It is a natural state that we experience regularly, often without realising. When we are relaxed and our mind wanders and daydreams or we are focusing on a film, reading a book or listening to music, we are in a state of hypnosis also known as a trance.

Hypnotherapy is using the relaxed state of hypnosis to bring about changes in feeling, thought behaviours, that have been discussed and agreed upon and would be beneficial to your health and wellbeing. You may want to respond differently to stress, change habits for a healthier lifestyle or increase your confidence for performance and exams.

Yes, you are in control, just very relaxed and would be aware if something was suggested that was against your own values. You will never be asked to ‘cluck like a chicken’ or anything else of that nature. Your moral compass remains fully intact, and you never do anything that you would not normally do.

The experience is different for everyone, you may hear every word I say or you may not be aware of hearing all the words and feel as if you were asleep, however you experience it will be right for you. It is a very comfortable, relaxing and positive experience.

Almost all conditions that are influenced by the way you think can benefit from this treatment, emotional or psychological.

It is commonly used for addictions, anxiety, habits, negative thinking and phobias. It can also increase your confidence, improve your results in driving tests and exams and your performance on stage or even within the workplace, at meetings and socialising.

Brainwaves can be thought of as radio waves with varying speeds and frequencies. Chances are that whilst reading this you are in Beta wave which is the alert wide awake state. As we close our eyes, relax, and focus in either meditation, prayer, yoga or light hypnosis the waves move into a slower state called Alpha where you start feeling calm, aware yet still alert.

As hypnosis deepens you may move into the next level called Theta which is slower and an even deeper state whilst still remaining awake and more inwardly focused. Delta is the deepest state associated with deep sleep and often used in deep meditation. In hypnotherapy we work in the Alpha and Theta states. It has been suggested that we spend 50-80% of our time in a day dream state (Alpha) but can switch back into Beta the moment someone calls our name.

According to Freud the human mind can be split into 3 distinctive areas of consciousness such as the conscious, the subconscious and the unconscious. Freud believed that the conscious mind is the shallowest part and is responsible for making sense of the things we are directly aware of, such as stress levels and consciously thinking of problems right in front of us.

The subconscious mind is at a deeper level, it is not so easily accessible. It controls how we may feel, or react to certain situations based on what we have learnt through past experiences. It also controls bodily functions such as breathing, body temperature and heart rate. The unconscious mind is the deepest part of the mind, it can include memories from traumatic events, feelings of pain, anxiety or conflict. Freud suggested the unconscious continues to influence behaviour even though people are unaware of these underlying influences.

Hypnosis allows us to bypass the conscious mind and access the subconscious where we introduce positive thoughts and ideas into the unconscious. Upon awakening these thoughts and ideas will eventually affect the conscious mind and can in turn lead to changed behaviours.

YES, everyone can be hypnotised. Daydreaming is hypnosis; a period of time when you are so focused on your thoughts that you become unaware of your surroundings. Have you ever driven to work and not remembered the journey? If yes, then you have experienced hypnosis. The state of hypnosis is natural, however, there may be psychological reasons that someone is resistant to being hypnotised which might make it very difficult for that person to relax enough to enter a true hypnotic state. Usually this relates to people who have a deep-seated need for control. They simply don’t allow themselves to be hypnotised. Also, if you have experienced difficulty being hypnotised, it is possible that you were either in an environment, or situation, that felt uncomfortable for you, or you felt uncomfortable with the therapist you chose.