Alzheimer’s and dementia expert Faith Marshall of Awakenings Hypnosis & Coaching talks about the benefits of hypnosis as an aid for families and family caregivers. Stress is always there, but not always self-care. What she loves about hypnosis is it is a short-cut to stress relief. Hypnosis helps our subconscious ignore negative thoughts and guides us through in a positive way. A lot of people don’t understand what hypnosis is all about; they’re familiar with the stage hypnosis where they heard of a friend who was barking like a dog on stage. We have our own subconscious routines, and we’re critical of ourselves or our actions, and that’s human nature. Hypnosis can help by creating a sense of calm, similar to meditation. (Image © Can Stock Photo / fizkes)
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Transcript
The following Answers for Elders podcast features, author, innovator, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Coach Faith Marshall.
And welcome everyone to Answers for Elders Radio, and we are here in the podcast network and here with wonderful Faith Marshall. And Faith is not only an Alzheimer’s and dementia expert, but she also works in the science of hypnosis and one of the things that I know we have probably know very little as a society about hypnosis and its benefits, and so I asked Faith to take some time and let’s spend a few segments here talking about what is hypnosis and how does it help families. So, Faith, welcome back to the show. – Thank you Suzanne. So I just love being here. I enjoy it so much. Thank you. – I love you being here too, and, certainly, learning about your approach and how you work with families, not only in senior care, but you know it really fascinates me, because family caregivers go through a lot. You know I know the statistics are overwhelming is like forty percent job loss and loss of pension benefits, financial pressures, the average caregivers, I believe, spends about eight sand dollars of their own money every year on just direct care, giving expenses just trying to be everything to everyone and oftentimes they put themselves last and so they’re in a situation, often times where they’re stressed out, they’re overwhelmed very much self different things. So faith tell me a little bit about you know. Obviously, you’ve worked with caregivers. What are you finding?
I think the stress starts before we even realize it starts. It starts when they start making changes in their own life to care for a love. One and they’re, like you, said, they’re adjusting their careers, they’re, adjusting their family life, and so there’s this underlying stress before you’re, even caring for the loved one at all M, and not just that builds and it self doubt so hard to put yourself first in anything right. We, as Moms, for instance, will always sacrifice for our kids and families are doing that for their love ones and there so there’s that tension that, just as starts every day underlying tension and then the day goes on and caring for a loved one can be rewarding you’re spending time with them. It’s a beautiful experience that I’ll cherish for ever, but the stress is always there and a self care is not something that we put first sure.
But what I love about hypnosis is it’s kind of a short cut to stress, relief and there’s a lot of different things that we can do as stress relievers, but hypnosis is helping our subconscious ignore those thoughts that are that are nagging us and causing US stress and helping to guide us through in a positive way and a lot of people don’t really understand what a hypnosis is all about: they’re familiar with the stage hypnosis, where they heard of a friend that was barking like a dog on stage and not having feeling in control and that kind of puts this. You know this this field in front of people sometimes as to whether they think it will work for them or there’s a resistance for it. But when you think about all the things that you do automatically without thinking getting in your car sitting down, what do you do? First, do you start the key? Do you put your seat, build on you have your own subconscious routine, that you do and we’re doing many things every day using our subconscious.
It’s interesting that you’re talking about this, because you know I have a career. I used to work for Tony Robins and a lot of the stuff that I mean he does incorporate Eric Sonian hypnosis into a lot of the technique. City uses and also nero linguistic programming. So that’s a lot of you know, modeling and, and you know, awareness and but it’s also about synapsid of you know. If you have a memory you’re looking up to the left, you have a creative idea, you’re looking to the right. So there’s a lot of things. If you’re internalizing, there’s a lot of things that can go on so I’m the reason why bringing all this up is that as a hypnotist, you probably notice a lot of things when you meet with the client that, just through their own behaviors, through the things that they’re saying that they may not even realize a that they’re saying to themselves or you know putting on themselves, is that the correct I mean is that ring true to you?
