During your first appointment, we will need to record your details and medical history. (All of which are treated strictly sensitively and confidentially).

From this first and most important, rapport-building consultation, I take the time to ensure that you fully understand everything about hypnotherapy, so that any misunderstandings or worries can be dispelled. This is paramount, in order for you to feel totally at ease and therefore confident in me as your chosen personal, clinical hypnotherapist.

We will discuss your needs and expectations and with my help, you will decide on your personal, realistic goals and we can then design your bespoke therapy plan together.

You will feel more relaxed and confident as you very soon realise that you are fully in control at all times.

In most cases, hypnotherapy will take place during that first session; following the discussion. Each subsequent session will begin with a discussion about how you feel you are doing and to monitor your progress and goals. Hypnotherapy will subsequently follow.

I adopt a person- centred; therefore flexible approach; implementing Ericksonian/ goal orientated therapies; along with incorporating NLP if the need arises.

I am supportive; not only during, but after therapy is complete, as I am contactable via email or telephone during normal working hours.

Session times vary depending on the issues, but range from approximately 60 to 100 minutes. I definitely do not believe in trying to encourage clients to attend for any more sessions than they actually require. In fact, wherever issues can be addressed in one session; such as smoking cessation or intense relaxation, I will only suggest that one session.

Hypnotherapy can certainly help you to move forward and progress with your life in many ways. It is a safe and natural complementary therapy, enabling your own mind to bring about the required changes quickly and safely. With determination from you to want to move on and finally make changes required; along with having 100% commitment from me as your therapist, you have an excellent prognosis for success!

There are many misunderstandings, suspicions and even genuine fears about the use of hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

The myths and mystery that unfortunately surround hypnosis, have given rise to many, common misunderstandings about what it actually is and how completely safe and beneficial it can be. Hypnotherapy is absolutely nothing like the ‘fun,’ stage hypnosis that we see on TV and on holiday. Nobody can be hypnotised if they do not want to be and you can rest assured that you are totally in control at all times during clinical hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis is a calm, natural state of trance that you actually experience every day. For example:

• When you are totally absorbed in a book or a film.
• When you are about to fall asleep.
• When you are exercising and focusing at the gym.

When you are accessing hypnotherapy, you are intentionally doing so of your own will; with an explicit diligence and purpose in mind. It is nothing magical or bizarre and no two individuals’ experiences are ever precisely the same.

What takes place during hypnosis is a totally safe, reliable and natural, therapeutic process. Hypnotherapy is extremely pleasurable and relaxing, as well as often being that much needed catalyst for many; who have been searching in order to help them to progress and move forward with their lives.

The potential therapeutic uses for hypnotherapy are limitless. Some common examples are:

• Combatting life-restricting phobias & fears.
• Successfully reducing and managing weight.
• ‘Kicking’ unwanted habits such as smoking & nail biting.
• Assisting in the promotion of building self-esteem and confidence.

It truly has infinite advantages!

I am sure that you often picture and think about how your life would be if you no longer had anything restraining you; what it would look like, what you would hear, what it would actually feel like to be able to be free to start again and draw a line under past, unhelpful behaviours and limitations. This is what hypnotherapy can offer you in order to progress with your life.

Almost everyone can be hypnotised, if it is what they would like and if they are willing to relax and work with the therapist. As long as there is trust and confidence in the chosen, appropriately qualified hypnotherapist, results (goals) can be extremely successful.

The feelings of being hypnotised have a tendency to be reported very differently by those who have experienced such. There are not any specifics that can be listed that always, definitely occur every time a patient is hypnotised.

This is because everyone is completely different and experience and interpret sensations and feelings in their own ways. However the general consensus is that there are often reports of feeling a little like being in between sleep and wakefulness. Feelings of extremely pleasant, deep relaxation and calm are also often reported.

Also frequently reported is a feeling of heaviness & numbness. Some have said they felt like they were floating.
Some even wonder whether they were, in fact hypnotised, as they are simply in an altered state of awareness; as opposed to the misunderstandings of many, that they would not remember anything that happened.

Many people do not comprehend that they have actually been hypnotised until they are ‘waking’ at the end of a session. Coming out of the light trance state feels somewhat similar to waking from an extremely relaxing rest.

A person cannot be hypnotised against their will. They must be an eager and willing subject as the hypnotherapist must have full cooperation at all times.

One cannot get ‘stuck’ in a hypnotic state, because the patient is fully in control during hypnosis. When someone is hypnotised, they remain in total control over both mind and body. Sometimes, people feel so relaxed, calm and comfortable during hypnosis that they report feeling disappointed when they are told they are about to be ‘woken’. Even if the person has fallen asleep, an unassuming suggestion for awakening is all that is required by the experienced therapist in order to bring a patient back into the waking state. In any event, if the hypnotherapist stopped speaking, the person would soon awaken on their own.

Stage hypnosis is for entertainment purposes only, whereby willing volunteers will more than likely go along with the stage hypnotist’s suggestions. This is most definitely not the context of clinical hypnotherapy.

Just after the hypnotic state has taken effect; with the patient’s permission, access to the subconscious mind is gained. The skilled hypnotherapist can then offer suggestions in a language and form that the subconscious mind is able to accept. This will assist the patient in changing unwanted behaviours, feelings and thoughts that they wish to alter. The subconscious mind has the ability (actually the tendency) to accept what it imagines as reality. This can be hugely beneficial in order to reduce the felt stresses of changing unwanted, unhealthy habits to healthier habits.

Hypnosis is the method used by oneself or a therapist in order to access a relaxed state of consciousness that is common and can take place to everyone; every day. Hypnosis may be used for relaxation only, or to feel pleasant, or as a therapy to help change behaviour, etc.

Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis as a therapy to help people to progress with their lives; whether it be for general relaxation or for other medical or emotional concerns, such as helping people with pain reduction, helping to deal with unwanted habits and phobias, etc., or just general well-being.