About Hypnotherapy
What is Hypnotherapy?
If you haven’t had a hypnotherapy session before you might wonder what you’re letting yourself in for!
Relax, there’s nothing to worry about.
Hypnosis is a natural state that we all go into at times. It’s similar to when you get engrossed in a book or movie, or anything you do that you can lose yourself in – you stop consciously thinking about what you’re doing. The outside world disappears and you focus on what you’re reading or watching, or the imagery that the hypnotherapist is describing.
When we’re relaxed our conscious mind has less of a grip on what we’re thinking. This means we are more open to positive suggestions that help us to move on in life, resolve issues and make positive changes.
With hypnotherapy, as with many other types of therapy, we work from the premise that you, the client, knows what you want and what to do, but you may well need help to access the information, and to act on it. Hypnotherapy and coaching can help with this.
What do I need to do?
Very little!
Most of the time I’ll only be asking you to close your eyes and relax and I’ll be helping you to relax by either talking you through some relaxation techniques or guided imagery.
You need to be comfortable so you can be hypnotised either sitting in a chair or lying on a couch. It’s entirely up to you. Some people like to have pillows and a blanket so they can feel cosy and relaxed.
As I incorporate coaching with hypnotherapy we will spend some time at the beginning of each session talking. It helps to get focused on what the issue is and to think about what you’d like the result to be.
How much time we spend talking will depend on different factors. Some people find talking and questioning more helpful than others. It’s something we can play by ear.
How Does Hypnotherapy Work?
The power of hypnotherapy is that it enables your conscious mind to take a backseat.
Instead of trying to work out how to solve your problems with your logical brain, you can let your subconscious have a go instead.
It’s good to remember that you’ve probably been trying to think logically about your problems for some time and….. it hasn’t helped or you wouldn’t be here.
So, we’re looking for a new idea, perspective or insight from your mind. We won’t find that in what you already know. It’s important to be open and a little bit curious about what could come up for you.
Our minds work very well with metaphors and stories, which is why telling you that you need to let go of an issue is far less effective than being relaxed and comfortable and being asked to imagine putting down a heavy weight, and being able to pick it up again later should you wish to.
You’re less likely to have barriers towards change, plus when you’re relaxed and in a trance state your logical mind – the one that has an answer for everything, is quiet.
FAQ
If you have any more questions, feel free to drop me a message through the contact form here and I’ll get back to you asap.
What happens in the first session?
In our first session I’ll need to take a brief history of why you’re here and what outcome you’d like out of the session(s).
I’ll also ask you where your favourite places are – on a beach, by a lakeside, in a meadow? It will be somewhere relaxing. I’ll ask you if there is anything you don’t like – being submerged in water, being in the dark, seeing birds?
As I do both hypnotherapy and coaching we may spend longer talking than doing hypnotherapy, or vice versa. It’s something we’ll discuss at the time.
There will be time to ask any questions or raise any concerns you may have.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions you will need will depend on a number of different factors.
There are times when a client will only need one session – a nudge in the right direction to get back on track.
Most issues can be resolved between 3-8 sessions. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
Once we’ve spoken it’s easier to get a better idea of how many sessions you’ll need.
Take a look at my ‘Work With Me‘ page for more details on costs and packages available.
How long do the sessions last?
The first session will last around 90 minutes.
Each session after this will be 60 minutes long.
What problems can hypnotherapy help with?
Hypnotherapy can help with many issues such as…
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Disorders brought about by stress
- Unhealthy habits
- Insomnia
- PTSD
- Panic attacks
- Phobias and fears
- Low-self esteem
- Confidence
- Setting boundaries
- Identity issues
- Grief
And many others.
If there is something that you need help with that isn’t on this list, feel free to get in touch to see if I can help.
What happens if I fall asleep?
It is fine to become so relaxed that you fall asleep. You won’t be the first of my clients to do so!
Hypnotherapy will still be effective if you do fall asleep.
If this does happen, don’t worry, you will wake up feeling relaxed and refreshed at the end of the session.
Do I need to follow what you're saying throughout the session? What if my mind drifts off?
Sometimes it’s easy to follow what I’m saying and your mind will come up with what it wants you to see.
Other times your mind may drift off onto something else completely and the sound of my voice might fade into the background.
It’s all fine.
You don’t need to force your mind to see or do anything when you’re in a trance state.
For example, if I ask you to imagine taking something out of a bag or a room, don’t force yourself to take out the problem you want to solve. Your mind might prefer it to be a stone, or a clock or even a teapot! It might not even want to let anything go. that’s ok too. There will be a reason behind it that you may need to address first.
So, we trust your mind to do what it needs to do. You just need to relax.