As far back as I can remember, I have been a people pleaser, but my first memory of true anxiety was when I started dance college. Completely stepping outside of my comfort zone, away from the path my school friends had taken and into a world where everybody else seemed so cool, calm and together.
 
The anxiety has come in waves since then, I had bad moments and good moments, but I always managed to push through it and never let it stop me doing the things I wanted in life. I refused to let it paralyse me into avoiding the things that made me truly happy. Then I had a baby.
 
I was so cool and calm during pregnancy. Throughout my twenties, I had developed coping strategies of yoga, reiki, meditation and carrying crystals to keep myself calm and centred (it was a bit of a running joke with friends that I was a secret hippy!), and I carried this on throughout my pregnancy. I enrolled in hypnobirthing sessions and sat back and waited to be the cool calm mummy I wanted to be.
 
Fast forward 4 years and I look back at my pregnancy wistfully, wishing I could be as calm now as I was then. Postnatal anxiety is not talked about as much as postnatal depression, but it is a thing and it hit me hard. Throughout the 4 years of my little boy's life, it has come and gone in waves. Sometimes I felt like I had a lid on it, but more frequently I felt constantly paralysed with fear that something bad was going to happen to him.
 
I met Suzi when she booked in for a Reflexology session with me, and during her session we began talking about her work. The mention of Hypnotherapy piqued my interest and in the back of my mind I knew it was something that I needed to try.
 
I started off with eight weekly sessions with Suzi. I had no idea what to expect, as all I had known of hypnosis in the past was the comedy acts you see on tv or in holiday resorts.
I wasn’t even sure that I “could” be hypnotised, but to be honest, by this point, I was willing to try anything to help myself feel better.
 
A session with Suzi always starts with listing the positive things that have happened that week. In the past, I have always prided myself as being a positive person, but speaking to Suzi made me realise I had been slipping into quite a negative mindset, which is so easy to do without realising. Listing positives seems like such a simple thing to do, but I found that doing this each week during my session really trained my mind to focus on all the good things that were happening around me. After this, we would talk about how my week had been in general and set goals/tasks that centred around little things that could improve my all round general well-being.
 
After this we go ahead with the relaxation. I have done a lot of guided meditations in the past and in the beginning, this is what hypnotherapy mostly felt like. I sat back, tried to clear my mind, and let Suzi’s words sink in and relax me. Afterwards, I felt calm and very sleepy - I almost never want to wake up and leave the room once the session is finished!
 
After a few weeks of these sessions, I realised I was feeling calmer and less stressed. I started to realise that, although the sessions felt similar to my guided meditations, the repetition and the wording of the relaxations were most definitely having an effect on the workings of my mind, and each time I went, I was sinking into an even deeper “trance”. Towards the end of my eight weeks of sessions, there was definitely a breakthrough moment, where I could really start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It took a lot of baby steps to get there, but those weeks of baby steps made a huge change to the workings of my mind and my ability to deal with stressful situations.
 
I now see Suzi roughly every two weeks, and she keeps me on the straight and narrow!
 
Would I say my anxiety has gone? No, in a way a small part of it is who I am. But I am in a much better place than I was at the end of last year. If I feel those thoughts and worries spiralling out of control again, I know that a session with Suzi will leave me feeling calmer and back on track.

Guest Blog written by Chloe from Reflexology by Chloe.

If you would like to contact Chloe, you can reach her here: reflexologybychloe@outlook.com

With the ease of lockdown measures and longer, brighter days, hopefully all of us can start to feel more like our “usual self”; more energised, motivated and positive.  The increased sunshine during this time of year (although not always guaranteed in the UK 😊) also helps to boost our Vitamin D levels which plays a part in energy production, positive mood and feeling more motivated too.

Moving more, eating healthy foods, sleeping well, doing things that relax you and drinking plenty of fresh water daily are all ways in which we can help keep our bodies healthy and energetic. 

What is motivation? Where does it come from?  How do we stay motivated when pursuing a new challenge?

You start to learn a new subject, look for a new job opportunity, change your diet, attempt to quit smoking, or change an unhelpful habit and you feel really motivated to start with, you manage a week, two weeks or more and yet at some point the motivation (or will power) to continue fails.  Trust me, I’ve been there too, failed attempts in dieting, exercising and in my 20’s several failed attempts to quit smoking before I learnt about how our thoughts affect our feelings and behaviours. 

So how do you keep motivated?  The key to any successful behaviour change is to have a vision, who you want to be, what you want to achieve, how you want to feel.  The vision needs to be set-in the future, maybe close your eyes and envision yourself being, doing and having what you desire.  Take time to see, feel, hear the new situation, the new you.  Make the vision so powerful that even on days when you lack motivation you can return to the vision to help find the motivation to make the change you want. Also, know it is ok to have days when you are unmotivated, rather than criticising yourself and your failed efforts remember you are on a journey and you can stop and start again each new day.

