Sheila eyes prize for work with youngster's minds

“Being nominated for this award has come as a complete shock” 

A SELFLESS East Yorkshire-based clinical hypnotherapist has been nominated for the Mail's Pride of East Yorkshire Awards for her work helping students adopt a positive mindset and deal with exam-related anxiety.

Sheila Granger, a professional lifestyle engineer and clinical hypnotherapist who works as far a field as Australia and the USA, launched the Educational Performance division of her business four years ago in response to growing concerns over the number of children on mental health service waiting lists.

She recognised that by providing support mechanisms to those young people with lower levels of anxiety, it would prevent their problems from escalating into something with much more devastating consequences.

Now, she has trained a team of more than one hundred Educational Performance Practitioners worldwide to ensure young people, their parents and their schools can access support of this nature no matter where they are.

Sheila has been nominated for the Mail’s Business in the Community award by her communications partner Mercury.

“Being nominated for this award has come as a complete shock,” said Sheila. “I thoroughly enjoy my work with schools and it’s been incredible to see the Educational Performance side of my business go from strength to strength due to increased demand over recent years.

“We all have expectations placed on us, either by ourselves or by others, and it’s these expectations that can cause us the greatest stress. Students with low expectations who believe they are going to fail, find it difficult to think positively – which ultimately impacts on their performance.

“In much a similar way, top performing students have to contend with the weight of increased expectations and sometimes the pressure to deliver can set them up for a fall. For teachers, there is already a vast emphasis on the delivery of pastoral care and teachers have the added role of coaching individuals through the exam experience, as well as preparing them academically.”

There’s no place quite like home for Sheila. She says it’s been an honour to work with students and teachers on her doorstep, in her hometown of Hull, to make a difference to their lives.

She has been working closely with students at Endeavour High School in recent months, which is closing at the end of this school year, to make sure pupils go out on a high.

Teachers at the school say the initiative has paid real dividends with students better prepared than ever before.

Headteacher Stewart Edgell said: “If you have a student who is worried and you bring someone in who can help them by arming them with new strategies and coping mechanisms, they feel valued that someone has taken note of their concerns and is doing something with them.

“Sheila’s work has dovetailed nicely into giving students a positive outlook and creative ways of preparing for exams, such as setting aside one hour a day when they can worry but during the rest of the day putting any negative thoughts out of their minds for example.

“I am in no doubt whatsoever that this work has had a significant impact on the students who have worked with Sheila.”

Rachael Dean, account executive at Mercury, nominated Sheila after working closely with her in recent months and being inspired by the true difference she is making to young people in East Yorkshire.

She said: “It always moves me when I see the life-changing results of Sheila’s work. As a recent graduate myself, I know how detrimental the effects of exam-related anxiety can be and it’s really inspiring to see how Sheila can help shape someone’s future who, in their mind, might have already lost all hope.”

Distance Learning

"Hi Sheila, I have just completed watching your training CD's filmed in Las Vegas. Wow, I was so impressed not only with your personal warmth and generosity sharing your knowledge and experience, but the program itself."

- Ingrid 

Why Choose Distance Learning?

We are aware that many of you would like to gain the knowledge of how to use this programme and how to market your practice successfully but are unable to attend a live seminar in person. I know this has been a disappointment to those of you who are waiting for an opportunity to learn this unique weight loss method, so for a limited period we are making distance learning available. We have recently given the opportunity to some therapists in Australia to take the training by this method, and so far received this feedback:

"Hi Shelia, I just wanted to write to you personally to say thank you soooo much for allowing me the opportunity to take the Virtual Gastric Band Course via distance, I was one of the people in Australia that was really looking forward to you coming out later in the year, I have just completed the seminar DVD's and just got so much out of it I am soooo looking forward to adding this to my tool box, love every minute of it. I am one of these people like you who buys all these courses and they sit on the shelf and gather dust but this course is probably one of the only ones that I have completed via distance cause I had desperately wanted to do it and once I started I couldn't get enough." 

- Love & light Charmaine

"Hi! Finished the DVD’S and enjoyed the course a lot thanks. Will be starting soon with your programme. It is it important to me that I do things right and do not go off at half-cock; your energy and inspiration will be mirrored by me. Bring it on!"

