It hasn’t been a brilliant start to the year for me. I have been struck down for most of January by a strange and horrible lurgy which invaded my throat, chest and ears and even perforated one of my eardrums. Happy to say now that I am mostly recovered, voice and hearing have returned and my energy levels are back to normal. I have had a lot of time to rest, sleep and meditate which has probably not been such a bad thing. Prior to Christmas was a really hectic time for me and in truth I have probably been a little bit burnt out. The enforced rest came at the right time.

I was reading an excellent book recently called ‘When the body says no: the cost of hidden stress’ by Gabor Mate. He is a physician/psychologist who cites lots of examples of people – many of whom are incredibly driven – who seem to suffer physical illness which can then be linked very clearly to stress or trauma. I have always believed that there is a distinct link between the mind and the body and the more that we can be tuned into this, the better for our well-being. So, when I was poorly recently, I took time to switch off completely, had long naps and have been sure not to return to work too quickly. I have also made sure that I have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables and minimising the nasties. Mr Chalk has been away travelling quite a lot these past few weeks and I have even been venturing into vegan territory which I have really enjoyed. I have also ditched the alcohol (hard!) but I am not sure how long that is going to last.

I am now looking forward to welcoming some lovely new clients in 2024, my little Suffolk sanctuary is an oasis of peace so if you are feeling burnt out, stressed or just a bit ‘off’ do come and see me for some wonderfully calming hypnotherapy.

sending love and best wishes,

Wendy x

Today is World Mental Health Day and I think that we can mostly agree on two things :

1. Mental health issues are increasing exponentially
2. We do not seem to have found an effective and long term solution to mental health problems

A lot of effort seems to go into ‘raising awareness’ of mental health issues and also getting people talking.

I have an issue with both of those points. With regard to the first one, it seems to be that we now have what could almost be described as a ‘hyper’ awareness of mental health problems. They are spoken about endlessly on social media platforms, on TV and radio and in the press. Many celebrities are coming forward with their own stories about mental health struggles. It is generally seen as quite normal if you have had mental health challenges. In many ways this is a positive thing. We would not want to go back to a time where mental health issues were stigmatised or brushed under the carpet.

So, there is certainly more than enough ‘awareness’ now.

The bigger issue is how do we help people to feel better mentally, for the long term, not just as a quick fix.

There are a lot of campaigns which seem to have ‘getting people talking’ as their main premise to help to solve the mental health crisis. I do agree that this can be very helpful for many people, seeking support from friends or a therapist is to be encouraged. Many GPs encourage their patients to self-refer for ‘talking therapy’ which usually involves the patient having sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This involves talking to a therapist about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, helping to recognise negative patterns and tendencies. Although this can be helpful for some, I have had very many clients who have told me that it has either not helped at all, or (and I have a real issue with this) it has made them feel much worse.

I think that one of the reasons I have a problem with this approach is that I witness hypnotherapy working so powerfully and quickly for my clients, yet there continues to be the same blinkered approach being used, when it is quite clearly ineffective for many people. Hypnotherapy is unfortunately not available on the NHS as it is not licensed, and yet it has such a transformative effect on so any people.

The urge to ‘get people talking’ is also not helpful in some cases. For some of my patients they are so traumatised by events, that the very last thing they want to do is talk about them. Teenagers, in particular, may not find it at all easy to open up about their problems. This is where hypnotherapy can be so much more effective as there does not need to be much talking at all in a session, the therapy can work in a ‘content-free’ way, gently and positively encouraging change in how the client is feeling.

Therefore, on World Mental Health day, let’s not keep harping on about ‘awareness’ or ‘getting talking’, these are worn out records. Instead, how about we look at things with a fresh perspective, opening our minds to new therapies.

And I would say that the best of these therapies for mental health issues is hypnotherapy, obviously.

Warmest wishes for a mellow October,

Wendy x

I was interested to read that the UK rival to Barbie, the stylish and altogether more wholesome Sindy (or Cindy as she was first called) has turned 60. I feel a special affinity with Sindy, I could even be her slightly older sister, having picked up my senior railcard last year.

