what is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic practice that uses guided hypnosis to help a client reach a trance-like state of: physical, mental and emotional relaxation; diminished peripheral awareness and heightened internal awareness and concentration.This is a natural state that you have probably experience in everyday life, such as when you are daydreaming, meditating, driving or watching a film, where you lose track of time.

While in this trance-like state, a person is unusually responsive to an idea or image, but they are not under anyone’s “control.” Instead, a trained clinical hypnotherapist can help clients to relax and turn their attention inward to discover and utilise resources that can help them manage or change unhelpful thinking or behaviours, better manage pain or other physical concerns, gain insight into and heal the underlying cause of issues, or have a better understanding of themselves and what they want from life.

The hypnosis session is often followed by reflections, discussions and/or counselling. Clients will often be given homework to complete between sessions. Over time, a client learns how to address their states of awareness on their own and is empowered to gain greater control of their physical and psychological responses, in order to help them to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life.

what can hypnotherapy help with?

• Tools to help to manage or change unhelpful thinking or behaviours such as: anxiety; stress; panic attacks; OCD; PTSD; depression; eating disorders or emotional eating; sleep issues; and fears and phobias (including needles, flying and the dentist)

• Support, insight and healing while working through life’s challenges including: grief in all its forms; communication issues; relationship difficulties; and challenging childhoods.

• Changing unhelpful habits including: smoking; weight management; alcohol and drug dependence; sugar addiction; and unhealthy lifestyle habits.

• Managing or resolving health conditions and aiding recovery including: IBS and other digestive disorders; skin conditions; symptoms of autoimmune disorders; post-surgery recovery; managing the side effects of chemo or radio therapy and managing pain and chronic pain; migraines; fibromyalgia; and other health conditions.

• Facilitating a deep dive into the root cause of issues in order to better understand, resolve or heal those issues, including: fears and phobias; patterns of thinking and behaviours that have proved difficult to change such as smoking, eating disorders, alcohol and drug dependence, trauma, PTSD, childhood and family trauma (I have received training in trauma-informed care).

• Support for building self confidence, overcoming negative self-talk, increasing motivation or gaining a better understanding of your career path, life’s purpose or in meeting your true self

• Facilitating meeting spirit guides, receiving spiritual guidance or insight into the root, spiritual cause of issues, and then healing those issues

I use hypnotherapy alongside counselling and psychotherapy (talk therapy) and many of my clients are also receiving conventional and or complimentary medical treatment.