Whilst as a shopper we are met with an ever expanding array of choices about where and how we shop – at local stores, independent shops, high street chains, online, for example – small and independent business owners face continual challenges to keep up with the bigger companies who have seemingly unlimited marketing budgets. As a result, our high streets are ever changing – businesses coming in, businesses going out, new promise in, empty premises and out they go – and so the cycle continues. It can be tough to stand out, create interest, maintain loyalty, and stay the course.

Independent businesses on our high streets face reduced footfall if larger stores on the edge of towns and shopping malls lure customers out, and never ending price wars to stay attractive and compete with the comparison websites.

At the same time, the small business owner can face increased operating costs. The ‘the living wage’, whilst being a step in the right direction for employees, can cause an extra headache for independent business owners with tight budgets and cashflow restrictions.

Added to this, many of our high streets are sadly losing their charm and individuality, as independent shops close and another branch of yet another chain moves in.

What can be done?

Aggressive pricing strategies, spending more on marketing, drastic cost cutting are measures that might well sink the average small business, and so are not the ideal solutions.

There is a (more holistic) way!

Thanks to a worldwide shopping community network, small and medium sized businesses can attract new customers, retain existing customers and, not only that, earn passive income when their customers do business with some of their competitors. Yes, you read that last part correctly! In turn, the independent business owner can reduce marketing and operating costs, help increase sales, create another stream of income, and benefit from businesses working together and B2B (business to business) discounts. Result = Win Win = higher profits, happy customers, greater loyalty, community co-operation, and peace of mind.

What is this shopping community?

The innovative global and multi-sector shopping community, the myWorld Benefit Programme offers unique benefits of Cashback and Shopping Points currently to 15 million shoppers in 50 countries worldwide. In turn over 150,000 myWorld Partners who offer those benefits attract more customers and achieve greater customer loyalty.

Many large and well known high street names already offer customer benefits in the UK, which lends credibility to the myWorld organisation. Though it’s not just for the corporate giants.

Imagine that you are owner of a cafe, a gift shop, or a salon for example. You know you’ve got something good to offer, though need to get your message out there and keep customers coming back. How about offering a loyalty card? Not just another loyalty card! Your customer says “Yes please”, you register them to your business, register their purchase, and myWorld takes care of ensuring your customer receives their Cashback and Shopping Points.

What makes this so innovative?

After your customer has left your premises happy with the service they’ve received, they then walk further up the high street and shop at A N Other Boutique, who are also myWorld Partners. Your customer buys a new item of clothing and because they are registered with you, you (or your business) will receive your own reward from the purchase they make! Of course, the customer is also receiving their own Cashback and Shopping Points on the purchase. The same follows when your customer does their weekly shop at a supermarket, if the supermarket is a Partner, you will receive up to 1% of their spend! And when your customer books their annual holiday through another Partner, guess what? You’ll receive a reward from those purchases too!

Coming to a high street near you!

Whereas previous business models have encouraged cut throat competition, the beauty of the myWorld Partner Programme is that it supports co-operation between independent SME’s. You don’t have to be a shop or cafe owner to benefit, you can have a hairdressing salon, dental surgery, beauty salon, a garden centre, farm shop, be an accountancy firm or solicitors office, for example, to benefit.

Whatever business you have, if you have customers, want to retain them, attract new customers, earn passive income on your customers everyday shopping, then becoming a myWorld Partner might just be the solution you’re looking for. You’d be able to communicate and get to know your customers better and assess how satisfied they really are, reward your loyal customers effectively, attract new customers and compete with bigger businesses and online shops, and base your business decisions on facts.

If you’d like to know more, please get contact with me at  shoppingwithsavvy[at]gmail.com

Lesley Hallows

Do some good!

The Child and Family Foundation (CFF) supporting children, adolescents & families in need worldwide – “Education. Opportunities. Future.” and the Greenfinity Foundation (GFF) supporting measures for effective climate protection, for preserving natural habitats & reducing greenhouse gases, are two projects close to the heart of the myWorld organisation.