- Mark

Further information can be found at my website www.sheilagranger.com distance learning. Or if you wish to contact me, please feel free to email me

Sheila x

USA Licensed Trainers

Although I love travelling and meeting new people even I can’t be everywhere all of the time, and with this in mind, I sought out some exceptional people to deliver training on my behalf in the United States.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you:

Jo-Anne Eadie:  www.poweroffreedom.ca  a member of the National Guild Of Hypnotists.

Claudia Brawley: a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists and based in North Carolina

Caroline Sutherland: A medical intuitive, wellness expert and author of The Body knows books published by Hay house. www.carolinesutherland.com

Leslie McIntosh: www.lesliemcintosh.com  Coastal Academy of Hypnotic Arts and science.

Next training date: Seattle, March 14-16^th 2014!

I am still on the look out for one more inspirational trainer for the United States, do you fit this bill? To contact me drop me an email

Sheila x

Train to be a Hypnotherapist in 2014 (UK Dates)

Hi All,

New course dates have now been added to my website, however if you haven't had a chance to have a look don't worry I've included them below.

Our accredited courses commence week commencing 17^th February, and places are already filling up fast. This year we are offering both intensive courses, where you attend one week a month for three months, and a 10 month course where you attend one weekend a month for ten months. Our course is unique in that it really is ‘business in a box’, not only do you become a fully accredited Clinical Hypnotherapist, we also teach you the business skills to set up your practice, from websites to marketing. All our Hypnotherapy training courses are held at The Holiday Inn, Hull Marina, Hull.

Intensive Course

Week Commencing 17^th February 2014 (Week 1)

Week Commencing 17^th March 2014 (Week 2)

Week Commencing 21^st April 2014 (Week 3)

10 Month Course

Commences 22^nd and 23^rd February 2014

If you’re not sure whether Hypnotherapy is a good career move for you and you’d just like a chat about it, do contact me, anytime. + 44 01482 863659

Sheila x

Virtual Gastric Band Training (UK)

"Still having some fantastic results 3,4,5,6 stone lose from your training" 

- Alan Reid Hypnotherapist

Virtual Gastric Band Training (UK), 15th and 16th February 2014

I’m always glad to hear of some of the fantastic results that therapists using this system get with their clients and the increase in their businesses, so due to high demand I have one planned training weekend in the UK.

The next UK training is now taking place on:

15th and 16th February 2014 at The Holiday Inn, Hull Marina, Hull.

If you are interested in more information click here or contact me here

Sheila x

New Year, New Courses!

 "Sheila's training has been responsible for a 20% increase in my practice"

 - William Engle

UK Refresher Day, Business Blueprint 2014, Putting Eyes on Your Business:

Saturday 1^st February 2014, Holiday Inn, Hull Marina, Hull

If it was a while a go that you completed your training, then this jam packed, intensive day is for you, it’s a day for me and my team to work with you on your business, a chance to get your mo jo back!

We will be refreshing on weight loss therapy techniques that ensure yours and your client’s success, formulating your unique 2014 plan, and educating on the latest marketing techniques that you really should be implementing. The most valuable thing you can do at the beginning of this New Year is stop, get away from the daily life and surround yourself with like minded people and make big plans for 2014, that alone is worth spending the day with me, but, because of the intensity of this day, we only have space to accommodate twelve people at this event, I don’t want you to miss out, so do confirm your place here 

P.S Do claim your voucher from the homepage of my website, for £50.00 reduction in ticket price!


You will leave the event, refreshed, inspired, with your own blueprint for success, the latest techniques and a DVD set valued at £325.00 

For more information about my courses or other services visit my website alternatively if you wish to contact me, please feel free to drop me an email

Sheila x

My Hypnotherapy Course Branches Across Seas

"Sheila is a very committed individual and has given a lot to other business practices"

Throughout the years I have been teaching others about The Virtual Gastric Band by holding training courses around the world. During these days training I help other practitioners learn and understand the use of the VGB and how it can be successful in their training.  Recently I was delighted to hear that one of the practitioners who attended my class flew all the way from India just to take my course.

Mr Amitava Mookerjee was delighted to share his views on my course and how it will be beneficial for his practice. He mentions that "It was amazing from as far as I was concerned. The way she has taken the problem, I have never seen anyone tackled it this affectively."

