July is a month of summer and freedom. For many of you, this month will bring vacation travel and reunions with family and loved ones. Read more about the July 8 teleseminar with Dr. Eric Greenleaf on How to Prepare for Successful Recovery from Surgery including a free sign-up bonus. Learn more about our training calendar. News From the Pain Front features tips on How to Prepare for the Actual Experience of Surgery.

Please be well, stay well, and enjoy your summer,

I hope you are considering attending this seminar. If the topic is not timely for you, PLEASE consider forwarding this newsletter to clients, friends, or family just by clicking on the link at the bottom of this newsletter. This event is part of our "Ask the Experts Series." As you are learning, Eric Greenleaf is an expert in Ericksonian hypnosis. Director and founder of the Milton H. Erickson Institute of the Bay Area, he has practiced, taught, and written about hypnotherapy for 35 years. Eric and I have known each other for more than 20 years and his work with Ericksonian approaches to healing is legendary. (If you don't know Eric, please find out more about him at www.hypnosisnetwork.com/therapists/therapists_egreenleaf.php).

These days, more and more people seem to be struggling with intrusive medical procedures, especially surgery. We have planned a content rich seminar to help you and those you might refer to us prepare for and recover from surgery successfully. Sign up now for How to Prepare for Successful Surgery at: www.maggiephillipsphd.com/courses_teleseminars_eg.html.

I'm excited to announce that my long-time colleague, Dr. Dabney Ewin, M.D., who is a world-renowned expert in the area of hypnosis with surgery and mind body healing, especially burns, has shared with me a recent paper presented at the The First International Symposium on Memory and Awareness in Anesthesia. University of Glasgow, Scotland. We have long known that people under anesthesia are influenced by sounds including verbalizations that are present in the immediate environment. This paper provides some fascinating details and will be yours as a thank-you bonus for signing up for our seminar. (click here). Don't delay!

Our topics include:

• How to prepare for a specific type of surgery or procedure
• How to avoid any negative experiences of past procedures
• Ways of inviting your unconscious mind to assist with accelerated recovery
• Boosting your confidence in your success with your medical procedure
• Special considerations for children
• Strategies to reduce fears that can block healing
• How to resume life after surgery with the "good chemistry" of positive emotions
• Your topic -- not on this list? Please submit your topics and questions to us in advance at www.maggiephillipsphd.com/courses_interactive.html

I'll be teaching in Europe and China this fall following some good vacation time for the month of August. If you want to receive full details about any of the events listed below, please consult your copy of the June newsletter, or visit our newsletter archive page (click here).

Wednesday, 9 September from 9 am-10:30 am Pacific time, please plan to attend a teleseminar with Dr. Peter Levine on "Resiliency and Somatic Integration." More information will be provided in subsequent emails.

10-11 October: A 2 day workshop on "Mindfulness and Mind Body Healing" in Heidelberg, Germany. Contact office@meihei.de for more information.

17-18 October: A 2 day workshop on "Empowering the Self Through Ego-State Therapy and Structural Dissociation." For more information and registration, email Bernard Mayer at mayer@ietsp.fr.

24-25 October: A 2 day workshop "The Body as the Ultimate Healer of Trauma and Pain" in Zurich, Switzerland. Please contact Silvia Zanotta at szan@bluewin.ch if you are interested.

29-31 October: Presentation at the Child Psychotherapy Conference in Heidelberg on "Saving the Velveteen Rabbit: Ericksonian Approaches to Pain Management with Children and Adolescents." For information, contact DanielBass@meg-rottweil.de.

1-2 November: A 2 day post conference workshop in Heidelberg on "Ego-State Therapy with Children and the Child Within." Contact office@meihei.de for information and registration.

7-8 November: An advanced 2 day workshop in Rottweil, Germany on "Ego-State Therapy with Personality Disorders." Friday, 6 November, a group consultation workshop focused on ego-state therapy. Contact DanielBass@meg-rottweil.de. Contact me directly for private personal consultations on 4-5 November at mphillips@lmi.net.

