Tru Ade

Ryan Hammons

Ryan Hammons was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 2005. When Ryan was five years old he started to suffer from frequent nightmares and would wake in the night screaming and crying. After nearly a year of this without any obvious explanation, Ryan confessed that he used to a different person. His parents, being Baptists, were sceptical. But over time Ryan shared more and more detail about his previous life as a man who died more than 50 year early and lived in Hollywood, California.

This person had five marriages, two sisters, took lavish trips to Europe and once danced on Broadway. He also recalled running an agency where people frequently changed their names. But what really caught his mother’s attention was that he loved ‘Tru Ade’. This was an orange soda drink that had been discontinued in the 1980s.

Intrigued, his mother, Cindy, decided to do some research into this era of Hollywood. She showed Ryan a photo from a Mae West movie and he excitedly pointed to a man in the picture and said that was him. Sadly, the man was not credited in the photo. It was at this point that Cindy contacted Dr Jim Tucker of the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS), a research unit of the Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences of the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine. They consulted a film archivist who discovered that the unnamed actor in the photo was Marty Martyn, who had been an extra in the film.

The next step was to speak to Marty Martyn’s remaining family. He had one biological daughter as well as five stepchildren. This revealed that many of the statement Ryan had made about Marty’s life were correct. These included his five marriages, his siblings, how many children he had and even the street he lived on. He was even correct about Marty giving his, then six year old, daughter a dog that she didn’t like. It also explained the agency he ran that changed people’s name. It was talent agency and clients would often require a stage name.

In another session with Dr Tucker, Ryan asked why God would let him die at 61 only to come back as a baby. This seemed to be a discrepancy as his death report stated he was 59. But, research into census reports confirmed he was, in fact, 61 when he died and that he had shaved a few year off for vanity.

Marty Martyn was born Morris Kolinsky in1903 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He moved to New York and working as a dancer and appeared in a Broadway production called ‘Gay Paree’ in 1925. Later he moved to Hollywood and changed his name. He only appeared in one movie, ‘Night After Night’ (1932). Although credited, his only line appeared to have been cut from the film. Later he started a successful Hollywood talent agency.

As Dr Tucker said, “We were able to piece together a picture of Marty Martyn’s life, and we could compare it to Ryan’s statements. In most of our cases, people have tried to see if a deceased person could be identified whose life matched the statements the child had made. Here, there was only one guy that Ryan could have been talking about, because he had pointed to him in a picture. We weren’t trying to see if there was anyone whose life matched Ryan’s statements; we were looking to see if Marty Martyn’s did”.

For a more complete view of this case see this article by the researcher Dr James G Matlock. If you would like to explore your past lives then contact me for more information.

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Meteoropathy

‘A sunny disposition’, ‘A face like thunder’, ‘Being under the weather’ – the English language is full of references to the ways weather can affect our mood, energy and even mental health. The rule of thumb is that cold is bad and warm is good, but personal preference does play a part. A study from 2011 found that we all typically fall into one of four categories when it comes to weather:

  • Summer lovers: Your mood improves with warm, sunny weather.
  • Summer haters: Your mood declines with warm, sunny weather.
  • Rain haters: Your mood declines on rainy, stormy days.
  • Unaffected: Weather doesn’t affect your mood very much at all.

So, which are you? Knowing this might help you navigate the winter blues or the summer’s hot weather. If you are not sure, keeping a journal might help. Note the weather, how you feel and any other information you think might be useful. Once you know you can monitor the weather forecast so you can prepare a low-stress schedule for days you will find difficult. And, of course, remember what William Arthur Ward (American motivational writer) said, “A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition”.

A different study has revealed that about 30% of people are significantly affected by the weather. This is known as Meteoropathy. There are certain groups of people who are more susceptible to this. Namely, women, older adults, people with the personality trait neuroticism and those who have a diagnosed mood disorder. Common symptoms include fatigue, irritability, poor concentration and apathy, hypersensitivity to pain, headache, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia and pain around old scars or injuries. These symptoms disappear or significantly improve when the weather changes.

Jerzy Kosinski (Polish-American novelist) certainly seems to have been a sufferer. He said, “In London, the weather would affect me negatively. I react strongly to light. If it is cloudy and raining, there are clouds and rain in my soul”.

As a rule, winter weather tells your body it’s time to shelter and hibernate, using less energy during the colder months. Warmer temperatures can boost your energy along with your mood, but only up to a certain level (depending on what you are used to). After that, the heat may make you tired and feel the urge to escape to somewhere cooler.

Daylight and strong sunlight can also impacts energy. It stimulates the production of vitamin D and it also tells your circadian clock to be awake, while darkness tells it that it’s time to sleep. So, long, bright days can energise you, while short or cloudy days will make you feel tired and sleepier.

No matter where you are in the world the weather can have an impact on you. In the northern hemisphere we are in summer and battling some extreme hot weather.

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Nadia Whittome

I thought I would write a little about Nadia Whittome. ‘Who?’ you might ask. Well in two ways at least she is a remarkable woman. Firstly, in 2019 she was elected the Member of Parliament for Nottingham East at the tender age of just 23. This made her the youngest MP, also known as the Baby of the House.

But for me a far most impressive feat was that in May 2021, she announced that she had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and would be taking a leave of absence. I think this is just the most tremendous example for those struggling with mental health issues. There is still a great deal of stigma associated with mental health. So to see someone as high profile as her making her struggles known, and publicly doing the right thing by taking a break, is so beneficial.

It is thought that one in four people suffer some form of mental health issue each year. And her actions were praised by the Chief Executive of leading mental health charity, Rethink Mental Illness, Mark Winstanley. He said, “The enduring stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace can be hugely damaging, preventing people from accessing support and leading them to prioritise work over their own wellbeing for fear of judgment. Being signed off from work for poor mental health is not a sign of weakness, but a recognition that wellbeing should always be a priority. We welcome Nadia’s openness around her diagnosis and wish her well in her recovery.”