To see more of this interview please watch the video below.

For more information about my training courses or any of my services please don't hesitate to contact me: 

email: think@sheilagranger.com

tel: 01482 863 659

www.sheilagranger.com

Enough on one’s plate

Below is an article written by myself introducing the Gastric Band Hypnotherapy. Why not have a read!

An introduction to gastric band hypnotherapy

Sheila Granger, international hypnotherapist, discusses whether gastric band hypnotherapy can bridge the gap between patterns of thought and behaviour, to successfully implement and maintain the lifestyle changes needed for weight loss.* Through a combination of hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques, gastric band hypnotherapy aims to help support weight loss, without the potential risks and complications associated with gastric band surgery.

Obesity

More than 60% of adults are obese

In England, more than 60 per cent of adults and 30 per cent of children, aged between two and 15, are overweight or obese. People who are overweight have a higher risk of developing a number of health conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers,1,2 reproductive problems and respiratory disorders.2 Obesity may also affect self-esteem and mental health.1 Health problems associated with obesity or excess weight cost the NHS more than five billion pounds every year,1 with the prevalence of obesity continuing to rise.2

Gastric band surgery

Gastric band surgery is a form of weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, which is available on the NHS as a last resort treatment for people with potentially life-threatening obesity, when all other treatments, such as diet and exercise, have been unsuccessful. Potentially life-threatening obesity is defined as people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 and above; or 35 and above, together with a serious health disorder, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, which could improve with weight loss.2-4 Gastric banding involves surgery to place a band around the stomach, leaving a small pouch at the top of the stomach, which restricts the amount people eat, taking less time to fill and consequently feel full.3,5-7 Most people lose approximately half of their excess body weight within two years. The treatment is reversible and the band can be removed, if required.5

Although gastric band surgery is often successful for aiding weight loss,8,9 as with all invasive surgery, there are potential risks and complications, including infection, blood clots, internal bleeding, gallstones, gastric band slippage and further surgery required to repair or adjust the band, if needed.2,3,10 For this reason, most surgeons – whether in the NHS or working privately – would typically only perform gastric band surgery for those with a clinical need.3 The average cost of the various surgical interventions, including pre-operative assessment and post-operative care in the first year, is in the region of £4,500-£5,300.2

Studies have revealed the potential of hypnotherapy as a useful adjunct to weight loss programmes, such as diet and exercise,11,12 and gastric-band hypnotherapy is an innovative approach that aims to support weight loss, similarly to gastric band surgery, without the potential risks and complications.

Mind over matter

It's all about developing a healthy lifestyle

Gastric band hypnotherapy aims to convince clients they have had the restrictive mechanism fitted in the stomach, change how they think about food, and influence small, realistic changes to eating habits.

The therapy is about developing a healthy, natural weight control system, based on the natural biological signals of eating when hungry and stopping when full, rather than forming an emotional attachment to eating. Hypnotherapy can address emotional and psychological issues at the root of an individuals’ ultimate need to begin – and continue – overeating.

A thorough consultation establishes the client’s current eating habits, and identifies any problematic areas such as comfort eating, not being able to leave food on a plate, even if full, large portion sizes, unhealthy cravings, and so on. The therapist will discuss relevant areas such as healthy eating patterns, mindful eating, and exercise, before setting goals using visualisation techniques, for example, the client imagining themselves looking slim and healthy in a certain item of clothing.

Changing mindsets

During the gastric band ‘procedure’, the client is initially guided into hypnosis by the therapist, until they reach a point of deep relaxation, where the therapist can access their subconscious and increase the person’s susceptibility to positive suggestion. The therapist then takes the client descriptively through the operation step by step- from being put under anaesthetic and the journey on a trolley to the operating theatre, to the incision, the application of the gastric band and the stitching to close the incision.

The use of hospital sounds and smells can be recreated to enhance that experience, such as the smell of antiseptic and the beeping of a hospital heart monitor. Although the therapy is tailored to each client, therefore reducing the potential for any distress, gastric band hypnotherapy is not suitable for clients with a phobia of hospitals, so any fears/phobias need to be established prior to treatment.

