Overcoming anxiety with hypnotherapy: Handling the primary to secondary transition with confidence.

The transition from primary to secondary school is a significant change for any pupil. But, with the additional complication of Covid-19, the challenges students face during this exciting time are magnified.¹ Ensuring our children have the support and the tools to handle the move gives them the best chance of a successful landing.

Transitions

Moving schools can elicit a mixture of feelings, including both excitement and trepidation. There are a lot of challenges to confront, from making new friends to negotiating a completely different school day. A recent review found that children “who can control negative emotions,” demonstrate emotional resilience, and who can problem-solve, experience an easier transition.¹

Throw Covid-19 into the mix, and the difficulties transition students face are intensified.¹

Restrictions become recommendations

Since the onset of the first lockdown in March 2020, life has changed significantly for everyone. For the past 18 months — a year and a half of their academic lives — children and young people have encountered major disruption to their normal schooling patterns. Both children and their parents have had to deal with homeschooling, self-isolation and changes to or cancellation of assessments. In some cases, schools have cancelled their transition weeks or days.  As restrictions lift and life changes again, more challenges are on the horizon.

Becoming quietly confident with hypnotherapy

A new start means new opportunities, whether you’. Giving a child with little confidence or anxiety the mental resilience and inner strength to face and appreciate a new situation is a gift. Indeed, they are tools they will use for life. The ability to manage their thoughts and “be ok” about starting something new and avoiding overwhelm will mean that the next part of our children’s journey will be as worry-free as possible.

We all have a powerful computer between our ears, but no manual. Just as you update a phone or laptop with a new operating system, we can “update” or modify our thought patterns.

Using hypnotherapy, we can develop the mental resilience and confidence required to face the trials the world — and school — throw at us. 

Hypnotherapy is known to be effective against anxiety.^{2, 3, 4, 5} During hypnosis, a state of deep relaxation but intense focus, the brain is more open to suggestion. ^{2. 3, 5} This gives our minds a chance to take in new and more positive thoughts and attitudes and allows us to move forward as individuals. ^{3, 5}

Making a change

Whatever your age and whatever the change, we all have moments in life when our confidence escapes us.  Whether you’re going to secondary school, university or starting your first job, any transition in life can give rise to fear, worry and anxiety. But that change can also offer an opportunity for personal growth. Moving schools does present challenges, but it’s also a chance to make new friends, discover new passions and step into increased independence.

Are you interested in finding out more about hypnotherapy? Contact Fran Dunning on 07973 819867, email change@francesdunning.com. or visit https://www.francesdunning.com. Fran is a qualified hypnotherapist with 20 year’s experience.

Fran is also a qualified Mindfulness coach and runs free 30-minute drop-in online mindfulness sessions on Wednesday evenings from 7.15 pm.  E-mail info@francesdunning.com for the Zoom link.

If you experience personality disorders or psychosis, you should not consider hypnotherapy as a treatment option.⁶ As with any physical or mental health issue, please consult your GP for further information and advice.

References

^1. Leaton Gray, S; Saville, K; Hargreaves, E; Jones, E; Perryman, J; (2021) Moving Up: Secondary school transition processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. UCL Institute of Education: London, UK. For the electronic version of the report, visit: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10126990/7/Leaton%20Gray_UCLIOEMoving_Up_Report_FINAL.pdf Last Visited 18.07.2021

^2. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-hypnosis-2795921 Last Visited 18.07.2021

^3. https://www.verywellmind.com/hypnotherapy-2671993#what-is-hypnotherapy Last Visited 18.07.2021

^4. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/january/hypnosis Last Visited 18.07.2021

^5. https://www.verywellmind.com/hypnotherapy-for-panic-disorder-2584300 Last Visited 18.07.2021

^6. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/ Last visited 18.07.2021