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Kier Starmer (Leader of the Labour party) hoped she would “…gets well soon”, and added, “I respect Nadia’s bravery in speaking openly about her mental health and I look forward to welcoming her back to parliament”. While Jeremy Corbyn, (Former Labour leader) described her as “…bold and brave”. He tweeted, “By being honest about looking after her #MentalHealth she helps all those who are struggling”.

Sadly not everyone was as sympathetic. The blog site Guido Fawkes commented, “…she needs to take a break from parliament due to PTSD. Parliament may be daunting though nothing akin to the trenches of the First World War. The shells lobbed on social media may ruin your day, they don’t kill”.

Keen to return to work, she was advised by her GP that the NHS waiting lists for treatment ran to many months and so was forced to use private healthcare to get timely treatment. She commented, “It just highlighted everything that needs to change; everybody should have access to the best treatment for whatever the condition is, and be able to access it quickly. I know from the casework how many people are waiting months, years even”.

In September 2021, she was able to return to her duties in the House of Commons. Speaking on her return she said, “I’ve thought a lot about whether to speak about the causes of my PTSD, and I decided that it wouldn’t help my recovery. But I will go as far as saying it was caused by extremely traumatic events that were entirely unconnected to my work as an MP, politics or parliament”.

So if you, or someone you know, has struggled following a traumatic event, then seek help. Regardless of the severity of the symptoms or how long ago the trauma occurred there is help available. More severe cases can be successfully treated by psychotherapies, while milder symptoms can be treated with Hypnotherapy. If you contact me, I will carry out a free initial consultation to discuss with you what symptom you have and how I can help.  

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Oneofusismissing

8 July each year is oneofusismissing day. It was started in April 2021 by Latonya Brown after she lost her daughter in an accident. The day commemorates our departed loved ones.  It’s a day for healing, remembrance and shared grief. It encourages those of us who live on to be grateful for every day we have. It’s an opportunity to set aside all differences in race, religion, class and creed to unite in our appreciation of life and those who are no longer with us.

Latonya speaks eloquently about her experience, why she created this special day and her grief. She said, “On this day 2019, I joined a culture of people I never intended on joining. I lost my only daughter in a horrible car accident with two of her best friends. This does not sum up their lives but it brings awareness to the fact that we only have one life and one chance. I survived losing my daughter. She is the reason I stepped into the role of a mother. My body transformed to bring forth a life that’s no longer here. The age of her life is not what’s important. One of us will always be missing”.

She went on to say, “Recently, we’ve lost so many people in record numbers. I want their families to know that we stand together in the grieving process. There is life after death. It’s ok to live, laugh and love again. On this day we can reflect on those we have lost by doing a cohesive fun activity to promote healing. This will be the day that people of all nationalities across the nation can come together and celebrate the lives and experiences of those we have lost to gun violence, police brutality, accidents, miscarriages, stillbirths and natural causes. Grief will not consume us. This day will be a day of healing!”

I think this is a healthy and powerful message about grief and loss. Losing a loved one is traumatic and you should take time to grieve. But in time, you will start to feel better and able to carry on with life again.

Appreciation of the life we have is an important message and we can easily lose sight of what we have when we experience difficult times. Brad Pitt (American Actor) makes a good point when he said, “I had a friend who worked at a hospice, and he said people in their final moments don’t discuss their successes, awards or what books they wrote or what they accomplished. They only talk about their loves and their regrets, and I think that’s very telling”.

As long as we remember our loved ones who have passed they live on. Make time to talk about the time you spent with them, both the good and bad moments, to keep their spirit alive. And remember, you’re most likely not the only one grieving your loved one. Offer your support to others working through the pain of the same loss.

Hypnotherapy can help with grief and adjusting to the loss of a friend or family member. If you think it could help you, then contact me.

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Alcohol Awareness Week

3 to 9 July is Alcohol Awareness Week. It is coordinated by Alcohol Change UK (a UK based charity) and is a week of awareness raising and campaigning for change. The theme this year is Alcohol and cost.

While some people chose to abstain, alcohol is a part of many of our lives. We use it to celebrate, comfort, socialise, wind down and perhaps for some to cope. Most societies treat it differently to other drugs – it’s legal, socially acceptable and is even encouraged. It’s interesting to think what would happen if it was discovered for the first time today. Would it be so acceptable or would it be banned?

It’s thought that in the UK one person every hour dies as a result of alcohol. Even if it doesn’t kill you it can harm you through mental health problems, liver disease, economic difficulties and much more. One of seven forms of cancer are alcohol related. And it doesn’t stop there, anyone who drinks too much is part of a family and a community. This can cause increased use of emergency services, drink driving, violence and neglect.

James Wolcott (American journalist) has spoken about the effect alcohol, and other factors, had on his childhood and later life. He said, “Being raised Catholic in a pressure-cooker household besieged by alcohol and bill collectors enforced and heightened a sense of sentry duty in me, the oldest of five children and the one most responsible for keeping everything from capsizing. Wild indulgence was for other people, the non-worriers”.

The total social cost of alcohol to society in the UK is estimated to be at least £21 billion each year. We as individuals spend £50,000 on average on alcohol over the course of a lifetime. Think what you could do with that money.

The personal costs could be far more significant with alcohol death rates increasing to the highest rate since records began. The cost of living crisis has also played a key role in causing some people to drink more than they’d like to cope with their problems. And with the current challenges we all face, millions more people are suffering from worsened mental and physical health every day as a result of harmful drinking.

Hypnotherapy can help with addictions of all types including alcohol. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with an addiction then contact me.