Mind Advantage

“I’ve always suffered from anxiety, although I didn’t know it back then. I remember experiencing a debilitating fear of all things I didn’t understand when I was about 9 or 10, and sometimes I would have episodes where I couldn’t even watch cartoon’s because of the anxiety and fear they would bring up.

As I got older the attacks got worse, where I wouldn’t be able to sleep and all sense of logic went out the window. I was usually over it by the next morning, so I didn’t really do anything to follow up on why it had happened, or what it actually was. Sometimes they came on at a time of change in my life, sometimes it was over nothing at all.

The mother of all anxiety attacks hit me on New Year’s Eve 2006 (going into 2007). It was a usual night, we were celebrating at Surfer’s Paradise (I’m from Sydney), I had a few glasses of champagne, (quite) a few cigarettes (I was a smoker then) and a wonderful dinner with my boyfriend and best friend. At about 12.30 am I felt like this thing exploded in my stomach. It felt like I had taken drugs, and was getting
the ‘rush’. But it didn’t subside, it kept building and building and I didn’t know what to do. I told my boyfriend and best friend that I felt sick and went to the bathroom. I was so paranoid that I had something in my stomach that I brought everything I could up, and didn’t feel any better. I was scared, nervous, paranoid, something was happening to me and I couldn’t stop it or control it.

I couldn’t sleep that night, and had trouble every other night after that. I didn’t eat properly, due to a fear that someone had put drugs or the like in my food, I refused to eat anything with sugar in it, as I didn’t want to have a ‘sugar-high’ for fear that it would bring on an anxiety attack and I developed a fear of flying, so the flight back to Sydney was horrifying. Every night upon my return was the same:
I would stay awake as long as I could, and sleep with the TV on. My anxiety turned into irrational thoughts and I was always carrying this fear: fear of the unknown, fear of what was happening to me. I started going to the gym every day, as I thought this would make me exhausted enough to sleep each night. Due to my new eating habits and the exercise I managed to lose 15 kilos (silver lining I guess!).

I eventually got referred to Jacqui at Mind Advantage, and she was able to fit me in the next day that I spoke to her. Straight away she explained how EFT works and its benefits and we got started. I worked through all the apparent issues I had, from childhood to now. It was hard, emotionally draining work, but eventually (with homework set by Jacqui, to do at least 15 minutes of tapping each and every night) the
feeling of foreboding I had been carrying with me started to disappear. When I felt another attack come on, no matter where I was, I would start tapping. When I was angry or upset or being irrational, I started tapping, each time until I could deal with the problem. My Anxiety didn’t control me anymore. I was able to go on a plane again. As nervous as I was the first time after the ‘end-all-be-all’ anxiety attack in QLD I looked at the plane from a whole new angle. It was an incredible engineering feat, and even through turbulence I felt ok, even landing at night, through one of the worst lightening storms Brisbane had seen in years I was ok, I even wanted to take photos out the window of the clouds and lightening! I started eating out again, I started living again. I didn’t drink alcohol for over a year when I had my anxiety as I was scared what it would do to me, but now I was able to enjoy a drink with friends, without the fear (and sometimes even get a little tipsy!).

I’m not saying I am cured. This is a part of me, and I will have this for life. I still occasionally have a slip-up, and my anxiety returns. I slip back into not eating or over-exercising. But at the same time im tap-tap-tapping away.

I only saw Jacqui for around 10-11 sessions, and she has changed my life. EFT is a life-long technique that I’m so glad I learned now, in my younger years. It’s a tool that I will return to, and do now, throughout the rest of my life, and all it’s challenges along the way.”

- Lucy 
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“You were absolutely amazing with me and to be honest I have gone from strength to strength since my sessions with you and since learning the tapping. I have been singing your praises to everyone who will listen!”

- Stacey
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“I was just reading the Mind Advantage newsletter and the article ‘You get what you give’. Some feedback on what i’ve been putting into practice:
I have been putting so much time and energy into work with the goal of proving that I am management material. Well, I just made manager and I just hired an assistant….Not bad huh?!  
And I wanted to thank you for all your encouragement beciase I wouldn’t have made it here without your influence in my life!”

