Hypnotherapy
Sometimes knowing what you want to change isn't enough
You can know that a fear isn't entirely rational and still feel afraid.
You can know you're capable and still find your confidence disappears in certain situations.
You can know that you need to relax and switch off — while your mind and body seem determined to do the opposite.
And you can understand perfectly well that a habit or response isn't helping you, yet still find yourself repeating it.
Sometimes, consciously knowing what you want to change doesn't automatically change how you feel or respond.
Hypnotherapy offers a different way of working with those thoughts, feelings and automatic responses.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis is a state of focused attention in which you can become deeply absorbed in your internal experience.
It's not sleep, unconsciousness or somebody taking control of your mind.
In fact, focused states of attention are something we can experience quite naturally — perhaps when you're completely absorbed in a book or film, driving a familiar route almost automatically, or so focused on something that you temporarily become less aware of what's happening around you.
In a hypnotherapy session, we use focused attention deliberately and therapeutically.
I'll guide you into a comfortable, relaxed state and use approaches appropriate to what we've agreed you'd like to work on.
You remain aware and in control throughout. You can speak, move, open your eyes or stop the process whenever you choose.
There isn't one particular way hypnosis has to feel. Some people experience a very deep sense of relaxation; others remain much more consciously aware of what's happening around them.
What can hypnotherapy help with?
People come to me for hypnotherapy for many different reasons. Some of the areas I commonly work with include:
Confidence and self-belief
Perhaps you're generally confident but struggle in particular situations — speaking in front of people, attending important meetings, interviews, social situations or something else where self-doubt seems to take over.
Hypnotherapy can form part of helping you develop a different response to those situations and reinforce feelings of confidence and capability.
Stress and finding greater calm
When you've been under pressure for a long time, simply telling yourself to relax isn't always particularly effective.
Hypnotherapy can provide an opportunity to slow things down, experience a greater sense of calm and develop ways of responding differently when tension or pressure begins to build.
Fears and phobias
You may understand logically that something isn't as dangerous as it feels — yet your emotional and physical response says otherwise.
Hypnotherapy can be used as part of helping you change your response to particular fears and situations.
Habits and unwanted patterns
Sometimes a behaviour has become so familiar or automatic that conscious intention alone doesn't seem sufficient to change it.
Hypnotherapy can help us explore the pattern and support the changes you want to make.
Nerves and anticipatory anxiety
Perhaps an upcoming flight, presentation, appointment, performance or other event is creating anxiety long before it actually happens.
We can work on both how you're responding now and how you'd like to feel when the situation arrives.
Other automatic thoughts, feelings and responses
Not every issue fits neatly into a category.
If there's something you'd like to change and you're wondering whether hypnotherapy might be appropriate, we can discuss it during your initial consultation.
What happens in a hypnotherapy session?
Before using hypnosis, we'll talk.
I want to understand what's happening, how you experience the problem, what you'd like to be different and what would tell you that things were changing.
Your first session therefore allows additional time for assessment and discussion.
We'll agree what we're going to work on and I'll explain the approach we're taking before we begin.
During hypnosis, you'll normally be seated somewhere comfortable in your own home. I'll guide you through the process verbally while we work with the particular issue we've agreed to address.
There are many different hypnotherapeutic approaches and techniques, and I don't use exactly the same process with every client.
The work is tailored to you, the issue we're working with and how you respond.
Afterwards, we'll discuss the experience and any observations that may be useful before agreeing our next steps.
Sessions are delivered online via Microsoft Teams or Google Meet, allowing you to take part from a private, comfortable space at home.
Investment
Four-Session Hypnotherapy Package — £295
For many of the issues I work with, this is the option I would normally recommend.
The package includes your initial session of up to 90 minutes, followed by three further hypnotherapy sessions, normally around 60 minutes each. This provides the time and continuity to work with many common issues, while allowing our approach to remain flexible and tailored to you.
All hypnotherapy begins with a complimentary 30-minute consultation, so we can discuss what you'd like help with, answer any questions and consider whether hypnotherapy is an appropriate approach for you.
Additional 60-minute sessions, where you feel they would be beneficial, are £75 each.
Arrange a complimentary consultation →
Hypnotherapy or coaching?
Sometimes hypnotherapy is particularly well suited to what someone wants to change.
At other times, coaching may be more useful — particularly where you want space to think through a situation, make decisions, explore options or develop practical strategies.
And sometimes there can be value in drawing on both.
Because I'm trained in both coaching and hypnotherapy, we can discuss which approach seems most appropriate rather than assuming in advance that everything needs to be addressed in the same way.
If using both approaches would be helpful, I offer a separate Coaching + Hypnotherapy package.
Explore Coaching + Hypnotherapy →
Not sure whether hypnotherapy is right for you?
You don't need to decide before contacting me.
That's what the complimentary consultation is for.
We'll spend around 30 minutes talking about what's happening, what you'd like to change and any questions or concerns you have about hypnosis.
I'll tell you whether I think hypnotherapy is something I can appropriately help you with, and you can decide whether I feel like the right person to work with.
There's no obligation to book afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
-
No. You remain aware and in control throughout the session.
You can speak, move, open your eyes or stop at any time. You won't be forced to say or do anything you don't want to do.
Stage hypnosis and popular culture have created some entertaining ideas about hypnosis, but therapeutic hypnosis is very different. My role is to guide the process — you're still the person doing the work.
-
There isn't one particular way hypnosis is supposed to feel.
Some people experience a deep sense of relaxation or heaviness. Others feel light, notice changes in their awareness, or simply feel comfortably focused while remaining very conscious of what's happening around them.
You don't need to experience anything dramatic for the session to be worthwhile.
-
Occasionally, people become so relaxed that they drift into sleep. That's not something to worry about, and it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong.
However, the aim of hypnotherapy isn't to make you unconscious. I'll guide the session according to how you respond and adapt what we're doing where necessary.
-
People vary in how easily they experience hypnosis and in what hypnosis feels like for them.
You don't need to be particularly suggestible, have previous experience or be able to reach an unusually deep state of relaxation.
Being willing to engage with the process is much more important than trying to determine whether you're “good at hypnosis”.
And if you're sceptical or unsure, that's fine too. We can talk about that before we begin.
-
There isn't one number that's right for every person or every issue.
For many of the concerns I commonly work with, I recommend beginning with four sessions. This gives us time to understand what's happening, begin the therapeutic work and adapt subsequent sessions according to your response and progress.
Some people may benefit from additional sessions; others may find they don't need them.
We'll discuss that openly rather than continuing sessions simply because you've started them.
-
Hypnotherapy can be delivered online, and I work predominantly in this way. Many clients also find being in their own familiar environment helps them feel comfortable and relaxed during the session.
You'll need a private space where you can sit comfortably without being disturbed and a reliable internet connection.
I recommend using a computer or tablet positioned securely rather than holding a phone, so you can relax without needing to interact with the device during hypnosis.
Before we begin, I'll also explain what we'll do in the unlikely event that our internet connection is interrupted.