part of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex. In some sense, it is the part of you, that makes you "You," in terms of our humanness, it is the difference that makes each of us; different. Therapy aims to help us differentiate that difference . . . 

It is a strange world we live in, one where people, as a generality, are more concerned about what they put on their skin than into their bodies. Ironically, if you really focus on what you put in your body, you can be a little less concerned about your skin, good skin is mostly an inside-out process. But is this just the tip of a health iceberg . . . 

While we busy our way through every day, taking fewer breaks, working harder and longer, are we are engaging in a failed strategy? This and my own research definitely seems to suggest it is but if this is a failed strategy, what is a successful one. . . . 

Do you want to look younger, feel healthier and live longer? Sounds too good to be true doesn't it but it isn't, it's actually very attainable and the younger you start, the more effective it is, but what is it . . . 

If we can teach infants how to react observationally in specific ways relating to efficiency and inefficiency, how come we can’t teach world leaders the same thing? I’m sure you can work it out, you can’t see the big picture with a short-term mindset . . .

Scientists discover some insights into the correlation between recurring depression and a key component of our brain, the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the formation, storage and retrieval of memories, so clearly an undersized hippocampus may imply a dysfunction to this very important area of the brain . . . 

How effective are your meetings? Research proves that being objective, focused, positive and empowering, before, during and after the meeting helps you to become more efficient, how are your meetings working out . . . 

How vagueness ambiguity and negative thinking keeps us from reaching our goals and dreams. But to get what you want, you have to know what it is and define it clearly . . . 

It seems that we focus, maybe a little too much, on forgetting as being a bad or negative thing but in reality, forgetting has a really useful function in making life bearable. Who knows, maybe forgetting, what is necessary, helps to keep us mentally sharp . . . 

Depression often sneaks up on you like a thief in the night, one minute you are there and the next; you are somewhere else. All too often, that somewhere is not where you need or want to be; want to change that? Then read on . . .

I learned in a very subtle way, about 18 years ago, that society and certain bodies, including some in the medical profession, not only accepts that people drink, it actually expects them to do so; how odd is that . . .

Hypnosis, the term coined by Dr James Braid, the father of modern hypnosis, was believed to be a sleep-like state and Hypnos is the Greek God of sleep, the name seemed like an appropriate, if not perfect nomenclature. But what did it mean, outside of its name . . .

It seems that we sometimes believe that, consciously, we make a decision to have a drink, be it wine, spirits or beers but most often we've been duped because it is the deeper machinations of our brain, our mind and our genes that ultimately make these decisions; that we are in control is an illusion. But the brain is kind and it allows us to believe that we are in control; so cute . . . 

Discover the magic number of alcohol, that's right, there is a magic number and if you reach and maintain your alcohol at this magic level, you are absolutely guaranteed to have no damaging effects from your alcohol intake! So, what is this magic number? Read on to find out . . . 

Scientists discover an unexpected role in very important star-shaped glial cells, called astrocytes, and brain plasticity, the brain's ability to change and make new connections and build new networks, essentially the ever-evolving development of memory and behaviour . . . 

I like to think of consciousness as our ability to negotiate and appreciate the world from within and the world from without, it is the sense of a lack of purpose from the within that causes us to be over-reliant on the without . . .

We often hear people say, "think out of the box" although sometimes we need to consider going deeper into the box because it is inside the box where the prejudice, the bias and the judgment got its roots . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Imagine watching a beautiful sunset and then discovering the awareness of the positive emotions that flow from it! This kind of mental imagery is now linked to improved well-being! What perplexes scientists though, is, why and how are some people better than others in keeping the feeling alive . . . 

The mind plays tricks on us, quite frequently but did you know that two can play at that game, you being option two. To find out more about how you can play tricks on your mind or how you can turn a tragedy into a triumph, please read on . . . 

While we may think we are conscious beings, consciousness forms a very small part of the world we live in and much of our life experience is in responding to things we were not consciously aware of . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Perhaps the two biggest concerns for older people's future are too much life left over at the end of the money and too much life at the end of the memories. As we live longer, these fears become ever more present . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I often guess the time, merely to see how connected I am to reality. Surprisingly I have noticed a connection between my estimation of the time and present states of mind. When I am experiencing certain negative emotions, my estimation goes awry and when I am feeling very well, it is more accurate . . . 

