Kevin helps to combat stress
A former soldier has swapped Afghanistan’s front line for Ayr – in a bid to mend minds.
Kevin Mullin is using hypnotherapy techniques to cure a string of patients in his new line of work.
And the dad- of- three, who was once in charge of security at a key Taliban target, insists his own remarkable life can help turn others’ around.
Kevin, 40, is the one- man band behind Serenity NLP – a new project he hopes will make him “Scotland’s biggest therapist”.
He said: “I’ve been through lots in my own life, whether it be personal or professional.
“I watched my own brother take his own life through mental illness and when I came back from Afghanistan I sat and watched my mum die.
“Those kind of experiences shape who you are and I resolved very quickly that if I could help just one person through my own life, I’d be doing a good job.”
Kevin, who trained in the powerful science of Neuro Linguistic Programming while with the Army, rose to a top role while serving the forces.
Tours in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia and Iraq were followed by a spell in Kandahar, where Kevin helped to protect and secure US military bases in the birthplace of the Taliban.
Three years acting as the last line of defence at the highest value target in Kabul, the Serena Hotel, saw Kevin bear witness to harrowing scenes.
He admitted: “Understandably, people were constantly on edge, and it was a case of trying to keep them calm at all times.
“We managed to thwart at least three potential attacks during my time there and I was leading a team of 130 armed guards.
“Dealing with that level of guest anxiety on a daily basis formed the basis of what I wanted to come back and do with this business.
“Most of my clients are struggling with anxiety but I also treat relationship management and weight control.”
Kevin added: “The response has been incredible – if your mind is open to change we can make it happen and my goal is to make a difference within minutes.
“I’m about to hold a seminar on anxiety at the Park Hotel, but a few years down the line who knows?
“It would be great to be sitting here as Scotland’s biggest therapist selling out top arenas and changing people’s lives.”
Here, Kevin shares one client, also called Kevin’s story who was suffering from low self esteem and anxiety. He writes...
Kevin, who runs a successful catering business, suffered for years with the stress and strain of life and the crippling anxiety it brought. Last week he decided to try the Serenity Anxiety HIT Therapy and the results have been amazing to say the least.
Here Kevin gives his views and opinions on the treatment and shares the progress he has made.
What made you try hypnosis:
I saw the Serenity NLP advert in the Ayrshire post a few weeks back and wanted initially to lose weight so opted for the weight loss therapy, having lost three stone in 10 weeks was enough to convince me hypnotherapy was the way forward and if it could motivate me to do that, then it could also help with my Anxiety and stress issues. I didn’t have anything to lose by giving it a go. And the results so far have been amazing
What were your initial thoughts:
Initially apprehensive as you see all these TV shows with hypnotists on them but once in the door and talking with Serenity NLP it was completely different, I felt relaxed and at ease almost instantly and kind of knew straight away this was a good fit for me. The initial first step is like diving of a 10- metre board at the pool, you just have to trust the person guiding you that it’s safe and the right option. Once you have made the initial leap by contacting them and having the initial meeting I honestly didn’t give it a second thought.
What were you looking to fix:
I wanted to fix the way I thought about myself and get rid of the anxiety and worry that stopped me in the first place from reaching my goals and following my dreams, the fear and the negative emotions were damaging me and I wanted to them gone. I wanted the old happy Kevin back, the one I have all the fond memories of, the one I seem to have lost along the way.
How long have you suffered with anxiety:
I have suffered with stress and anxiety for around two to three years now with it really getting pretty serious in the last year or so, I thought it was time to tackle it as I could only see it progressing and getting worse.
How was that effecting your day to day life:
As soon as I woke I was filled with dread and fear, that heavy unsettling feeling would be most prominent in the morning. It limited me in so many other areas and the biggest part was my motivation and determination to succeed. I tried all the self- talks and selfmotivation posts on social media and I understood them, I just didn’t have it in me at the time to follow them or act on them. I started to stay indoors a lot more and eventfully distance myself more than I should have done at the time. It kind of isolated me and it was a very lonely time to be honest. It feels like you are the only one suffering and no one else understands.
Did you try other forms of help before hypnosis:
I went to the GP and he wasn’t that interested. All he wanted, I thought at the time, was to treat the symptoms and not the source and he put me on anti- anxiety medication. Looking back the medication didn’t fix the problem, it masked the problem. I was aware that the second I wanted to stop the medication the problems would re appear. I have never been one to be dependent on any form of medication and I didn’t like the lack of control over my choices thoughts and feelings it provided.
How big an impact has the Anxiety HIT Therapy had in your life:
Massive, no other words for it. My anxiety is completely gone after one week. I am now on no medication for it and my confidence has rocketed. This week alone I managed to secure a massive catering contract in Glasgow as where before I probably wouldn’t have even attended the meeting. I managed to walk into a meeting with a lot of pressure on me to get it right, sell myself, sell my business and secure a new contract for the company. My motivation is sky high and for the first time in a long time I can see the road ahead and I am not looking back. So yes, a massive impact in every way shape and form. My confidence is exactly where I wanted it to be and I am enjoying life and all it throws my way now and not running or trying to hide from it.
What is the difference between before and after the Serenity Anxiety HIT Therapy:
Confidence, self- esteem, self- belief, mood and temperament? I am now looking to the future with clarity, not confusion and I know now deep inside I am a much brighter, better and happier person. I am not fazed by anyone or any request, I know my own abilities now and am pushing hard every day.
If you could offer any advice to fellow sufferers what would it be:
Go try it, I promise there is so much more than chemical dependency or sitting worried and down all day worrying about your thoughts feelings and emotions. The clarity, the motivation and the understanding you would get from Serenity is second to none and when he promises to bring you out the other side a bigger brighter person with drive focus and determination and most importantly anxiety free, I can assure you he means it.