What’s Hypnotherapy and How Can a Hypnotherapist Help?
Did you know there are different kinds of hypnotherapy? Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (Hypno-CBT®) is an is an evidence-based therapy integrating hypnosis, cognitive behavioural therapy, and mindfulness. Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy does not support the idea of ‘trance’, rather it emphasises the use of focused attention, expectation, suggestion, and imagination. Like Nutritional Therapy, Hypnotherapy also puts you in the driving seat, giving you the tools you need to support yourself going forward. Hypnosis is not just something that is ‘done’ to you. It is collaborative and you will learn the skill of self-hypnosis.
Don’t be put off by the kind of hypnosis you’ve seen you’ve seen on tv. Hypnotherapy is a kind of therapy -it’s not entertainment. You cannot be made to do things you don’t want to do. The suggestions we use are agreed between us. Hypnosis isn’t like being under a spell being put to sleep, though some people do feel sleepy in hypnosis. Hypnosis is focused attention with imagination, usually together with relaxation. During this period of focused attention in hypnosis, we use specific suggestions to support your goals.
Hypnotherapy has been shown to be effective for the following issues: anxiety, low mood, confidence building, improved assertiveness, habit changing, mild addiction, phobia, pain management, improved sleep, and IBS. Anxiety includes generalised anxiety including excessive worrying, panic disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia and specific phobias. Hypnotherapy is also effective for general stress. Hypnotherapy is a fairly ‘quick’ therapy and is often used as a short-term therapy though some may choose to use it for longer. Each person and case is different but typically people tend to need 4-6 sessions depending on the issue. Although it is a quick therapy, it is not magic, and it does involve your collaboration in the process. Please feel free to ask me more.
During a typical hypnotherapy session, we will begin by talking about your issue. In the initial session, there will be plenty of time for you to tell me about the issue you are having problems with. I will ask you some questions to gain a full understanding of the situation and assess your needs so I can make a treatment plan. I also ask you to fill in some questionnaires, some of which can be completed before the session. There will often be a part of the therapy where I might explain things or ask questions (psychoeducation). This might use some cognitive and behavioural techniques. We might explore patterns in your current thinking and behaviour for example and how it is affecting you. Then I will guide you in hypnosis. In your first session, I will teach you some self-hypnosis skills. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. And it is a teachable skill -so you don’t need to worry about ‘not being able to be hypnotised’. Following the session, we will discuss the next steps and agree on a practise exercise. This may be listening to a hypnosis recording a few times a week. Making time for relaxation and hypnosis will increase the speed of your success with hypnotherapy. We will discuss how many sessions you may need and book your next appointment. Follow-up appointments are typically 60 minutes. We start with an update on your progress and an opportunity for you to talk. Then there may be some psycho-education or cognitive behavioural techniques. Then there will be a hypnosis tailored to your needs. We will discuss feedback from the session and a practice task (such as a hypnosis recording) and book your next session.
If you’d like to know more about hypnotherapy online or in Cheltenham, or you would like to combine hypnotherapy with nutritional therapy, please get in touch for your free call.