The post Challenges for small business owners appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

August Awareness dates

In August alone there’s an International World Breastfeeding Awareness Week (1st – 7th), National Road Victim Month (1st – 31st), National Playday (4th), Cycle to Work Day (5th), National Allotments Week (9th – 15th). These are some of the many awareness dates being observed locally and internationally this month. There’s even a National Mustard Day (7th, USA), Afternoon Tea Week (9th – 15th, UK), and and International Prosecco Day on the 13th!

What are Awareness dates?

National and international “awareness days, weeks or months” are varied throughout each year, and are held to promote a cause whether health related, humanitarian, ethical, environmental, religious, or anything else which the originators want to bring attention to and commemorate as important.

Awareness groups have been formed to try to solve the problems people care about. They can be started by just one person with a problem, and if there’s enough exposure and interest then as the awareness grows, what was once perhaps only a local awareness, can turn into a nationwide or even international awareness.

Funding

Awareness day organisers need funds to help their causes which, in turn, need funding! As well as the general exposure an awareness group wants to achieve, fundraising is a hugely important part of the equation.

National and international awareness days, weeks and months are often promoted through various social media channels, with posts and hashtags. Awareness ribbons are usually sold in a variety of places, also wristbands, stickers or posters for people to show support for their awareness day (there is rumour that the awareness ribbon originates from the “Deaf Awareness ribbon”, which was was given out at schools for deaf students to wear on their clothes in the 1970’s to raise awareness about sign language – not 100% verified).

Sometimes government or lottery grants will help, though often the organisation needs further assistance through supporters engaging in fundraising activities. Activities can vary from as local as a coffee morning, or plant or book sale, to planned and sponsored walks, runs, swims, or even skydives, right through to nationwide events such as Comic Relief, Children in Need, and worldwide sporting events such as marathon runs where many participants enter through having raised a certain amount in sponsorship for their chosen charity.

Which awareness dates do you observe and support?

Are you aware of all the awareness dates?

Awareness Days is a helpful website to search for nationwide and international observance dates, as well as National Awareness Days. Want to launch your own Awareness Day? National Awareness Days offer you that option if you have a great idea for an awareness day though don’t know how or where to start.

The post Awareness of Awareness Days appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

We are uncertain, scared, anxious, frightened, we feel low, we feel powerless. Yet we’re also witnessing some of the best of the best in human nature. Our sense of ‘we’re in this together-ness’ is emerging loud and strong. Then we feel empowered again, and hopeful, and we trust that we will come out the other side wiser and more resilient, and maybe with a renewed and fresh perspective and focus.

During our isolation many of us are searching, looking for answers, sharing news, sharing hope, sharing laughter, being more considerate and loving, catching up with each other, taking time for each other. Many of us are searching for ways to help keep healthy – what we can do to protect ourselves physically. We may look for ways to help us stay calm amidst the chaos, ways to help us feel empowered rather than powerless, ways to help ease financial uncertainties, new ways of working… our searching is far reaching.

As with most things in life, people are attracted to different ideas and what suits one might not suit or appeal to another. So our searches are personal to us, and we keep exploring until we find the things that resonate with who we are. Often one path leads to another, and another, and another…

Of the umpteen philosophies, courses, tutorials, videos, books, online information, therapies and expertise from which to choose out there, I’d like to pick just one for now to share that might be of interest if you’re not already familiar, and that is EFT. What is it, and how might it help us during this coronavirus crisis?

What is EFT?

EFT (the Emotional Freedom Technique or Therapy) is also referred to as ‘Tapping’. It is a practice based on both Eastern medicine and Western psychology, and can be used to alleviate both physical and emotional conditions. The theory is based on the fact that everything is made up of energy, including ourselves, and that ailments, both physical and emotional result from blockages or disruptions to our energy systems.

