FAQ

It’s true to say that there is no ‘typical’ client. Over the years, working as a full-time therapist I have worked with people from all walks of life.

Clients can be students, GPs, office workers, housewives, househusbands, traders, vets, bus drivers, accountants, taxi drivers, managers, life-coaches, nurses, teachers, scientists, executives,  business owners, midwives, hairdressers, tradesmen, retired people, even other hypnotherapists and NLP Master Practitioners. In fact, you name a profession, and the chances are they have been to see a hypnotherapist. Old, young, middle-aged, men, women, teenagers and children have all been clients.

The thing they have in common is realising that they need a little help in finding a way forward in their lives, and recognising that Cognitive Hypnotherapy could offer a solution.

During hypnosis I use this state within you to make positive suggestions to your unconscious mind, based on what you tell me you want to achieve. Your unconscious is in a much more receptive position when you are in this relaxed state. Therefore, it is an incredibly effective tool, to take you towards your solution. When combined with other tools and techniques, such as NLP, can make short work of long-standing problems.

And yes, it is a safe, and natural state that we all go in and out of many times during our day, perhaps without even knowing it. If you have ever been driving along a road and then ‘come to’ and wondered who was in control of the car for the last five minutes, or been ’miles away’ when someone is trying to talk to you – that’s trance, and we are all very good at it. It’s a little like day-dreaming for some people, but it also often heightens the awareness of the senses too.

No, certainly not. You absolutely cannot be made to do anything during hypnosis that is against your will or principals. Neither can I make you say anything that you are not completely happy to do so. And why would I? I want you to get the very best from our work together, and that means treating you in a friendly, yet professional and ethical way.

Your idea of what hypnosis is may stem from what you have seen of volunteers for stage hypnosis and think that hypnotherapy is similar. This is not the case. Our work is purely for therapeutic reasons, and to help you get the positive results you want.

Stage hypnosis is not hypnotherapy, ie there is no therapy involved. It may utilise the same trance state, but really, that is where the similaries end. Stage hypnosis is purey for the entertainment of the audience.

Also, volunteers for stage hypnosis are generally extroverts (or they wouldn’t have volunteered) who would be happy being out-going in their everyday life. They have volunteered to be hypnotised and are generally born entertainers who are likely to do as is suggested on stage, because they don’t want to disappoint the crowd.

Hypnosis in therapeutic terms that we use, is purely a means to an end – your goal in working with me, whatever it may be and not for entertainment purposes.

Well, the answer to that is both yes, and no!

Everyone can be hypnotized because all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. I am merely a guide who helps you achieve it, but you can choose not to enter that relaxing state simply by deciding that is how it is going to be! And why would you want to resist being in such a pleasant and potentially useful state?

I’ll do my very best to make sure that you are completely happy about using hypnosis, answering any questions you might have, before we even think about using it, so that you can enjoy the experience in the best way possible. We will go at your pace, always.

Anyone who is under the influence of alcohol or artificial substances (legal or otherwise) should not be hypnotised. If you arrive at our session ‘under the influence’ we will not be able to do any hypnotherapy together that day.

No, you will certainly not.

You are always in control during our sessions. You cannot be made to do anything that you are not completely happy doing, nor to say something you are not completely happy to reveal. Nor would I want you to. Co-operation and rapport is key to our work, so I want you to be happy about what we are doing.

Throughout the session you can remain relaxed because you can know you are taking control of your situation to create the positive change you want.

No, it isn’t possible. Think of hypnosis as being similar to day-dreaming. It really is something you are familiar with, even if you don’t know that completely yet.

You are able to ‘snap out’ of a day-dream very easily, aren’t you? So it is with trance. Even if I were to leave you in trance and walk out of the room, you would in time either drift into a sleep and then awake refreshed in your own time, or simply get bored and open your eyes.

No – no guarantees. The reason for this is quite simple; my approach is about giving you back control in your life, and therefore you have to take responsibility for your own success. I expect my clients to work with me to get the changes they want. That means putting some effort into your change. If you are expecting me to wave a magic wand and everything gets better, I’m afraid you will be disappointed, and I am not the therapist for you. If fact, I would be wary of any therapist who says they are able to work in that way. It is unlikely to be successful in the long term.

What I will guarantee is that I will do my very best for you, to help you get to your goal, only as quickly as the changes you make can be lasting. All I ask is that you commit to the process, and work with me as best you can.

I would urge you to be very cautious of any therapist who does guarantee success. We are, afterall, working with people, not machines. Like all therapies, hypnotherapy doesn’t always work for everyone. Trust in, and rapport with your chosen therapist is needed even for the process of change to begin, together with your own commitment. As everyone is unique, it is virtually impossible to guarantee a success rate. As your therapist, I act as a skilled guide to help you find the solutions within yourself.

It is quite natural to feel this way when considering doing something new. You are not alone as many new clients say the same to me when we first meet. By the end of the first session, any fears or concerns they may have initially had, have been laid to rest. I am more than happy to discuss our work together before you commit, so that you can be sure that my approach is right for you. And we won’t do any work until you are happy to proceed. At our first session, we will spend some time discussing your issue, and I will answer any questions you have, and will only go forward as quickly as you are happy to.

Sometimes the hardest part can be picking up the phone and making that call. Why don’t you give it a go – I promise I don’t bite!

There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to drive as well as you always have after hypnosis. Trance is, after all, a natural state that we all enter many times during the day, often when we are driving anyway.

However, if you would feel more comfortable not driving, perhaps you can make other arrangements. The decision is yours.