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Spring Lake, MI 49456
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ARTICLES

Frustration leads to help tapes for Children

Local hypnotherapist produces product to help kids with increasing their self esteem and confidence building

by Terry Bienkowski

Terry Bienkowski felt frustration as she watched the violence among children escalating. But, “What could one person do?”

Terry, a hypnotherapist and guided imagery spe­cialist, has been helping children with behavioral problems for over 15 years. She has found that regardless of the behavior, a sense of low self-esteem is prevalent. It is incredi­ble the amount of psycho­logical damage that can be done to children by TV, video games, siblings or authority figures. Some of it is a well meaning effort intended to provide direction and motivation, coming from a trusted source who means no harm. However, children differ just as adults do. Some come from homes that offer praise and encouragement others from environments where criticism and a lack of recognition are the norm. For example, a teacher or parent viewing a poor report card might com­ment, “You are going to be a failure when you grow up if you don't try harder now.” The intent I might well be to moti­vate the child to change and to study more. Yet, an insecure child might well except that they are a failure and feel they are unworthy, incapable and doomed to fulfill the destiny of a failure. Terry states, “I have seen many clients as adults who have sought out therapy to get out from under self-depre­cating childhood imprints.”

She understands this very well having come from an abusive home herself. “I grew up being told that I would never amount to anything, that I was fat, ugly and stupid. So, as an adult I had great difficulty trying to fit in anywhere.” This is what got me involved in hypnotherapy and helped me to change my destructive patterns around.

Now she feels the need to help children so that they may change their destructive patterns early on and become confident and secure indi­viduals. And this is where the idea for guided imagery tapes for children first started and was further prompted by a former client named Polly. Polly had asked Terry if she could help her newly adopted three year old daughter with her sleeping problems. She would scream every night before sleep and have a hard time staying asleep. Terry made her a guided imagery tape to help her with her sleeping problems and after only one night, her child had never had a sleep­ing problem since. Polly and the health organi­zation she developed, Collective minds, was so impressed that they asked her if she would be willing to make a similar tape for mass marketing. That same night, as Terry was watching the news, she heard of the young school girl who had been shot by another child in that very same city. The principal stated that the main problem lied with children feeling such a low sense of self-esteem. She immediately got on the phone and asked Polly if her organization would be interested in making a second tape, one made specifically for children to enhance their self-esteem.

“We've got to do something!” They felt the same way and three months later, two guided imagery tapes for children were born. The first tape, “Drift Into Sleep,” is designed to put your child's sleepless nights to rest.

“Beautiful starlight surrounds you and protects you as you sleep.” “Sleep in sweet peace for you are safe and protect­ed.” “Your dreams are filled with peace.” These are just a few of the soothing and peaceful words your child will hear in "Drift Into Sleep." It helps bedtime to become a welcomed time and helps them to sleep straight through the night. This tape can also help your child to sleep peacefully during airplane or car rides, in new places or after nightmares. (For children ages 3­10).

The second tape, “Peace Child" is designed to enhance your child's self-esteem.” You are a wonderful person. “You are loved very much.” You do well in school and learn very easily" are just a few of the uplifting words of encourage­ment on this tape.

Both tapes are 15 minutes in length and include relaxation suggestions and music fol­lowed by a story filled with positive statements about our child. They are designed to appeal to your child's natural visual nature so that they feel a part of the story, making the suggestions even stronger. (Peace Child ages 3-12.)

Terry also is the creator of the audio cassette series for women who fear and women who have had breast cancer called, “Into the Heart of Breast Cancer.” They are currently being used at the University of Chicago where Terry recently worked with their oncology staff teaching them guided imagery techniques to help with their cancer patients. She also has two private hyp­notherapy practices in Ferrysburg and in Grand Rapids where she helps adults with many behav­ioral problems such as quitting smoking, losing weight, phobias/fears, self-esteem, public speak­ing, pain control just to name a few. You may contact Terry at 616-844-4416 for further infor­mation or to speak for your group or organiza­tion.

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