While an important discovery about the size of the hypothalamus of people with depression it is unclear whether depression makes it larger or a larger hypothalamus increases your odds of having depression . . . 

Hypnosis has certain parallels with sleep and dreaming, as both involve the presence of Theta brainwaves and, consequently, REM and NonREM sleep states. It is, perhaps, the collateral effect of other brain regions that explains what happens during hypnosis, that make it so effective . . .

We so commonly talk of stress as one thing and that perception is mostly in the negative sense of the word; what, there's a positive side to stress? There most certainly is, in a sense, it's as close to Captain America (Super Woman) as you could ever get . . .

In a busy world, it helps to know that the hustle-bustle isn't the only option in finding success, sometimes it can be found in the quietest of places . . .

The answer to life's problems are not found in the absence of cognitive and emotional dissonance or anything else come to that but rather, in the presence of what is . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An interesting study into how Virtual Reality can enhance the learning experience, I couldn't help but think of the parallel of this type of VR and the type that is created during hypnosis; the ultimate virtual reality using the ultimate VR machine; "The Mind" . . .

There is a big difference in choosing to forget and normal or age-related forgetfulness but just as important are the reasons behind why we may want to forget . . . 

Be it the expectation of having their staff work insane hours (for the same pay), to not paying those who have left or been fired, to bullying, the Singapore work environment is lightyears behind its other first world cousins, although, to be fair it's lightyears ahead in many other ways . . .

While there is an amazing amount of research into finding a cure for dementia and Alzheimer's disease, by default, there are parallel discoveries on the why and how of the way our brain works, but, do you know how yours works . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Imagine you were strolling along the beach one day and happened upon a special container and by chance, when rubbing the sand off of it (stimulating its surface) out popped a "you know what," yes a Genie. What would you do next . . .

New research uncovers the reason why we ignore evidence to the contrary and hold onto our beliefs. When I read this piece, I thought ah, confirmation bias, apparently not; maybe it's her twin . . .

While Love may make the world go around; the ability for us to learn how to reproduce at will helps to keep us grounded. So, the perfect place to be, and hypnosis will take you there, is to have your feet firmly rooted on Mother Earth and your head in the Clouds . . . 

I just love our predilection, if not obsession, for naming things. Scientists have discovered a new type of brain cell (neuron) and they've come up with the name Rosehip neurons, apparently because they resemble a rose after it has shed its petals; how quaint is that, but, more to the point, what do these neurons do . . . 

Have you heard of the "Amygdala?" Of course, you have but do you know what it does? Do you know what it doesn't do? Turns out you're not alone but you are in good company . . . 

I often say to clients, that the 3M's are responsible for most of our life's difficulty. That has nothing to do with 3M, "Scotch Tape" it is to do with Miscommunication, Misinterpretation and Misunderstanding; sort those out and life just got a whole lot easier . . . 

While the focus of this research is on the brain difference between doers and non-doers, it is important to consider whether this is a genetic anomaly or a learned one. From a practical perspective, I'd say it's a little of both but exacerbated over time by the experience of repetition . . . 

It appears we married couples (although I think it is safe to say, "all romantic couples") might have to pay an unacceptable cost in proving our case? There seems to be little point in ultimately being proved to be "Dead, Right" . . .

An interesting piece of research but I can’t help feeling there is an angle or perhaps an alternative perspective or viewpoint missing . . . 

Whether our brain ageing, makes us feel old or whether feeling old, ages our brain, is not so clear but the advice is, hedging your bets, feel younger and hope that it helps keep your brain young too . . .

It seems like the way your brain asses the day ahead, may actually end up fulfilling its own expectations. Maybe the source of, "I just knew that was going to happen" syndrome . . .

I remember from the movie, Beyond The Sea (the Bobby Darin story), the part when his career was flagging and he didn't know what to do, when his wife casually remarked, “people hear what they see.” In response, Darin successfully changed his presentation and his career! What are you hearing . . . 

It is pretty well known that the worst thing to be, when someone has had a bad day at work, is the family cat! Apparently, the kids don’t fare too well either . . .