Hypnosis is a natural state of absorbed concentration combined with heightened awareness. People experience this state naturally. For example, have you ever:-

• Day-dreamed?
• Been really absorbed in a good film or book and didn’t hear someone speaking to you?
• Driven your car and when you got to your destination realised you couldn’t remember part of the journey?

If you have, then you have experienced the state of mind called ‘trance’ that is used in hypnosis.

There is no one particular hypnotic feeling and most people don't normally realise when they are hypnotised.  Instead they are absorbed in one thought and often don’t notice other things that are going on around them or how they feel physically.  Hypnosis is simply a state of mind, in much the same way that happiness is a state of mind.

Hypnotherapy is the process of using hypnosis to bring about positive therapeutic change.  It usually involves a client focusing in on a particular subject or issue that they would like to deal with.

Hypnosis can make it easier for you to do things you want to do and stop doing things you don’t want to do.  It can de-sensitise or lessen the effects of past traumas or embarrassments, preventing them from continuing to affect your life today.  It also helps to take away irrational fears which you may know are unreasonable and unhelpful, but you feel powerless to end.

Hypnotherapy often involves the client experiencing deep relaxation, but throughout the session the client is totally aware of what is going on.  In fact clients are in a heightened sense of awareness, concentrating on the hypnotherapist’s voice. All hypnosis is really self hypnosis, which means that the hypnotist is guiding you into hypnosis, rather than doing hypnosis to you. You always have control and a choice over what happens.

• You can not be made to do anything you don’t want to do.
• You will not feel as if you are ‘under’ or asleep.

• Anxiety
• Confidence building and self-esteem
• Embarrassment/blushing
• Habits
• Motivation
• Nervousness e.g. public speaking, interviews etc.
• OCD
• Panic attacks

• Phobias e.g. spiders, heights, confined spaces, water, flying etc.
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Smoking
• Sports performance
• Stress management and relaxation
• Traumas
• Weight issues/eating problems

At a first session the hypnotherapist will want to talk to you to find out:

• About your specific reason for requesting hypnotherapy
• The background to the issue you would like to work on
• Your motivation for change
• What your end goal is from hypnotherapy.

This is completely confidential.

The hypnotherapist will then discuss and agree the most appropriate form of treatment with you and provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have.

When using hypnotherapy the hypnotherapist will guide you into trance using their voice. Sometimes, and only with the clients prior permission, it may also involve the use of a light touch to the clients arm or hand.

The hypnotherapist will guide you through your own thoughts so that you can take a look at any issues you may wish to change or improve upon from a different perspective. They can also give you suggestions that will help you to make positive changes to your life and change unhelpful patterns that may be holding you back from enjoying your life fully. While you are in hypnosis your mind is more open to accepting these suggestions and using them to make positive changes. The session lasts around 1 hour.

Every client’s experience of hypnosis is different, but common sensations are:-

• A feeling of deep relaxation
• Heavy eye-lids
• Heavy or light arms and legs
• Slower breathing
• Any pain you may have been suffering becoming less acute