How long is a typical session?
Consultation is FREE and lasts for 1 hour, a usual hypnotherapy session lasts an hour - Smoking cessation is 2 hour sessions.

How much is a typical session?
See prices

How many sessions will it take to see results?
This varies according to the individual. Smoking cessation is 1 session, phobias take anything from 3 to 8, and deep depression can take between 8 - 12 sessions. It will become obvious at which point therapy is working and whether it should be terminated. Some clients like to make it a regular monthly top up, where they come for deep relaxation, much like a massage. Some clients like to make it a regular monthly top up, where they come for deep relaxation, much like a massage. Hypnotherapy has much faster results, than CBT or counselling, Many CB therapists charge anything up to £150 per hour.

Why is it so expensive?
It is comparable with other therapies, and works out cheaper than many
other psychotherapies because results happen more quickly. Training, experience, advertising, networking and professional premises cost. If you see a chiropractor you'd be expected to pay more at a consultation.

Is hypnotherapy good for performance enhancement?
Yes! Here are just a few of the things upon which it can make profound improvement

Sporting performance
Career matters
Memory and Concentration
Stage performance
Study
Exams and tests
Presentation/speaking skills

Will I reveal personal secrets whilst in Hypnosis?
No. You are always in control and need not say anything you do not wish to say.

Will I lose control whilst in Hypnosis?
Hypnotherapy is not the same as stage hypnosis and clients are never required to do anything embarrassing, reveal any private information or do anything they don't want to do.

During Hypnotherapy the client is always fully aware and in control of everything that happens. Hypnosis is like day dreaming, so you even if the therapist left the room and never returned you would come round by yourself within a few minutes, or simply drift into a restful sleep.

Are there any dangers?
No, not when the therapy (and Hypnosis) is undertaken by a properly trained and competent practitioner. I am a member of the National Council of Hypnotherapists.

Can anyone be hypnotised?
Most people can go into at least a light trance. This is sufficient for most hypnotherapeutic goals, so therefore everyone can benefit from Hypnotherapy to some extent.

Will I remember what happened during Hypnosis?
You will remember some things but not all, but this is the way the memory normally works. For example, when you listen to a speech you don't remember everything that has been said, but you will recall the majority of it. The same applies with Hypnosis.

Are there any side effects from being in Hypnotic states?
Only that you generally feel very relaxed and should not operate machinery whilst listening to the relaxation CD.

How can you stop me eating/smoking/being scared with just your voice?
The factors that are stopping you doing things are controlled by the
subconscious mind. The subconscious mind does not know what your intellectual mind wants, so by placing you in a hypnotic state and talking to that part of your mind, you can make positive suggestions, and gain greater control over your habits.

What if it doesn't work?
Every one is different, and we all have different degrees of anxiety and control, you cannot compare 2 minds as they are all totally individual. I use a system of monitoring which allows me to assess how the therapy is going. If it is not going to how you feel it should then we can tackle the issues it raises before it becomes a problem. Sometimes people just do not have the resources or time to commit to positive change and this is sad that they feel that they can not move forward. I sometimes find too that some people just do not understand the process of therapy and hypnosis and read unhelpful, untrue articles in magazines and newspapers that undermine the essence of good practice.

Why can't I just hypnotise myself?
You can hypnotise yourself to relax or to control pain, but when it comes to more complex matters of phobias and smoking cessation it works much better for a qualified practitioner to perform.

Surely people should just have a bit of willpower?
Willpower is the intellectual mind, some things happen in our subconscious
which our consciousness is not aware of. Hypnotherapy helps this part of the mind to communicate to the conscious mind what it wants.

What if I go to sleep and miss what's being said?
It will not matter, your subconscious hears everything being said.

Will I have "flashbacks"?
I practice solutions based hypnotherapy. Old fashioned therapy would ask the client to think back to a time where the trauma first happened. This only raises anxiety, so it is better to focus on the problem at hand and look to a brighter future.

Will it affect my medication?
You will be asked what medication is being used and I may check with your GP, generally no - it shouldn't. Quite often it will help anti-depressants because the brain will be making more seratonin and so the drugs will work more effectively.

Will it leave me feeling sleepy for the rest of the day?
No, the best thing to do after a session is to have a glass of water and some fresh air for about 5 minutes, this should be enough to get you alert enough to drive or walk home.

How long does "the effect" last for? i.e. a life time? - if not will I need more sessions?
It depends on the individual and how generally stressed their life is. Some go away and never come back, others may experience a glitch and get back to square one.

Will it definitely cure my addiction / fear etc?
It is totally up to the client to bring their life under control, hypnosis helps with this process It is not a cure.

Am I aware of what is happening / am I unconscious?
You are not unconscious, your subconscious is on alert all the time, if it felt you were in any danger you would come out of trance fairly quickly.

Do you do past life regressions?
I do not offer this as a therapy, however I am a member of the society of psychical research and I will be asking people to volunteer for a research programme I am undertaking researching into past life and between life. If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch.

Is there anything that hypnosis can't help with?
Read the section of what it can treat.

Do doctors recommend hypnosis?
It depends on the experience of the doctor. The medical profession recognizes that Hypnosis can help with a variety of problems. There is still a lack of research into hypnosis, which is why many practitioners and organisations do not support it. The various professional bodies such as the NCH, are working towards making it a legitimate therapy.

http://www.hypnotherapists.org.uk/