President’s Report

Written by Dr Annette Webb

It is interesting how a few months can make a very big difference in all of our lives. As I walk around Melbourne, it almost appears as if life has returned to normal. Masks are being worn in a few places, but mostly the hustle and bustle of everyday life appears to have returned to almost pre-Covid levels. People are busy planning their overseas holidays, bars and restaurants are packed again and entertainment and sporting venues appear to have resumed to their pre-pandemic levels.

Hypnosis to assist our immune system

During this winter season as COVID and Influenza viruses circulate in high numbers in the community, it is timely to think about how we can use hypnosis to assist our immune systems in the fight against these viruses and there is a field of research confirming that the immune system can be modulated through hypnosis.

So we will be conducting a webinar on this on Monday the 20 June 2022 entitled ‘Immunity and Viruses and how to boost immune function using hypnotherapy’. This webinar will be conducted by myself and Dr Doris Brett and will discuss the science and practical applications of hypnotherapy in this area as well as assisting practitioner’s craft scripts for their individual patients. Dr Brett is a clinical psychologist and a psychotherapist who has been working with hypnosis for 48 years. She has also worked extensively with hypnosis in the area of oncology and other medical illnesses. She is an expert in the area of Eriksonian hypnotherapy as well as an accomplished author.

Executive and with Federal Council

We have also been busy in the Executive and with Federal Council. We have made some wonderful new alliances that will see our first joint Webinar between the Australian Society of Hypnosis and the Anaesthetic Society of Australia (ASA) on the 1 August 2022. The webinar will be given by two excellent speakers – Dr Michael Goldblatt, anaesthetist from Adelaide and Dr Mark Grant, psychologist from Melbourne. Both are very experienced in pain management and the title of the webinar is ‘Hypnosis and Pain’.

We are also busy preparing for our ASH Congress Noosa 2022 from the 15 September 2022 to 18 September 2022 entitled ‘Pain is Inevitable: Suffering is Optional – The Management of Trauma and Pain With Clinical Hypnosis’.

Keynote speakers include Patrick McCarthy, who will be presenting a workshop in how to treat anxiety in five sessions and Mark Grant who will be conducting an extended workshop on pain management discussing ‘bottom up’ and ‘top down’ strategies for overcoming pain.

It will be the first congress for four years due to the COVID -19 pandemic and it will be a wonderful way to learn, share ideas and catch up with colleagues we haven’t seen for far too long because of the pandemic. We hope that you can all attend and we have chosen a beautiful venue at Peppers Resort in Noosa for this.

Read more about the Congress by following this link to ASH Congress Noosa 2022.

Monthly Webinars

We have continued with our monthly webinars and have already had some very interesting webinars this year including the Management of Anxiety in April. We also had another excellent webinar on Depression in May 2022 and it was great to hear how different clinicians manage this important clinical area. The recording and slide presentations on the Depression webinar are now available to access in the members section of the federal website www.hypnosisaustralia.org.au. To access these you use your email address as user name and your password. If you have forgotten that, click Lost Password to be sent a new one. Webinars appears as a heading under the Members Area and you click on that to reveal all webinar material.

This Month’s Style Spotlight

Webinars and Podcasts

Dr James Auld and I recorded a podcast hosted by Dr Suzi Nou, immediate past president of the Australian College of Anaesthetists. The topic is ‘How to assist children and parents communicate more effectively so that children may be better prepared for the trip to hospital.’

ASH Congress Noosa 2022

I look forward to seeing you all the Congress, which is only a few months away, so please register for your attendance  at our venue, the wonderful Peppers Resort in Noosa and let’s enjoy some sunshine, learning and strengthening new and old collegiate connections together.

Book your accomodation early and don’t forget to ask for the ASH Congress discount!

Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas is nestled in the serenity of Noosa National Park. Spend your free time lazing in the inviting free-form swimming pool, pamper yourself in Stephanie’s Ocean Spa, or just take it easy. World class shopping and restaurants are a short 500 metre stroll away in bustling hub of Hastings Street and Laguna Beach. At this premium Noosa accommodation you’ll find the ultimate in eco-conscious sustainability with solar energy and rainwater irrigation.

For Reservations phone 1300 737 444 or Book Online

ASH Study Tour Egypt 2023

Discover the wonders of the most ancient civilisation in the world while learning new hypnosis techniques and strategies.

Tour Organiser: Dr Di McGeal
Phone: 0433 381 531 or Email: di@doctordi.com.au