I had endless fun with my very own Sindy doll. I loved all of the little outfits and it was the most wonderful Christmas present when I received a whole set of new knitted outfits (made by my mum in secret, I had no idea!) Trouser suits, dresses, matching handbags, scarves, along with a Sindy wardrobe to put them in. I was in heaven!

I am not a hoarder by any means, and prefer to have regular clear outs, but I have kept my Sindy doll and her outfits. I do think that it keeps me closer to my mum and also reminds me of her loving kindness and devotion.

In many ways Sindy was the plainer, more sensible underdog to Barbie.

Born in the USA, Barbie was larger than life, usually adorned in shocking pink, shamelessly brash and with an impossible figure. In contrast Sindy was the quieter, calmer, understated sister. You felt that she had hidden depths but she was the one you could depend on in a crisis.

Some of us are late bloomers and I think that maybe Sindy and I could be in this category. During my early years I was incredibly shy and timid, lacking in confidence and self-esteem. I didn’t really find out what I wanted to do with my life until I was in my 50s, when I embarked on an Open University degree and then studied hypnotherapy. This has led to such a wonderfully interesting career which I count as an incredible blessing. I can honestly say that I am very happy and contented with my lot, but I do also realise that I have been lucky to have such amazing family and friends around me.

It is important to realise that we can always change and evolve. Even if we have felt ourselves to be the underdog at times, comparing ourselves to others’ seemingly more obvious brightness and success, we can become something really quite special.

Happy 60th birthday Sindy,

Wendy x

I have a joke for you and I apologise in advance for it.

The therapy client says ‘ I have an awful phobia of German sausages.’ To which the therapist replies : ‘I guess you could say that you fear the wurst.’

When I began my hypnotherapy career I didn’t really have an idea of the range of different issues I would end up treating, but I certainly didn’t imagine that getting rid of phobias would make up such a large proportion of my work. I guess I thought that I would mainly be seeing people for weight loss, stopping smoking and anxiety issues.

It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to have been able to help people to finally be free of a fear or phobia which has been overshadowing their lives.

From the fairly common phobias, which include flying, heights, needles, bridges and being sick, I have also encountered some less common ones, such as a fear of buttons, a fear of your stomach rumbling and fear of a very specific caterpillar. I always find it interesting what my lovely clients present with.

Every client is unique and it is very important for us to have an initial chat about their specific phobia. For example a fear of flying presents very differently for each person. For some it is a form of claustrophobia, for others a fear of losing control and for one client their flying fear was focused on not being able to go to the loo whilst in the air. There is never a one size fits all, therefore I tailor my approach very much to the individual.

A simple phobia can often need only a couple of sessions to fix and even after a single session some clients have let me know that they already feel so much better. Be wary of a therapist who ties you in to endless sessions, it is simply not necessary. It also helps my clients that I record a personalised download which you can use at home.

It is such a joy to hear back from clients who are feeling wonderful after finally shedding a phobia which has been dominating their life. They tell me that it feels like a weight has been lifted from them!

Please get in touch if you have a fear or phobia which you would like to be rid of. I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Sorry again about the joke!

Best wishes,

Wendy x

I would say that on average I see an equal number of men to women in my practice, but weirdly of late I seem to have been seeing mainly men.

This is so welcome as it is a sign that men are beginning to feel much more open about dealing with their mental health. Although I do wonder what the postman thinks of me as every time I see him, I seem to be ushering one male client in, then another one out. I assure you I am not running that type of establishment.

I am seeing male clients with a variety of different issues, including work stress, social anxiety, addictions and negative behaviours. It is so rewarding to be able to help these menfolk as in many cases they do not feel able to speak to family or friends about their issues. Despite all the campaigns, adverts, celebrities sharing their mental health problems, the old conditioning of the male needing to be strong and steadfast and not showing any weakness is deep-rooted. Also, in practice, help and support for mental health generally is very thin on the ground.

