Frequently Asked Questions

  • For many people, all that they know about hypnosis is based on what they’ve seen of stage hypnosis (on television or live shows), and in films.  Unfortunately, because stage hypnotists are often magician’s blending stage-craft, misdirection, showmanship and play-acting, this gives a false impression of what hypnosis actually is.

    Hypnosis actually involves getting into a state of focused attention where you can use the power of your mind and your imagination to change how you think, feel and what you do.  It is not something that one person ‘does’ to another.  Rather, the hypnotist simply ‘guides’ the subject into the hypnotic state.  In fact, all hypnosis is essentially self-hypnosis.

    During our sessions, when I am using hypnosis, I will guide you into hypnosis and then once you are suitably hypnotised, I will use hypnotic suggestions, guided imagery, stories and metaphors to help you make the changes that you want to make.  At the end of the hypnosis, I will gently guide you back to awareness of the present moment.

  • You can’t be hypnotised against your will because hypnosis isn’t something that is ‘done’ to you. Hypnosis only works when you are a willing participant, and you are open to the experience. For the suggestions that are made to you during hypnosis to be effective, you must want them to work. Therefore, if you didn’t like a suggestion, you would simply reject it.

    I will only make suggestions to you that are based on my understanding of what you want to achieve. I cannot make changes to your mind that you would not want to happen.

    At the end of the hypnosis I will ask you for your feedback and if there were things that you didn’t like, then please inform me.

  • You remain fully in control throughout the hypnosis – you can move and talk while in hypnosis – and you can bring yourself out of hypnosis whenever you want to.

  • Most people can be hypnotised, though some find it easier than others. Having positive expectations of hypnosis, being willing to participate, and actively following along with the suggestions that are being made will all help to make the hypnosis more effective. Having trust and confidence in your hypnotherapist and feeling at ease with them is also very important so choose carefully who you want to work with.

    Hypnosis is a skill that is learnable and that we can get better at with practice.

  • Hypnosis can feel different for different people – there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to feel. Often hypnosis feels so natural to clients that they don’t realise that they are in a hypnotic state. It is sometimes described as being like being engrossed in a film or book, when you are absorbed entirely in what is happening in the story and lose awareness of what is going on around you.

    Hypnosis is not a state of sleep or unconsciousness. Most clients report being aware of everything throughout the hypnosis. Hypnosis often involves creating feelings of deep relaxation and sometimes clients feel that they occasionally drifted off.

    However, hypnosis can be used to help clients feel more energised or motivated, for example if helping someone to improve their running performance.

  • Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes.

  • Hypnotherapy can be helpful in treating many different issues, but not all. I follow an evidence-based approach so will only use hypnotherapy where it has been proven scientifically to be effective (however, just like any treatment, including pharmacology, this does not mean that it works for everyone). If you are unsure whether hypnotherapy is suitable for you, please contact me to arrange a free 15-minute consultation so that we can discuss your issue and goals, and I will then advise whether I think hypnotherapy is a suitable option for you.

    There are situations where hypnotherapy may not be appropriate, such as those with severe long-term depression, psychosis, epilepsy, and some breathing conditions.

  • Item descriptionHypnotherapy is completely safe when used responsibly by a suitably trained practitioner. I have undertaken rigorous training with the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy (UKCHH) which involved extensive theoretical and practical learning. The training is accredited by the NCFE (a government regulated examining and awarding body, itself regulated by OfQual, that ensures that rigorous standards of learning and assessment are followed).

    I am registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register and adhere to their Code of Ethics. My continuing registration requires that I undertake regular supervision with a qualified GHR senior hypnotherapist. It also requires that I undertake and evidence Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to ensure that I retain my ability to practice safely, effectively, and legally, and that I keep up to date with new developments in the field.

    In addition to this, I am passionate about continually learning and enhancing my own skills and knowledge so that I can deliver the best service to my clients.

If you’re still not sure about hypnosis, this article from Psychology Today busts 21 myths about hypnosis. 21 Myths About Hypnosis | Psychology Today United Kingdom

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of talking therapy combining cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy. It is a brief therapy that usually focuses on dealing with your problems in the here and now rather than spending lots of time analysing the past. This means that changes can quickly be made, helping you move forward in your life rapidly.

    In CBT, we consider the connections between our thoughts (cognitions), our feelings (emotions) and what we do (behaviours). We identify unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and replace these with more helpful ones. We will focus on the practical steps that can be taken to solve your problems.

    CBT is the most recommended psychotherapy by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the UK and the most listed therapy on the American Psychological Association list of Empirically Validated Treatments. It is also approved by the British Medical Association for treatment of stress-related disorders.

  • Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy is not just doing a bit of CBT and then some hypnosis. CBH very effectively integrates clinical hypnotherapy with cognitive behavioural therapy techniques and can enhance the results of what can be achieved if using ordinary hypnotherapy or CBT on their own (Kirsch et al., 1995).

    For example, a purely CBT approach to treating someone with a phobia of dogs would identify how the phobia is being maintained (e.g., through avoidance of dogs), what the unhelpful thoughts and feelings are that being exposed to dogs causes, and then help the client to develop more helpful was of thinking about the situation before undertaking a series of exposure experiments. By integrating hypnotherapy into the approach, the client rehearses the new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving in their imagination before undertaking the exposure experiment in real life. This helps to embed these new experiences, increases the client’s confidence that they can cope in the situation and helps them to feel less anxious when undertaking the experiment.

