What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis definition…

The term ‘hypnosis’ is derived from the Ancient Greek word for ‘sleep’ (‘hypnos’).

Interestingly, during hypnotherapy you don’t actually go to sleep, in fact, you are fully in control when under hypnosis.

The state can be described as the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep (hypnagogia) in that you are always aware of what I am saying.

What is hypnotherapy?

When you hear the word hypnotherapy, what comes to mind?

According to psychologist John Kihlstrom, ‘The hypnotherapist serves as a sort of coach or tutor whose job is to help the person become hypnotised.’

Hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus and concentration.

Hypnosis is usually done with the help of using verbal repetition and mental images. When you’re under hypnosis, you will feel calm and relaxed and are more open to suggestions.

There are different types of hypnotherapy and different approaches, depending on your problem.

What should I expect from a session with you?

Firstly, we will have a chat to discuss what you are having problems with or what you hope to achieve and then we agree on which approach best suit you.

Once we have done this then i will start the hypnotherapy.

• Beginning with a deeply relaxed state
• Use of the agreed approach, for example, you want to stop smoking
• You are completely aware of what I am saying, while in a state of heightened focus and concentration
• Hypnosis doesn’t work if you don’t want to be hypnotised.

My approach to hypnotherapy…

I’ve worked with people of all ages all over the world from professional golfers to people who want to acheive high grades or are experiencing exam stress.

The therapies I use include CBT, Solution Focused, Psycho-Analytic, NLP, Carl Jung and Dream Analysis to name but a few.

But these are just names. Important ones, but names just the same.

Therapy is all about being able to listen –  a powerful combination of active listening, effective listening, compassionate listening, empathetic listening and reflective listening.

It’s listening, combined with effective processes, that forms the basis of my approach to hypnotherapy. 

We all experience the same problems, differently. 

My hypnotherapy is a therapeutic partnership. And that’s a combination of how you experience and understand the world and how I understand, listen and communicate with you, in your language.

Sometimes my role can be a bit like a midwife –  offering support and guidance during a difficult and often painful transition.

At other times it’s more like a life coach – drawing on your strengths and strengthening your weaknesses; focusing the mind and body in order to achieve a goal.

And other times it might be us going back to a time when a trauma first began and discovering the solution to something you have lived with all your life. 

It’s always together that we will find that little bit of the missing puzzle; the courage to transcend something, or find resources you didn’t know you had because they were buried under all the pain and anxiety. 

Sometimes we just don’t know how to grow or change for the better. 

Like learning to drive, or ride a bike, or when we first learned to walk, or anything else we learn – it all begins with the first step.