- Erin 

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Since starting my own business four months ago, even though I had my partner to support me, I lacked an inner confidence to achieve my goals. I was introduced to tapping or EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) by Mind Advantage and through using this technique regularly, my confidence in myself has grown to a level that allows me to know that I can do it. At first, I was a bit unsure of how EFT could help me achieve my goals in business and in my personal life, but by carrying out the techniques on a regular basis, I have seen a marked difference in my self confidence in and out of work.

Since my first session in EFT (4 months ago), my business gross sales are up 43.3%, the store’s customer count is up 48.2% and store productivity is up 45.4%. I was awarded Subway Franchisee of the Month for February (out of 107 stores) and the national marketing company is running an advert and editorial using me as their ‘model’ store in Franchising magazine.

The best points regarding EFT are that my stress levels have reduced, even though my work load and pressures have increased and I find time to relax and spend quality time with my partner and close friends. I have much more confidence in myself as a business person and in me achieving my goals.

EFT is a tool that can be used for any life situation, with amazing positive results. I am very grateful that EFT was introduced to me and I can look forward to a brighter future.

Thanks!

- Kayte Strong

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My love/hate relationship with this habit of mine (30 Cigarettes per day) was a constant pre-occupation.  I had a running debate going on in my head for years: ‘I have to quit’, ‘I know I won’t be able to quit’, (I had lots of previous unsuccessful attempts under my belt as evidence of this!), ‘I don’t want to quit’, ‘I have to quit’, ‘I’ll ‘try’ to quit again soon’.  It was exhausting.

I set many quit dates and as those dates approached my anxiety level would  escalate at the thought of parting ways with such a loyal and constant companion and anxious about the inevitable battle of will it would require.

Quitting felt like a battle looming…a contest of mind over matter and I suspected my mind would just not be strong enough against this matter of my addiction.

I had tried just about everything.

Then I contacted Mind Advantage and worked with the tapping/EFT principles amongst other tools.

As it turned out quitting was one of the easiest things I’ve ever done!

Quitting turned out to be a bi-product of becoming a healthier happier more joy-filled person. After working with Jacqui for a while my smoking habit just painlessly and naturally walked out of my life one day and has never come back!

I am forever grateful to Mind Advantage and EFT.  Not only have I successfully quit smoking, I have learnt  skills that I apply to my  every day life. And my life  seems to be ever increasing in joy and purpose.

- Meg Gosson

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I enjoyed your recent presentation on EFT and as I am an acupuncture patient felt fairly confident of the process of tapping.

Recently I was in the USA and felt an anxiety about my son using drugs again and ‘going off the rails’.  At about 4 am I felt the re-emergence of Shingles in my eyebrow and eye, the start of blisters was confirmed to me in the morning by my husband and the mirror.  I started tapping and continued once or twice an hour for the day.  I suppose you know what I am going to say… yes the blister and the shingles feeling and the anxiety went. I dealt with the fall out that my son was causing at home and continued  with my holiday without the costly medical treatment of shingles. It was a very comforting experience and gave me great confidence. I thought you would like to know.

- Christine, Sydney Australia, 2007

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A HUGE thank you for introducing me to EFT, and for your help and expertise. I have conquered my panic attacks, and am back in the UK with a great boyfriend, flat and fantastic job!

– Sally Mair, 2005

I truly am very touched by what you have taught/given me. I am happy to say that for the first time in over a year, I am happy. I have worked really hard to get here and am happy to report that I AM PROUD OF MYSELF AND I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN. Thanks so much for all of your help.

– Sharon F, 2005

When I first arrived at Mind Advantage I was having regular panic attacks and was so scared about everything. I was skeptical about EFT as I had never even heard about this kind of thing and had always had little time for alternatives. But within one session I felt a positive effect.I totally believe that something was looking out for me and it was my time to find my goal of happiness. I’m so glad that I’ve identified so much about who I am and why I am that way and I really look forward to unlocking more of my true potential. I’m starting to love myself more.I really hope that you are going well and will never forget the effect that you had on my life… the rest is up to me…Jacqui gave me a new direction and I will always be so relieved and grateful for that.