Rather than using needles as with acupuncture, tapping is done using the fingertips to gently tap on the various meridian points in sequence. This can be done alone, in a group, or with the guidance of a practitioner. 

How do I tap?

There are slight variations taught by different practitioners, though in the main a person is asked to first of all state or think about the condition, situation, or emotion that they want relief from or to clear, whilst tapping with their fingers of one hand on to a particular meridian point. This is often referred to as ‘the set up phrase or statement’. At this time, a person can rate the condition using a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most painful, or most concerning, and one being the least extreme. 

The set up phrase is basically a statement of the what’s what that a person wants to clear, coupled with an acknowledgment that even though this condition presently exists, the person is completely accepting of themselves, for example “Even though my back is causing me extreme pain right now, I completely love and accept myself’, or ‘Even though I am anxious because I am not earning money right now, I completely love and accept myself”. 

It might seem counterintuitive to state that one accepts oneself at the same time as one might be feeling extremely anxious and feel far from self accepting, though the statement is instrumental in helping a person ‘tune in’ to the very thing they need help with. The statement needs to be truthful, and it is normally stated three times whilst tapping on the first meridian point.

Once the set up phrase has been stated three times, then the sequence of tapping on the other meridian points in turn commences, whilst stating or thinking about the current concerns, for instance “my back is so painful”, “this pain”, “I’m worried”, “No money”, or whatever comes to mind that is particular to the concern. The words can vary, and it is best to use your intuition and state what comes to mind whilst continuing to tap in sequence. There are normally 8 or 9 meridian points used in EFT practice, referred to as a ‘round’. After a few rounds, one can again rate the particular concern on the one to ten scale to see if the pain, or anxiety has lessened. If not, then it is suggested to re-phrase a new set up statement. If the particular concern hasn’t lessened it could simply be that the set up phrase needs to be more concise, perhaps more detailed to tune in closer to the situation.

Does EFT work?

There are thousands of advocates of EFT throughout the world, and surely the best way to find out is to experience it first hand (no pun intended)! At worst it may be that it doesn’t work, however at best it can help free us from physical and emotional concerns in a non-invasive way, with only positive side effects!

Will it solve all ills? No, though it can help us cope with what life throws at us and help us remain calm and centred. It might not pay the bills if we’ve got money concerns, though by helping facilitate a calmer, clearer mind, it could help free our minds to find creative ways to generate a new income stream or take a new direction. It might not cure a physical condition, though it could ease the discomfort, or give us peace of mind over a troubling situation.

How can I find out more?

If EFT sounds of interest to you, then please do your research. Here are some suggestions for you:

Debbie Winstanley Ba (Hons) Psychology, MBSCH

Debbie gained a Degree in Psychology, then trained in Clinical Hypnotherapy at the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH) Imperial College London.  The LCCH was founded in 1984 and has helped to gain wide recognition of the value of Clinical Hypnosis over a vast range of medical, psychological and somatic problems. 

Amongst the many modalities that Debbie offers, EFT is one of them, and she is currently offering EFT sessions via Skype.

t: 01424 460096

e: debbiewins@hotmail.com

https://debbiewinstanley.co.uk/treatments.htm

Lorraine Butterfield – Spiritual Intuitive Therapist & Author

Lorraine is trained in many disciplines, with EFT being one of them. She co-hosts a ‘tap and chill’ workshop online.

t: 01323 893690 / m: 07885 690061

e: Lorraine_butterfield@hotmail.co.uk

https://www.lorrainebutterfield.co.uk/eft-matrix-reimprinting

David Abel

Do you remember David & Sally Abel, from Northamptonshire, who were transferred from the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined near Yokohama?

David, many years ago trained as an EFT Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner, Serious Diseases, and EFT Trainer.

Problems breathing? Lung expansion? Then hear and watch David Abel as he introduces tapping on meridians to clear energy blockages and disruptions.

