How Hypnotherapy Changed My Life | How I Stopped Nail Biting via @elanaloo + elanaloo.com

How Hypnotherapy Changed My Life

POSTED
February 4, 2016
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Have you ever heard of hypnotherapy?
When you did, were you like me + thought ‘Pssshhh! What a scam.’ ?

Well – after some of those famous ‘mother’s words of wisdom’ – I came to the conclusion that she was right, I had tried everything else. And I was tired of letting something so small control so much of my life.

What exactly was that ‘something‘? Well, this is a topic that I’ve never shared before besides with my closest friends and family. Why? Honestly, because I think I was embarrassed, ashamed even, of this habit that I found childish, in-cleanly and frankly, gross. 

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

What am I talking about?

Nail Biting.

There, I said it.

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com
For as long as I can remember—literally, I cannot remember a time I haven’t—I have been a habitual nail biter. Yep, I told you, gross.
But I didn’t know anything different.

Over the years, I have tried everything to not bite them–hot sauce, painting my nails, acetone, even ‘no bite.’
Nothing worked. Even with repeated tries.

As I grew older, I became disgusted with the whole situation. I hated feeling unkept. When working with clients, teaching workshops, photographing people, meeting anyone new – it made my feel juvenile and childish with my nails bitten off so I made sure to always have my nails done. Like, obsessively. To the point where I had gotten my nails done almost every two weeks for ten years.
(after doing the math, that’s roughly the cost of most people’s first vehicle – what the literal f*#k)

So much time, and my goodness so much money, later –
I was done.
I had had enough.
I was taking control.

I can vividly remember the moment, I was in a nail salon as per usual, getting acrylic nails put on to cover up the nubs that were left on my fingers. And something in me just SCREAMED. I pulled out my phone and started frantically searching for more solutions to stop a nail-biting habit. I thought to myself – please, someone have answers.

All the usual options I listed above were there, blah blah blah, and then at the bottom of the list, there was hypnotherapy.
So the skeptic in me looked past, searched for another article and then another. All lead to the same place – hypnotherapy.

After I thanked the woman who had done my nails, paid the bill + tipped her, I dialed my mother’s phone number. She was the usual voice of reason with words like “well, give it a try and see how it goes” and “it can’t hurt, you have tried everything else.”

But how does one go about finding a credible hypnotherapist? HAH! Had me fooled. . . After searching ‘hypnotherapist in my area’ and coming up on websites dated back to the nineties + groupon listings . . . I threw in the towel again.

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

Thankfully, after some time to cool off, I picked the towel back up again + really dove into finding someone. I was able to find a wonderful hypnotherapist with thirty years of experience. (If you are in the Utah area and would like the contact information, let me know)

I asked, was nail-biting curable with hypnotherapy?
And with confidence, they replied, Absolutely. Sometimes with one session but for most with about three sessions. 

For the first time in my life, I felt like there might be an escape. I was thrilled! And skeptical. But thrilled, none the less!
So, I’ll fast forward through all of the personal muck I had to trudge through.

The gist of the story is that nail-biting is an anxiety disorder. Mine stemming from my, at times, not-so-awesome childhood.
My subconscious was harboring this anxiety and it was coming out in the form of this habit.
With an in-depth intake assessment + lots of info from my past, we were able to pin point the why of it all.

Armed with the knowledge of what my anxiety was stemming from, I went under hypnosis three times in one week.
And please note that every. single. time. I went in, I was skeptical. Unsure. Questioning. Doubting.
(Just because I’m that way with certain things…)

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

And after the three sessions, as promised, my urge to have my hands anywhere near my mouth was gone.

Seriously.

And eight months later, I am beyond proud to say–
I still have not bit my nails since. 

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

My nails are now healthy, strong and naturally long.
I am confident to shake my clients hands when I meet them. I feel free of stress and anxiety that I didn’t even know was lying under the surface. I beam with pride when I look down at my hands.

And now, I have a luxury that I never have had! Doing my own nails.
Guys, I’m like a four year old. No clue how to do this but damn it, I’m gonna try.

Like I said, after doing the math of how much ‘pampering myself’ was costing me each month, I wanted to find an economical and sustainable alternative to give myself a gel manicure when I wanted to. 

This is when I found Vanity Planet Store! With their LED Nail Light, I can easily give myself an at home gel manicure.
To get this same light for 70% off (totaling $30) , click this link + use code: elanaloo.

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

Here are three tips (that I learned through trial and error) for the perfect gel manicure–

1. Prep: To create a dry (and disinfected) surface, wash your hands thoroughly with soap + water! Make sure there is no oil on your nails. Also, try applying rubbing alcohol to the nails + a small amount of Aquaphor to your cuticles prepainting. This makes it easy for the gel to stick + easy to clean up any gel that may get on your cuticles.

2. Application: Make sure to apply a clear base and top coat! This makes a huge difference.  Also, when you are painting on each layer, take the polish all the way over the tip to form a sealed-off surface before putting your nails in the light. This ‘capping method’ will ensure your manicure doesn’t begin to peel (which is why we’re doing gel, right?!).  Also, don’t flood your cuticles with the polish to avoid lifting around the edges.

3. Keep In Mind: Finish one hand entirely before you paint the other hand. At nail salons, they do both hands at once, applying layer after layer. At home, it’s way easier if you complete one hand at a time.

Remember, you can get the LED Nail Light pictured in these photos for 70% off (totaling $30) by clicking this link + using code: elanaloo!

At Home Gel Manicure | LED Nail Light | Curing Nail Biting with Hypnotherapy | elanaloo.com

Wahoo! Hope that’s helpful. So overall, this is a big win for me.

Overcoming a horrible habit.
Saving my sanity + my wallet.
Being able to try new things.
And now, sharing this with you.

To some, this will seem like such a strange thing of which to be proud. Or they won’t understand why this is such a huge personal triumph for me. But to others, this will make total sense.
If you are one of those people and you’ve overcome something huge, please share that with me.

And if you’re one of those people still trying to overcome something, know that I am here for you. If you have any questions or if I can help in anyway, please feel free to reach out to me!

Cheers to conquering life’s hurdles, one step at a time. 

Meet the writer

I'M ELANA JADALLAH

Thanks for reading! I'm a photographer, writer & environmental advocate excited to be sharing regenerative solutions, ideas & concepts for our lives & businesses with you. 

MORE ABOUT ME

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  1. Mary jones says:

    Aww, I remember you telling us over the summer about this, you are very brave to take that step into the unknown, I’m so happy that you conquered it!!! Bravo!

    • elanaloo says:

      Aww thanks, Mary! That means so much. It definitely was a ‘different’ experience but impacted my life for the greater so I am very thankful! Love you!

  2. Maryam says:

    I had a problem with nail biting as well ! My grandmother told me to think about all the dirty stuff my nails touched during the day haha you should see my nails now !

    http://veilbymaryam.com/2016/02/healthy-recipe-sunday-brunch/

  3. Deedee Lewis says:

    That’s awesome that you were able to use hypnotherapy to cure you of your nail biting habits even though you were skeptical every time you went in for a session. I have yet to try hypnotherapy but it sounds like a concept that works for many. I will be passing this post on to my sister who also has a bad habit of biting her nails, sounds like hypnotherapy may be the hope for her.

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