    CBH is today the only hypnotherapy qualification recognised by the British Psychological Society for Continuing Professional Development.

    If you want to benefit from the power of an integrated Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy approach, it is important to check with your prospective therapist whether they offer this approach, as many do not.

  • Hypnosis has a long history dating back to the mid-19th century. During this time, the field has evolved considerably with hypnosis being used to treat a wide range of psychological and medical problems. As such, it has undergone extensive and rigorous scientific research, with a wealth of studies undertaken developing understanding of how it works, the most effective techniques, and the conditions that it is most effective in treating.

    Similarly, since coming to prominence in the 1970s, cognitive behavioural therapy has undergone significant scientific research and as of today, there are over 500 studies proving its effectiveness in the treatment of a wide range of psychological issues.

    Therefore, the techniques and strategies that I use with my clients are supported by scientific evidence of their efficacy. This does not mean that every technique will work for every client as no treatment is 100% effective. It means simply that you can be assured that the techniques I use are not simply some trendy idea or hyped-up solution that is either unproven or has in fact been disproven by scientific research.

  • Lasting approximately 15 minutes, this is a relaxed and informal telephone chat at a time that is convenient to you. This is our initial opportunity to connect, and for me to understand what you are looking for help with, what you want to achieve, and discuss whether and how I think I could help. It is an opportunity for me to introduce myself, and help you decide whether you feel that I am the right therapist for you. I will answer any initial questions you have, and then if you wish to go ahead, we will arrange your First Session.

  • This is our chance to really get to know each other. We’ll delve into what’s going on for you, agree some clear, meaningful, and actionable aims for the therapy process, and design a roadmap for us to follow. This will be unique to you as there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

    I will probably ask a lot of questions in the initial session so that I get a good understanding of how I can support you. But you are also always welcome to ask me whatever questions you have, and I encourage you to be inquisitive, open to learning, and share your thoughts and ideas throughout the process.

    My approach is not that I am the ‘expert’ and should tell you what to do. Very often, I find that clients know the answers, know what they should do, but need some help to uncover them and take action.

  • Subsequent sessions will involve a mixture of some of the following: -

    • review of progress

    • discussion

    • structured questions

    • skills-training (e.g. coping skills, role-play, mindfulness, thought evaluation)

    • imagery-based techniques (e.g. hypnosis)

    • problem solving

    • action-planning

    • feedback.

    Throughout the sessions, we will regularly review progress to see how it’s going and adjust things as necessary. I welcome your feedback and will regularly ask you for it. Not every technique works for every client, and some clients simply don’t like certain techniques or approaches. It is important for me to understand what does and doesn’t work for you, what you do and don’t like, so that I can tailor the approach to best meet your needs.

  • Hypnotherapy is often regarded as a ‘brief’ form of psychotherapy. For most issues, more than one session is required, with the average being 4-8 sessions. For more complex issues, more sessions may be required.

    Throughout the therapy we will review and assess progress and if I feel more sessions will be required than initially indicated, I will discuss this with you.

  • Online therapy is a rapidly growing area that offers many benefits to clients with already packed schedules. Studies that have shown that online therapy is as effective as face-to-face therapy, with clients and therapists able to build strong relationships and successful outcomes being achieved.

  • • You are not restricted to finding the right therapist near to where you live.

    • It can be easier to fit therapy sessions into your already crowded schedule (I offer a range of daytime, evening and weekend appointments).

    • It is more convenient for those with mobility issues or issues such as agoraphobia.

    • There are no travel times, costs, difficulties with parking, or sitting in waiting rooms.

    • You can do the session in the comfort of your own home or wherever you are able to find a private space where you won’t be distracted.

    • A 55-minute session can be fitted into a lunch hour.

    • At the end of the session, you can get straight on with whatever you need to do next.

    • Many people feel more relaxed when working online as they haven’t had the hassle of rushing to get somewhere, worrying they’re going to be late. For some people, going new places can be a daunting prospect.

    • Online therapy takes away the stress and hassle of attending therapy sessions, allowing you access to high quality therapy from a place that suits you.

Online therapy isn’t suitable for everyone and as part of the initial consultation, we will discuss whether it is right for you or whether face-to-face sessions may be more beneficial.

To get the most benefit from online therapy, you will need:

  • Ideally a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam and microphone, or an iPad or tablet.  Phones can be used but the small screen size may make it more difficult for you.

  • A secure and stable internet connection.

  • A headset or earphones may be helpful if there is noise or distractions around you.

  • Somewhere comfortable to sit, where you can relax and still be seen and heard clearly via the webcam.

  • Somewhere private where you won’t be disturbed.

I usually use Zoom for my therapy sessions.  I will email you a link to access the session.  If it is the first that you have used Zoom, you will be prompted to download some software.  If you are unsure about using Zoom, we can arrange a brief test call in advance of the session to ensure that everything will work. 

If you have any questions about therapy that I haven’t answered here, or how I may be able to help you, please feel free to contact me.