The Tapping Solution to many problems

Whether discomfort or pain, anxiety, distress, worry or fear, The Tapping Solution offer tapping exercises to cover a multitude of problems. Here are a couple:

A guided tapping meditation to support you in befriending your body

103 Disempowering Beliefs About Money and Success and How to Eliminate Them in Minutes! (free digital book)

Words: Lesley Hallows – East Sussex Publisher

The post Can EFT help me through the coronavirus pandemic? appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Not all bags are the same!

What I’ve found amazing is that ‘all of a sudden’ some supermarkets have biodegradable bags at the ready in the fruit and veg aisles for us to use. These weren’t invented overnight, so why weren’t they readily available on the shelves before – why did we have to wait for a public outcry about plastic before we see these more environmentally friendly options?

Anyway, it’s a step in a better direction. And to take it another step further, just as we’ve got used to taking our shopping bags with us instead of relying on plastic carrier bags, we can now take our own produce bags to use too. These tend to be made of cotton, organic cotton, hemp or bamboo, and they’re washable. Great to have at hand when choosing loose fruit and veg.

And talking of bags, we can also switch to using fully degradable freezer bags, bin bags, nappy sacks, and poo bags. Not all degradable bags are the same though! d2w bags will completely degrade to H2O and CO2 within a period of 12 – 18 months, and they are fully recyclable.

Plastic freedom in the bathroom

How about all the plastic bottles and tubes we use in the bathroom? Well, I’m gradually switching back to the good old bars of soap instead of hand washes and shower gels in plastic bottles. And we’re trying out shampoo and conditioner bars too.

Whilst I was impressed with the lather produced by the shampoo bars I’ve tried, I haven’t been as impressed with the condition of my hair afterwards; it feels as though there’s a film left on it, and it seemed to lack lustre. So I’ve been experimenting, and using shampoo from a bottle and just using the conditioner bar to finish, which seems to work and my hair feels softer again. I found a lovely organic shampoo which is sold in glass bottles, though really I’m not keen on the combination of glass and bare feet if the bottle falls in the shower!

Then, in my research, I’ve learnt a little more about shampoo bars. Again, turns out that not all are created equal! Apparently it takes a bit of a transition period when switching to shampoo bars, which can be from a few weeks to months – not sure I want to have that many bad hair days! Most shampoo bars are soap based and therefore the pH is not suitable for our hair, more noticeably in hard water areas. However, there’s a new range of products from The Solid Bar Company who make shampoo bars that are – shampoo with the water taken out! Seems promising – I’m going to give them a go.

Step by plastic free step

It’s great to find so many choices now that offer us alternatives to plastic. Whereas some manufacturers and retailers are blazing the way, step by step as consumers if we start switching our shopping choices to more ethical brands, then hopefully other companies will follow suit.

So, if you’re interested in eliminating the use of plastics you might want to check out the range of alternative products at Ecomarketstall –

• bamboo products
• beeswax food wraps
• conscious chocolate
• d2w degradable bags
• earth conscious deodorants
• mouthwash tablets (just add to water) and toothpastes in glass jars
• produce and shopping bags
• solid bar soaps, conditioners, body lotions, shave salve, insect repellent
• soapnut products
• vegan products
• and many more eco-friendly and plastic free options

The post Plastic free yet – how’s it going? appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Intuitive Horse – seeing you for who you really are
A 1-1 session is a great starter to find out if the work with Intuitive Horse is for you. My personal experience proved thought provoking enough, though there are obvious time constraints for delving further. I think it would prove beneficial to spend more time in session, and so I will discuss with Emma about whether another 1-1 or even a 3-day retreat to really immerse myself would be the next possible step.
 
Spot
The horse I was drawn to is named Spot. He is 15 years old and has been part of the Intuitive Horse herd for the past 11 years. I didn’t know much about him before our session. It was up to me if I wanted to know more beforehand, though by not knowing too much perhaps this helped limit any pre-conceived ideas I might have had.

