Hypnotherapy is a different experience for each individual because we have varying degrees of suggestibility. We all fall somewhere between 1 to 100 on the suggestibility scale. Those who score between 1 to 49 on the scale are emotional or indirect suggestibles. The traits of an indirect suggestible are that they think first and act later, more likely to be introverts, speak literally, understand inferentially, can be analytical, and respond to inferred suggestions while in hypnosis. On the other end of the scale are physical or direct suggestibles whose score is between 50 to 100. The traits of a direct suggestible are that they act first and think later, more likely to be extroverts, speak inferentially, understands literally, and responds to direct suggestions while in hypnosis (perfect stage hypnosis volunteers). Visit my website and fill out the Communications Assessment and I will reply with your score.

Scott Metcalf CHt, RCCH. A Beautiful Mind Hypnotherapy, www.abeautifulmindhypnotherapy.com

Do you hear noise in your ears that other people can’t hear? Annoying sounds, like ringing, buzzing, whistling, whooshing or hissing? If so, you are not alone. Over 3 million Canadians suffer from tinnitus – a condition characterized by sounds that originate from within, rather than from without, your ears. Tinnitus takes on many forms: The most common “gardenvariety” type produces soft-to-loud ringing, humming or rushing-water sounds. Tonal Tinnitus causes a constant chiming sound, like a musical note played over and over again. Pulsatile Tinnitus produces sound that pulsates in time with ones heartbeat. Mixed Tinnitus causes multiple noises to be heard simultaneously. Objective Tinnitus is extremely rare, and produces noise heard not only by the affected individual, but by others as well!

Jeff Germain, www.islandbeltone.com

Spring is in the air! Along with all the lovely tree, grass and weed pollens! Allergies are incredibly common in our pets, especially here on the coast, and can be divided into four known categories; Contact, Flea, Food and Inhalant. When discussing inhalant allergies, we can’t forget mold or mildew, and of course our favourite tiny cosmopolitan pyroglyphid, the dust mite! Unfortunately, the clinical signs of all allergic reactions are commonly shared, and in cases tend to overlap, but each type can manifest its own unique characteristics. The most common type of allergy in our region, next to flea contact dermatitis, is the inhalant type, also called ‘atopy’. For reasons obvious to the seasonally suffering human, allergies are just as misery-inducing in our pets. Itchy, raw and irritated skin, watering eyes, nasal discharge, and congestion make up but a few symptoms that should inspire a visit to your veterinarian.

Happy Paws Pet Food, www.happypaws.ca

Take your health into your own hands! The power of positivity can help you achieve health and prosperity in 2017 and beyond! Here are some reasons why I believe people are struggling to get better. Your MINDSET has everything to do with the ability your body has to heal itself. Stop these thinking negative patterns: “There is nothing I can do about my health,” “I am aging, and disease is normal,” “I have been convinced by someone of authority that this is normal.” “I believe my problem cannot be fixed.” “I like being sick – Brings lots of attention!” “I have not learned to love or forgive.” All of this fear and anger is feeding your illness – Let go of negative emotions! If you find yourself relating to one of the thoughts above and are not willing to change, reclaiming your health is much more challenging. Your mind is the most powerful tool. Use it to reach your health and wellness goals this year!

Louis Hoolaeff HR, HC, ACS, www.LeadingEdgeHealth.org

People often want to communicate better. Being clear with others helps keep our relationships running smoothly. But communication can get tricky – we can get threatened, defensive, overwhelmed, critical, get aggressive or passive aggressive, feel undermined, not feel heard, feel misunderstood, or not know what we want – so much happens when we try to talk through issues! Couples often have a few hot topics that they can’t easily talk about. Family relationships can often use better communication. Is your communication connection style working for you? It can feel uncomfortable to try talking in new ways. But in the end it is helpful to be able to say what you want, say what you mean, and feel reasonably confident that the other person will hear you. Good communication can improve your trust in yourself and in your relationship. Counselling provides a safe and non-judgmental place to find ways to communicate more efficiently.

Mary Munro, www.marymunro.ca

At some point in our adult life, most of us have set goals for ourselves. We somehow get distracted, and our willpower fades, whether the goal is to quit smoking, manage our weight, make a career change… the list is endless. A perfect example of this when people make New Year’s resolutions and are entirely focused on achieving their goals, but after a few weeks, their willpower fades and they fall back into old patterns of behavior. The reason that we can get off track is that our willpower is located in our conscious mind which makes up 5-10% of our potential mind power compared to our subconscious mind which makes up 90-95% of our potential mind power. Hypnotherapy works because hypnosis allows direct access to the subconscious mind and can change old, unwanted, outdated beliefs that cause us to fall back into negative patterns of behavior that keep us stuck.

Scott Metcalf, C.H.t, RCCH, www.abeautifulmindhypnotherapy.com