Although the client remains aware of what's going on around them, through the subconscious mind, the boundaries of what is real and pretend are blurred, so that imagining the surgical procedure can influence real physical responses. Everyone experiences different effects from gastric band hypnotherapy, with some people experiencing the sensation of physical tightening in their stomach, while others are unable to identify any conscious connection to the ‘surgery’, but are naturally eating less.

Following the gastric band procedure, subsequent sessions combining hypnotherapy, NLP CBT techniques, such as guided imagery, metaphors, and certain aversion techniques, help to release any emotional blockages and reinforce the new way of eating.

Health benefits

Confidence, self-esteem and well-being increases!

Gastric band hypnotherapy can be useful for not only general health benefits through supporting weight loss in overweight and obese clients, it can also potentially reduce the risk of developing other conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and so on. It can also be useful for those with metabolic disorders potentially affecting weight, including polycystic ovary syndrome and underactive thyroid.

I am keen to be involved in research to provide evidence for the benefits of gastric band hypnotherapy. A survey of 60 practitioners I had trained in gastric band hypnotherapy, revealed a number of reported  physical and psychological benefits in clients, including weight loss, reductions in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and enhanced confidence, self-esteem and well-being. Other reported benefits included reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and depression; improved sleep; and increased mobility.13

I was also involved in a six-month study as part of project HONEI (Humber Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation), which aimed to develop a multidisciplinary approach to improving health and reducing health inequalities, particularly with respect to obesity. Led by Professor Stephen Atkin of Hull York Medical School, the effects of gastric band therapy were measured against a control group.** Further clinical trials are due to commence in the United States.

* Although there may be variations in styles of practice and techniques used by different schools of gastric band hypnotherapy, this article focuses on the virtual gastric band, developed by Sheila Granger.

**This research is still in the process of being published.

About the author

Sheila Granger, Practitioner of the
Virtual Gastric Band

Sheila Granger runs a hypnotherapy surgery in East Yorkshire, where she provides a number of pioneering programmes to help clients overcome physical and psychological issues. She is one of the UK’s leading hypnotherapists, and has trained more than 500 practitioners all over the world, including the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. T. 01482 863659 www.sheilagranger.com

References

1. Reducing obesity and improving diet, Department of Health (www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-obesity-and-improving-diet).

2. Final Appraisal Determination: Surgery to aid weight reduction for people with morbid obesity, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (http://www.nice.org.uk/article.asp?a=32081).

3. NHS Direct (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk).

4. Dixon JB (2008). Adjustable gastric banding and conventional therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: a randomized controlled trial, The Journal of the American Medical Association 299(3): 316-323. Source: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1149302.

5. Favretti F et al (2006). Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in 1,791 Consecutive Obese Patients: 12-Year Results, Obesity Surgery 17: 168-175. Source: Healthier Weight (www.healthierweight.co.uk/research/gastric-band-articles/study-of-gastric-band-patients-12-years-on).

6. Kissler HJ and Settmacher U (2012). Bariatric surgery to treat obesity, Seminars in Nephrology 33(1): 75-89. Source: PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23374896).

7. Yildiz BD et al (2012). Long term efficacy of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding--retrospective analysis, Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine 21(5): 615-9. Source: PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23356198).

8. O’Brien P Prof. (2013). Gastric banding an effective long-term solution to obesity. Source: Monash University (www.monash.edu.au/news/show/gastric-banding-an-effective-long-term-solution-to-obesity).

9. Karlsson J et al (1998). Swedish obese subjects (SOS)- an intervention study of obesity, International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 22(2): 113-26. In Final Appraisal Determination: Surgery to aid weight reduction for people with morbid obesity, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

10. Hady HR et al (2012) Complications after laparoscopic gastric banding in own material, Videosurgery and other minor miniinvasive techniques 7(3): 166-74. Source: PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23256021).

11. Stradling J et al (1998).  Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea, International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 22(3): 278-81. Source: PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9539198).

12. Bolocofsky DN et al (1985). Effectiveness of hypnosis as an adjunct to behavioral weight management, Journal of Clinical Psychology 41(1): 35-41. Source: PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3973038).

13. Granger S (2012). Gastric-band hypnosis: Weight-loss totals and associated health benefits. www.sheilagranger.com.