Lesley – publisher
  
To find out more if Intuitive Horse might be right for you or your loved ones, please visit intuitivehorse.com or their facebook page 
 
Otherwise please call Emma on 07825 036 301 or email at info@ intuitivehorse.co.uk

The post My 1-1 session at Intuitive Horse appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Soy Candles
The majority of candles found on the high street are manufactured using paraffin wax which is made from crude oil. However, soy candles are made with a natural, plant-based wax which is created from soya beans. Soy candles are rapidly increasing in popularity due to the natural properties of soy wax which is a non-toxic, renewable and sustainable resource. They are noted for their cleaner burning credentials and for the fact that soy candles can last longer than paraffin wax candles of the same size! Soy candles are therefore the perfect choice for creating a relaxing ambience in your home.

The soy wax we use is 100% vegetable, made from pure soybean oil and is a renewable, sustainable resource. It burns longer and more cleanly than paraffin wax without soot build up, and is natural, biodegradable and free from pesticides and herbicides. It is produced without genetically modified material and It is not subject to animal testing. It is easy to clean up with soap and hot water, eliminating the need for solvents.

The only things we add to the natural wax is high quality fragrance oil and colour. We do not add any other chemicals or artificial additives to our individually handmade candles. Our wicks are natural and are designed specifically to burn best in soy wax candles.

Seed Balls
Seed balls are a great permaculture technique for growing seed in a more simple and effective way. Here at Project Maya we’ve applied this technique to make wildflower seed balls, as growing wildflowers from seed can be super challenging! As life can get pretty hectic, we wanted to make it a bit easier for everyone to have gardens, balconies and window boxes that are bursting with native wildflowers, buzzing bees and beautiful butterflies! YAY!

Each seed ball contains a mini ecosystem: wildflower seeds are mixed with clay, peat-free compost and a smidgen of chili powder and rolled into a small ball. Each ball is approximately 1cm in diameter, making them super easy to scatter.

The dried clay acts as a protective casing from common seed predators (such as ants, mice and birds). When sufficient rain permeates the clay, the seeds inside begin to germinate – helped along by the nutrients and minerals contained within the balls. The chili powder continues to deter predators while the seed ball slowly degrades and the seeds sprout.

A simple way to grow wildflowers from seed.
Easy to use – no need to ‘plant’, just scatter on top of soil or compost.
Wildflower mix perfect for butterflies.
Ideal for garden beds and planting pots.
Each tin contains 20 seed balls.
Each seed ball contains approximately 150 butterfly mix seeds.
For best results, scatter in the spring or autumn

Organic Raw Chocolate
Our chocolate is vegan, cane sugar free and soy free. It is also free from a lot of other things that don’t need to be there. Cacao is amazing. It has fabulous properties, that make us smile, feel great, sensuous and happy. We don’t want to dull those effects with anything.

The Cacao and Cacao butter we use is organic and Fairtrade for all our bars. It is better for you, better for the producers, better for the whole world.

We spend a lot longer than most raw chocolate manufacturers grinding the cacao and blending the ingredients. This helps to give you the silky, superfine, sensuous chocolate luxuriance without compromising on ingredients, impact on your body or the environment.

Ours is a very human process. We care and love our chocolate because we care and love you all. Everything is hand made in small batches, moulded and packed by hand in the hills just outside Brighton. These are the basics. We add supreme ingredients to our bars to provide extra sensory interest, nutrition and flavour.

For more inspiration check out the gifts section at Ecomarketstall

The post Gifts for a greener Christmas! appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Although I found it difficult to describe the experience of two years ago, I do remember it being profoundly relaxing and blissful. Needless to say, with the half-day treatment being offered to me this time, I jumped at the chance!

