Have you been struggling with chronic illness? Or struggling with non-illness blocks in your life? Tried everything but nothing works?
The Switch® is a 4-day training programme based on the principles of psychology and NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming), and the latest research into the science of well-being, and the relationship between mind and body.
In a small group setting, you'll delve into the root causes of your condition(s) and learn powerful techniques to facilitate lasting change. Since you will be using the techniques repeatedly to heal yourself you will have confidence that you are in control of your health and well-being for the long term.
Once you’re all better, you can use The Switch for general life enhancement, stress reduction or even to improve your golf swing!
Mel is careful to only offer places on The Switch if she genuinely believes you are ready for the course. Applying is not a guarantee of a course date. Please do not book flights until you have passed the assessment and been offered a specific course date.
Core Concepts of The Switch
Many mainstream treatments give you pills to mask your symptoms, which only provide temporary relief. For long-lasting health and well-being, you need to address the underlying cause of your illness or stuck patterns. Your body is a powerful self-healing mechanism when conditions are right. But when you're stuck in chronic illness these mechanisms can fail.
The most common cause of this breakdown in healing is that your body has become stuck in a stress response. When this happens, your body diverts energy away from neurological, immune, digestive, reproductive and detox systems, giving extra power to heart, lungs and limbs so that you can fight or flight. This is fine for the short-term but if you are in a stress response for a long time these systems get severely depleted and chronic illness occurs. Calming the stress response allows the body to heal naturally.
For some people the root cause of chronic stress is past trauma. Releasing this trauma can be a powerful catalyst for healing. For others the stress response may be caused by current stressors, including dealing with the challenges of chronic illness itself. Addressing thinking patterns, belief systems, and lifestyle choices can help calm the entire body system. This, in turn, redirects energy to systems such as the neurological, immune, digestive, reproductive, and detox systems, facilitating widespread healing.
Get Your Hope Back!
My clients have been ill for an average of 9.66 years.
Around 75% were told by doctors that they were incurable.
Around 80% achieved great results at The Switch!*
Being chronically ill is so demoralising and it can feel impossible to ever get well. Your first step is to start finding hope again. Reading through this information, talking to people who have done The Switch® and got their lives back, and watching testimonial movies on this website can help you to start feeling hope again. Even that hope can start to shift symptoms a little.
“I suddenly got it. Everything you teach is about empowering us to have control over our thoughts, our emotions, our bodies, our health, our boundaries, our lifestyle choices…. It’s like we can be the masters of our own destiny now! It is so empowering!”
The Switch vs The Switch Webinar Series
You can attend The Switch®, a 4-day live training course (either in person in Auckland, or online via zoom), or you can do The Switch Webinar Series, a pre-recorded webinar series that takes place over six weeks.
While The Switch Webinar Series offers flexibility and lower costs, The Switch provides a more comprehensive approach to recovery. The Switch provides full support from Mel Abbott and includes additional topics that explore and process past trauma that might be impacting you. Being part of a supportive group environment can also provide inspiration and a sense of community. If you have the financial means, and the ability to attend, The Switch is the optimal choice.
The Switch® course:
$2197 NZD inc GST
(approx $1300 USD)
- Approx 20 hours of personalised live training (in-person or online) with Mel Abbott in a small group setting over 4 consecutive days
- Additional course materials (e-book, movies and audio tracks)
- Pre-course phone call with Mel Abbott
- Course manual (printed or digital) plus other course materials
- Tea, snacks and a keepsake (in-person groups only)
- Unlimited questions during course time
- Three group follow-up calls
- One individual half-hour follow-up
- One year access to the Switch Webinar Series
- Automated email support chain for one year
- Access to the private Switch Facebook group
- Ongoing phone and email support for quick questions
- For in-depth support, 1-1 sessions may be purchased for $160/hour
The Switch® Webinar Series:
$997 NZD inc GST
(approx $600 USD)
- One year access to approx 15 hours of pre-recorded training by Mel Abbott, received over 6 weeks
- Course manual (digital only)
- Four Q&A group calls - one question each per call. No additional support included
- Automated email support chain for one year
- Access to the private Switch Facebook group
- For in-depth support, 1-1 sessions may be purchased for $250/hour
Note: The Switch Webinar Series does not include The Switch topics about uncovering the underlying cause of your problem(s) and releasing past trauma using The Deep Switch.
You can start the Series up until the end of Week 2. After that, you will be added to the next cohort a month later.
