Frequently Asked Questions

Hypnotherapy can not only help with a wide range of problems but can also support you in achieving goals and making positive changes that can truly have a positive impact on your life. From scientifically-backed health benefits to personal experiences, hypnotherapy can help bring about positive change by focusing on the here and now. Hypnotherapy helps you to find a state of deep relaxation and offers an alternative or complementary option to many other forms of support, such as talking therapies or group therapy. Focusing on what is working - or not working - for you, hypnotherapy can help facilitate change for the better.

Hypnotherapy sessions can take place online via zoom or in person, depending on your preferences and what the hypnotherapist offers. Whether you're talking in person or virtually, you will most likely have an initial consultation to go over what problem you are struggling with, what behaviours you hope to change, and what you hope to achieve through hypnotherapy. Once you have established what you hope to achieve, your hypnotherapist will go through what method(s) they plan to use, and give you a rough idea of what to expect. Typically, a hypnotherapy session will include leading you into a deep state of relaxation, making suggestions for different ways of handling a particular issue, behaviour or situation you have been struggling with, and gradually helping bring you out of the trance. In hypnosis, a person will be more open to suggestion and therefore be able to change patterns of behaviour that are unhelpful, but no one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. Following your first hypnotherapy session, you may begin to see a positive impact straight away, as the new suggestions made to your subconscious start to take effect. For others, further sessions to help reinforce these new ideas may be needed. Your hypnotherapist may also teach you self-hypnosis techniques to help you continue to positively reinforce these new ideas of behaviours between sessions. It’s important to know that hypnotherapy will only work if you want to make positive change. While hypnotherapy doesn’t have any side effects, it is worth noting that it is not recommended if you have a certain type of personality disorder or psychosis.

Not necessarily; different therapists have varied approaches, but if the cause of your problem is a repressed memory (one that you are unable to remember consciously), then bringing it back into conscious awareness can help you to view the problem from a different perspective and so feel differently about it. If you find the idea of revisiting old memories painful then the therapist can help you to dissociate from them so that you can remember the experience without experiencing the emotions associated to them.

Yes. You will still be feeling relaxed, however your actions and reactions will be functioning super efficiently.

Every person is unique and different. Some people say that their body feels like a lead weight, others say they feel as though they are floating away. Most people will agree that it's a lovely feeling because they are more relaxed than they have ever been before.

The only side effects are the beneficial ones of feeling more relaxed afterwards and feeling more positive about whatever it was you sought hypnotherapy for. Hypnosis is a perfectly natural state. Sometimes when one issue is resolved, it can have beneficial effects on other areas of your life too. Clients are sometimes amazed that a short therapy can change their lives for good!

That depends how deep in hypnosis you are, but generally most people do remember either everything or certain parts of the experience. You will find that suggestions which have been given to you in hypnosis will resurface in your conscious thinking mind after your hypnosis session and these will be the thoughts that produce changes in your behaviour or way of thinking and feeling.

Before you attend the initial consultation, I will have a pre-talk on the phone about what is troubling you. If you are happy to go ahead, we will book a mutually convenient time for you to come for an appointment. The initial consultation is a 60-90 minute session. Currently I offer a FREE 30 minute initial consultation and this is a time when trust will be established. I will be explaining the process of hypnotherapy and hypnoanalysis in more detail and explaining terms of engagement. This is also an opportunity for a potential client to ask any questions they may have. This meeting provides an opportunity for both parties to decide if they are happy to proceed. Once a decision has been made to work with me then the client may continue with the initial consultation at a reduced rate where I will be taking a detailed personal and medical history to enable me to develop a therapy treatment plan tailored to you Finding the right therapist is critical and honesty and commitment between both therapist and client is key in order for the best therapeutic journey to begin.

Hypnotherapists must belong to a professional association (e.g. The Association of Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy www.aphp.co.uk and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council www.cnhc.org.uk )in order to be eligible for Professional Indemnity Insurance. Often you can check on their website to see if your Hypnotherapist is listed on their members page or use their contact form or telephone number to request verification.

Hypnotherapy is especially helpful for habit breaking, stress-related issues and for a range of long-term conditions. In recent years the approach has been gaining steam in the medical world after a recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) recognised hypnotherapy as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Other issues, however, may require a longer-term approach with regular weekly sessions. Geraldine will let you know how many sessions she feels you might need when you start therapy and will be flexible when it comes to decreasing or extending the number of sessions according to your progress and needs.

Hypnosis is a totally natural state. Hypnotherapy has been used in numerous ways for thousands of years. Nowadays it is being used more and more alongside traditional medicine and dentistry; it is even used as an alternative to anaesthesia.