Corinna warmly welcomed me when I arrived for my treatment, and after I’d completed the necessary client information paperwork, we chatted about what I would like to achieve from the session. I didn’t have any presenting problems that I was aware of, other than feeling a bit frazzled, so I suggested that perhaps I might need a bit of ‘relax and retune’. As I understand it, Biodynamic Wellbeing works on the subconscious level, as well as physical and emotional, so I asked that perhaps the intention of this treatment would also be to release anything unhelpful to my wellbeing that I may be unaware of.

After settling myself on the therapy couch, onto my left side and slightly curled in a loose foetal position, Corinna covered me with warm blankets and began the session using a stethoscope to listen to the sounds of my gut. The session continued as Corinna began gentle Biodynamic massage techniques, all the while listening to the sounds of my gut. My part in this was to simply relax.

Why listen to the sounds of my gut?! Most of us have an understanding of our old brain’s ‘fight/flight’ and ‘freeze’ responses to real or perceived danger. Though we might not be presented with the dangers of our distant ancestors, that primitive brain still kicks in and chemical responses occur in our bodies to either give us the strength to ‘run for it’ or stay still, quiet and alert with all senses sharpened. Together with day to day stresses, trauma and unexpressed feelings, if not digested and released properly these reactions can stay locked inside and over time prove detrimental to our physical and emotional health, thereby dampening down our ability to experience joy in our lives. The founder of Biodynamic Medicine, Gerda Boyesen, discovered a switch at the organic and unconscious level that can turn off, unlock and safely release any unwanted fight, flight, freeze, stress, and trauma responses that may have previousely been stuck in the body. It is the sound that these instinctive systems make, that the trained Biodynamic therapist is listening to.

All I can say is that the sounds were interesting, sometimes sounding ‘dolphin-like’ at other times they reminded me of the old ‘dial-up’ sounds of the prehistoric computers we once had!

The session, as before, was blissfully relaxing. Sometimes I dozed, though most of the time I was aware, though also ‘away’ enough to feel deeply rested. At the close of the session which I didn’t want to end, I felt clear headed and revitalised. So much so, that I’ve booked myself in for another treatment later this month.

Lesley
Publisher – Wellbeing Magazine, East Sussex

Biodynamic therapies can support many people at varying life stages, help treat different conditions, and most importantly restore our ability to experience joy in our lives. Corinna offers a variety of treatment session times, to suit individual requirements.

Biodynamic Wellbeing has been proving very popular at Equilibrium, and Corinna continues to welcome ‘old’ clients as well as new. If you’ve not experienced a Biodynamic session yet, and are keen to know more, then the best way to experience is to experience personally! To this end, Corinna is extending an offer two hours for the price of one until the end of February. To book call Corinna on 07974 355 775.

Corinna and her colleagues from the Institute of Biodynamic Medicine will be at the Wellbeing and Happiness Show in Lewes on 1st and 2nd April 2017.

For more information please visit biodynamicwellbeing.co.uk or call Corinna on 07974 355 775. Corinna Kitchen is a Licensed Biodynamic Psychotherapist (IOBM)

The post Biodynamic Bliss! appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

As a Cashback World Member you can benefit at any time as you receive money back and Shopping Points every time you shop with a Cashback World Loyalty Merchant. The Cashback will be transferred to your bank account in cash, and with the Shopping Points you can purchase numerous products at reduced prices in their Loyalty Mall or benefit from their Cashback World Loyalty Merchants’ Shopping Point Deals.

Membership is free of charge for everyone, and it’s simple to register. Once you’re signed up, you can begin shopping and saving straight away. To maximise your benefits, it’s a good idea to take a look at your monthly shopping requirements and consider which Loyalty Merchants you can direct your shopping to, and thereby keep saving on everyday purchases, as well as when you shop for more extravagant treats.