When The Switch® Webinar Series is a better choice:
You are too ill to attend 6-hour live sessions on consecutive days. The Switch Webinar Series is broken down into shorter sessions and spread over a longer time scale with flexibility about when to watch the modules.
You have no chronic illness and are seeking personal growth and life enhancement, so you don’t feel the need for a more intensive, supportive programme and don’t want to take days off work to attend.
If you can't afford The Switch programme, The Switch Webinar Series is a good option. Due to being mostly pre-recorded, it is less than half the price.
If you feel uncomfortable with group training courses, The Switch Webinar Series provides a self-directed approach to learning and growth.
If you have no trauma or you don't want to address trauma, The Switch Webinar Series does not cover any of the trauma topics or how to resolve trauma by using The Deep Switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cost?
We have many different options at different prices:
First Steps to Recovery - 40 minute webinar - FREE
Next Steps to Recovery - 2-hour webinar plus one month support package - $297 NZD
The Switch Webinar Series - 6-week webinar series, plus one year support package - $997 NZD
The Switch - 4-day live training in small group, plus one year support package - $2197 NZD
Live or online?
Whether you attend in person or online, the success rates are just the same. You will still see all the same slides, do all the same group activities, and have all the same live training, personalised support from Mel, group discussions and group bonding.
The benefits of attending in person are a bit more banter and laughter, chatting to course mates in the breaks, and not being distracted by home chores/people/wifi issues.
The benefit of attending online is saving time and money in travel costs, not being away from family for four days in a row, having more privacy and less distraction when doing paired work in breakout rooms instead of a live room, being able to ask me questions privately in the chat instead of in front of the group and feeling more comfortable and relaxed in your own environment.
Venue/Accomodation
The Switch is held in Kohimarama, Auckland, or online via Zoom. There are many local accommodation options for out-of-towners who don't have family or friends to stay with. These accommodation options are walking distance from the course, cafes, beaches and a supermarket. My local hosts look after clients very well. If clients require wheelchair access at the venue, this can be arranged. View local accommodation options here.
Finishing times?
There are three live training days in The Switch, each about 4.5-7 hours long, plus an integration day on Day 3 for practice and webinar-based learning.
We do not give set end times because every group is different and the day lengths vary significantly, even within one group.
It is best to not plan activities or flights for straight after the course in case it runs late.
Coping with long days?
I wondered the same thing when I did my course to recover from CFS!
While 5-6 hours may seem daunting to you, my experience is that chronic illness sufferers not only manage this, but significantly improve their energy and health throughout each day of the course.
If you can only manage less than 2 hours of activity per day, I would recommend starting with The Next Steps 2-hour webinar or The Switch Webinar Series, because these can be viewed in smaller chunks.
If you are bedbound and can only do things for 10-15 minutes, you can watch the Next Steps webinar in very short chunks until you have completed it. You can still practice the webinar techniques because they are all short and can be done from your bed.
Children?
Children aged 8+ have participated in The Switch and absolutely loved it! It has a lot of games and fully-illustrated slides with cartoon characters, which really appeal to the younger audience. Young people usually get well faster than adults, and inspire adults about how rapid change really is possible when you don’t over-think it.
It is vital that the child really wants to do The Switch and is committed to it, not just being pushed to be there by the parents. The answers to application form questions must be the child's own, rather than a parent answering for them.
As with all clients, children are welcome to have a support person with them for the duration of the course.
Older Clients?
People in their 70s have done The Switch and achieved great results. I have found that as long as clients have the cognitive skills and memory to learn the course material, they can make great changes. Accepting people in their 80s is a case-by-case situation based on assessing cognitive skills and adaptability.
There is a certain amount of computer skills required, as people will need to access emails, watch movies online and attend follow-ups on Zoom.
Support Person?
You are welcome to bring a support person with you if you choose to. We allow two support people per group, so you may need to wait for the next course if we are already full.
Support people do not participate in the course, ask or answer questions - they sit at the back of the room so they understand what their loved one has learnt and they can help them to use the techniques outside of group time.
If you would like to have a support person, they will need to complete a form and receive approval from Mel prior to the course.
Sharing personal info?
There is no requirement to share private stories from your life with your group, or even with Mel, your trainer. Many people choose to share, but that will be entirely up to you.
All In The Mind?