If you are interested in knowing more about motivation, we are offering a Motivate Me! coaching discovery taster of 3 one-hour sessions for £125.00 usually £225.00 during May. You will be guided through goal setting and NLP techniques to change unhelpful thought patterns and increase your motivation to achieve and make permanent changes.

For more information contact me on 07974095011 or email info@topazhealth.co.uk
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all my clients, family and friends who have supported my business during lockdown, who knew coaching on Zoom would be a thing a year ago!  The great news is the new Wellbeing Coaching Office is now open in Huntingdon, 49A High Street, PE29 3AQ and hourly sessions and coaching packages are discounted by 25% throughout May 2021 with this article.  I look forward to welcoming you to our new home in the heart of Huntingdon and wish all SPARK readers a happy, healthy and motivated May.

Suzi’s coaching qualifications include Master NLP Practitioner, Hypnotherapist and Time-Line Therapist (ABNLP). Suzi has also undertaken CBT, Life Coaching and regularly participates in continuous professional development and is registered with The Academy of Modern Applied Psychology.

Finding Your Motivation In May
Spark Magazine
May 2021 / May Issue / P14

Wellbeing Café - The “M” Word Series

To provide a confidential, fun, and friendly space to talk about the “M” word.  A community group for women of any age who are or have experienced challenges pre, during and post menopause.  If you are finding life and the ups and downs of hormones a bit of a challenge or maybe you can offer some help and advice to other women, join in and share your experiences and wisdom. 

The group is facilitated by Mindset & Development Coach Evanthia Steadman and Health & Wellbeing Coach Suzi Gibbs-Chalmers who dare we say it, is about to turn the big 50 this year.

The Menopause seems to be the last taboo; heaven knows why as we all go through it, so let’s talk.  It can be a bit lonely and maybe family are not always the best people to share feelings around the emotional and physical changes you are experiencing. So, we thought there must be other women out their wanting a safe space to let off steam, connect and have somewhere to laugh about the changes and sleeping with window open when it is -2 outside!

Our first Zoom meeting will be 4th February 2021, 7.00pm to 8.00pm.  It will be an informal session getting to know each other so just come along, listen, share, and enjoy with a cuppa. As a group, we can then plan future sessions, dates, timings, and topics you would like covered. There will also be an opportunity to do a guided meditation at end of the session if you would like to stay online for this.

Last month we really enjoyed getting to chat and share our experiences with laughter being the best medicine!  We spoke about HRT and supplements that have been useful for the group and finished the session with some visualisation relaxation/meditation. This week we’re looking at how we can embrace our bodily changes using reframing and positive mindset with everyone contributing to what works for them.
We look forward to seeing you there.

Tuesday, 2 March 2021 at 7.30pm-8.30pm.
This month’s topic will look at having a positive mindset through life’s changes can help reduce and even eliminate symptoms. With a talk from Evanthia Steadman Mindset Coach and personal -development coach and Suzi  Gibbs-Chalmers Health and Wellness coach.
The group will then have the chance discuss and share their experiences on staying well during the perimenopause and post- menopause.

“M” Series session 2 went really well, 2 new people joined and great discussions around positive mindset, checking in with how we feel and positively reframing the new life challenges.  Suzi provided top tips to help with night sweats and sleeping better.  We had a Hair Loss Specialist and Mental Health Coach join the group. 

The next session of The "M" Word Series 3 we will be joined by Jenny - a womens health nutrtionalist, she will be here to chat about nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support you through menopauce and beyond.
 
Join us on Tuesday 6 April 2021, 7.30-8.30pm

This month it was great to be joined by Jenny from Go Nourish, she spoke to the group on “5 ways to feel healthier and fitter”.
 
Jenny presented on healthy eating, serving sizes and the correct macro ratios for our meals, supplementation (if required) especially the importance of Magnesium, B Vitamins and also Botanicals during menopause. Great tips on staying hydrated with filtered water, avoidance of pesticides using more organic foods if possible and how important it is to reduce stress and move more.

Next wellbeing café is Thursday 13th May, 7.30pm.

This month Bev Thorogood a Menopause Specialist and Midlife Coach with be joining us to discuss how to successfully manage menopause/peri-menopause symptoms in the workplace. She will join us for discussion on 'MAKING MENOPAUSE MAINSTREAM', Helping businesses retain valuable female talent through menopause awareness training. Helping women over 40 rediscover their confidence and thrive through midlife and beyond.

Next wellbeing café is Thursday 10th June, 7.30pm.