28-29 November and 5-6 December: A 4 day Somatic Experiencing® Beginning I certification workshop in Hong Kong. Please contact George Zee, the organizer, at gzeesj@yahoo.com.

12-13 December: A 2 day Introduction to Somatic Experiencing® in Beijing. Please contact Rob Blinn at rob.blinn@ufh.com.cn or alex@beijingbookworm.com for more information.

All of the events above will be taught in English. There will be translation in Paris and in Beijing. I will be offering private sessions before and after the dates listed above. Please contact me directly at mphillips@lmi.net for scheduling.

Several of you have wondered whether our July 8 phone seminar/webinar will teach you how to prepare for a specific surgery or medical procedure. That is a very good question because some procedures require special types of preparation. We expect that you will receive clear and detailed information about how to prepare for your procedure from your doctor or surgeon.

If this is NOT the case, please correct this deficit IMMEDIATELY by insisting that you get printed information in advance and possibly even the opportunity to talk to patients who have had the same procedure so that you can benefit from their experiences.

Make sure you receive information on medications you will need to stop prior to surgery and why, medications you will need to add to what you are already taking for anesthesia, pain relief, or other purposes. Find out the common side effects and negative consequences the doctor has experienced with other patients. Determine which of these are likely to happen for you and HOW you can either avoid them or cope with them if they do occur. Focus on your needs for comfort as an important priority before, during and afterwards. Make sure that the medications provided are adequate for your pain and have a plan in place so you know what will happen if you need more.

Beyond the scope of the information your doctor provides, however, there are many other ways to prepare by reflecting thoughtfully on the issues below:

1) Reflect first on positive experiences you may have had at any time of life with inoculations, dental procedures or surgery, minor outpatient procedures, and major surgery with general anesthesia. Identify exactly what made this go so well for you. Was it the ways that medical professionals related to you and your concerns? Was it how they communicated their confidence to you? Or was it another quality of care you received? Do your best to identify specific resources available at those earlier times, including who your favorite doctors have been and why.

2) Now reflect on what did not go well for you during specific medical procedures in the past. Make a list that includes each one you have had and any negative experiences attached. Note that if you feel overwhelmed, pause and take a break until you feel you can come back to this important task. If you are having difficulty with this, it is even MORE important that you complete this step prior to surgery.

Example: Dental surgery 2005-Excessive bleeding and swelling afterward

3) Next to each procedure on your "red flag" list, write what would have made a difference at that time in shifting your experience from negative to positive:

Example: Excessive bleeding & swelling-- a) information on icing and reducing post-surgical swelling, b) suggestions for "only as much bleeding and swelling as is needed for optimal healing" given by self and by professionals assisting in surgery.

4) Acknowledge your increasing anxiety before your surgery. Don't fight this--it's normal. Use your anxiety to help you further prepare. For example, each time you become aware of a surge in fear, tension, or stress during the time leading up to the surgery, take some time to envision how you want to feel just before, during and afterward. Instead of fearful fantasies of "the worst outcome," engage in fantasies of the best possible outcome. As part of your fantasy, COMMIT yourself fully to responding in whatever ways are needed to guarantee your success.

This is a preview of the information you will receive during our teleseminar on Wednesday, July 8, from 9 am -10:30 am Pacific time. Please join us. Sign up NOW, while you're thinking about it and before any distractions can waylay you. Go to www.maggiephillipsphd.com/courses_teleseminars_eg.html. The deadline for live participation is Monday, July 6, at 11:59 pm Pacific time. After that time, you will be automatically enrolled in the audio replay only option. Remember, you will receive instructions for accessing the anytime 30 day audio recording of the seminar along with your study guide on July 7, so you have flexibility to participate in this event even if your schedule changes.

Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter and to pass along information that would be appropriate to family, friends, and clients. With our bonus program, if you stay on our mailing list as a loyal supporter, you will receive your first bonus at the end of September. AND don't forget that you will get a report on Sounds During Surgery when you sign up for the July 8 teleseminar.

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