Sanders Hypnosis responds to Baltimore Sun story, "Be a helpful cheerleader."

Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, of Tribune Newspapers, wrote an interesting and entertaining story that was published today entitled, "Be a helpful cheerleader: When a loved one needs to change, nagging just won't work."

This story discussed the ups and downs of a wife who encouraged her husband to change his eating habits in order for them to both lose weight together. We hope this will encourage other couples to do the same, but we understand how difficult it is to take away food that another desires. As such, we sent the author our response:

Dear Ms. Elejalde-Ruiz,

I read your article today, "Be a helpful cheerleader" in the Baltimore Sun. It was a very enjoyable read with a positive, real-life spin. I hope your article will motivate couples to do the same as the two you wrote about. 

I am the director of the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland and work with weight loss clients on a daily basis. As such, there is a shortcoming in your article that I would like to point out. We have found that the reason why most individuals overeat is a psychological one. As a concerned spouse, it might be tempting to eliminate that pizza or hamburger from a loved one's diet, but if that person wants it they will eventually get it. Think about a child who is told to stay away from the cookie jar. The temptation for a cookie may have been there before, but now that he is told he can't have it, he will desire the delicious contents inside the jar even more! 

This is precisely why diets fail. People are told to abstain from foods they want. As a result, they want it even more! This discussion is, coincidentally, a timely one in that World Hypnotism Day will be celebrated by hypnotists around the world on January 4th. At the Sanders Hypnosis Center, our clients deal with the psychological aspects of their eating problems. Our approach is very unique in that, with hypnosis, our clients believe they have a gastric band fitted around their stomachs. As a result, they are less hungry. For example, individuals who once would eat an entire pizza are now satisfied by having only one slice. They still eat what they want, just much less of it.

Anyone with questions about how hypnosis can help them with their weight loss goals should visit www.SandersHypnosis.com or call the Sanders Hypnosis Center at 443-494-9766.

"Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible" in the Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun published an article today entitled, "Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible" in their Ask The Expert section. Christine Schutzman, coordinator of the Freshstart Smoking Cessation Program at St. Joseph's Medical Center, is featured describing the extremely addictive nature of nicotine and the benefits of counseling.

I believe that counseling only touches the surface of the smoking habit and doesn't deal with the psychological aspects. As such, I was perplexed as to why hypnosis was not listed as an option. I sent an email to the writer, Meredith Cohn, which reads:

Dear Ms. Cohn,

I read your article today, "Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible." I enjoyed it very much and it helped bring to light many truths about just how addictive nicotine is. However, this article fell short in a particular area, which I would like to address. 

One of the most important aspects of a smoking cessation program is behavior modification. This was merely touched upon in the last paragraph of the article. The habits associated with smoking are embedded in the subconscious mind. For example, the hand to mouth movements, the routine most smokers have of "lighting up" upon waking, after meals, and while driving, and also triggers occurring in our daily lives such as stress and anxiety. These are all imprinted below the surface of our conscious awareness.

As such, I was very disappointed to see that hypnotherapy was not listed as an effective option to quit smoking. At the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland, we work with numerous individuals to quit smoking. Almost all of our clients have tried everything else ranging from the patch to Chantix. While these smoking cessation aids may curb the desire for nicotine, they do not deal with the psychological aspect of smoking and, as a result, they often return to their old, bad smoking habits.

This discussion about hypnosis for smoking cessation is a timely one, as World Hypnotism Day will be celebrated by hypnotists around the world on January 4th. As part of the combination therapies mentioned, hypnosis should be an option. My belief is that it should be the first option. Talk therapy, whether it be with a group, individually, online, or by phone, is certainly helpful and can provide positive reinforcement for the right person. However, it doesn't effectively deal with the subconscious issues, which can be easily and permanently addressed with hypnosis.

Anyone with questions about how hypnosis can assist with their smoking cessation program can visit our website at www.SandersHypnosis.com or call the Sanders Hypnosis Center at 443-494-9766.