Exactly, Suzanne, we’re all guilty of negative self talk, and so we’re critical or critical of ourselves, and then we’re critical of our actions. Thinking that maybe we’re at fault for something that just happened, especially with caring for a loved one, you feel responsible. So then, you tend to think what could I have done differently, you’re looking for that self correction M and that’s that that’s human nature right so where hypnosis can really help is just creating that calm, we’ve all heard about meditation and how, if you meditate in the morning, it will help you through your day, because you’re just kind of in this little bit of a Zen state or at least you’re, giving your day a chance by starting that way, and the response I get from people after hypnosis is usually just a big wow. I have never felt so relaxed before and it’s a relief it’s this. The session itself is a relief and then whatever suggestions that that the client chooses to have help with, will help them subconsciously.
Well, and I think to one of the things that you know we’re all “wired differently.” However, I think I was lucky as a child, because I had an aunt. I got to tell you about this crazy aunt. I wish I wasn’t crazy, but she was amazing. She was my aunt Marty, but my aunt Marty all wish you to stay. Look for the diamonds look for the diamonds, and this is as a little girl and what did that mean was diamonds are rough right, but shined up. They’re amazing they’re gorgeous, right? So the point is: is that every single adversity or experience that you go to is more chiseling to make you a greater person right and so in my book I talk about this. It’s like I talk about when I was caregiving. I had the tools within myself K to look for the diamonds, and you know there was questions that I used to ask myself every day and I actually give at least a little cards that say look for the diamonds and it’s who did you help today that you know what was the greatest experience about today? How did you? What did you learn today? You know how did you you know what was what was I a moment that you can remember? That was good and you know what, if some days there aren’t many. I will agree with you, but if you can find one sliver in the day, I you’re better off to connect to that. In your mind, is that true, then, all focusing on all the negative, because that’s going to take you down the rabbit hole- and I mean that’s kind of when, when I look at someone that is quote unquote using hypnosis like you are you’re helping people with tools to function in their daily life. Is I mean? Am I on the right track when, when we’re talking about that?
Yes, so when we, when we have negative self talk, it’s very common to try to reverse that and use positive affirmations, and so hypnosis is about flipping to the positive right when a conversation with someone you’re hearing what they’re saying and then you’re helping them to reframe it. So it’s reframing as a very well known, hypnotist shared with me Tom Silver. It’s like you’re, putting in a new operating system. In some cases, if you it’s used a lot for PTSD, it’s used for helping you sleep, there’s so many things that it can be helpful with and you’re putting in a new operating system. It’s like your computer, you’re cleaning out the crap and you’re installing a new operating system and you’re starting fresh and the the client is, is part of that choice. What can we help you with it’s, not something where the hypnotist comes in and just start to reprogramming without them, you know knowing what the outcome is going to be it’s their choice as to what what do you want these suggestions to be? What would help you most right and those positive affirmations are a big part of that yeah and and thinking about too is. Is You know just talking about self talk? You may consciously be negative on yourself, but I do believe that there’s a lot of unconscious self talk that we’re giving ourselves oh yeah, maybe maybe the way even the way we sit or the way we you know we don’t participate in things. Maybe there was some fear there that that is holding us back from doing things or you know, especially the fight this family dynamics between that we may have in our families we’re having conversations with siblings or different things like that, and sometimes it’s really hard to just speak up for yourself. It’s getting that courage that that ability to believe in yourself to be able to get to the set. You know to a good quality of life, and I think that’s one of the things that hypnosis can really help with. I know in so many cases it’s about belief is that true I mean it yeah. They call that limiting self beliefs, and we all have those right so yeah that can be something to work on and it can also help them to feel better about themselves and also when you talk about speaking up and the world of caregivers being confident in asking for help and not feeling like you’re lacking somewhere. It is just you’re, tired and you’re tired for a reason, so asking for help is a blessing and it’s it’s a live and learn right. You’ve been there. You’ve learned it and now you’re learning to ask and finding that that’s okay can be part of a hypnosis session in it’s okay, to ask for help and dismissing some of that self chatter, where you feel like you’re, not worthy of help or your failing as to why you do need help, but it’s the hardest, unpaid job, I think in the world. Well, I always say care giving is one of the hardest things in the life you’ll ever do, but it’s also your greatest privilege, yeah and- and I think again, that’s re-framing right there. So right, it’s kind of where I live, and it’s probably a lot of it from my years of working with Tony, but in the meantime faith. How do we reach you? You can reach me at Faith Marshall, my author’s page or Awakening Hypnosis and coaching.
