Sports hypnosis for athletes, gymnasts and champions. Hypnotherapy in my clinics can help you win.
You may even get health fund rebates.
I was a professional dancer and acrobat doing seven shows a week for years. I got picked out of hundreds of girls for jobs because I never gave up and practiced – practiced – practiced.
As a hypnotherapist (AHA), clinical naturopath (ANPA) and medical nutritionist I will help you get to the top of your sport.
Over the years I have worked with many sports and performance people to help them focus their minds and improve their performance in sports with hypnosis, including international champions and medal winners.
Why do you need sport hypnosis?
Are you trying your best in sports but not reaching your peak?
No matter how much training you do, you seem to be under par?
Do you know you could do better but can’t seem to focus your mind enough?
Here’s the thing – it starts in your mind. You think about how you may perform a swing of the golf club, jump, leap, dive or sprint and then you try and get your body to follow.
Sure, you build muscle memory but unless your mind is in the right place, and you have the right attitude, it won’t flow and you won’t reach your peak.
Tracie O’Keefe, aged 60
History of sports hypnosis
You may be surprised to know that sports hypnosis has probably existed for thousands of years.
In ancient Greece, soldiers and contestants at the original Olympic Games studied each morning in the gymnasium, which was a sporting and gladiator school. When they were injured they may have been treated at an Asclepion temple where dream states were used in the healing process along with physical medicine.
The modern revival of hypnotic states to focus the mind for sports developed in Russia in the 1950s. It was used profusely in the 1960s, allowing athletes to gain many medals, particularly in gymnastics.
Hypnosis has also regularly been used with basketball and football teams in modern-day America for decades.
Who uses sports hypnosis?
Basketball star Michael Jordan used hypnotherapy before every game to improve his mental stamina.
Gymnast Mary Lou Retton used hypnosis to help her win medals.
Golfer Tiger Woods used hypnosis to help him focus his game.
Boxer Mike McBride used hypnosis to help him beat World Heavy Weight Champion Mike Tyson.
Tracie O’Keefe, aged 62
Sports is a state of mind
When I interviewed Jim Morrison, the body builder who was Mr USA, Mr America AAU and Mr International, he told me he got better by thinking about what he was doing.
Janette Murray-Wakelin and Alan Murray who ran 366 marathons in 366 days around Australia, at 63 and 68 years of age respectively, told me they just loved to run.
I remember Aidan Trimble, the under 18 World Karate Champion and now a seventh dan instructor, being bullied at school when he was young. In 1972 his sister told me he had taken up karate to defend himself.
Carole Johnson, the dancer who studied at Juilliard and founded the Bangarra Dance Company, told me in her 70s she was so glad she had spent her life in her body.
Roger Bannister, who broke the 4-minute mile in 1954, talked about how he thought his way through the final lap even though he had not done a lot of training to prepare.
What all these people have in common is they performed with mental purpose and awareness.
Does training matter?
Yes, it is true you need to be a technical sportsperson to really up your game but all the lessons, coaching and practice in the world will not turn you into a winner if your mind is not in the right place.
The gait of your stride when you run, swing of the racket in tennis and follow-through of your golf swing all start in your mind.
Personally, I have used hypnosis for many years to help my physical performance. At 67 years of age I still train a minimum of 10 hours a week and can outlast 90% of the people in my gym who are a third of my age.
I also still maintain a perfect weight, great muscle tone, can do jump splits and dance on the points of my feet without any stress.
So, I don’t just use sports hypnosis with other people but live it myself and plan to do that for decades to come. Having been a professional dancer in my youth I have always known the value of using my mind to lead my body to excellence.
Tracie O’Keefe at 68 years of age
The holistic approach
Most people who have trouble pushing through their barriers in sports are anxious about their perceived lack of ability and need to create a better self-image of themselves winning.
When everything is working together – mind, body, diet – then you get the best and optimum results.
It’s not only necessary to have good stamina to train and compete but also to recover quickly.
Hypnosis can help your mind coordinate all those things together in a pleasant, comfortable and fast way.
Book your sports hypnotherapy appointment with Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH in clinic or by Zoom from anywhere in the world by calling 0403 398 808.
