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Writer's pictureMelissa Alexander

"Uncovering Trauma: My Journey to Becoming a Hypnotherapist Specializing in Anxiety, CPTSD and working with children"

Hi! Let me reintroduce myself. I am Melissa Alexander, a Hypnotherapy Practitioner, a wife, and a mom.


I am eager to provide insight into my personal journey and the transformative role hypnotherapy played in facilitating a profound exploration of my inner self, leading to the revelation of deeply entrenched emotional distress. Identifying the origins of this distress has been pivotal in my recovery process and has significantly influenced my trajectory moving forward.


Four years ago, I underwent a profound realization prompting a transition in my career path. Having dedicated a decade to assisting individuals in enhancing their physical well-being through movement and nutrition, I felt compelled to delve deeper into aiding others beyond mere aesthetic concerns. I had long harboured the belief that attaining my ideal physique would bring about confidence and happiness. However, upon reaching this goal, I discovered that it only exacerbated my sense of detachment and alienation from my own body. This realization led me to establish a more profound connection with my clients, empathizing with their struggles surrounding body image and recognizing the fallacy of seeking a superficial solution to deeper issues.


Following my separation from my husband, I decided to reevaluate my situation. I repeatedly came across information about RTT hypnotherapy with Marisa Peer online, which intrigued me. At that time, I was residing six hours away from my hometown with my two-year-old son and my mother, who had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 62. I was commuting back and forth every week to drop off my son at his father's place, alternating weeks. This amounted to fourteen hours of driving weekly. I was determined to make a change for both myself and my son. Therefore, I took a significant step by returning to school and committing to substantial monthly payments for a period of two years.


As I embarked on my hypnotherapy journey, I received a complimentary session from a recent graduate. During my third memory regression, I experienced a perplexing scenario. I found myself as a newborn in the hospital, cradled in my mother's arms, yet devoid of any emotional connection. In this vivid recollection, my mother appeared distant and preoccupied with my father and brothers, overshadowed by her own inner turmoil. Subsequently, I stumbled upon my mother's diaries from my infancy, validating the unsettling emotions I had encountered. It became evident that my mother grappled with depression while navigating a challenging family dynamic with a self-absorbed spouse, raising two sons. The profound realization struck me with empathy for the silent struggles she endured. In her mind, I was meant to be her saviour, but upon my arrival, the reality of what I looked like fell short of her expectations, leaving her emotionally distant. The crucial bond between a mother and her infant was compromised in my case. The absence of emotional support and presence from a mother can significantly impact a child's sense of identity and belonging.


This particular experience has been pivotal in my life. After sharing it with psychologists and psychotherapists, they have recognized its significance and were able to diagnose me from me sharing my hypnotherapy session: I have complex PTSD with attachment cry. The act of a baby crying out to be held is crucial for their survival. In my time, the common belief was to let babies cry themselves to sleep. However, babies require physical closeness; they rely on their parents' nervous systems and need to feel secure in the world. Being left alone in a crib to cry can lead to abandonment issues in adulthood.

Panic Attacks, Anxiety
Connect with InnerSelf for Healing

The profound emotional responses I have experienced hold great importance. During the process of recovery, I noticed that the deeper my comprehension of my panic attacks became, the more I recognized their resemblance to a baby's cries or even seizures.


It is my belief that the actions of mother and family are not to be blamed. Such behaviour is a product of upbringing and family background, akin to a chain reaction. I hold the firm conviction that parents do not purposely neglect or cause harm to their children. Rather, their actions may stem from a lack of awareness, influenced by their own upbringing, their own pain and trauma.


Consider the manner in which we were communicated with during our upbringing:


- Instructed to "move on"

- Informed that our emotions were not legitimate

- Expected to navigate our emotions and feelings independently


Parents play a vital role in offering children emotional support and ensuring their feelings are acknowledged, without invalidating them based on certain factors. What could be the root cause of a child's behaviour?


Three key beliefs children come up with:

- I am not enough

- I am rejected

- This is not available to me


What impacts us the most is not the event itself, but rather the way we interpret the event and the emotions it evokes in us. In the absence of parental guidance to handle difficult emotions, our subconscious develops belief systems to ensure our safety, either by protecting us or punishing us.

Reconnect with self
Embrace the elements

The use of hypnosis played a vital role in my journey of healing. It facilitated the uncovering, understanding, and release of deep-seated issues, allowing for the cultivation of fresh insights into life experiences and the restructuring of detrimental beliefs. It is essential to recognize that such challenges are universal.


Symptoms in our bodies and minds show up when something needs to be healed. Sickness, pain, disease, gut health, weight issues, anxiety, fear, sadness, depression. When your body is not in harmony, we have "issues."


The body tells the story, the body keeps the score.


Being out of alignment is a signal to delve deeper within yourself, explore, and facilitate healing.


If you have made it this far and this has resonated with you in some way. This is your calling to reach out and book a free discovery call. I would love to hear more. Always.




It is always my intention with clients to offer a safe space to be open, where your thoughts and emotions are safe and never shared. I offer a space to be a guide in your own healing journey.


In gratitude and love,


Melissa


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