We are going to spend this hour talking about the benefits of hypnosis, how you, if you’re taking care of a family member or anything like that think about what are you saying to yourself? How are you living about your day? Are you what we say majoring in minor things where you’re just getting through the day or maybe your life could be improved a little bit better through this process? Faith will be right back right after this.
And welcome everyone to Answers for Elders Radio, and we are here in the podcast network and here with wonderful Faith Marshall. And Faith is not only an Alzheimer’s and dementia expert, but she also works in the science of hypnosis and one of the things that I know we have probably know very little as a society about hypnosis and its benefits, and so I asked Faith to take some time and let’s spend a few segments here talking about what is hypnosis and how does it help families. So, Faith, welcome back to the show. – Thank you Suzanne. So I just love being here. I enjoy it so much. Thank you. – I love you being here too, and, certainly, learning about your approach and how you work with families, not only in senior care, but you know it really fascinates me, because family caregivers go through a lot. You know I know the statistics are overwhelming is like forty percent job loss and loss of pension benefits, financial pressures, the average caregivers, I believe, spends about eight sand dollars of their own money every year on just direct care, giving expenses just trying to be everything to everyone and oftentimes they put themselves last and so they’re in a situation, often times where they’re stressed out, they’re overwhelmed very much self different things. So faith tell me a little bit about you know. Obviously, you’ve worked with caregivers. What are you finding?
I think the stress starts before we even realize it starts. It starts when they start making changes in their own life to care for a love. One and they’re, like you, said, they’re adjusting their careers, they’re, adjusting their family life, and so there’s this underlying stress before you’re, even caring for the loved one at all M, and not just that builds and it self doubt so hard to put yourself first in anything right. We, as Moms, for instance, will always sacrifice for our kids and families are doing that for their love ones and there so there’s that tension that, just as starts every day underlying tension and then the day goes on and caring for a loved one can be rewarding you’re spending time with them. It’s a beautiful experience that I’ll cherish for ever, but the stress is always there and a self care is not something that we put first sure.
But what I love about hypnosis is it’s kind of a short cut to stress, relief and there’s a lot of different things that we can do as stress relievers, but hypnosis is helping our subconscious ignore those thoughts that are that are nagging us and causing US stress and helping to guide us through in a positive way and a lot of people don’t really understand what a hypnosis is all about: they’re familiar with the stage hypnosis, where they heard of a friend that was barking like a dog on stage and not having feeling in control and that kind of puts this. You know this this field in front of people sometimes as to whether they think it will work for them or there’s a resistance for it. But when you think about all the things that you do automatically without thinking getting in your car sitting down, what do you do? First, do you start the key? Do you put your seat, build on you have your own subconscious routine, that you do and we’re doing many things every day using our subconscious.
It’s interesting that you’re talking about this, because you know I have a career. I used to work for Tony Robins and a lot of the stuff that I mean he does incorporate Eric Sonian hypnosis into a lot of the technique. City uses and also nero linguistic programming. So that’s a lot of you know, modeling and, and you know, awareness and but it’s also about synapsid of you know. If you have a memory you’re looking up to the left, you have a creative idea, you’re looking to the right. So there’s a lot of things. If you’re internalizing, there’s a lot of things that can go on so I’m the reason why bringing all this up is that as a hypnotist, you probably notice a lot of things when you meet with the client that, just through their own behaviors, through the things that they’re saying that they may not even realize a that they’re saying to themselves or you know putting on themselves, is that the correct I mean is that ring true to you?
Exactly, Suzanne, we’re all guilty of negative self talk, and so we’re critical or critical of ourselves, and then we’re critical of our actions. Thinking that maybe we’re at fault for something that just happened, especially with caring for a loved one, you feel responsible. So then, you tend to think what could I have done differently, you’re looking for that self correction M and that’s that that’s human nature right so where hypnosis can really help is just creating that calm, we’ve all heard about meditation and how, if you meditate in the morning, it will help you through your day, because you’re just kind of in this little bit of a Zen state or at least you’re, giving your day a chance by starting that way, and the response I get from people after hypnosis is usually just a big wow. I have never felt so relaxed before and it’s a relief it’s this. The session itself is a relief and then whatever suggestions that that the client chooses to have help with, will help them subconsciously.
