Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis and counselling/psychotherapy together to help various psychological problems. It is especially helpful with anxiety, stress and stress-related symptoms (such as IBS, some skin conditions, sleep disturbance, psychosomatic pain, and so on).

It is particularly successful in calming nerves during driving tests, exams, public performances, confidence in group situations etc. Fear of flying and some other phobias respond well to hypnosis.

Hypnosis can be used to recover lost memories, but this should be done with great caution, and only for therapeutic reasons.

How does hypnosis work?

This isn't known exactly, but hypnosis is very relaxing, and the mind is more susceptible to suggestion when we are in a relaxed state, and the imagination is more vivid. So, for example, a person who is afraid of injections will be able, under hypnosis, to imagine that he has a needle in his arm, and yet feel perfectly calm. He then learns to associate calmness rather than anxiety with needles in the arm.

What should the client expect?

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. It is NOT unconsciousness. A person in hypnosis feels very relaxed, but they know where they are and what is happening. Daydreaming and going on a familiar journey and then not being able to remember it are examples of hypnosis in everyday life.

It isn't possible to say how many sessions are needed, as it depends very much on the individual client, the nature of the problem, and other circumstances. The average is probably about six sessions, but it is often less and sometimes quite a lot more. The client and therapist agree the number of sessions together, and review progress as they go along, to see if more are needed or not.

Cost

Sessions are one hour and cost £40