Do you remember playing outside as a child and enjoying the freedom to explore in nature without the restrictions of school and other indoor environments? Did you and your classmates clamour to work outside on those sunny days or stare through the exam room windows longing to get out there and enjoy the sunshine? This love of the outdoors goes a long way to explain why so many people feel that walking and talking is an effective way to work through their concerns. For many of us, that same freedom and those wide open spaces continue to support us as adults and we like nothing better than shedding our inhibitions and talking and sharing freely. 
 
Walking and talking is an effective and innovative therapy that suits so many people because it provides a great opportunity to work through those issues that get in the way of our progress and keep us stuck in old ways of thinking. 
 
Some people are really comfortable discussing their concerns and issues outside in nature rather than in the therapy room and this way of working can be effective for people of all ages. Some individuals love to stride along, deep in thought and conversation while they make sense of what’s going on in their lives and others enjoy walking at a gentle pace and find being in nature restful and reassuring. Whatever the pace, people who enjoy this way of working relish the feeling of being connected to the outside world as well as the freedom it gives them to talk about anything they want to talk about while feeling totally grounded. 

But, what about the notorious Scottish climate, this wonderful summer with its blazing sunshine and balmy evenings is hardly the norm. In fact, a very dear friend of mine recently commented that working outdoors might be a bit challenging in our more inclement conditions. But, it’s important to remember that walking and talking in nature doesn’t depend on the sun shining on us, to paraphrase Billy Connolly, “there is no bad weather, just bad clothes!” Many people love dramatic and interesting weather conditions and can think of nothing better than pulling on waterproof clothing and stout shoes or trainers and heading out in to the elements. 
 
Being outdoors anytime, whether skies are blue or grey, can ground us and remind us that there is a big world out there beyond ourselves, our homes and our workplaces and that we are all part of that wider world. 
 
It has to be said that this way of working doesn’t suit everyone as some people will always prefer the warmth and comfort of being safely ensconced indoors but, if you have tried other therapies and felt they weren’t for you, maybe walking and talking in the great outdoors could be a brilliant and effective alternative. Why not give it a try? 

Don't agonise, orrganise!

My Mother was fond of saying that school days are the best years of our lives. I wasn’t terribly convinced then, especially in the face of adolescent heartbreak and the kind of feelings of isolation that would be recognisable to anyone navigating teenage years.  But at least my generation graduated into a world where there were ample employment opportunities and getting on-to the property ladder was something I took for granted.

According to recent research, one in ten of our children and young people below the age of sixteen experience mental health issues. It’s not really that surprising when we consider the challenges people are facing. There are various stressors on teens in our society including bullying, hormonal pressures and educational demands. The quest to do better and better in exams and the increased difficulty in getting places on courses that have at least the potential of leading to a bright and shiny future, not to mention the difficulty today’s young experience when trying to get a house or even a tiny flat that they can afford. 

But, why would stress on this generation of young people have a bigger impact than that experienced by older people? After all, previous generations may have experienced enormous stress due to poor living conditions, food shortages and wars. As well as this, they did not have access to all the modern technologies that are all around us today which make modern day living so much easier. Without an advanced medical system, vaccinations or antibiotics many people died of minor conditions and life expectancy was far lower than it is today.

On the surface, it would appear that life in the twenty-first century is much better than those experienced by parents and grandparents. After all, labour saving devices are there to take the hard work out of day to day living and not many of us are doing our laundry by hand or beating rugs over the washing line.  

Technology and social media look like they add another, more interesting dimension to everyone’s life as people like and share endlessly on their devices and are often oblivious to the real people standing in front of them or sitting beside them on the bus.

On the flip side, social media and technology can appear to be enriching elements of modern life but the worry that some young people face from cyber bullying can’t be underestimated. Not to mention the fact that those shiny, posed photographs of this holiday or that bright new romance that our friends want us to know about can make even the most resilient young person feel that everyone else is at the party except for them. 

During the teenage years, from puberty through to young adulthood people go through more changes than at any other time in their lives. Anxiety is often associated with life changes and that is why it often develops in late teens and early adulthood. Limiting beliefs about ability and attractiveness, avoidance behaviours and low self esteem can all prevent the anxious teenager from exploring their potential and enjoying their lives. Because anxiety is often regarded as a weakness or a flaw, young people sometimes struggle to talk about what is going on for them. Anxiety saps confidence and can undermine relationships, education and career development.

Teenagers are typically exposed to disappointment, failure and rejection during their formative years and the impact these experiences have on emotional development and expectations of themselves can affect them for life. The resulting low self worth and lack of confidence create limiting beliefs about what they can achieve and can affect the big decisions which young adults have to make about their future.   

Hypnotherapy can help challenge the negative beliefs that prevent all of us from moving forward. It also nurtures confidence and self-esteem and supports young adults to take control of the symptoms of their beliefs which can lead to behavioural problems such as anger and difficulty in forming healthy friendships and relationships. 

Hypnotherapy is also really effective at nipping emerging issues in the bud and preventing patterns of behaviour from becoming more deep seated and more difficult to dislodge. Contact me to find out how hypnotherapy and coaching with NLP can support young people and help them transform into the best young adult they are capable of being and recognising their true worth.

Don’t agonise… orrganise!