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Change begins within ✨️
Charlene McIntosh | Holistic Counselling & Clinical Hypnotherapy

22/02/2026

🧠 Meet the Amygdala — Your Brain’s Alarm System

Have you ever noticed your emotions taking over before your thinking catches up? That’s your amygdala at work.

The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped part of the brain that helps us:
• Detect danger
• Process emotions
• Store emotional memories

It’s fast — really fast. Sometimes faster than our logical brain. When it senses a threat (real or perceived), it can trigger a fight-or-flight response before we’ve had a chance to pause and think. This is often called an “amygdala hijack.”

While it’s famous for fear responses, the amygdala also plays a role in:
✨ Joy
✨ Connection
✨ Learning from experience

Understanding how the amygdala works helps us make sense of big emotional reactions — in ourselves and others — and opens the door to responding with more awareness and compassion.

Knowing how the brain shapes behaviour and emotions can help us build awareness, manage stress better, and respond more intentionally in challenging situations.

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

20/02/2026

Case Study – Childhood Anxiety

An 11-year-old child came to see me struggling with ongoing anxiety around their health and safety.

Their main worry was that mild illnesses or small body sensations (like a sore tummy) might turn into something much worse and they were experiencing intrusive “what if” thoughts. They described themselves as an overthinker, with worrying thoughts that would spiral quickly, making them feel unsafe in their own body. This anxiety was also affecting their sleep.

At the start, they rated their level of worry as 8/10.

Through just two hypnosis sessions, focusing on calming their nervous system, understanding intrusive thoughts, normalising body sensations, and helping them to feel safe and more in control, their worry has reduced to 4/10 so far.

They are beginning to:
• Feel calmer when body sensations arise
• Interrupt spiralling “what if” thoughts
• Sleep more settled at night
• Understand that thoughts are not actions
• Feel safer in their own mind and body

This is still a work in progress, but the shift so far has been encouraging and a reminder of how common (and distressing) intrusive thoughts can be for sensitive young people.

If your child tends to overthink, worry about their health, or struggle with “what if” fears, you’re not alone and support can make a real difference 💛

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

18/02/2026

The Beginner’s Guide to Self-Hypnosis eBook is a free resource designed to gently introduce you to the basics — what self-hypnosis is, how it works, and how you can use it to support relaxation, focus, and positive change in everyday life.

It’s written in a simple, approachable way and is suitable even if you’ve never tried anything like this before. This eBook is my gift to you, and you can download it for free from my website. While you’re there, make sure to explore the other free resources available for you as well.

Download it here:
https://www.integratedinsights.co.nz/resources

16/02/2026

Life can feel overwhelming at times — especially when stress, anxiety, or old patterns start to impact how you think, feel, and relate to the world around you.

Holistic counselling at Integrated Insights takes a whole-person approach, supporting not just the mind, but the body and nervous system too. Together, we gently explore what’s beneath the surface, helping you gain clarity, build emotional resilience, and reconnect with a steadier sense of self.

There’s no pressure to “fix” anything — just space to be heard, supported, and guided toward meaningful change, at your own pace.

If you’re curious about holistic counselling or wondering if it might be right for you, I offer a free 15-minute consultation to talk things through.
Book here 👇
https://IntegratedInsights.as.me/free-consultation

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

15/02/2026

Giving back is an important part of how I work. ❤️
A small percentage of each booking I receive is donated to Barnardos — a charity that supports children and young people when they need it most.

Not every child or teenager has a safe, supportive adult they can turn to. Barnardos provides a free 0800 helpline, giving young people access to trained counsellors and someone to talk to when it really matters. That access to support is why I chose to support this organisation.

If you’d like to learn more about the incredible work they do, you can visit:
👉 https://barnardos.org.nz

14/02/2026

💕 Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance — it’s about understanding love 💕

Ever notice how relationships can make us feel calm one moment… and completely activated the next?

That’s often attachment, not failure.

