Janet's Blog

Memories, Nothing But Memories…

The brain stores short and long term memories.

Information that is not needed to be maintained for a long period of time such as the selection on a menu is processed in the front of the brain called the pre-frontal lobe. Short term can then become long-term memory in the hippocampus, sounds like a hippopotamus doesn’t it?) located deep in the brain. The hippocampus takes memories from different sensory areas of the brain that are going on simultaneously and connects them into a single memory that includes the senses connected with that experience. Such as a memory of a party and not several separate memories. As memories are played through the hippocampus the connections between neurons associated with a memory eventually become a “fixed combination”, so for example when you hear a certain song, you are likely to have other memories associated with that same song (That’s our song).

When recalling memories, it re-fires many of the same neural pathways we used when sensing the experience in the first place, as if re-creating it ( Ahh, remember that beautiful vacation).

The information that requires our attention for the moment such as an address we are looking for goes into short-term memory (“ What’s that address again we are looking for?”).  We hold short-term data for about half a minute( not very long huh?).  Information that could help us in the future such as something scary to avoid goes into the long term memory, and can last a lifetime (Hey watch out for that loose step it’s a doozy).

Yes our brains are amazing.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com and www.livewellseries.com.

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Dealing With Grief & Loss at the Holidays

The holidays can be a stressful time, with shopping, crowds, trying to make ends meet, staying well, getting it all done, visiting with friends and family with all that entails ,especially if there is drama, (everybody has some drama in their family). Now if you have suffered a loss of any kind, including a loved one or friend, health problems, losing a home or job or any of the many losses one can go through in a life time, this can be an especially rough time.

The holidays also conjure up images of gratitude, thanksgiving, love and kindness for those less fortunate (I’m picturing a hallmark card).  It seems to me that helping others especially when you are grieving can be good “medicine”, to help you get out of yourself for a little while. You will find something to be grateful for in your own life.

Grieving can be exhausting and negatively effects the health, emotionally and physically. Hypnotherapy can bring about relief from exhaustion and stress. It can revitalize and recharge your energies and give you a fresh perspective. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide that experience for you.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com and www.livewellseries.com.

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The Conscious vs. the Subconscious Mind

Here is a quick comparison between the conscious and the subconscious mind.

The Conscious Mind

The Subconscious Mind

The conscious mind uses rational thought

The subconscious processes symbols

The conscious is good at working out how to do things

The subconscious is good at doing things for you (skills and habits)

The conscious works hard at understanding things

The subconscious doesn’t care HOW something works, it will use the first thing it comes across irrespective of how well it works

The conscious mind is apt to waste time figuring things out for the sake of it

The subconscious will carry on doing things a certain way even when it is abundantly clear that it is not in your best interests.

Like an iceberg, the mind has two parts. Think of the conscious mind the part of the iceberg that is above the surface of the water, and the subconscious mind is the part beneath the surface, and it is vast.

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Rising to the Challenges of a Tough Economy

I am presenting my CD Rebound Well in this article because I think it is so timely. Hypnotherapy and guided imagery are one of the best ways to encourage yourself. This CD is designed to help you with self confidence, inner strength and to help get through difficult economic times. The imagery guides the listener to envision positive images, self–determination with purpose and value and encourages creativity on a deeper level. Hypnosis techniques help you to stay on track, be productive and reach your goals and to overcome procrastination and all or nothing thinking.  Hypnosis can help you to stop self sabotage, get out of your own way and to motivate you at a deep subconscious level and break unwanted habits. Believing in yourself and your ability to be productive helps you to look forward to a more positive approach to life.

What you think of your own worth really does make a huge difference to your life. If it is not positive or helpful, we can underestimate our abilities or expect things to go wrong.

  • Build motivational drive and follow-through.
  • Reinforce resiliency and belief in yourself.
  • Use a more positive thinking strategy.

Click Here to Hear a Sample or Purchase this CD.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com and www.livewellseries.com.

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Hypnotherapy for Confidence & Self-Esteem

One of the most common reasons people seek out hypnotherapy is to improve their confidence and self esteem.  In fact, when your confidence and self esteem is improved, life seems to go more smoothly.

So what is confidence?

A person with confidence is able to try new things and can accept challenges and take risks because they know they have skills and experience. A confident person can deal with mistakes and criticism objectively. They are supportive of others and don’t always have to be in competition. They can enjoy interpersonal relationships without feeling threatened and can share with others while maintaining appropriate boundaries. They can admit making a mistake. They don’t spend excessive time second guessing their decisions or the words they use. A person with confidence knows that they did their best and handles adversity with flexibility according to the situation.