More and more companies are joining the Cashback World network which in turn offers us shoppers greater variety and choice. Currently there are around 120,000 Loyalty Merchants and over 300,000 Cashback Points worldwide, though just one registration for you – not loads of different rewards cards. Having said that, if you don’t mind all the cards, you can increase your benefits by shopping with a Cashback World Merchant, and use their particular reward card also. For example you purchase a book from Waterstones by visiting their link on the Cashback World website (thereby gaining your Cashback and Shopping Points). If you also have a Waterstones card registered, you’d receive their loyalty points too!

It’s great to see more health and beauty companies coming onboard, so now you can shop with companies like Natural Collection, Green People, The Body Shop, Happy Skincare, Burts Bees, Avant Skincare, Look Fantastic, Holland & Barrett, Vitabiotics, and Organic+ for instance.

Cashback World shoppers help support two important organisations – the Child and Family Foundation and the Greenfinity Foundation.

Cashback World is now (2018) introducing Loyalty Merchants offering their discounts through eVouchers; thereby saving time and money! Simply register for your Cashback World account for free. No minimum spend, no obligation.

Shop, Save, and Do Something Good!

The post Saving money on everyday expenses appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

This may be a good time to seek support from an outside source; a specialist in a particular field of expertise suited to our needs. Often we can’t quite pinpoint what it is exactly holding us back, and perhaps we need to review some old emotional responses and habits.

This is exactly what I did with my life long fear of spiders, deciding that now was the time to get rid of my phobia forever! There are many avenues we can choose to explore, to help us make the changes we desire. We might, however, be put off by the thought that if we seek help we’ll be tied into something lengthy and expensive. So you may be interested to learn a bit more about the relatively new, and exciting therapy I have experienced called BrainWorking. It’s both fast and effective!

BrainWorking – what is it?

BWRT stands for BrainWorking Recursive Therapy; a modern therapy based on neuroscience that stops any uncomfortable or negative reaction to a situation in its tracks, before it has a chance to cause problems or upset. Even profound anxieties, phobias and fears can often be resolved in just a single session with a qualified practitioner and one of the great things about it is that it’s not necessary for the client to discuss any personal details they would rather keep to themselves. All the therapist needs to know is what the client needs to change and the results are astonishingly fast and permanent. There are cases where an individual has had a problem for more than twenty years which has been completely ‘sorted’ in just a single session.

Local Practitioner

Bob Bees, Advanced Level 2 Brainworking Practitioner, Psychotherapist & Hypnotherapist, based in Friston, East Sussex is trained to deal with a variety of issues ranging from anxiety & panic attacks, fears & phobias to PTSD and addictions. You can arrange to see him at his therapy centre or, if distance is an object or you would rather not visit in person, then it’s nice to know that sessions can be conducted via Skype or FaceTime.

If you’d like to know more please call Bob on 0787 4001911 for a free initial consultation, or email bob@bwrt.help or info@brainworking.org.uk for further information.

My Experience…

I’d had an informal chat with Bob about my fear of spiders; something that I’ve had for as long as I can remember. Bob mentioned BrainWorking, told me a bit of background information and of some of the issues it has been proven to help with to date. It sounded exciting, so I booked a session!

I chose to attend in person and, after making me welcome and comfortable, Bob began to explain in more depth the science behind the therapy, how it works and what to expect in our session. He explained about the plasticity of our brains, and how we can literally re-wire them. What he would be able to do, he explained, would be to ‘freeze’ a thought in the part of the mind that is pre-judgemental, and therefore the part that is ‘pre-emotional-response’. From this point, when this happened in the session, I would be able to change the thought to a preferred outcome, and thereby forge new neural pathways that would bear themselves out and respond to the new preferential experience as if it were so – and therefore as a result would be so. Please bear with me as I try and explain in my lay-woman’s terms!

