Health Journeys' New Audio Program Tackles Hefty Consequences of Procrastination

AKRON, OH, March 18, 2013 (Press-News.org) Procrastination is on the rise. Recent studies show the percentage of college students who admit they procrastinate is as high as 95%, up from 25 percent in the 1970's.

For some people it is a minor annoyance, but for others, procrastination can take a costly toll. A survey by H & R Block estimated that procrastination costs a person an average of $400 on his or her taxes, resulting in more than $473 million in overpayments each year. Economists cite budgetary crises from delayed action by corporations and governments; and medical professionals note the growing number of health crises arising from patients putting off necessary exams, tests and treatments.

Fortunately, there's quite a lot that can be done about procrastination. At the top of the list is listening repeatedly to immersive guided meditations that target the underlying anxieties and concerns and use the latest mind-body techniques to remediate them.

Before writing and recording Guided Self-Hypnosis to Help Free Yourself from Procrastination, psychologist Traci Stein, PhD, MPH, thoroughly researched the problem, its consequences and causes; and tested solutions with her practice. The audio program draws upon cutting-edge information and Dr. Stein's clinical experience , and puts the most focused parts of a listener's brain in the driver's seat.

The recording, which is available in CD or MP3 format, uses a variety of hypnotic imagery techniques to help listeners identify and enhance strengths and address challenges that lead them to procrastinate. Listeners can re-connect to the parts of themselves that are motivated and committed to the goals, even if there are other parts of them that feel anxious about goals, dislike them or avoid them.

In the program, which features two hypnotic guided imagery tracks, plus a separate track of affirmations, Stein adeptly identifies eight major reasons we procrastinate, and uses a variety of strategies to address them. She also shoots down some common myths. "Procrastination has nothing to do with how smart you are, or how able you are to complete a task," she says, "and it is not synonymous with laziness. Lots of smart, capable, hardworking people procrastinate."

Belleruth Naparstek, creator of the Health Journeys series and founder of the company, says "We are proud and delighted to launch Dr. Stein's new program. It's the complete package, targeting with great skillfulness and subtlety things like breaking large goals into discrete, manageable tasks, sharpening focus and concentration, imagining the completed goal, increasing confidence and forming healthy, well-timed work habits."

No matter why or how often people sabotage themselves by putting off starting or completing things, they find that taking steps to free themselves of procrastination is liberating and creates space for positive change, often dramatically improving their lives.

Traci Stein, PhD, MPH, is a practicing psychotherapist and Columbia-trained clinical psychologist, ASCH-certified in clinical hypnotherapy. She sees patients for general, health, and pain management psychotherapy.

Dr. Stein is the former Director of Integrative Medicine in the Department of Surgery at Columbia University, and has combined integrative therapies, including hypnosis, with conventional medical and psychotherapy practice. She is also a PsychologyToday.com topic expert (her blog is "The Integrationist") and the Complementary & Alternative Medicine topic expert at GoodTherapy.org. Her passionate commitment to mind-body healing has spanned two decades. Learn more about Stein at her website at www.drtracistein.com, on her blog at drtracistein.wordpress.com, on FaceBook (facebook.com/DrTStein) or follow her on Twitter: @DrTraciStein.

Health Journeys Inc. has successfully pioneered and tested audio programs for over 60 health, wellness, emotional and performance challenges. Programs are used by Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California, the U.S. Army, the Department of Veterans Affairs and hundreds of hospitals and clinics nationwide.

Health Journeys is a multi-media publishing company offering a range of outstanding holistic health tools contributed or selected by Belleruth Naparstek.

Go to www.healthjourneys.com to view the entire catalog of Health Journeys' products - available in CD or MP3 download. For more information about Health Journeys, contact Elizabeth Hauser at ehauser@healthjourneys.com or call 800.800.8661 ext. 100.