Extreme anxiety and nausea

Having been diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2016 I had been continually monitored by my consultant on a watch and wait basis. My condition had unfortunately progressed to the extent that I had had to undertake chemotherapy to manage/ reduce my symptoms. During the course of treatment despite my best efforts it was becoming increasingly apparent that I was starting to suffer with extreme anxiety nausea brought about by the aftereffects of the treatment. I had been prescribed medication to help alleviate the problem this however was not particularly effective and as a result I decided to explore other alternative therapies to help me manage the problem.

On commencing working with Paula I had absolutely no idea of what to expect as this was a completely new avenue for me. All our meetings have been conducted via zoom due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Despite the limitations of this we were very quickly able to establish an excellent working rapport. Our meetings were conducted on a once per week basis initially, primarily in the evenings, and lasted for an hour. The sessions were completely interactive and were focussed principally on encouraging me to reflect on my complete situation and were not solely limited to the nausea issue. As the sessions progressed it became apparent that other matters to which I was not aware were evident and once identified I could start to manage/ resolve them.

Having undertaken my medical treatment I am currently in remission. I am aware that I cannot be cured as such and over a period of time the previous symptoms will eventually return which will entail further treatment to put me into remission again and this situation will be ongoing.
Having worked with Paula I definitely feel better equipped to be able to deal with the emotional effects that this ongoing situation presents. Our conversations have not solely been based on medical matters, we have taken a holistic approach taking into account my work life balance and my general approach to family life and consequently I definitely feel much stronger as a result of working with her.

My advice to someone who is considering working with Paula. Essentially, do not be afraid. Do not expect the sessions to present you with a magic wand that will make everything disappear. The process is gradual and requires you to be completely honest with yourself as to your situation. Be prepared to be challenged. Questions are searching but are asked in a friendly manner and are designed to enable you the client to self-reflect. Buy into the process in its entirety, think of it as a journey not as a destination. By doing this you will definitely discover the benefits and will certainly feel the better for it.

Depression

My situation was bad, I had experienced nothing like this in my life and I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to and yes suicide was on my mind a lot. Working with Paula is fantastic, she has made me realise that there is a lot more positives in my life than I thought. Paula always listens to what I say, I’m not the best at opening up to people but with Paula I feel so comfortable, and she makes it easy to speak to her. With her reassurance and kind words she has showed and taught me so much, with her encouragement and support I can now see cracks of light in the dark, she helps me to understand and put things into perspective and I feel like things are on the up. For anyone who has experience of mental health depression/anxiety, and they see no light in the dark CONTACT Paula this is the best thing you can do. I will forever be grateful for what she has done for me.

Anxiety

I have suffered with anxiety since a traumatic domestic relationship, always questioning myself and never speaking out. September of 2020, I experienced an event which took me to breaking point and the lowest I had ever been. Paula has been incredible. There are no words for me to explain just how amazing she has been. Paula has an aura of calm, patience and wisdom. She listens and remembers all the fine details, is supportive of whatever it is you have to say and is non-judgmental. I look forward to our sessions knowing that whatever I say or however I feel is safe and confidential.

Now, I am a confident, young woman. I have learnt that I can be in control of my emotions, rather than my emotions controlling me. I laugh daily, I smile always, I wake up refreshed and ready to face the challenges ahead, knowing I can cope and deal with whatever I am faced with. People have recognised that I am becoming the person I was before, I have a life and I want to live it.

I would say to anyone who’s thinking about working with Paula – DO IT!! Be confident in knowing that whatever you say is right and ok. Paula shows you a way in which to accept what’s happening and a way to deal with it and move forward. Without Paula, I wouldn’t be here today, my children would be motherless and parents daughterless. I have Paula to thank for saving my life and will be eternally grateful and unable to thank her enough for everything she has done. Anything is worth a try so what’s the harm in giving it a go?

Phobia

I started my hypnotherapy with Paula because I wanted to see if anything could help me. I have a really bad fear of spiders. To the point that I was unable to go near them to either kill them or cover them up. I avoided situations that I thought may put me at risk of encountering a spider. I had to rely on others. I had a routine of checking every ceiling, my bedclothes etc. I wasn’t sure how hypnotherapy would help, even when we finished, I wasn’t sure, but I started to be comfortable and able to do things. Like go in the garage on my own, unpack boxes from the attic and last week I was even able to kill a spider whilst on a conference call with work without no one knowing. No screaming nothing. I believe the therapy has helped me understand my state of mind and how to use the techniques I was taught. I still occasionally do the meditation and the 3 P’s; it’s had a positive impact on my life. Paula was very understanding all the way through it, helping and explaining the situations very clearly.

Taking on too much / can’t say no

Before Paula started working with me, I was having trouble with taking on too much. I am a person who likes to help others, the trouble with this, though, is that I also struggle with saying no to people which results in me getting very stressed and not having enough time to take care of myself. Paula has been able to make me realise that I can continue to help others and be just as supportive but at the same time have the confidence to say no in a positive way to things that I don’t want to do, without feeling guilty about upsetting anyone. She has also taught me the skills I needed to find time for myself and to deal with the stresses and strains of everyday life. She has done this in a kind and gentle way that is non-judgemental. I would go as far as to say she has given me my life back.

I have the skills needed now to confidently take on the challenges of everyday life and to be more assertive in saying no to things I don’t want or have the time to do. I have developed a resilience so that I can bounce back from tricky situations and have the confidence that I can deal with any challenges head on. Paula has the skills to help you navigate your way through any anxieties, or problems you may have in the most kind and gentle way. She gives you the confidence to work out what you need to change in your life to enable you to deal with anxieties etc. in a way that works for you.

Sleep and Depression

I first went to Paula as I was having trouble sleeping. I was mardy and snappy with everyone and would lose my temper at the littlest thing. I have never had depression, but I feel I was that down I was very near to it. I had no confidence, would burst out crying for no reason, I didn’t want to see people or go outside. From the start I could feel the tension leave my shoulders so I felt I could stand straighter. Once I started listening to the MP3 at night I started sleeping through the night. What a difference a good night’s sleep makes! It also made me feel calmer where I wasn’t crying at everything and didn’t mind if I saw people. Paula used to say at the end of each session I looked like a different person, and this is how I felt. I had ten sessions with Paula and am now a lot calmer, have no issues sleeping and feel back in control.

Lack of confidence / low self-esteem

I was struggling with confidence and low self-esteem. I had many self-sabotaging thoughts and was often concerned about others’ opinions. When feeling down, I wanted to bounce back to feeling happy and motivated when I needed to. I find it hard talking about myself and felt Paula was approachable and non-judgemental, which helped me feel at ease. Paula was uplifting and upbeat. I loved our sessions and would look forward to them every week. Paula would uncover parts of me I didn’t realise were in my way and help me see what achievable steps I needed to take to get me where I wanted to be.
I found Paula caring and supportive, and my confidence has improved loads. I now have the tools suited to me to get myself up when needed and excited to put these to use.  I’d 100% recommend sessions with Paula if your struggling with feeling low, wanting to feel confident and move forward to being the authentic person you want to be.