In Series 6, we will be discussing how to overcome associated feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and difficulties in focusing. Using mindfulness and NLP techniques, we will explore how to prioritise our time, develop more “me” time and increase our sense of freedom to choose.

The "M" Word Series won't be running over the summer months as everyone takes their summer break and enjoys more time with their family. But it will return soon, check back on our website or social media for return dates. Email Suzi or Evanthia to register your interest and do let us know what you are struggling with and what you need support with.

All welcome, please share the invite with your female friends who may like to join us.
The group is FREE and to book a space please contact:

• Evanthia at hello@transform-create.co.uk
• OR Suzi at info@topazhealth.co.uk

“I am a great believer that we all have mental health issues but no one needs fixing - we just need to sometimes take a look at our life experiences.”  

These are the words of wellbeing coach Suzi Gibbs-Chalmers, from Brampton, who is supporting The Hunts Post's We Need To Talk focus on mental health. 
Suzi, who runs Topaz Health Training, is set to launch a new coaching room in Huntingdon once restrictions ease. 

She has more than 20 years’ experience in health and fitness; having worked alongside Huntingdonshire District Council and the NHS. 

“I really got interested in how emotions and feelings lead behaviours and have an impact on mental health,” she explained. 
“You can have had a fantastic upbringing but inherited a value that could be holding you back from moving forwards in life. 

“I am a great believer that we all have mental health issues but no one needs fixing; we just need to sometimes take a look at our life experiences.” 

Suzi, who has tutored for leading fitness industry trainers, offers tailored sessions to her clients who may be struggling with their mental health. 

Her calming approach lets people explore the best ways to cope if they are finding certain situations difficult, but also the importance of improving their physical health too. 
“There is so much research on how physical symptoms we experience can be caused by mental health,” Suzi said. 

“For example, if we’re experiencing a lack of sleep then the body cannot heal or recover the way it should. 

“If you sit in silence and breathe deeply it’s amazing how that can be really calming, so then when you have a challenge to face that can really improve how you handle it. 

“I think that people are aware that they need to get regular exercise and take time to rest but they just find it difficult to actually do certain things as something may be holding them back. 

“They know that they need to change but they are just struggling with it.” 

Topaz Health provides a safe space to help people overcome challenges and limiting beliefs to achieve their full potential. 

Suzi also volunteers for the CALM Town initiatives in St Ives helping to reduce depression and loneliness within the community. 

While Suzi hasn’t been able to officially open the Topaz Health office in Huntingdon yet, she has still been able to support people struggling in lockdown and even set up a help group for women during menopause. 

Suzi has continued has also continued to provide her clinical case work for the NHS and pick up shifts for the ambulance service. 
“Everyone is managing the best that they can right now,” she said. 
“But it can be hard when you have no control over the situation. All age groups have been impacted in different ways.

Artile by Clare Butler - The Hunts Post
Published: 9:00 AM February 16, 2021  

Beat those “Frosty February Feelings”  - 5 Top Tips for Better Mental Health and Wellbeing:

Life has been different for many of us over the last year and the recent New Year lockdown may have left you feeling fed-up, unmotivated, unhappy, or worried. I know staying optimistic and hopeful has been a challenge for many of us. Here are some of my top tips for lifting your mood this February.

1. Make a Happy List
Write down all the things that make you happy. These could be a hot bubble bath, reading a book, colouring, talking to a friend, etc. Whatever makes you happy and do at least one thing on your list daily. Be kind to you, for if we take care of ourselves then we are better able to care for others.

2. Breath Deeply
When you feel things are getting a bit stressful take a moment to pause and breath deeply. Belly breathing where you take a deep breath in and let your belly expand and then breath out slowly helps to increase your parasympathetic nervous system which in turn helps to calm the mind and body.

3. Move More
It is ok if you are not a fan of formal exercise, all you need to do to improve your health and feel-good is to move more and sit less. Choose something that is easy for you, maybe a walk, chair exercise or spring clean the house. Start with 10 mins once a day and increase as you feel able. For some safe and easy workouts visit the 10-minute workouts - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

4. Think Differently
Thoughts are just thoughts and yet over thinking and worrying can cause feelings of sadness and behaviours such as anxiety. We are unable to stop thoughts popping up whenever they feel like it! However, we can choose just to note the thought and let it go. What we worry about hardly ever happens and other things we have not even considered do. Focus on the now and be present in the activity you are doing to help reduce overthinking.

5. Caring and Connecting
Helping and supporting others can help us to feel more positive. Reaching out, connecting, and talking to friends, family or professionals to share thoughts, gain insights and find help. By sharing we also realise that other people are experiencing similar problems and feelings and we are not alone.

Wishing you a happier, healthier February,

Source: SPARK Magazine P28, February 2021 edition.