faq list
So, what is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is simply an altered state of awareness, very similar to daydreaming. You have probably experienced this state where you have been driving somewhere and suddenly realise that you have been daydreaming and can’t remember the last 5 or 10 minutes of your journey. Or where you have been reading a book and suddenly become aware that you have been somewhere else in your mind, so you have to go back and read the page all over again. Hypnosis comes from the greek word meaning ‘sleep’, however you don’t actually go to sleep in hypnosis. Your mind become relaxed and attentive while the body becomes so deeply relaxed in an almost sleep like state. This helps the client and hypnotherapist access the unconscious part of the mind. This is where our memories are stored and is also the source of our feelings. We not only deal with the unconscious mind, but we deal with the conscious part too. This is the bit you think with, so it is beneficial to deal with both parts of the mind to make the change more permanent.
Hypnosis dates back hundreds of years; you can find more information here.
How does it feel in hypnosis?
Basically, I liken it to the feeling you have when you have just woken up in the morning. You may feel a little drowsy and deeply relaxed, which is a wonderful feeling anyway. The hypnotherapist helps you enter hypnosis by suggesting relaxing things to you, such as peaceful imagery. Your breathing becomes wonderfully relaxed and all the tension and stress leaves the body so you feel a deep state of rest and calmness. Your mind is always active and you will not be asleep in any way, however, this deep state of rest is a little like having a deep sleep in that your body relaxes very deeply, and this helps you feel refreshed and energised after the session has finished. A lot of my clients tell me that after a session they have a really deep sleep later that night.
Is it dangerous in any way… Will I get stuck in hypnosis?
Hypnosis is extremely safe because it is a natural phenomenon and we lapse in and out of a hypnotic state many times in the day. You cannot get stuck in hypnosis because it is a voluntary state, meaning that you have full control at all times. There is a really deep state of hypnosis that some can go into, and this is the state of trance that can enable an individual to undergo surgery or dentistry without anaesthetic! This deep state of trance is not normally needed in a session unless we work with pain management. And even in this very deep state, the client is in full control and can open their eyes at any moment if they so wished.
What is the difference between a hypnotherapist and a hypno-psychotherapist?
A hypno-psychotherapist is a practitioner of both hypnotherapy and psychotherapy and can therefore be called both singularly and together. A hypno-psychotherapist has been trained over a 4 year period at Masters Degree level, and has undergone a minimum of 1800 hours of study. It is important to always choose someone that has been trained properly and professionally as, in this country, you can train to be a hypnotherapist online or even in a weekend course. You deserve to see someone that is trained sufficiently to deal with the problem you have.
What problems can be helped with?
I have dealt with many problems and tend to specialise in anxiety disorders. Here is a list of common problems. please note that this is only a short list, if I listed everything hypnosis can help with, it would fill the page.
Anxiety
Depression
Fears and Phobias
Panic attacks
Fear of heights
Fear of flying
Stress management
Pain management
Irritable bowel syndrome
Smoking cessation (quit smoking)
Weight management
Confidence
Self-esteem
Habit control
Social phobia
Motivation
Sports performance
Blushing
Focus and concentration
Nail biting
Sleep problems
Hair pulling
Claustrophobia
Agoraphobia
Public speaking
Skin complaints
Addiction
Sexual problems
If you have something you wish to deal with that is not on this list, just give me a call and we can have a chat about how I can help you achieve your wishes.
Will you make me do something or say something I don’t want to?
No, of course not. In fact, hypnosis cannot make you do or say anything against your will or moral code. Remember, you are in control of the session at all times. If a hypnotist said something out of place or inappropriate to you, then you would just open your eyes and walk out the room. Hypnotherapy is therapy delivered in hypnosis and as an ethical and professional practitioner I only deal with the issues you want me to deal with, in a skilled and proficient manner. It is very different to what you may have seen on television of a stage show. Those hypnotists are not hypnotherapists, they do not offer therapy on stage, they offer entertainment and that is a big difference.
Can anyone be hypnotised?
Yes, pretty much anyone can be hypnotised. It is a voluntary state, meaning that you allow yourself to enter into hypnosis, no one can make you enter hypnosis but yourself, so if you don’t want to enter hypnosis then you wont, however, that isn’t the reason for coming to see a hypnotherapist, so sometimes this can be resistance, which may mean the individual is fearful of relaxing too much or fearful of the process, so this all needs to be talked through so that the client feels comfortable at all times. There are a few exceptions, people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, very young children, people with very low intelligence or who are mentally impaired in some way.