Having my own 2 boys (well, men now really but they will always be boys to me) and the lovely Mr Chalk, I know a little bit about how men’s minds work. And yes, in a lot of ways they are SO different to women.

I am privileged to have the opportunity to support so many dads, grandads, brothers, sons, husbands and partners.

If you feel that I could help you or a loved one, please get in touch.

best wishes,

Wendy x

It is strange how sometimes things seem to come full circle.

Almost exactly 30 years ago I began IVF treatment at Bourn Hall as Mr Chalk and I were having fertility issues. They did things a little bit differently then as their knowledge and expertise was obviously nowhere near as comprehensive as it is now.

Although we did not realise it at the time I was given very strong drugs to stimulate egg production, the idea being that the more eggs I produced the more chance there would be healthy ones that available that could be fertilised and re-implanted in the womb. I so clearly remember being woken up after the anaesthetic by a nurse who couldn’t contain her excitement at telling me that my ovaries had produced a massive 28 eggs! Tellingly, egg sandwiches were on the menu for lunch that day …..

It was clear to me that my ovaries were in good working order, although looking back now I was probably hyper stimulated, which can be a very dangerous condition to be in.

Out of my two dozen plus egg haul there were a total of 15 healthy ones so these were put with Mr Chalk’s contribution, resulting in 11 fertilised embryos. A whole football team, no less! Three healthy ones were popped back in, we called these Huey, Duey and Lewy. I was then scanned again a couple of weeks later and discovered I was expecting twins. We renamed these two bleep and booster. We could not contain our joy but it was very early days.

Sadly, at a ten week scan, only one baby had survived. It was a difficult time and there was obviously much anxiety throughout my pregnancy. We were so lucky then to welcome wonderful little Olly into the world on 14th November, 1993. I always wanted to be a mum and it is difficult to express how blessed I felt. IVF treatment was very much in its infancy at that time and we were so lucky to have our baby after this one attempt.

Olly was joined by Joey two years later, who was conceived naturally, a wonderful surprise!

I am so full of gratitude for my amazing boys.

Women’s bodies are truly incredible, aren’t they? As a 60 year old menopausal women, mine has served me well and continues to do so.

A few days ago I said goodbye to my ovaries, almost 30 years to the day since they produced that massive horde of eggs. Last year a cyst was found on one of them, a strange thing called a teratoma which can consist of hair, teeth and skin (eww!) and so I was advised to have them removed. I have been lucky enough to have had the most wonderfully kind and caring surgeon who looked after me beautifully throughout. I was not sad, but thankful when I came round from the anaesthetic. Our bodies go through so much but it is my belief that they are really quite miraculous.

Egg sandwiches, anybody?😉

Wendy xx

I have been watching a rather disgusting programme recently called ‘Know your sxxx’ on Channel 4. The premise of the show is that they help people with various gut related problems to get to the bottom (sorry!) of what is actually happening inside their digestive systems.

People coming on to the show bravely present with all sorts of problems such as stinky burps, runny poos, constipation, loud farts – sorry if you are eating while reading this! They are then asked to discuss lifestyle and diet issues with a resident nutritionist and also their poo is examined to check if there are any sinister bugs residing in it.

The latest episode involved exploring the connection between the gut and the brain which many people are unaware of. There is a large nerve called the vagus nerve which runs from the brain to the gut and what this means is that there is a very strong symbiosis between the two organs. If you have a healthy gut it tends to mean that you are going to be feeling mentally and emotionally healthy too. The signals also go in the other direction, with the result that an anxious and stressed person may feel this angst in their digestive system. This is sometimes referred to as irritable bowel syndrome or IBS.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends hypnotherapy for treating IBS symptoms, although sadly GPS do not always pass this information on to patients. Instead patients are given medication which could be indigestion remedies and/or anti-depressants.

I was therefore so pleased when a chap who appeared on the show was given a course of gut directed hypnotherapy, with amazing results. He was a tradesman and regularly travelled with a bucket and toilet paper in his van, although strangely he had never had to use it. This behaviour seemed to indicate that he had talked himself into having gut problems, when in actual fact things were not as bad as he thought they were. He was, however, highly stressed and anxious so it was wonderful that these symptoms as well as his perceived gut problems were cured with the hypnotherapy treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with IBS, I would urge you to consider a course of hypnotherapy, you will end up feeling so much better.

