What is a Hypnotherapy Session Like?
Let me give you the lowdown.
First of all, I work online over video call as there's something really powerful for you in being able to stay at home - no traveling, no waiting rooms with clip-boards, no uncomfortable chairs. Working online is time-efficient and usually more powerful as you tend to feel more comfortable opening up when you’re in your own space.
The initial session is us having a chat over Zoom (or similar) about what you want to work on. Sometimes there’s a very specific issue (like a phobia), sometimes it’s a bit bigger and all-encompassing such as anxiety, anger or stress. We’ll talk about how it plays out in your life and discuss how you’d prefer to feel instead, what your ideal life without this thing looks like - this will then be our North Star during sessions and what we’re working towards achieving. I’ll often have a few tips and tricks for you to use straight away as well, but it all depends on what the topic is. I think this goes without saying too, but all of this is of course totally confidential.
[This session is usually 1 h]
I will then tailor-make a hypnotherapy session for you based on all that we’ve spoken about. As I’m trained in NLP as well, I’ll be on the lookout for sneaky little things such as how you speak, how you process information and your thought-patterns - these things will help me make the hypnotherapy session more powerful for you as your brain will literally absorb the information quicker and “listen better”.
In our second session you'll be asked to find a comfortable spot in your home where you can sit or lie comfortably and where I’ll be able to see you clearly - at least the upper part of the body. Oftentimes it’s a comfy armchair or bed where you’re propped up by some soft pillows, neck fully supported, and you can have your laptop or phone on a stand next to you. Sometimes I might do a NLP technique with you before the trance, but not always - it depends on what we’re working on.
It’s also worth noting that I’ll sometimes use techniques involving your hands & fingers so I’ll need to be able to see them clearly during the session, often it’s most comfortable to keep them resting on a cushion on your lap with your palms facing upwards. This is for me to see certain responses such as a finger twitch (or a movement of the head if you have any hand/finger pain). These responses are believed to be an indication of your unconscious agreement or disagreement with the suggestion(s), and can help me to tailor the rest of the session to your individual needs. I prefer not to have you speak while you’re in trance as that takes quite a bit of conscious effort and I’d like you to feel as relaxed as possible - using these finger (or gentle head) movements are a nice and gentle way to still communicate with each other so I know we’re on the right track.
In the first part of the session I’ll help guide you into trance while you sit or lie down comfortably, listening to my instructions - either by using headphones or just the sound on your computer. “Trance” might sound a bit science-fictiony but it’s just a term for this focused yet deep relaxed state you’ll be in. Don’t worry, you won’t be completely out of it and not remember a thing - you'll still be somewhat aware of what's going on around you, but you'll be more in touch with your subconscious mind and focused on/open to positive suggestions. If you can imagine what the feeling of being fully absorbed in a movie or book is like (where you completely forget about the time and everyone around you) that’s kind of the state we’re after. The induction into trance is gentle and will help you relax both your mind and body, often using some creative visualization tools to get you there. But don’t fret - I know there are many of you out there who feel that you “can’t visualise” and see things in your mind’s eye, and that’s totally ok. It’s just as effective to focus on the feeling of relaxation and the movement of your breathing, or focusing on following the sound of my voice etc. We’ll get you there. Everyone has the capability to go into a trance-state - and it doesn’t have to be particularly deep to be effective. We’re not looking to make you comatose here!
Once you’re in a trance-state, I’ll use positive suggestions, metaphors and visualizations to help you make those positive changes you’re after. The trance state in itself isn’t where the magic is, it’s how you use it. Based on the topic/issue we’re working on I’ll pick a technique suitable for you in order to gently have a chat with your subconscious mind and get your whole system ready to make those positive changes, checking throughout the session using those gentle finger movements to see that you’re on board with it all. Usually I’ll reinforce these new ideas a few times as well so they’ll stick (it’s proven that the trance state speeds up the creation of new pathways between neurons in your brain, supercharging your learning).
When done, I’ll gently get you out of the trance and back into a waking state. We’ll discuss how you found it all and recap what we’ve done. It’s normal to feel a little drowsy - yet somehow energized - afterwards. Drink plenty of fluids and take it easy the rest of the day to let all of it sink in, ideally getting a good night’s sleep if you can.
[This is usually a 1-1.5 hour session]
Afterwards we’ll book you in for a repeat session a week or so afterwards, just to reinforce the learnings again and make them stick. Plus it’s always a good idea to discuss what shifts you have been feeling during the week(s) and fine-tune the next session based on that so I’m always happy for you to reach out after the session to give me feedback. I usually record the reinforce session too so you can keep that and listen to it again should you need to - a nice and cost-effective way to keep the good stuff going.
[The reinforce session is usually a 30-45 min session]
Will I see results right away, you may ask?
Well, it depends. That can definitely happen, but sometimes it’s slower. It all comes down to how dynamic the issue is. My suggestion is to do 1 initial consultation session, 1 main hypnotherapy session and then 1 reinforce session to start with to see what kind of shifts we’ll get from that.
My aim is never to keep you coming back to me for sessions in all eternity and bill you forever - I want to get you OUT of therapy, that’s the whole point here! After the initial 3-session-booking we’ll play it by ear to see what else we can do.
Overall, hypnotherapy is a collaborative process that helps you tap into your inner resources to make positive changes in your life. It's not about mind control or manipulation, but about empowering you to take charge of your own life and achieve your goals in an efficient, yet gentle, way. I can’t wait to show you what it’s like!
I’m always happy to get on a 30 min complimentary call to see if we’re a good fit. If you then decide to go ahead, I charge £50 for the initial 1 h consultation, then £125 for the main hypnotherapy session. The recorded follow up session is free-of-charge.
Please get in touch if you have more questions or want to discuss booking in your online sessions now.
