On Sunday I went to a much-needed retreat in Matlock run by a friend I’d connected on Instagram with and had done a podcast episode with on her brilliant podcast called ‘Creative Ways’.
Emma is an artist, designer, teacher, and creative coach and so I knew it would be special and upon reading the itinerary, I was fascinated and immediately booked on. What I also loved about it was that it only had 10 spaces and so I knew it would be a special day connecting with like-minded creatives in what looked like a colourful and unique place, The Enchanted Rooms in Matlock.
During the day we did all kinds of creative and wellbeing activities, and one of these was to be taken into hypnosis with Claire Oldham-West. Claire took us into a relaxed state fairly quickly. But of course, me being me didn’t quite believe it, despite being a willing participant!
My body felt deeply relaxed, and very heavy, sat on the chair I think I could have easily slid off, but my thoughts were dipping in and out of what Claire was saying, and focussing on what else I could pick up in the room, even though I had my eyes closed, namely;
· The thrum of a motorbike outside
· A ticking clock somewhere
· One of the participants feeling emotional and Claire handing them a tissue
· My stomach gurgling from a delicious lunch and me trying to quieten it with my hands!
However what seemed to take me away from this and have a noticeable effect was Claire’s clicking fingers as she talked in her rhythmic tone. Each click seemed to send me a little deeper, by this point my limbs felt like lava.
Afterwards when she brought us all back round, she asked for our thoughts on what we’d experienced and even took one woman who had been in a car accident many years ago through a light emotional release practice to lessen the painful memories of that day – Claire specialises in treating people with PTSD, it was amazing to watch how things changed for this participant.
I mentioned that I wasn’t sure if I was ‘under’ which I’m sure hypnotherapists hear all the time! And so she said she could prove it, took me quickly back and explained that my eyes would not be able to open, that they were squeezed shut and then asked me to try and open them, and of course I couldn’t, as soon as she said that I could open my eyes again, I could!
During the first part, we were all invited to go to the special nature place that we had talked about in a group discussion earlier that morning, a place where we go to find calm, and reconnect there with our 8-year-old selves. We were asked to talk to that young girl, give her a hug, and tell her everything will be ok.
What came through for me strongly was how happy I was at 8, this bouncy young thing skipping through a woodland path to come and perch on a log with hollowed out seating. I was in a dress though which was weird as I lived in tom-boy clothes at that time.
This was a blue and white checked one with a flouncy skirt, a big white knitted cardigan, with this mop of white-blonde hair, a hap-hazard fringe over her intense blue eyes and a wide, infectious grin settled in suntanned cheeks.
I couldn’t help but smile back at her, but also feel so sad about what was to come for this girl.
I told her to never lose her spark, her enthusiasm, and this love for life she possessed. Even then I think I felt it at a young age. And I told her to never stop smiling. I admit I was kind of in awe of this girl with so much energy, curiosity and lightness surrounding her.
Age 8 was a time of pure innocence, I was an only child obsessed with playing with my ‘boy’ mates from our street in the nearby woods; building dens, swinging over rivers, and getting stuck up trees. I was a Daddy’s girl, and we were both into nature, animals, and art. At home I’d sketch, read, play with the dog, and look after our many pets / animals we’d rescued!
And then slowly that light faded as I headed to age 11 when everything changed, a very messy divorce and traumatic events, that continued throughout my life. I often wonder what it would be like to go back to the child who believed all things were possible and that she was loved and safe.
After all, this was what Claire talked about on the day, that essentially with all the trauma and PTSD clients that she works with, it always comes back to that basic need to feel loved and safe, and if either of those are rocked, that’s when we experience pain and trauma.
In that moment it felt good to reconnect with the 8 year-old me, when family and friendships were simple, and my biggest worry in life was getting back late from the woods and risking a telling off from my mum, and a ‘Look at the state of you!’ as I was usually covered in mud and grass stains - maybe that was why I was dressed in a pretty dress in my vision, maybe I was trying to be that perfect image of a well-turned-out pretty young girl?
Who knows, but all I know is that it was a powerful experience in a short amount of time, and gave me a greater understanding of what I need and cherish in life.
You’ll still find me hanging about in trees, like this morning with my dog Barley!
Thankfully that enthusiasm and lust for life has never left me, despite it being challenged many times, and for that I am truly grateful.
From now on I think I will channel my 8-year-old self more, I liked her, she was cool, aside from the voluminous checked dress, and black shiny shoes! I’m not sure that pristine version will ever be me!
So if you have, like me, doubted hypnosis would ever work for you, or that you would overthink it and get distracted, then I highly recommend giving it a go, I think you may just surprise yourself,
Much love
Juliet x
I loved this article, Juliet x