FAQs

Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy is a form of ‘talking therapy’, that mixes the use of psychotherapy with hypnosis. Hypnosis or ‘trance’ is a natural, relaxing state, supported by guided relaxation, where the mind can unwind and then concentrate on thoughts and suggestions that may be beneficial. As a modern psychotherapeutic approach, Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy uses practical, organised, and well-investigated approaches to help people make important, positive changes in their lives in a relatively short time frame. Fundamentally, in Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy, therapists examine what the client wants to achieve (the solution) instead of whatever encouraged them to ask for help (the problem). Therapists support clients to set their own realistic goals, helping them to break things down into smaller chunks or mini-goals, so improvement can be measured and it’s easier to see the progress being made.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help improve many conditions and symptoms that are often associated with anxiety and depression. It’s also a very effective therapy for treating sleep problems, chronic pain, IBS, motivation, confidence, eating disorders, weight issues, phobias and quitting smoking. The solution-focused approach is additionally effective in helping in other areas like sports performance and business, helping clients to maximise their performance to attain their goals. If your particular issue isn’t mentioned here, please contact me to see if I can help.

Hypnosis/trance is simply a state of focused attention. During this relaxed state, your mind is more aware of suggestions. In a therapeutic setting, the suggestions are designed to be beneficial to help you alter unhelpful thought patterns. During the trance state, you’re fully in control, you’ll process the suggestions and choose whether the knowledge shared is beneficial, if not you’ll simply not accept it. Once we begin the hypnosis, you’ll be asked to relax on a comfortable recliner or chair/couch. I’ll then speak and guide you into deeper relaxation. Everything I suggest will be designed to bring on positive changes by helping you alter your thought patterns. Clients often comment about how ‘ordinary’ hypnosis feels – it’s not unlike daydreaming – you’ll often hear everything that’s being said whilst being in a very deeply relaxed state.

Everyone’s experience of trance differs. For this therapy, a straightforward light trance state is extremely effective for many issues and may be achieved easily using guided relaxation techniques. You’ll find it easier to attain a hypnotic state with continued practice by using my relaxation self-hypnosis track at home and as our weekly sessions progress.

Each session is much more than just hypnosis. We start by exploring the positive things that have happened over the last week, establishing positive thought patterns which help you deal with life in between sessions. We’ll explore how these positive things cause you to feel, helping you visualise small steps towards your new goals which then become more achievable.

The process supports you to think using your ‘Intellectual Brain’, your Left Prefrontal Cortex. When we think from this section of our brain, we mostly get things right in life, as it’s rational and makes appropriate assessments of situations in life. We cannot always change the events in our lives, but with practice, we can change the way we decide to think about them.

Yes, you stay in full control before, throughout and after the session. However, it is not safe to listen to hypnotherapy recordings whilst driving, this should be done in a quiet and comfortable space where you can close your eyes.

People seeking psychotherapy are looking to alter, in a way, some combination of:
• Their thoughts and their thinking
• Their feelings and emotions
• Their behaviour
The Hypnotic state facilitates therapeutic access to the unconscious regions of the mind to introduce new ways of thinking, feeling and behaviour.

I trained at the Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training School (CPHT), which is a distinguished, accredited Centre of Excellence in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. I have been granted the Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (DSFH). I’ve also been awarded a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma (HPD).

The letters AfSFH (Reg), MNCH (Reg.) and CNHC after my name demonstrate that I have received a high standard of training and have had my credentials checked, approved, and validated by the professional organization’s that I have voluntarily registered with. I must provide evidence of ongoing training and professional development as well as supervision to these organisations. The CNHC is the UK regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners and is sponsored by the Department of Health. Its essential function is to improve public protection by setting standards for registration. You can view my details with these professional organisations by verifying on their websites:

https://www.hypnotherapists.org.uk/therapist-finder/
AfSFH – www.afsfh.com/find-a-therapist
CNHC – http://www.cnhc.org.uk

Therapists should never guarantee 100% success. No therapist, anywhere in the world, is in a position to guarantee the success of their therapy, as numerous external and environmental factors are outside of their control. However, I do guarantee to use my 8+ years of experience in the psychology field, along with my extensive post-qualification training and understanding, to assist you to attain the result that you are searching for.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process and success relies on your desire and commitment to the therapy and for creating changes in your life. I received a high level of training and have experience working with a broad range of clients with many differing conditions. We’ll review your progress every week. You are in control of what number of sessions you feel you would like to achieve your required outcome. See my results of hypnotherapy here (possible link to testimonials).

