Menopause

Menopause can be a particularly challenging phase for some women, with up to 70% complaining of hot flushes, intimate dryness or pain, change in mood, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Recent studies suggest that Hypnotherapy can be a supportive tool in managing these symptoms (North American Menopause Society). Female Health Hypnotherapy offer a holistic and individualised menopause program tailored to your specific needs and symptoms. This can be used in conjunction with treatment from your Doctor.

In addition to my general hypnotherapy qualifications, I am also specifically trained in using hypnotherapy to address these unwanted aspects of menopause.

Healthy Eating & Weight Management

We all know how important healthy eating is. Good nutrition is a foundation for our health and can have a huge impact on how we feel.

We sometimes need a little support though in getting our eating habits back on track. Hypnotherapy can be really useful in helping us to identify any unhelpful issues with our eating, let go of unwanted habits and behaviours and make lasting and positive changes.

(Here is an interesting link from Traci Stein Ph.D, MPH)

Female Pelvic Pain Issues

It has been suggested that up to one in four women will suffer from a degree of pelvic pain during their lives. For some women this may be relatively mild but for others it can extremely painful. Pelvic pain can affect your ability to work, exercise, have sexual intercourse or even to just sit or walk comfortably. It is important to the have the underlying cause of the pelvic pain diagnosed as it may be caused by a wide variety of conditions including musculoskeletal issues, dermatological problems, infections, injury/trauma and autoimmune issues.

There is growing understanding about the condition and the potential benefits that hypnotherapy and mindfulness can have alongside other treatment options such as physiotherapy and medication. Indeed the latest best practice guidelines for women with pelvic pain conditions including vulvodynia, indicate that a multi-factoral approach combining different appropriate therapies is optimum.

At our clinic I regularly use hypnotherapy and mindfulness to support women with different pelvic pain conditions including Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lichen sclerosis, Vulvodynia, vaginismus and pudendal neuralgia.

I am a registered specialist hypnotherapist in chronic pain management and IBS and have a particular professional interest in working in this field, due to my nursing background and own experience of chronic pelvic pain.

This interest also led to me co-creating a pain support group at St Marys Hospital for women with pelvic pain issues. This group offers evidence based information and support for women with these conditions. If any of our patients would like further information about this group then please contact me or visit.

www.mvsn.co.uk

Pregnancy Loss

Miscarriage is sadly very common, with 1 in 4 pregnancies ending in miscarriage.
The loss of a baby can be a distressing, frightening and isolating experience for women and their partners.

Pregnancy loss may occur very early into a pregnancy or may happen at a later stage. The emotional impact of this can be profound and women may require support to assist them during this process.

Some women may find that techniques such as hypnotherapy and mindfulness can help them cope with the emotional impact of miscarriage or stillbirth. At my practice, I see women who have experienced pregnancy loss at different stages and work with them to provide therapy that is tailored to their specific needs.

National organisations such as ‘Tommys’ and ‘Sands’ also provide information and support following pregnancy loss and can put you in touch with local support groups. You can find them at www.tommys.org and www.sands.org.uk

If you want any more information or would like to talk to me about how I could help, then please contact me. It is really important that you feel comfortable with whichever therapist you choose, and I encourage people to contact me, so we can talk and you can ask any questions.

Fear of intimate procedures

For some women, a hidden fear or embarrassment of intimate procedures can prevent them from accessing important cervical screening or having vital medical treatments via colposcopy.

In my clinic, I have successfully worked with women to overcome such fears, enabling them to deal with such procedures in a very normal and very natural way.

Due to my established working links with St Marys Women’s Hospital, I also provide hypnotherapeutic support for women undergoing treatment for a wide range of gynaecological issues, including Lichen sclerosis, endometriosis, vulvodynia and cancer.

Don’t let fear hold you back or prevent you from accessing health services. Help is available.

Anxiety and stress management

Developing regular mind body practices such as mindfulness can be really beneficial in improving our mood and well being. Learning how to use effective self help techniques can be very supportive in building our resilience and ability to cope with life's challenges.