Northern New Jersey Psychotherapist Helps Students Overcome Performance Anxiety in the Classroom and on the Field through Hypnosis and Visualizations

    NEWTON, NJ, February 02, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Psychotherapist Claire Caines, director of Caines Center for Psychotherapy, is seeing more high-achieving students in her practice who lack confidence about their game or are experiencing high levels of anxiety around scholastic performance, especially with college on the horizon and scholarships at stake. Additionally, parental pressure to perform well and the effects of social media and peer pressure on today's youth are causing many students to suffer debilitating anxiety that forces them off the field or out of the classroom. Caines says that hypnosis can help.

She helps motivated high school and college students boost their confidence, improve focus and concentration, and work through specific issues around their sports and academic performance through hypnosis and other techniques. A fellow of the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, with offices in Newton and Chatham, she works with students ages 15 and up, from high school through college. Clients are typically from Morris, Sussex, Essex and Somerset counties. She has been helping clients through hypnosis and visualization for over 20 years.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States, affecting nearly one-third of both adolescents and adults. "I'm seeing more students suffering from academic and social anxiety as well as a crisis of confidence in their sports performance for a variety of reasons," said Caines. "Either way, these teens and young adults can become more self-empowered and overcome their lack of confidence through safe and gentle hypnosis."

The most common issues Caines helps with are:
- Performance anxiety, lack of confidence - in sports, test taking, giving presentations
- Loss of focus during a game or match
- Problems relating to teammates or peers
- Difficulty dealing with constructive criticism or harsh communication from coaches and teachers

Anxiety increasing among young people
A recent article in the New York Times stated that in the past 10 years, anxiety has overtaken depression as the most common reason college students seek counseling services.
- In its annual survey, the American College Health Association found a significant increase--from 50 percent in 2011 to 62 percent in 2016--of undergraduates reporting "overwhelming anxiety" in the previous year.
- In 1985, the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA began asking incoming college freshmen if they "felt overwhelmed by all I had to do" during the previous year. In 1985, 18 percent said yes. That number was 29 percent in 2010 and it swelled to 41 percent in 2016.

Through sports hypnosis, Caines helps young athletes train their minds as well as their bodies, as they come to understand that the mental aspect of sports is just as important as their mechanical skills. "These student athletes perform more consistently, with greater confidence, through the hypnotherapy techniques we use in our sessions," said Caines.

"Students with academic anxiety are often perfectionists who fall into the trap of nothing ever being good enough. They enter a cycle of negative thoughts that sabotage their academic performance, but they can break through that using the insights and relaxation techniques they gain through our sessions."

Hypnotherapy at Caines Center for Psychotherapy includes progressive relaxation, guided visualizations and exercises, and hypnosis followed by post-hypnotic suggestions the students can use to gain greater confidence in challenging situations. Caines also teaches clients self-hypnosis they can implement to reduce anxiety, remove obstacles to doing their best and recover more easily from mistakes or disappointing performance.

"At the center of their anxiety may be an actual event--a fumble that blew the big game, poor SAT scores in spite of extensive studying, or an embarrassing or upsetting social interaction," said Caines. "Through hypnosis, the teens visualize a more positive, empowering outcome. The goal is to emerge ready to move forward with a sense of competence that enables the students to excel in their endeavors. Rather than allow their fears to take over, my clients learn to relax in the presence of stressors and feel more prepared and confident when they encounter those situations."

For more information about how hypnosis that can help students achieve greater focus, enhanced confidence, and attain and maintain a higher level of performance with less stress, contact Claire Caines at [email protected] or call (973) 300-0428.

About Claire Caines
Claire Caines, MSW, LCSW, LCADC, CSAT is a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist and director of Caines Center for Psychotherapy with offices in Newton and Chatham, N.J. She is a New Jersey licensed clinical social worker, and a fellow of the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists. Through hypnosis and relaxation training, Claire helps people achieve focus and a high-performance state of mind to improve their quality of life. She works with student athletes to achieve excellence in sports by giving them the tools to boost their confidence, improve their focus and reduce anxiety. Other professional credentials include certified sex addiction therapist, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, and mastery training in Neuro Linguistic Programming. For more information visit www.cainescenter.com.

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