QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

It's natural to have questions, and here you'll find just a few of those that are most often asked of me. If you want to ask anything else not covered here, or you simply want some more information, please feel free to ask via the

Contact me page.

What is hypnosis?

The Complimentary & Natural Healthcare Council definition:

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.

In a typical hypnotherapy session the hypnotherapist and client will discuss the intended alterations or therapeutic goals desired. The hypnotherapist will ask questions about previous medical history, general health and lifestyle to decide on the best approach for the individual.

Hypnotherapy may be found to be helpful for those seeking relief from a range of problems and is used alongside a person’s own willpower and motivation to seek a desired goal. It is often used to help relieve anxiety, aid sleeping, help to address bedwetting, address attitudes to weight, and help clients achieve behavioural change to stop smoking. It may also help with minor skin conditions that are exacerbated by stress and confidence issues, and may also be used to enhance performance in areas such as sport and public speaking. Hypnotherapy may help people to cope with and manage the relief of perceived pain.

Hypnotherapy has also been used with both adults and children to help manage the pain associated with irritable bowel. There is evidence to support its use in this condition for both adults and children and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Guidance (NICE) recommends the NHS should consider referring patients for hypnotherapy if their irritable bowel is persistent and has failed to respond to simple prescribed medicine.

Can you make me do something that I don't want to do?

The short answer to this is no. Even when deeply relaxed, your subconscious mind is still in complete control of what you do and is in charge of which suggestions, if any, you choose to accept. Were I to say or suggest something which did not resonate with you, your subconscious mind would either just ignore what I was saying or it would bring you out of the hypnotic trance.

Could I become 'stuck' in a trance?

Again, the short answer is no. What can happen, if you are very tired, is that it is possible to doze off. However, a good hypnotherapist will be keeping an eye on how relaxed you are and, if you do start to doze, they will probably change their volume just to keep your subconscious alert and listening.

What does it feel like?

There isn't an easy answer to that because everyone is different. Lots of people say that it feels like daydreaming...you are aware of everything going on around you, but at the same time you're too relaxed to pay much attention to it. Some people hear every word that the hypnotherapist says, and others become so relaxed that their conscious mind pays no attention whatsoever. Speaking personally, I tend to experience that lovely feeling when you aren't quite awake on a Saturday morning, and you know you can just drift in a warm, comfortable haze!