Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume 5, Special Issue, 15 June 2021 | Page 29

evident during his putting game . Many have tried to pinpoint the cause of this issue with no success . The Mayo Clinic had trouble pin pointing a cause in its studies . It was once thought that the Yips were always associated with performance anxiety . However , it now appears that some people have Yips that are caused by a focal dystonia , which is a neurological dysfunction affecting specific muscles . The Mayo clinic later confirmed that the Yips are actually a psycho neuromuscular affliction . Part of their suggested treatment includes the following : relaxation , visualization and positive thinking . Positive thinking in particular can help reduce anxiety , increase concentration and ease fear of the Yips .

Relaxation

Relaxing during an event can be challenging for an athlete . How can an athlete change their automated excitement ( negative or positive ) and achieve a more relaxed state during a perceived pressured play ? That is exactly what a sports performance hypnotherapist can help with . A sports performance hypnotherapist can create a paradoxical state where anxiety and relaxation cannot coexist . Sports performance hypnosis can help form a new neuropath way for a new conditioned response .

Visualization

As a Sports Performance Specialist and Guided Imagery Facilitator many athletes who come to see me tell me they only envision negative outcomes of their performances . These images often become the basis for a selffulfilling prophecy over time . Working with hypnosis to reprogram the subconscious mind in an attempt to rid it of the unwanted scenes and produce positive visualizations is exactly what the subconscious mind needs and can help an athlete change negative imagery .

Positive Thinking

How does an athlete keep composure if they believe they are down or going to lose even before the event ? That is the subconscious mind and its automated reaction and a sports hypnosis specialist is able to help change these issues from something that doesn ’ t work to something that does . Hypnosis is the bridge between conditioned mental responses and physiological outcomes . As such , it can affect the success of these outcomes . In all of its automated responses the subconscious mind is the connection between the conditioned mental response and a muscular action . Until an athlete has a break in their negative patterns with a negative