A few gentle reminders:
• Your reactions have a history — they didn’t come out of nowhere
• Anxiety and avoidance are both protective responses
• Stress brings attachment patterns to the surface
• Breakups hurt differently depending on attachment
• And the good news? Attachment styles can change

This Valentine’s Day, be kind to yourself.
Love isn’t about being perfect — it’s about learning safety, repair, and connection 💗

If you’d like support in understanding your patterns or creating more secure relationships, reach out.

✨ Awareness is the first act of love.

If this resonated with you, I explore attachment styles and their common behaviours in more detail in my latest Monthly Insights. You can read it here:
https://mailchi.mp/integratedinsights/monthly-updates-and-news-10609312?e=7c4693433a

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

12/02/2026

🎉 GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who entered my recent Atomic Habits Giveaway. I absolutely loved seeing your comments and hearing what habits you want to build 💛

And now… congratulations to our lucky winner…

✨ Naomi Ashman ✨

Please send me a private message to arrange collection/delivery 😊

To everyone who entered — thank you for being part of this beautiful community. I truly appreciate your support. Keep an eye on the page as I’ll be sharing more resources, insights, and maybe even another giveaway soon 👀✨

— Charlene McIntosh
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209
📍 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa

11/02/2026

Last chance this week 💛

If you’ve been thinking “I’ll come back to this later” — this is your gentle nudge.

My Virtual Gastric Band Audio Program is currently 60% off, and this is the final week of the offer.

This program is designed to help you:
✨ calm cravings
✨ feel more satisfied
✨ change your relationship with food — without dieting or surgery

✔ Fully virtual
✔ Self-paced
✔ Done from home, in your own time

💬 Comment INFO if you’d like the details
or
👉 Learn more here:
https://www.integratedinsights.co.nz/virtualgastricbandaudioprogram

⏰ Offer ends 18 February
💥 Use code NYSPECIAL

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

10/02/2026

📘 LAST CHANCE TO ENTER – Atomic Habits Giveaway 📘

This is your final reminder to enter the draw to win a physical copy of Atomic Habits by James Clear — a book I recently shared about and genuinely loved for how clearly it shows that small changes really do create big, lasting results.

✨ To enter before it closes:
✔️ Like this post
✔️ Comment below with one small habit you’d love to build (or one you’re ready to let go of)
✔️ Bonus entry if you share this post or tag someone who’d love this book too

⏰ Entries close soon!
I’ll randomly draw the winner on Thursday 12th February.

Huge thanks again to Robin for the generosity and for supporting conversations around growth, mindset, and sustainable change 🙌Find his Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/nznewcreation
or visit his Instagram

Good luck 🍀

— Charlene McIntosh
🌿 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209

09/02/2026

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in the same patterns?

At Integrated Insights, hypnotherapy is used to help you gently access the deeper part of your mind where real, lasting change happens. Whether you’re working through anxiety, stress, confidence issues, habits, or emotional blocks, sessions are tailored to you — at your pace.

This is a calm, supportive space to reset, gain clarity, and reconnect with yourself.

If you’re curious about hypnotherapy or wondering if it could help, take a look at the website or get in touch to start the conversation.
— Charlene McIntosh
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209
📍 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa

07/02/2026

I’m so grateful for the trust my clients place in this work. Hearing feedback like this reminds me why I do what I do 🤍
Thank you for sharing your experience.

— Charlene McIntosh
🔗 www.integratedinsights.co.nz
📧 info@integratedinsights.co.nz
📞 027 322 9209
📍 Integrated Insights, Whangaparāoa

06/02/2026

Waitangi Weekend is a time to reflect on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our shared history, and the values of partnership, respect, and connection in Aotearoa.

It’s also an important reminder to slow down, take time out, and reset — to reconnect with ourselves, our whānau, and our communities in a more grounded way.

I wanted to use this time to share this beautiful piece that hangs in my clinic. It was made by a client’s mother and is a powerful reminder of why I love the work I do.
“Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai” — Nurture the seed, and it will blossom.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and meaningful Waitangi Weekend.
-Charlene

Address

1/18 Arklow Lane
Whangaparaoa
0932

Telephone

+61273229209

Website

http://www.integratedinsights.co.nz/

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