Hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire
Helping you make positive changes from within
Sometimes we know we want something to change, but knowing how to change it can feel much harder.
Perhaps anxiety is holding you back. Maybe you have a fear or phobia that is affecting the things you want to do. You might have a habit you'd like to break, or simply feel that your mind is constantly switched on and you need to find a way to slow things down.
Hypnotherapy can be one of the tools that helps.
As well as being a qualified hypnotherapist, I am a psychotherapeutic counsellor, and I bring both areas of training into my work. This means that I can look at the wider picture rather than simply focusing on the symptom you would like to change.
My approach is always tailored to you, your circumstances and what you would like to achieve.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of focused attention and deep relaxation.
You may already experience something similar in everyday life, like becoming completely absorbed in a book, film or piece of music, or finding yourself arriving somewhere after a familiar journey without really remembering every part of the drive.
During therapeutic hypnosis, I guide you into a relaxed and focused state where you can become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and patterns of behaviour.
You remain in control throughout.
You are not unconscious, asleep or under someone else's control. You can hear me, respond to me and choose whether to accept the suggestions being offered.
For me, hypnotherapy isn't about handing over control.
It's about helping you reconnect with your own ability to make changes.
What can hypnotherapy help with?
Hypnotherapy can be useful for a range of goals, particularly where thoughts, emotions, habits or learned responses are getting in the way of how you would like to feel or behave.
Depending on what you would like support with, this may include:
Anxiety and feelings of overwhelm
Stress and difficulty switching off
Fears and phobias
Confidence and self-belief
Habit changes, including nail biting
Relaxation and emotional wellbeing
Preparing for a particular event or situation
Changing unhelpful patterns of thinking or behaviour
It isn't suitable for every situation or every person, which is why I always recommend an initial conversation before deciding whether hypnotherapy is the right approach for you.
Breaking unwanted habits
Some habits can become almost automatic.
Nail biting is a good example. You may not even realise you're doing it until you've already started.
Hypnotherapy can be used alongside therapeutic conversation to explore what may be happening underneath the habit and help you develop a different response.
The work might involve identifying triggers, increasing awareness and practising alternative ways of responding, for example, using anchors to overcome urges.
Again, there isn't a magic switch.
The aim is to help you become more aware of the pattern and support you in making the changes you want to make.
Hypnotherapy for anxiety, fears and phobias
Fear can sometimes become a very powerful learned response.
You may understand logically that something isn't dangerous, but your body and mind can still react as though it is.
Hypnotherapy can provide an opportunity to work with some of those automatic responses, while also helping you develop greater calm and a different way of responding.
For example, I may use a combination of therapeutic conversation, relaxation, visualisation and hypnosis to help you explore:
What triggers the fear
How your body responds
What thoughts or expectations are attached to it
How you would like to respond differently
How you can begin to feel more confident in situations that currently feel difficult
The aim isn't to tell yourself that you shouldn't be afraid.
It's about helping your mind and body learn that another response is possible.
What does the research say?
Hypnosis has been studied in a number of healthcare settings, although the strength of evidence varies considerably depending on what it is being used for.
A 2024 overview of 49 meta-analyses covering 261 individual studies found the most established research evidence was in areas including medical procedures and pain, while also highlighting differences in study quality and the need for further research.
Research into pain is particularly substantial. A systematic review of 85 controlled studies found evidence that hypnosis can reduce experimentally induced pain, while more recent research has also examined hypnosis as an addition to usual care for people experiencing clinical pain.
There is also emerging research into areas such as sleep. A 2023 systematic review found that some studies reported improvements in sleep, although results were mixed and the researchers highlighted the need for better-quality research.
More recent research into hypnosis during medical procedures has found reductions in anxiety and pain compared with standard care, although the authors also recommend further research and more consistent treatment approaches.
So what does that mean for you?
I don't believe in promising that hypnotherapy will be a quick fix or that it will work in exactly the same way for everyone.
Instead, I see hypnosis as one therapeutic tool that can be incorporated into a wider, individual approach.
Hypnotherapy and counselling - what's the difference?
Although there can be some overlap, the two approaches are not quite the same.
Counselling gives you space to explore your experiences, emotions, relationships, thoughts and circumstances within an ongoing therapeutic relationship.
Hypnotherapy tends to be more focused around a particular goal, using hypnosis alongside therapeutic techniques to help you work with thoughts, feelings, habits or responses.
Sometimes one approach is enough.
Sometimes combining them can be helpful.
My counselling training means that I can consider the person behind the problem rather than simply trying to change a particular behaviour.
How many sessions will I need?
One of the things people often like about hypnotherapy is that it can be relatively focused.
For some issues, a small number of sessions may be enough to begin making meaningful changes. For others, particularly where there are more complex or longstanding issues involved, more time may be helpful.
For many of the areas I work with, such as anxiety, phobias, stress and habit change, around four to six sessions can be a useful starting point.
This isn't a promise or a fixed programme. Everyone is different, and I would rather work at a pace that is appropriate for you than rush the process simply to reach a particular number of sessions.
My approach to hypnotherapy
My background in hypnotherapy began back in 2008 before my counselling training, and I've continued to develop my understanding of how the two approaches can complement one another.
I don't use a "one script fits everyone" approach.
Your experiences, your reasons for seeking support and the way you respond to hypnosis are all individual.
We'll talk about what you'd like to change, explore what may be getting in the way, and decide together what approach feels appropriate.
You remain an active part of the process throughout.
Is hypnotherapy right for you?
You don't need to know the answer before you contact me.
If you're curious about whether hypnotherapy could help, we can talk about what you're experiencing and what you'd like to achieve.
I offer a free introductory conversation, giving us an opportunity to see whether hypnotherapy feels like the right approach for you.
There is no pressure to book.
Ready to talk?
Book a free introductory call