Question 1

What is hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Hypnotherapy combines talking therapy with hypnosis. It uses a focused, deeply relaxed state to help you make positive changes to your thoughts, feelings and behaviours at the subconscious level.

Question 2

How does it work?

Accepted Answer

Around 90 to 95 percent of our habits and emotions are driven by the subconscious. In a relaxed trance we can gently introduce new, more helpful patterns, which is how lasting change happens.

Question 3

Is hypnotherapy safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When carried out by a trained, certified hypnotherapist it is safe, natural and non-invasive. You remain in control throughout.

Question 4

Will I lose control during hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

No. You stay fully in control and aware. You cannot be made to do anything against your will and you can come out of trance at any time.

Question 5

Can anyone be hypnotised?

Accepted Answer

Most people can reach a useful trance state. It is a natural, relaxing state we all drift into, such as when daydreaming. My solution-focused approach simply asks you to relax while I guide you.

Question 6

What does being in trance feel like?

Accepted Answer

Most people describe it as feeling deeply relaxed and calm, similar to that drifting feeling just before sleep. You stay aware of your surroundings and remember the session.

Question 7

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

It depends on you and your goals. On average I suggest around 6 to 10 sessions, though some people need fewer. We review your progress together and adjust as we go.

Question 8

Where do sessions take place?

Accepted Answer

In person at my calm therapy room at Wyck Hill Lodge, Stow-on-the-Wold, or online via Zoom. All you need online is a quiet space and somewhere comfortable to relax.

Question 9

What issues can hypnotherapy help with?

Accepted Answer

A wide range, including anxiety, stress, low confidence, IBS, trauma, phobias, weight, sleep and more. If you are not sure whether it is right for you, book a free discovery call and let's talk it through.

Question 10

How is hypnotherapy different from the CBT or counselling I have tried?

Accepted Answer

Talking therapies focus on your conscious thoughts. Hypnotherapy works with the subconscious, where most of our habits and emotional responses are held, which is why people often see change when other approaches have not worked.

Question 11

Will it work for panic attacks and social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The same approach helps with generalised anxiety, panic, health anxiety and social anxiety by calming the over-active stress response and rewiring the patterns behind it.

Question 12

Can hypnotherapy really boost confidence and self-esteem?

Accepted Answer

Yes. By reaching the subconscious and reshaping negative thought patterns, hypnotherapy helps you build a more positive, empowered self-image that holds up under pressure.

Question 13

Will it help with public speaking or performance nerves?

Accepted Answer

Very much so. We rewire the anxious response and install a felt sense of calm and self-assurance, so you can perform without the dread.

Question 14

How successful is hypnotherapy for IBS?

Accepted Answer

Gut-directed hypnotherapy has shown around a 90 percent success rate for managing IBS symptoms, improving gut function and quality of life, and it is recommended within the NICE guidelines.

Question 15

What is gut-directed hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

It is hypnotherapy focused specifically on the gut-brain axis, using trance and targeted suggestion to calm the digestive system and ease symptoms such as pain and bloating.

Question 16

Do I have to talk about what happened?

Accepted Answer

No. Trauma work can be done content-free. We focus on how you want to feel and move forward, while your subconscious releases the old connections, so you never have to relive the detail.

Question 17

Does hypnotherapy actually work for trauma?

Accepted Answer

Yes. It is highly effective for healing trauma because it works directly with the deep subconscious connections trauma creates, rebuilding safety, self-worth and trust.

Question 18

How does weight-loss hypnotherapy actually work?

Accepted Answer

We work in two parts. First, talking therapy and simple nutritional guidance, then trance, where we introduce positive change around healthy eating, movement and self-esteem, addressing the emotional drivers behind weight gain.

Question 19

Is there a link between weight and past experiences?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. Many people hold on to weight as subconscious protection. We gently explore and reframe this so you can release both the emotional and physical weight.

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