– Kevin, who had 4 sessions with Mind Advantage before he returned home to the UK

Two years ago I was under a lot of stress and I got constant panic attacks. Then I met a very kind and special friend at Mind Advantage that taught me EFT to help me. Since then my life has improved way beyond I ever thought it could. My stress levels are down again and I haven’t had a panic attack for around a year now. It has helped me through difficult situations and it lets me think and concentrate on situations as well. EFT is truly a gift and I recommend it to everyone.Thank you truly for such a special gift Jacqui, I will use it forever.

All the best,
Amber
xxoo

I am very grateful to have contacted Mind Advantage for Business Coaching. My Coach was a committed and supportive professional, and in a very short period of time facilitated some major career changes in my life. I am surprised at how quickly I have made these positive changes. The service is excellent, offered regular phone support and provided me with many useful tools to work with. If a friend or colleague was looking for business support I would not hesitate to recommend this service. Thankyou!

– AI, July 2006

 

I first came to see a therapist at Mind Advantage to help me to achieve several things; one was to explore my feelings, thinking and intuitive sense about my long-term relationship; that is to stay in my relationship or not and to make plans to expand my dancing goals.

 

I achieved both these goals and more. On my first visit I learnt the self help technique of “tapping” which I have found an invaluable tool to help me when I feel stuck or want to gently push through internal/external restraints preventing me moving forward to where I want go.

When preparing to “tap” for my relationship, I firstly wrote all the reasons I wanted to stay in the relationship and all the reasons I didn’t want to stay in the relationship. I wrote down these statements that became what I read for the “tapping sessions”. As I read the reasons for staying and leaving I tapped on the specific spots. During these daily tappings, insights came to me about my relationship, about me and about my partner. It was a subtle process; it felt an integrated one, acknowledging my thinking, feeling and intuitive senses. The decision for me after two weeks tapping was to leave my relationship of nearly nine years, a difficult and challenging decision. I tapped each time before and after talking with my partner about my decision just to make sure my energy flow was clear and that I was as clear to her as I could be at any given time. I know the decision was and still is the right one for me. I tapped through the enormous grief I felt at ending my relationship.

As for my absolute passion: dancing? I wrote down all the dancing goals I wanted to achieve, I wrote down all the statements I wanted to hear others say about me and my dancing, I had mental pictures of how I wanted to look, feel, sound, move. I still have these written statements in bright colours and I keep them in my journal. I tap each week, sometimes more frequently. The “what if” statements have been particularly helpful and generate insights into core beliefs about myself and how I need these beliefs to shift in order for me to move into being more of a dancer, more expressive, more of who I am. I now identify as a dancer, this in itself is a huge step!

I have gone from dancing two hours a week to dancing over six hours and more and have achieved nearly all the goals I set for the whole year in the first six months. I still tap each week about my dancing goals. The day after I decided to separate from my intimate partner my first dancing goal was achieved which was to find a practice partner. A practice partner appeared to come from nowhere!

Now I have to expand my dancing goals as I’ve achieved more than I thought I could, and it’s this statement that holds one of the keys to moving forward: “more than I thought I could”. The tapping process has and continues to help me look at my limiting thoughts/beliefs/feelings and the “what if” statements that I develop help me expand my horizons beyond my limited thinking/beliefs/feelings.

I only had three sessions and I continue working on issues (and myself) as things arise through the tapping process.

I will return to Mind Advantage when I feel I am stuck or need a little more support. But I’m hoping my next contact with Mind Advantage is to let them know that I have achieved one of my new goals which is that I have topped my dance school with an honours pass in my next GOLD medal!!!

SLH, a 47-year-old senior teacher and dancer, 2006

A sincere thanks to Mind Advantage for the support you have given me since I lost my job three months ago. My counsellor was at all times considerate, professional, compassionate and genuinely interested in my personal wellbeing. The sessions were exactly the ‘personal headspace’ I needed to get through a trying time, full of self-doubt and exploration of how I had arrived in that situation. Mind Advantage recommended that I attend a recent Steve Wells lecture, during which I determined my path for my immediate and medium-term career future. With the support of Mind Advantage I am now firmly resolved to succeed – and I KNOW I will do so.

– Glenn, October 2006