Simply book a FREE initial consultation via the booking page and we can discuss any queries you have during the consultation.

You can schedule an appointment directly here on the online booking system provided.
Alternatively, you can book via email or phone using the details below:

Phone: 07841419494

Email: [email protected]

Evening appointments are available but tend to get booked up quickly appointments are generally available:

Monday – Friday 18:00 – 21:00

Weekends: Closed

Appointments outside of these hours can be booked, please get in touch directly to discuss another booking slot.

For this information, please visit the Pricing & Booking page

The number of appointments required varies with the individual client, depending largely on the issue that they’re consulting for, the reason for the issue, and how committed they are to the therapy.

Most issues require an average of 6 – 10 or even 12 sessions, but for significant issues such as eating disorders, this could be considerably more, however you decide when you have had enough sessions, this is not the decision of the therapist.

No, all of the sessions are conducted online, there’s flexibility with the platform used (usually, Zoom, but others may be arranged if needed). But no sessions are conducted in an in-person setting.

Hypnotherapy sessions are payable before the session, either paid online at the time of booking or if you have booked over the phone/via email you’ll be able to also pay Via bank transfer. Additional payment information is provided at the time of booking.

Hypnotherapy is generally a faster process than many other forms of therapy and also doesn’t focus on trauma which many clients can often find very difficult. In addition, many of my clients dislike the prospect of embarking on a lifetime of medication to manage their symptoms and like the concept of psychotherapy because no drugs are used. This is often because most types of medication have, dependent upon the medication, and associated risk of users experiencing:

• Accidental overdose.
• Unpleasant side-effects.
• Becoming dependent upon regular use of the drug.
• Becoming dependent on the prescription.
• Bad withdrawal symptoms when stopping use of the drug.
• Adverse effects as results of adverse or dangerous interactions with other drugs.

Some clients are taking medication prescribed by their GP or psychiatrist, to assist control their symptoms of, say, depression or anxiety. The utilisation of such medication during therapy is incredibly unlikely to harm or interfere with the effectiveness of your psychotherapy and is much more likely to assist than hinder.

Sometimes people undertake hypnotherapy principally because they need to stop their medication as a result of the side-effects they experience, or because they simply don’t desire to live on medication for, possibly, the remainder of their life.

In such cases, it may be that following completion of your therapy, it would then be wise to schedule a consultation with the medical doctor responsible for prescribing your medication to check your progress with a view to perhaps progressively tapering down your dosage.

Many people find that, following completion of their therapy, they taper down their dosage and eventually come off their medication altogether, as they begin to manage their emotions and reactions in a more constructive way in their daily lives and feel more in control.

Please provide 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. To cancel or change your appointment, use the client app, email me at [email protected], or call 07841419494. Any appointments cancelled or missed with under 24 hours’ notice will be charged and non-refundable. There are exceptions in an emergency, please get in touch if this is the case.

I understand the requirement for confidentiality. I take client confidentiality very seriously. I will not pass on any information about you to any third party, like an insurance company or your GP without your consent or agreement.

Hypnotherapy doesn’t depend on having a therapist in the room with you. We all go in and out of this hypnotic state, also referred to as ‘trance’ several times every day, often when we’re focused on the task at hand. Have you ever been watching a good film/reading a book and lost track of time? Trance is a very natural and safe state where you’ll remain in complete control and may easily achieve as long as you can hear the guided relaxation.

Online Hypnotherapy is just as effective as working together within the clinic and follows an identical structured approach. It’s useful if you’re restricted by time, location, family commitments or even medical conditions, making it accessible to all. I offer a free initial online consultation via Zoom, which provides a safe and secure connection and offers us the chance to test the method before committing to future sessions.

1. A reliable internet connection

2. Laptop, PC or device with reasonably good sound and a camera

3. A quiet comfortable spot where you won’t be disturbed

4. Headphones allow you to be fully immersed during hypnosis

5. Remember to turn off notifications on your devices and phones

If you’ve got any questions that you wish to ask, feel free to email your question to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can book a FREE initial consultation where all the information you would like will be provided, together with the chance to ask any questions you may have.

You will have the chance to ask any questions during your sessions. In most cases, there will be no contact between your sessions, but if you do need to get in touch you can email [email protected].