The Grey Matters Blog

Everything you need to know about anxiety, depression, trauma & PTSD

Hypnosis: How it changes beliefs

By Venka | Jul 16, 2020

So hypnosis is a highly relaxed mental state, in which the critical mind is bypassed. In other words, the mind is ready to learn; it becomes much more susceptible to suggestion. Hypnosis – brain wave frequency When you are in a hypnotic state, your brain runs on either alpha or theta brain waves. Alpha (7.5-14 […]

Read More

The science behind hypnotherapy

By Venka | Jul 12, 2020

How does hypnotherapy work?  Hypnotherapy works by empowering people to change and update subconscious beliefs. You upgrade and replace old beliefs with new, more helpful ones. How does hypnosis work to reshape beliefs? So what is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a highly relaxed mental state, whereby the critical mind is bypassed. The brain rhythm changes to […]

Read More

By Venka | Jun 12, 2020

Neural pathways; the flight, fight or freeze reflex; dopamine and serotonin levels and counselling What are neural pathways? While our brains are physical organs, it is our minds which regulate our brain and it is our mind which forms neural pathways. These pathways are formed by neurons which fire and wire together over time. Many […]

Read More

Why trauma keeps you stuck

By Venka | Jun 6, 2020

Why people get ‘stuck’ after trauma   “The traumatic experience and your reactions to it, CAN with the right therapy, move to a folder in the memory filing system of your life.” As a psychotherapist, I often see traumatised people whose sense of the past and vision of the future stops as if the trauma […]

Read More

Trauma – Why do I feel angry and find it hard to feel safe and connected?

By Venka | Jun 1, 2020

Trauma – Why do I feel angry and find it hard to feel safe and connected? I often get asked the following by people affected by trauma: Why do I feel angry or numb? Why do I find it so hard to feel safe and connect? So let me introduce you to the steps of […]

Read More

Three Traps That Prevent Your Trauma-Healing Journey

By Venka | May 17, 2020

The Three Traps on the Trauma Healing Journey People struggling with trauma-related challenges and PTSD may fall into these three traps that can prevent them from healing.   These are:  1. THE SILENCE TRAP: The Silence Trap is at the very beginning of the trauma recovery and healing journey. When you have fallen into this […]

Read More
Traits of high-functioning anxiety

High Functioning Anxiety

By Venka | May 7, 2020

High-functioning anxiety Are you the picture of success?  Colleagues may describe you as driven.  You have never failed to deliver or missed a deadline.   You are happy to help others.  What your colleagues do not know (and what you would never share) is that beneath the surface, you are fighting anxiety, high-functioning anxiety. Nervous energy, […]

Read More

The Victim Loop

By Venka | May 6, 2020

How to stop acting like a victim Do you feel like a victim in certain situations or with certain people? People stay stuck in this victim ‘loop’ because it is based on early experiences of not being able to get needs met. When you blame others and deny your role in a situation, you are […]

Read More

Does your partner or parent not accept you for who you are?

By Venka | Apr 30, 2020

Are you held back by a parent or a partner who does not accept you who you are? I often see is how people are preoccupied by a partner or a parent who seems unable to accept them as they are, who appears to be holding them back as they progress towards their goals. And […]

Read More