Hypnotherapy is a type of therapy that is traditionally known for being rooted in the power of suggestion and altered states of consciousness. Not all hypnotherapy treatment is the same. There are various types of hypnotherapy treatment available, including traditional hypnotherapy and regression hypnotherapy.
I practice Solution Focused Hypnotherapy from my clinic in Crewe, Cheshire, which is an effective type of hypnotherapy. It is a modern, future thinking approach to therapy based on neuroscience. It combines talking psychotherapy, which will help you make the positive changes in your life, with hypnosis.
OK, but what does this mean?!
Right, OK. Say you came to see me with social anxiety. During the (free) initial consultation, I would find out more about you and how you are feeling.
I will then go through an explanation of the brain which will help you understand why you are feeling as you are. With social anxiety, for example, it is likely that the “amygdala” in your brain is perceiving the situation as a threat (even when, in reality, there is no real danger). Your body’s stress response has been triggered, leading to fast heart rate and increased sweating. Your hippocampus in the brain might be holding onto emotional memories of previous social situations where you felt uncomfortable.
Social anxiety is not your fault, it is your brain trying to keep you safe! But, we can change this. Having an understanding of why you are feeling as you are will often help clients to feel better, even after this first free session.
The session after the initial consultation will be the first hypnotherapy session.
Your first hypnotherapy session
For the first half of the session, we will be talking to each other (the talking psychotherapy).
We will be talking about everything positive, focusing on your strengths and inner resources. This will move you into the rational part of your brain. I will give you CBT and NLP tools and techniques to help you begin to change your thought patterns. So, when you’re next in a social situation, you will have consciously changed your thought process around this and will feel calm, safe and more comfortable.
For example, in this instance, we could take your thoughts to court:
Client: “I just feel like everyone is looking at me and judging me”
Me: “Do you know that is true?”
Client: “No, but it feels that way”
Me: “Do you have any evidence of this?”
Client: “No I suppose not, it’s just how I feel”
Me: “How does it make you feel?”
Client: “Anxious, upset, like I want to leave”
Me: “How would you feel without these thoughts?”
Client: “Relaxed, confident, happy”
We will also use Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to focus on overcoming any problems. This part will focus on goal setting and taking small steps to move forward. So, if your goal is to become more relaxed and confident when you go out, we will use the Miracle Question to get there.
Hypnosis
Finally, we will use hypnosis to finish the session. We all go into trance all the time. It’s a very natural state to be in…..when we’re driving down a familiar route, when we’re watching TV, when the kids are talking to me! During this period of well-deserved rest and relaxation, your subconscious mind will take in everything positive we have been discussing during the session.
All you need to do at this stage is relax and listen. You are in total control. I will relay positive messages that will be accepted by your subconscious. You will be in the right frame of mind to process information and find the solutions that are right for you.
For social anxiety, I might reiterate that you are calm and in control, you are safe and confident. The next time you go out, you will experience a shift in how you think and feel due to the work we have done together. I won’t turn you into Kim Kardashian (don’t worry), but if your goal is to be less anxious when you go out, we will work together to find the more confident, happier you that is already inside you right now!
Book a free initial consultation today or contact me at victoria@kingfisherhypnotherapy.com or 07791456886 to book in. Solution focused hypnotherapy sessions are held face to face in my clinic between Crewe and Nantwich in Cheshire, or online via Zoom.