Bob didn’t need to know the ins and outs of my thoughts and issues, just have an overall idea of what I would like to achieve. BrainWorking therefore strikes me as a wonderful tool to deal with issues of a more personal and private nature. In my session I was led to imagine my preferred outcome. After this I was led to imagine the worst thought I could think of in relation to my issue (fear of spiders). I had several, I can tell you, though Bob asked me to focus on the one that presented itself as the very worst one, and give it a score of 0 – 10, with 10 being the most uncomfortable. As he led me to this memory (as it was a memory), and I had acknowledged where it was on the scale – a definite 10 (!) he was able to help me ‘freeze’ the image, step away from it, and look at it ‘from the outside’ in a dispassionate way. Far out – the sting was out of the tail! From this point Bob helped me bring in my preferred outcome, imagine it, and allow my brain to start rewiring itself.

I’m sure I’ve missed out lots of detail, though this is the main gist of what happened. Suffice to say that at the end of the session I felt very calm and couldn’t even remember the emotion previously felt in being afraid of spiders! During the imagining of my preferred outcome I saw myself as calm when seeing a spider, of any size, and being able to take it outside if found in the house. I had called the spider Sunshine and had said ‘now then Sunshine, just wait there and I’ll put you outside. There’s nothing to worry about, I won’t hurt you.’

The weirdest thing…

The following morning, I got up, put my dressing gown on ready to make my way downstairs. I put my hands in my pockets, felt something in the right hand pocket, pulled my hands out, wondering what it was. I experienced two concurrent streams of thought – one, wondering what it is in my pocket and, two, I thought ‘this is a spider’. Yet I didn’t freak and put my hands back into my pockets (not in a million years would I have done that before my BrainWorking session)! I pulled out my hands with the mystery object held gently on my fingers, then heard a plop on the floor, and looked down to see it move. Yes it was a spider. I had bare feet and my birthday suit on under my dressing gown, yet I still didn’t panic. Previously I would have legged it, grabbed someone to deal with it, and if no-one was around would have donned my ‘spider-fighting gear’ – wellie boots, rubber gloves and a vacuum cleaner! Cruel I know, though true.

However that morning I just watched calmly as Sunshine moved along the landing, moving from one safe place to another. I deemed that she was a she, as I thought she was quite pretty; a term I wouldn’t have chosen to use about a spider before! I didn’t feel that I wanted to pick her up – I think incase I squashed her, not sure? Though I was happy to go and get a glass and put her outside; so I asked Sunshine to stay put. I went downstairs, chatted to my partner, had a cup of tea, and calmly thought that I’d leave Sunshine to her own devices, knowing full well that I would be upstairs during that day to sort through boxes that have been in storage, that she may well crawl into and I might see her again later on (a thought that I wouldn’t have been able to consider before). I did meet Sunshine again, and she was put outside. I looked at her quite closely in the glass and, yes, she was pretty. Something else has just occurred to me as I type this – I used to even get creeped out when seeing the word ‘spider’, whereas now, it just seems a friendly word.

I am very impressed at the seeming simplicity of the BrainWorking session and the speed of the new rewired response I now have. I also stand in awe of the synchronicity of the Universe in presenting me with the proof of the pudding – what were the chances of finding a spider in my dressing gown pocket the morning after my BrainWorking session (after nearly 59 years of never even finding one in a shoe!)? Amazing!

Lesley Hallows – Publisher

BWRT Further Information

BWRT was developed in 2011 by Terence Watts, a UK therapist and teacher, and was inspired by the research of a scientist by the name of Benjamin Libet in 1983, and has been hailed by many as one of the fastest and most effective personal therapy methods ever to have been created.

In addition to the obvious advantages of low-cost, this means that a client has no need to make repeated visits to a therapist and can just get on with life that much sooner – and it’s even possible to work through some issues by Skype or telephone, making BWRT even more accessible. In fact, the proud boast of the Institute of BrainWorking Recursive Therapy is that BWRT is “The therapy of tomorrow today!”

You can discover more at bwrt.org or email bobbees@bwrt.uk.com

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