I am going to be off for about a month or so due to having surgery, but I am booking appointments from mid March onwards. Oh, it will nearly be spring then, yay!

Warmest wishes everyone,

Wendy xx

Fortunately the tide seems to be turning against the old tendency to brush menopause under the carpet, the old attitude of ‘you just have to get on with it’ or even the slightly sniggering jibes about the ‘change’ having been cast aside. Instead, there is an increasing acceptance that women should be able to talk openly about their menopause symptoms and also have access to all the resources they need.

We have much more information now than ever before about the menopause and the peri menopause (this refers to the period of time leading up to full menopause when you may begin to have symptoms), although there is still so much more research to be done.

As a therapist I see many women between the ages of 35 and 60 who come to me with the following symptoms: weight gain; insomnia; anxiety; irritability; joint pain; headaches. Whilst these may not be related to the menopause or peri-menopause, it is important to dig a bit deeper and maybe suggest that the client sees their GP or even a menopause specialist for further investigation. I have even had clients in this category who experience a sudden onset phobia, not knowing that this could also be related to hormonal changes.

If you suspect that you are experiencing physiological or emotional symptoms that could be related to the menopause or peri menopause, it is important to book an appointment with your GP or a menopause specialist. You might be advised to take HRT and indeed, this can be a life saver for many women. I would also suggest that you do as much research as you can on the subject. There is an excellent book by the hypnotherapist Sophie Fletcher called ‘Mindful Menopause’ which is a real treasure chest of information. She advocates having a menopause plan and this can include addressing lifestyle habits, finding exercise which is going to help alleviate your symptoms as well as eating a nourishing Mediterranean diet.

Of course, I would add that hypnotherapy can be an incredibly powerful tool to help you feel your best self during these sometimes turbulent years.

Best wishes everyone,

Wendy xx

After a turbulent 2022 that many of us will be glad to see the back of, we can (hopefully!) look forward to a much more settled and peaceful new year.

Last year for me was pretty mixed but generally fairly good. Mr Chalk and myself celebrated our 60th birthdays by doing a lot of ‘stuff’, including seeing live gigs, trying new foodie places and far flung travel. The highlight of this was a wonderful trip to Cambodia in November. We feel so blessed to have been able to experience this amazing country and meet its lovely people.

Health wise, I have had a few blips, including a cancer scare earlier on in the year. This fortunately turned out to be negative but then I had surgery for another issue in the autumn and this has taken longer to recover from than I had expected.

As we start this new year, we can make the usual resolutions to lose 3 stone, drink less, get more organised etc. But I would argue that, instead of trying to do things that are unrealistic in the longer term, it is better to maybe chose just one simple thing that you would like to achieve and work towards that. Or, do away with resolutions completely.

From what I have learned over the years from my amazing clients, the essential thing is to go easy on ourselves, show kindness to others and live each day to the full.

happy new year everyone,

Wendy xx

I am thrilled to have recently been informed that I am going to be a great aunt.

I must admit to having visions of a rather stiff Victorian matron when I think about that term, but I rather hope that I shall be more on the funny, eccentric end of the spectrum.

I have already offered myself for babysitting, an offer which has been gratefully received, I am pleased to say. It will be lovely to have a new baby in the family in a few months time.

Sadly, for many couples, getting pregnant is not so easy and they have to endure endless rounds of IVF, often very costly and hugely stressful. I understand this all to well as our eldest was an IVF baby. We were incredibly lucky to be successful first time round, but many are not so fortunate.

It has been my great privilege to have been able to help several couples through the stress of fertility treatment. Of course, I can never offer a guarantee of there being a baby at the end of all this, but what I can do is help the couple to feel relaxed, calm and confident through the process.

If you are going through the stress of fertility treatment and feel in need of support, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Warmest (but not too warm) wishes,

Wendy.