You can - if they are related issues, however because hypnosis requires a complete focus of attention it is far better to concentrate on one problem at a time. People wishing to stop smoking/vaping (for example) who are afraid of doing so in case they gain weight can be helped with the correct approach. This is because many of us experience 'symptom substitution' - we can substitute one addiction for another. Geraldine has the skills to recognise if this is the case and deal with the issue at its core.

Yes. You will feel deeply relaxed but will never lose contact with the Hypnotherapist’s voice.

Hypnotherapy for weight loss is the therapeutic use of hypnosis to help facilitate changes in habits and mindset. It can help you change unwanted or negative thoughts, behaviours, or emotions that may be impacting what and how you eat. Using hypnosis to put you into a state of deep relaxation, a hypnotherapist uses different techniques to help change your thought patterns. This can help you to understand why you may struggle to maintain or lose weight, as well as to recognise ways you might be sabotaging yourself with unhealthy choices of behaviours. Hypnotherapy for weight loss aims to help you feel more confident about your body, and help you to lose weight responsibly and sustainably – without negatively impacting your emotional well-being. By targeting the subconscious mind with powerful suggestion techniques, a hypnotherapist can help you develop a more positive relationship with food and exercise. This is key to healthy, long-term weight loss and management.

Again this is really dependent on both the hypnotherapist and your circumstances. One-off services such as smoking/vaping cessation or weight management hypnotherapy can last around two hours, while a general hypnotherapy session will usually take 50-60 minutes.

Psychoanalysis gives a complete explanation of a complicated behaviour pattern. It deals with the material of the subconscious mind, which, through special, time consuming techniques, is brought into the client's consciousness so that they can deal with it. Hypnoanalysis reveals the cause of a client's' particular reaction to a given set of circumstances. It deals with awareness below the level of consciousness. Hypnoanalysis is a speedier method of therapy. It is the difference between a broad plateau and a pinpoint. A complete psychoanalysis takes time, years in some cases. Hypnoanalysis can take hours or less.

You will be aware of everything that is happening and being said the whole time, however you will be so deeply relaxed that you may find yourself drifting into different levels of awareness. Remember, your subconscious mind is active throughout and it is this that the Hypnotherapist is working with.

The most common reason for failure to induce trance is lack of rapport. To overcome this problem, book a free initial consultation with Geraldine as she is a Therapist that you can instinctively trust.

Only if you want to. You are not under anybody's control and you will only accept suggestions that are beneficial to you.

Hypnosis has the capacity to work for most people but some are more susceptible to suggestion than others. Being fully committed to the process and feeling that you can trust your hypnotherapist is key. It is also important to keep an open mind, as any scepticism may subconsciously dampen your susceptibility. Studies have shown that hypnotherapy can be an effective way of reducing symptoms and easing side effects of a number of issues, including pain management, stress, PTSD, anxiety, stopping smoking, and more. Hypnotherapy can lessen symptoms of IBS. Studies have shown both long and short-term benefits of hypnotherapy to help relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). One study showed the benefits of hypnotherapy for IBS lasting up to five years. Another major clinical study revealed that hypnotherapy can reduce gut symptoms (nausea, bloating, abdominal pain) by as much as 72%.

You would simply come out of the trance naturally as the rapport would be lost with the Hypnotherapist. No-one has ever remained in trance indefinitely.

Access to hypnotherapy on the NHS is incredibly limited and while you can discuss the option with your healthcare provider, it’s not widely available and the majority of practitioners work privately.

Most people can be hypnotised to some extent. However, the level of hypnotisability can vary from person to person. Some individuals are highly susceptible to hypnosis and can enter a deep trance relatively easily. Others may be less responsive and may require more time and effort to reach a hypnotic state. There's a wide spectrum of hypnotic susceptibility among individuals. Several factors can influence a person's hypnotisability: 1. Willingness: A person must be willing to be hypnotised. If someone is resistant or skeptical, it can be more challenging to induce a hypnotic state. 2. Imagination: People with a strong imagination often find it easier to enter a hypnotic state because they can vividly visualise suggestions. 3. Concentration: The ability to focus and concentrate plays a significant role in hypnotisability. Individuals who can concentrate deeply are more likely to respond well to hypnosis. 4. Trust: Trust in the hypnotherapist is essential. If a person doesn't trust the hypnotherapist, they may resist going into a trance. 5. Relaxation: Hypnosis often involves relaxation techniques. Individuals who can relax deeply are more likely to be hypnotised effectively. 6. Belief: Belief in the efficacy of hypnosis can enhance hypnotisability. If a person believes that hypnosis can help them, they are more likely to respond positively.

Yes. You will feel deeply relaxed but will never lose contact with the Hypnotherapist's voice.

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