So what is self-esteem?  

Self–esteem is how we value ourselves and how we perceive our value in the world and to others. Self-esteem affects our trust in others, our relationships and our work – nearly every part of our lives. Positive self-esteem gives us the strength and flexibility to take charge of our lives and grow from our mistakes without the fear of rejection.

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All About the Alpha State

The alpha state can be thought of as: light sleep, dreams, meditation, day dreams, creative visualization and the connection to the subconscious.

Research has indicated that the ideal state for learning is when the brain is in the relaxed and aware state of alpha.

The everyday state before sleep and awakening is in alpha. This is the time the mind is clear, focused and receptive to information and will make connections, realizations and puts thoughts together. You may know them as AHAA moments!

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com amd www.livewellseries.com.

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The Mind Body Connection

Your emotions affect your health.

Your body responds to your thoughts and feelings. It has been said that the body speaks your mind.  So when something is off physically, check if something is upsetting you emotionally. Think about those times, when you became ill after a particularly stressful time.  Just thinking about some upcoming event, that is uncomfortable such as public speaking, can cause the body to react as if it were happening right now.  Or thinking about your favorite dish and describing it can cause your mouth to salivate, even though you’re just thinking about it.

Makes you think, doesn’t it.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com amd www.livewellseries.com.

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Hynotherapy & Addictions

It’s the week of Independence Day–and a great time of year to think symbolically about our independence.  Enjoy this month’s post!

Hypnotherapy is a very beneficial and effective treatment in dealing with addictions. It is also used at 12 step and AA based rehab facilities.  It targets the negative feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, sadness and pain and helps to uncover the cause of these feelings that started the addiction in the first place, and release them. It also helps reduce the cravings and improves self confidence and control.

There are hundreds of addictions that got their start from various life situations from peer pressure, curiosity, to trauma. Once the behavior has a hold, there is an illusion that it makes us feel better even for just a minute. It is addictive both psychologically and physically. You can also become addicted to your own adrenaline, endorphins and other brain chemicals, as with “runner’s high” and thrill seeking.

We can become addicted to another person, and it seems unbearable not to have them in our lives. This can be very upsetting when the object of our affection, is not feeling the same.

Some people are able to get help, before the addiction gets out of control. Others need to hit rock bottom before they seek assistance, as we have seen on television rehab shows.

It is important to go for the original cause and not just the behavior of the addiction. When struggling with addictions, we can often have a negative sense of self from the past and seem to be stuck there. Life seems overwhelming and the relief comes from the addiction.

When there is a physical dependency on a substance such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco these drugs temporarily alter the chemicals in the brain.

When there is a psychological dependency such as gambling, porn, shopping, sex, food, the internet, it’s the compulsion of the behavior that makes it addictive. Withdrawals can be symptoms such as anger, depression and anxiety.

Continue reading

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Your Nervous System

In a tiny nutshell, the nervous system is a communication system that sends and receives messages back and forth from the brain to different parts of the body. It does it through the spinal cord that runs down from the brain through the back and has threadlike nerves which branch out to every organ and body part. When there is a message coming into the brain from anywhere in the body, the brain tells the body to react. Such as when you touch something hot or sharp the nerves in the skin send a message of pain to your brain. The brain then sends a message back telling the muscles where the pain is located to pull away.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com amd www.livewellseries.com.

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Ease Your Mind & Enjoy Your Vacation

Summer is the time we think about vacations and travel, getting away to relaxing or exciting places. Sounds wonderful right? Well what if you are struggling with the panic and fear of flying or of driving for long distances? Or maybe you have problems with seasickness or heights, or one of many other fears.  All of these can ruin your travel plans or can even cause you to deny yourself the vacation of your dreams. So what can hypnosis do for you? It can help re-train your brain to calm down, and create a positive expectation for travel.

You may be so tired of white knuckling it on trips, that you may start avoiding the subject of planning  excursions altogether, The family wants to go and so do you, but that nagging worry and fear is so overwhelming that it makes you uneasy just thinking about it. Then, the realization of your own limitations, causes you even more embarrassment, frustration and disappointment.

If the only thing holding you back from experiencing adventure or visiting with family and friends is your fear of the journey, then hypnosis may be the ticket you need to get there.

Janet Montgomery is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Woodland Hills, Ca. She writes and records self hypnosis and guided imagery Cds for the Live Well Series .She also teaches self hypnosis classes and is a staff hypnotherapist at Porter Ranch Medical Center.

Contact Janet at (818)458-8564 or visit her at www.janetmontgomeryhypnotherapy.com amd www.livewellseries.com.

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