The Switch is purposefully neither for nor against any religion, so that it is accessible to all people. It has been attended by people from many different religions or spiritual practices, as well as by atheists. All have reported comfort that the programme was in alignment with their beliefs.
There is no hypnosis. There is a small amount of visualisation and Christians have reported really enjoying this process and feeling that it was not in any way against their beliefs around avoiding hypnosis.
Religious? Hypnosis?
‘The Switch’ is purposefully neither for nor against any religion, so that it is accessible to all people. It has been attended by people from many different religions or spiritual practices, as well as by atheists. All have reported comfort that the programme was in alignment with their beliefs.
There is no hypnosis. There is a small amount of visualisation and Christians have reported really enjoying this process and feeling that it was not in any way against their beliefs around avoiding hypnosis.
The Lightning Process?
No, The Switch is a separately developed programme. There is no more than 25% overlap in content and techniques. The Switch is also about 30% longer than the LP.
Both courses cover the stress response (Hans Selye, 1936), illness thinking patterns and beliefs. The Switch also covers the role of emotions in chronic illness, accessing the underlying emotional cause of an illness, clearing past trauma, lifestyle factors, the science of well-being, core beliefs and using muscle testing to elicit them.
The LP slides have bullet points for information. The Switch slides are fully illustrated with three characters that have their own storylines to demonstrate key points. The Switch has many interactive activities where clients work in pairs, fours or as a whole group, which fosters group camaraderie and keeps learning styles fresh.
While both courses have techniques that require repetition to enable recovery, the techniques are different. The Switch has The Quick Switch for dealing with current thoughts and emotions, The Deep Switch for clearing past trauma and the 3-brain Switch for decision making, plus four additional calming techniques.
What is covered at The Switch®?
Switch Off Stress & Illness Habits
Day 1
The first step to recovery is to calm the stress response and gain control of your moment-to-moment thoughts and emotions.
- Regain trust in your body's ability to heal
- Understand the role of the stress response and how to calm it down to activate healing
- Use The Quick Switch to change thoughts, emotions and symptoms quickly
- Practice The Quick Switch a LOT! It takes repetition to rewire neural networks and create change
“I knew I’ve been stressed for years and I knew I needed to stop it, but I didn’t know how. Suddenly, it all made sense. It’s so easy now with The Quick Switch. I haven’t felt this calm in years! I love it! And it feels so easy!”
Switch Deeply Held Emotions
Day 2
Today is the deep dive into clearing the backlog of emotions and trauma that are stored in your body affecting your current well-being
- What is emotion? How is it held in the body? See the latest scientific research
- Use The Deep Switch to access and clear past trauma without needing to share heavy details with the group
“WOW! The Deep Switch is next level AMAZING! It’s like therapy on steroids! I did 3 years of talking therapy but one Deep Switch for 10 minutes has brought about far more resolution for me than all that talking put together! Thank you so much! Day 2 of The Switch is what has moved mountains for me! I don’t think I could have got well without this vital piece to my recovery puzzle.”
Switch Your Lifestyle & Environment
Day 3
Spring-clean your lifestyle to enhance your well-being
- Learn the 12 key components to the science of well-being from pre-recorded tutorials
- Make changes to your own lifestyle to bring about more wellbeing
- Continue to do more Quick and Deep Switches to integrate Day 1 and 2
“Day 3 was the most powerful day for me. Different days resonate with different people, but for me I realised that all my health issues were linked to my work situation, and now I can see what I need to do to resolve this and to allow my health to come right”
Switch Illness & Core Beliefs
Day 4
What you believe, you create!
Let's create a great future.
- Learn the science behind the power of beliefs
- Use muscle testing to identify beliefs that are holding you back
- Use The Quick Switch and The Deep Switch to clear faulty beliefs
- Plan your steps for returning home, dealing with people and moving forward with your goals
“Discovering my Core State on Day 4 at The Switch has made my whole life make sense! Now I can see that I have a way out and all the doors to all my goals are open. I can live true to being my own source of freedom!”
The Application Process for The Switch®
- When you are feeling ready for The Switch® click the Sign Up for The Switch button on any page to fill in the short application form and pay your $200 deposit.
- We will email you an pre-course preparation e-book to read and answer questions in.
- Then click on the link in the same email and complete the long application form
- I will call you to assess if you are ready for the course or need to do some further preparation tasks and have a second phone call
- When you are ready we will assign you to a group
- One week before the course, you will receive a movie with techniques to practice a lot so that you come into the course even more ready for big change
