What is Hypnotherapy?
A different way of working with the mind
Hypnotherapy uses focused attention, relaxation, imagination and therapeutic suggestion to help people access ways of thinking, feeling and responding that may be difficult to reach through conscious effort alone.
Rather than trying to force change, hypnotherapy can create the conditions in which new possibilities become easier to notice, experience and practise.
The Approach
Hypnotherapy
01
Individual
There is no single way of responding to hypnosis. The approach is adapted to the individual rather than asking the individual to fit a predetermined method.
02
Collaborative
You remain an active participant. The aim is not to take control away from you, but to help you discover and use resources that are already available within you.
03
Experiential
Hypnotherapy (Ericksonian) often uses stories, metaphors, imagery and the person’s own experiences to create new ways of understanding and responding.
Mind · Nervous System · Body
We are more connected than we sometimes realise
The mind and body are in constant communication. Attention, expectations, emotions and stress can influence how we experience our bodies — while sensations in the body can influence how we think and feel.
Hypnotherapy is one way of exploring this relationship. It does not mean that physical symptoms are imagined or ‘all in the mind’. It means that the systems involved in our experience are interconnected.
Developing Areas of Interest
Where I am particularly interested in working
01
IBS & the Gut-Brain Connection
Exploring the relationship between the gut, brain, nervous system and the experience of IBS symptoms. Gut-directed hypnotherapy is an area of growing clinical research and is recommended as a psychological approach for IBS in clinical guidelines.
02
Anxiety & Stress
Exploring how patterns of thought, attention, anticipation and physiological arousal can influence how we experience ourselves and the world around us.
03
Personal Change
Hypnotherapy can also be used to explore habits, confidence, self-belief, performance and other areas where a person wants to respond differently.
IBS & Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy
An emerging focus
There is evidence that gut-directed hypnotherapy can help some people with IBS symptoms and quality of life. Professional guidelines have included gut-directed psychological therapies among the options that may be considered for IBS.
The research is encouraging, but it is not a claim of a cure, and hypnotherapy should not replace appropriate medical assessment or treatment.
Explore IBS & the Gut-Brain ConnectionWhat to Expect
A session is a conversation first
01
Explore
We begin by talking about what you would like to change and how you currently experience it.
02
Focus
We identify useful resources, patterns and possibilities that may support the change you want to make.
03
Experience
The hypnotic work uses focused attention, relaxation, imagery and therapeutic suggestion in a way that is tailored to you.
04
Integrate
We finish by reflecting on the experience and considering how useful changes can continue beyond the session.
My Training
A practice still unfolding
I am currently undertaking professional training in Ericksonian hypnotherapy. My approach is informed by a long-standing interest in meditation, consciousness, the mind-body relationship and the ways people create meaningful change.
As my training develops, I am gradually building my practical experience and refining the areas in which I would like to work.