Child obesity

Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help children to shed unwanted and unhealthy pounds.

Obesity is growing problem in our society. It is estimated that 15% of all children in the United States are overweight, and that nearly 25% of Black and Hispanic children weigh too much*. And the numbers are rising. Between 1980 and 2000 obesity rates doubled among children and tripled among teens*.

While doctors send people to nutritionists and personal trainers to help their children, there are other viable options to help these children. Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help children to shed unwanted and unhealthy pounds. It does not replace the services of a trained nutritionist or a trained personal trainer but is an integral part of the solution.

Using experts to shorten the learning curve, avoid injury or defiencies and help support you through the process is important. But there is a key ingredient in this equation that is often overlooked: the mind. The fastest way to empower the conscious and the subconscious minds to work together rather than against each other is through the use of hypnosis. Think of hypnosis and hypnotherapy as affirmations on steroids (without the negative side effects). They help you to go farther, faster. Children, like adults, are all different. They each have their individual story.

Let me share with you the story of this particular boy whose parents came to be for help in helping him lose weight. He was only 11 years old and was very heavy. He was generally a good kid. He didn't have too many problems with school or school work other than occasionally being made fun of because of his size. He had low self esteem and dealt with depression and anxiety due to the social aspects of being heavy.

His parents were also very concerned with the health problems and feared it would only get worse as he got older. I met with the boy to find out more about him and his life. That's the first rule of a hypnotherapy practitioner: speak directly to the patient. There is only so much that can be gained from a third party. Their perspective colors the real interpretation and they cannot get into the subconscious of their child. If they could they would have helped him sooner.

As we sat together he shared the rest of the story. At first he was tentative. Therapy, especially hypnotherapy, was a bit overwhelming to him. This isn't uncommon for kids his age. I worked in the beginning to put him at ease and as we enjoyed each other's company he began to enjoy the process.

With kids I'm always careful to explain everything we will do and so that they have the space to get comfortable with the process. This helped his conscious mind to let go and allowed his subconscious to give and receive cues. After a period of time, his parents began to see marked changes in the boy's attitude. Gradually his weight began to improve. But I was not convinced we were out of the woods. As time went on it became obvious to me that we were dealing with more. There was something more that his subconscious was trying to tell me that his conscious mind could not allow him to reveal. It was subtle, but my training and my instincts told me to persevere.

The key to being a good hypnotherapist is to be trustworthy and patient. The conscious mind and the subconscious mind will more freely open up to someone they trust.

Kids and adults for that matter will use weight as protection. It's like padding. It creates a protective barrier between you and the outside world. A child who does not feel safe use weight as a shield. Creating an imaginary protective layer that keeps their feelings or themselves safe.

My instincts proved true with this boy. Time and patience made him feel safe enough to reveal molestation by a distant relative. His space had been invaded. He subconsciously created a space of his own the only way he knew how; by gaining weight.

One thing that is almost always true is that kids that are molested at a young age will somehow feel responsible. They feel like it was because of something they did. If they feel they were too good looking, then they will make themselves ugly. I'm not saying that overweight people are ugly, just that they try to change their outward appearance to be less attractive. And in our society we value thin more than overweight. Once the truth came out I got the parents involved. They took action to protect their child and others from this predator. And together we helped their son feel safe in his skin.

Overweight children and adults often need more than calorie deprivation and PE. If your child is overweight ask yourself what he or she could be trying to say. The more deeply rooted the problem, the stronger the mind's defense against revealing it. Give them time and space to feel safe enough to reveal their thoughts. And don't be afraid to contact a professional.