Hypnotherapy Explained
What is a Hypnotherapist?
Hypnotherapy is a skilled communication aimed at directing a person’s imagination in a way that helps elicit changes in some perceptions, sensations, feelings, thoughts and behaviours. A clinical hypnotherapist can help an individual overcome certain issues and make positive changes in their life by delivering various therapeutic techniques whilst the client is in a state of relaxed and focused attention (hypnosis) where the mind is more open to suggestion and receptive to therapeutic change work. Hypnosis itself is not something done to you, but an active process you engage in – it is a learnable, trainable mindset, which include factors such as focused attention, expectancy, belief, imagination and suggestion.
Hypnotherapy is an established complementary therapy used to help with a range of medical and psychological problems. Our clinical hypnotherapist’s preferred style of hypnotherapy is cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy (CBH) which benefits from a strong evidence base to support its use in the treatment of certain conditions, such as feelings of stress or anxiety, as well as to help manage certain physical ailments including pain management and insomnia.
Hypnosis is also used with success, for a number of other issues such as: enhancing personal performance, e.g. sports performance or public speaking; fears or phobias, overcoming unwanted habits e.g. nail-biting, or hair pulling, enhancing confidence and self esteem, smoking cessation.
Our clinical hypnotherapist is passionate about treating people in the following key areas:
Women’s health and support with menopause symptoms
Alleviating stress and anxiety
Overcoming insomnia to restore healthy sleep habits
Enhancing performance whether related to sport, career or achieving other positive changes.
What does it involve?
A Hypnotherapist will work with a client to assess the problem, understand what changes they wish to make and then develop an appropriate treatment plan. Treatment programmes start with an initial consultation, which enables the therapist to understand how the problem is affecting the individual’s life and whether hypnotherapy would be a suitable treatment approach to help make the desired changes. A detailed assessment will be taken, along with information about the individual’s health and lifestyle, all of which helps to inform the therapist and ensure they have as much relevant information as possible in order to make the best decisions about the treatment plan.
The initial consultation is also where the hypnotherapist will explain what hypnotherapy and hypnosis is and your role throughout, so that you have a clear idea of what to expect and a solid understanding of the reasons for it. You will have an experience of hypnosis and come away with a good understanding of how you can develop practice and develop your hypnotic skills to further benefit your experience of hypnotherapy.
After the initial consultation, you will be emailed a treatment plan for your review and feedback, from which further therapy sessions will be based. Each subsequent treatment session will review progress, discuss any feedback and homework exercises and check progress against the therapy goals and the treatment plan, adapting it where necessary. The hypnotherapist will use hypnosis to deliver therapeutic interventions that leave you feeling more empowered, positive and in control of your life. At the end of each session there will be an opportunity to discuss your experience and ask any questions. We always value your honest feedback and welcome any comments that could make your experience of hypnotherapy as enjoyable and beneficial as possible.
What techniques will be used?
Hypnotherapy delivers various therapeutic techniques whilst the client is in a state of relaxed and focused attention (hypnosis) where the mind is more open to suggestion and receptive to therapeutic change work. Dependant on the presenting issue and the changes the client wishes to make, therapy techniques the hypnotherapist may draw from, include:
- Relaxation therapy
- Mindfulness
- Cognitive & behavioural therapy
- Acceptance Commitment therapy
- Self-care tasks, e.g. journaling, affirmations, treatment related exercises
- Self hypnosis exercise
- Neuro Linguistic programming
- Coaching techniques