Uncommon Knowledge Blog

Uncommon self help articles for anxiety, self esteem, confidence, peak performance and more. Plus everything you need to know about hypnosis and why it can be such an effective tool for mental health.

The Soul of a Shoe
A touching tale about truly understanding what life is like for others.
How Environmental Triggers Age You, Make You Dumber and Change How You See Other People
Environmental triggers influence people's behaviours and responses to a much greater extent than we realize.
7 Techniques for Overcoming Social Phobia
"I'm okay in a work context or when things are a bit more formal and organized, because I know what to talk about. But as soon as it's kind of unregulated - you know, just mixing with other people - I go to pieces. It's like I need a well-defined focus or I panic!"
Why Do We Dream?
The ground-breaking research of the eminent psychologist Joseph Griffin shows us, with the 'expectation fulfilment' understanding of dreams, what the brain is really doing while we sleep.
How to Increase Libido
The 78-year-old man looked at me and sighed, "I'd give anything to have an erection again!" I'll speedily add that this was in a clinical setting, not a social one. He'd been depressed and had lost his libido in the bargain. Depression and, to some extent (though less than you might think), age...
How Do Subliminal Messages Work?
The intriguing way your unconcious mind works...

Instant Inductions: Why Surprise and Shock Put You into Hypnosis
What comes to mind when you think of hypnosis? Comfort? Calm? Deep relaxation and rest? This is the way it is usually done. But there is another kind of hypnosis. One that happens to every one of us in everyday life.
The Truth About Hypnosis and Memory
There are many dangerous assumptions in the idea that you can uncover 'repressed' memories with hypnosis.
Help! I Can't Be Hypnotized
Why you can be hypnotized even if you don't believe in hypnosis...

7 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Rejection
Fear should keep us alert and safe - like the beam from a lighthouse warning ships of submerged dangers. But too much fear, like a super-beam of light blinding the ship's captain, can cause the loss of the very thing we feared losing.
Do Your Relationships Damage Your Self-Esteem? (And what to do about it)
Your self-esteem shouldn't be totally dependent on the person with whom you happen to be in a relationship. But the fact is, relationships do have a big impact on the way you feel. And that includes the way you feel about yourself.
All About Sibling Rivalry
Sibling rivalry can be complex. You might love your sibling but resent them. What's more, the intensity of your resentment can leave you baffled: "I'm an adult now; why does it still hurt so much?!"

Learn Hypnosis in 5 Days
If you want to learn hypnosis online, this short course describing the use of voice tonality, sentence structures and word choice can teach you the fundamentals of hypnosis quickly.
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Ask Mark
Using his own Uncommon brand of psychology, Mark has been a therapist for 25 years and a bit of a superhero to our customers. Ask him a question here.