Well, and I think to one of the things that you know we’re all “wired differently.” However, I think I was lucky as a child, because I had an aunt. I got to tell you about this crazy aunt. I wish I wasn’t crazy, but she was amazing. She was my aunt Marty, but my aunt Marty all wish you to stay. Look for the diamonds look for the diamonds, and this is as a little girl and what did that mean was diamonds are rough right, but shined up. They’re amazing they’re gorgeous, right? So the point is: is that every single adversity or experience that you go to is more chiseling to make you a greater person right and so in my book I talk about this. It’s like I talk about when I was caregiving. I had the tools within myself K to look for the diamonds, and you know there was questions that I used to ask myself every day and I actually give at least a little cards that say look for the diamonds and it’s who did you help today that you know what was the greatest experience about today? How did you? What did you learn today? You know how did you you know what was what was I a moment that you can remember? That was good and you know what, if some days there aren’t many. I will agree with you, but if you can find one sliver in the day, I you’re better off to connect to that. In your mind, is that true, then, all focusing on all the negative, because that’s going to take you down the rabbit hole- and I mean that’s kind of when, when I look at someone that is quote unquote using hypnosis like you are you’re helping people with tools to function in their daily life. Is I mean? Am I on the right track when, when we’re talking about that?
Yes, so when we, when we have negative self talk, it’s very common to try to reverse that and use positive affirmations, and so hypnosis is about flipping to the positive right when a conversation with someone you’re hearing what they’re saying and then you’re helping them to reframe it. So it’s reframing as a very well known, hypnotist shared with me Tom Silver. It’s like you’re, putting in a new operating system. In some cases, if you it’s used a lot for PTSD, it’s used for helping you sleep, there’s so many things that it can be helpful with and you’re putting in a new operating system. It’s like your computer, you’re cleaning out the crap and you’re installing a new operating system and you’re starting fresh and the the client is, is part of that choice. What can we help you with it’s, not something where the hypnotist comes in and just start to reprogramming without them, you know knowing what the outcome is going to be it’s their choice as to what what do you want these suggestions to be? What would help you most right and those positive affirmations are a big part of that yeah and and thinking about too is. Is You know just talking about self talk? You may consciously be negative on yourself, but I do believe that there’s a lot of unconscious self talk that we’re giving ourselves oh yeah, maybe maybe the way even the way we sit or the way we you know we don’t participate in things. Maybe there was some fear there that that is holding us back from doing things or you know, especially the fight this family dynamics between that we may have in our families we’re having conversations with siblings or different things like that, and sometimes it’s really hard to just speak up for yourself. It’s getting that courage that that ability to believe in yourself to be able to get to the set. You know to a good quality of life, and I think that’s one of the things that hypnosis can really help with. I know in so many cases it’s about belief is that true I mean it yeah. They call that limiting self beliefs, and we all have those right so yeah that can be something to work on and it can also help them to feel better about themselves and also when you talk about speaking up and the world of caregivers being confident in asking for help and not feeling like you’re lacking somewhere. It is just you’re, tired and you’re tired for a reason, so asking for help is a blessing and it’s it’s a live and learn right. You’ve been there. You’ve learned it and now you’re learning to ask and finding that that’s okay can be part of a hypnosis session in it’s okay, to ask for help and dismissing some of that self chatter, where you feel like you’re, not worthy of help or your failing as to why you do need help, but it’s the hardest, unpaid job, I think in the world. Well, I always say care giving is one of the hardest things in the life you’ll ever do, but it’s also your greatest privilege, yeah and- and I think again, that’s re-framing right there. So right, it’s kind of where I live, and it’s probably a lot of it from my years of working with Tony, but in the meantime faith. How do we reach you? You can reach me at Faith Marshall, my author’s page or Awakening Hypnosis and coaching.
We are going to spend this hour talking about the benefits of hypnosis, how you, if you’re taking care of a family member or anything like that think about what are you saying to yourself? How are you living about your day? Are you what we say majoring in minor things where you’re just getting through the day or maybe your life could be improved a little bit better through this process? Faith will be right back right after this.
We would like to thank you for joining us in this podcast. Faith is here to support you and your family on this journey. She will help you to come together in harmony, creating the best team and advocating for your loved one’s care, so call Faith at 855-563-2484 to receive a $200 gift card just by mentioning that you’ve heard these podcasts. Again, that number is 855-563-2484.
