‘Would you like me to tell you how hypnotherapy works?’ is usually one of my questions in my initial meeting with clients.

Those who have had hypnotherapy before still love to listen to my explanation,

I guess because it has something so beautifully intriguing to it and does not cease to amaze. Other clients seem rather nervous and a bit scared.

Stage hypnosis has a lot to answer for!

What is hypnosis?

If you imagine your conscious mind to be a passenger on a bus, watching and looking and judging all it perceives.

And then imagine the bus driver, the one who is really in control. The driver controls who gets on the bus, how fast the bus goes and more importantly, which direction it takes. That is your subconscious.

We are constantly thinking in our conscious mind and therefore we think it is calling all the shots. But the subconscious, the part that records and stores everything that has happened throughout our lives, really (almost secretly) drives our reactions and choices in our lives.

Hypnosis allows us to take a client past what we call the ‘critical faculty’ (the judging part, acting like a firewall between the conscious and the subconscious, stopping messages from being accepted by the unconscious).

By bypassing this firewall, we can speak directly to the bus driver and suggest different roads to take, discovering new ways to see and do things.

Is there a difference between unconscious an subconscious?

Those are two different words meaning exactly the same.

How do the sessions work?

Every hypnotherapist will work slightly differently, according to their training and professional background and experience.

Most therapists offer a free initial consultation or discovery call. This is a great way to meet the person you are thinking of working with and see if that feels right for you.

I offer a free call to talk about what you’d like help with and as a chance for you to get to know me.

If you then chose to work with me, we’ll start with an Initial Consultation (1 hour) to gather all the necessary information and explain how I work and get you on the path for change already (no trance), which includes setting you up with my bespoke hypnosis trance to listen to at your convenience.

In the follow-up session the pre trance conversation takes place during (around 40 minutes) followed by a trance around (30 minutes).

Other therapists may have shorter or longer sessions.

What type of hypnotherapy should I go for?

There are many different hypnotherapy schools and hence different types of hypnotherapy styles.

This might be a ‘shopping around’ kind of situations. I recommend searching, reading and seeing if you can find a website, social media or better even some video of the therapist and some testimonials.

They usually explain how they work and what you can expect from working with them.

You’ll quickly notice the different approaches and see which one suits you the best.

I chose to train in a solution focused way. After many years of counselling for myself, I reached a point where I had talked enough and waded through my past to a point that it was annoying me. This is when I went to search for something different, lighter, easier, future orientated. Finding the solution focused ticked all those boxed and filled me with passion from the word go. It also made me a much more positive person.

My hypnotherapy background is also based on neuro science. Understanding how my brain works was such a relief for my own life, I wish I’d had this knowledge in my young adult life.

My passion is now to share this knowledge with anyone looking to feel better and finally enjoying their life. Those feelings of ‘I am not good enough’ or ‘What is wrong with me? Why am I so weak compared to all the others?’ are long thoughts of the past.

My mission is to help anyone struggling to understand that what is happening, is not their fault.

I seem to attract a lot of clients who are at a point in their lives where they are ready to stop looking at the past, want to be in control, look towards the future and finally start enjoying life (again). We talk a lot about what that next chapter in their book of life could look like.

The solution focused pre trance conversation already prepares the way for the subconscious (that bus driver) to see a different way to approach life, new possibilities and viewpoints. I ask a lot of strange questions and if my client takes time to answer, that means I am doing a good job as we are creating new (path)ways to perceive things. I do not know what my client needs, but I am here to help my clients find out what that is.

Most of us spend a lot of time analysing and reliving the past. I help my clients (and their bus driver) to change perspective and start creating a future they can actually enjoy.

How to find a good hypnotherapist?

If you wonder how to find a good hypnotherapist and are happy to talk to others about this, I’d ask around for recommendations.

Nothing beats word of mouth!

You can then talk to that therapist and see for yourself.

Most therapists offer some kind of free initial chat or consultation. This gives you the chance to get to know them and see how you feel about them.

A therapist being highly recommended is a good start. To be able to connect to your therapist is really important. How do you feel speaking to them, does what they tell you sound good, can you see yourself working with them?

As hypnotherapy is not regulated in the UK, I would check if the therapist is affiliated with a hypnotherapy council and recommend looking at their training.

Most will have had other careers before, find out what their background is and if you can relate to that.

What extra training have they done? I personally think we can always learn more when working with people.

It is important that you feel listened to, can see yourself working with this person and the therapist is listening to your perception of the world and not making it about themselves.

As a therapist I would never assume knowing what you need, my role is to help you find that out.

How many sessions do I need?

The honest answer: I don’t know!

Hypnotherapy is different from for example counselling, where you meet regularly with a therapist.

With hypnotherapy, some issues can change after just one session, some might take longer. It also depends on the client’s situation and the issue in question.

I see most clients for 3-5.

Feel free to ask that question when booking the appointment.

What works better, online or in person?

Both work really well. It really is a question of preference if you have the choice.

In person allows you to connect even more to the therapist, online allows you to choose widely and stay put after the session, allowing you to stay relaxed and saving time and money from travels.

What can hypnotherapy help with?

Hypnotherapy can help with a wide variety of issues, the list is too long to share. Just message me to find out about other issues.

The main issues clients come to me for:

Anxiety

Phobias and Fears

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol

Self-confidence/self esteem

Nail biting

How much does it cost?

Prices vary from therapist to therapist.

I charge £65 for the initial consultation, and £75 for the follow up session.

Smoking cessation costs £225 for 3 sessions.

But the most important question is: what is the real cost for NOT doing it?

How much impact will getting rid of these issues have on your life for not only the next few weeks or months but years?

Can anyone be hypnotised?

If anyone has had hypnotherapy and it has not worked, the first question is how they felt about the therapist. You want to be in the presence of someone who makes you feel at easy and feel safe. Anyone who can watch a film or read a book can be hypnotised. I use suggestibility tests and adjust different ways of hypnosis to different people.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with a mental health illness would need to  speak to their GP for approval for hypnosis.