What about my privacy?
Your privacy and confidentiality is always paramount, I have to abide by a very strict code of ethics that ensures that my clients are always dealt with in a highly professional manner. I operate from a private and discrete office that has been purpose built for therapy. It isn’t like operating from an office environment where people may over hear what you say or where you are interrupted with unwanted noises. What you say to the therapist is between the two of you and no one else. Of course you can talk to whoever you like about your experience, but the therapist cannot. The only time I may want to speak to someone else may be your doctor, psychiatrist or perhaps a previous therapist. This is always done with your knowledge and permission. The notes I keep are locked in a secure cabinet and you can see your notes at any time. If you have any concerns about privacy and confidentiality then please just drop me a line.
Where are your testimonials?
I have plenty of lovely emails and letters from my ex clients and they are private between us. It would be a breach of confidentiality to put them up on my website, because by law, I would have to show the original copy, including the real name and address of the client, to authenticate it to whoever wanted to see it, and I simply could not allow that to happen. Also, my code of ethics strictly forbids the use of testimonials for this reason, and also because they can be easily forged or written by friends and family and the person reading the info would be non the wiser. That is why it is important to see the testimonials from the website so that you can authenticate them as real and honest.
If I cry I may be embarrassed
Some of the issues I deal with hold a lot of emotion and it is not uncommon for an individual to become upset during a session. This is a natural and normal part of the process and the release of emotion can make you feel so much better. I am a very empathetic therapist and non judgmental, a therapist will never think negatively about you if you get upset, it is something we see every day. So please don’t feel that you will be embarrassed if you do get upset and if you do want to have a chat with me before hand about this, then please don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
Tell me a little about a session?
I start the process with a consultation. This is where I get to understand your problem and you get to tell me anything you need to, to get it all off your chest, which is very therapeutic in itself. I take a full history of any medical problems and talk about your wishes and goals of therapy. There is normally some hypnosis work involved in the first session, it depends on how much time we have left. The consultation is a very important session and should never be overlooked or cut short. I need to develop a plan that is tailored just for you and no one else.
Following the consultation we will begin work in subsequent sessions. Each session can last up to 90 minutes. We will have a little chat about the week that’s passed and then get into some intervention work. I use CBT and other modes of therapy to work with the way you think about things and work with the unconscious mind in hypnosis. I will spend about ten minutes helping you go into hypnosis and then the rest of the time is spent with some wonderful hypnosis work where we can use positive imagery and work with the good feelings so we can get rid of the bad feelings. The length of hypnosis can vary from twenty minutes to an hour! Although, you won’t be aware of the time in hypnosis.
Then after hypnosis, we will have a little chat and that’s it.
What are your fees?
My consultation and therapy sessions are charged at £60 for up to 90 minutes.
Smoking Cessation is charged at £90 for up to 90 minutes (This is a single session approach with a free follow up session if needed) I have obtained a Smoking specialist certificate for focused work on quitting smoking.
What are your hours?
Monday to Friday 9:30AM to 8:00PM (8PM being my last appointment)
Saturday 9:30AM to 1:00PM
If you require an appointment outside of these hours it will be at my discretion, please call me or email me for further details. I will always try to be as flexible as possible.
Do you only operate from your consulting room?
I operate from my office mainly, however if you have difficulty in coming to see me, i.e. you have a disability or some physical impairment then I can make arrangements to come and see you in the comfort of your own home. Ideally this needs to be within a 10 mile radius of my office.
What about a guarantee?
No ethical therapist can offer a guarantee. Everyone is different and reacts to therapy differently and of course, therapy is very much a two way street and requires the client to be actively involved and we cannot always guarantee this will be the case. A bottle of painkillers can’t guarantee they will get rid of your pain even though in a majority of cases this may be so. Or a lawyer cannot guarantee that they will win your case because it relies on so many variables.
Therapy can be brief, meaning it may take several sessions to help your problem. In some cases, my clients require longer term help.
I am happy to report that a majority of my clients go on to reach their goals and get to a place of normal functioning.