FAQs
Below I have answered some of the most commonly asked questions about hypnosis and hypnotherapy. My hypnotherapy clients are always asking me great questions, and so this page will never be truly completed. I'll keep adding FAQs over time. If you have an hypnosis question that isn't answered here or elsewhere on my website then please do just get in touch and I'll be happy to help.
Does hypnotherapy work?
The short answer is – yes it can! Really well. There’s some caveats around that of course, nothing works for everyone and hypnotherapy isn’t the real world equivalent of a magic wand. In fact ‘Does hypnosis work?’ is such a common FAQ, I’ve dedicated a whole page to 'Does hypnotherapy work?".
You may be exploring the possibility because someone else you know has recommended it or because you're tried other things and you feel it's time for a different approach. You may like to browse some of my client testimonials to find out how some of my clients found hypnotherapy with me in Reading.
Does online hypnotherapy work?
Yes it does and due to the current pandemic I’ve seen many more clients online for hypnotherapy in 2020. In fact some clients prefer online hypnotherapy sessions as they’ve noticed some advantages such as being able to fit the sessions into their busy days more easily, saving travel time and costs or simply feeling more comfortable being in their own home environment.
Of course one advantage of working online is geography is no longer a barrier. Working online I am able to help clients from all parts of the UK and other countries too, so am no longer restricted to just Hypnotherapy in Reading.
I see clients for online hypnotherapy for anxiety and many other issues daily.
Does Hypnotherapy Work for Weight Loss?
Yes hypnotherapy for weight loss can be very effective provided the hypnotherapy sessions address all the factors feeding a client's poor eating habits. Those factors include any subconsious reasons behind the eating.
Can hypnotherapy remove unwanted thoughts?
Yes, hypnotherapy can be a really effective way of dealing with unwanted thoughts. Whether those thoughts are just there going round and round in your head all the time, appear only at certain stressful times or appear out of nowhere. Hypnosis can be helpful.
How much does hypnotherapy cost?
Knowing how much this investment in your wellbeing is going to cost is an important factor.
Just before we move onto costs, one of the other important considerations when choosing who to work with, is to find someone you feel you can build good rapport with, someone you feel comfortable working with. Having good rapport is a good indicator of a successful therapeutic outcome.
Now onto the costs. There are two main ways hypnotherapists operate. Some hypnotherapists sell treatment packages, in which you pre-pay for a fixed number of sessions, for example an “Anxiety Package”.
Others like me charge per session. There’s no right or wrong way, I choose to charge per session because that way clients only pay for the sessions they want and need. I tailor each session to the individual client and so offering standard packages doesn’t fit so well with the way I work.
Packages do, of course, give clients a way of budgeting up front for their treatment. If you would prefer to pay for a block of sessions up front then that’s also possible with most therapists that charge by the session. For clients who want to do this, I am able to offer a discount for three or more sessions booked together.
So, if you are paying per session, how much does a hypnotherapy session cost? Generally you would expect to be paying for the hypnotherapist’s expertise and time so zoom or skype online sessions and in-person sessions will generally cost the same.
What does hypnotherapy feel like?
A lot of clients are curious to know what hypnosis is going to feel like. Someone else may have told you about their experience or you may have your own expectations of how it should feel.
For some people it feels like they're just sitting in their chair listening to me, we're just having a conversation. For others it feels like they've floated off someplace else. Most clients remember everything I say, some may not remember all of it.
Time may pass quickly during the session, this is because you may become really absorbed in the process.
The important thing to remember is, there's no right or wrong way for it to feel, only your way!
Can anyone be hypnotised?
Yes, I believe so, provided you want to be. Within a hypnotherapy session you won't be asked to do anything you don't want to do and don't feel comfortable doing. It's worth remembering, it's part of my job as the hypnotherapist to find the right way to help you into hypnosis, so you can leave all the pressure of getting it right with me!
How many hypnotherapy sessions do I need?
Hypnotherapy tends to be solution focused therapy, which means a hypnotherapist will be helping you find solutions to the problems you are seeking help with, rather than focusing on analysing the problem or the reasons for the problems.
Hypnotherapy is not a long-term therapy. The number of sessions will depend on what you are seeking help for. An experienced therapist will be able to make an estimate after an initial consultation. However it will be an estimate, everyone's different.
Remember too, if you have more than one issue you'd like to work on you don't have to tackle them all at once. Sometimes it makes sense to make some changes, allow some time to notice how those changes are benefiting you and improving your life, and the consider if you'd like any more help. It can be a journey with some resting points along the way.
I am always happy to provide more information about likely number of sessions following our initial consultation.
What if there's more than one issue I want to work on?
That's fine! Clients often come for help with more one one thing. During our initial consultation I can help you prioritise. Sometime it can be helpful to ask yourself, "If I could go away with just one thing changed, what would that one thing be?". The answer to that question may well reveal what is top of your list.
Some problems can be linked, so if we change one thing other positive changes can follow. So please do not be concerned if it seems like you have a list as long as your arm of things you would like to change.
Finally, you do not have to tackle everything at once. Clients sometimes make some changes in one area and return later to work on something else. When they return we're not really picking up where we left off, as since I last saw them they will have started to reap the benefits of the changes they have made. Their lives will have moved on and so we can re-assess where we are and go from there.
How can it be that hypnotherapy claims to work with so many different issues?
Hypnotherapy works with many different symptoms because although there are many, many symptoms there are some common underlying thought processes that produce those symptoms.
So whether a client is looking for hypnotherapy for anxiety, hypnosis for confidence, hypnosis to stop drinking, hypnotherapy for binge eating or hypnotherapy for stress, by using techniques that address these common underlying thought processes hypnosis can help with all of these issues.
Is Hypnotherapy available on the NHS?
Hypnotherapy is currently recommended by NICE (the organisation that decides which treatments the NHS will pay for and which it won't) for help with IBS symptoms for patients who do not respond to pharmacological treatments.
NICE is starting to embrace non pharmalogical approaches to help with patient issues that have a psychological element to them. For instance the guidance around management of chronic pain now includes recommending talking therapies. So hypnotherapists like myself remain optimistic that NICE will, in the future, look towards hypnosis to help with more issues including anxiety and pain management.
What exactly is hypnosis?
Academic researchers and psychologists haven't yet reached a consensus about what hypnosis is. However the relatively new science of neuroscience is starting to provide evidence as to what hypnosis is and how it may work. On my "What is hypnotherapy?" page I've brought together some of the ideas.
Does hypnotherapy work if you don't believe in it?
If you really don’t believe hypnotherapy works then you are probably best choosing a different sort of therapy, as belief plays a part in making changes happen.
Having said that if you’re not sure or sceptical or even just a little bit curious about it then a good hypnotherapist can work with that and help to show you how it can work for you.
Can you talk during hypnotherapy?
The short answer is yes. Some hypnotherapy sessions are all about you enjoying an inner experience and you may not feel the need to talk. In others your hypnotherapist may ask you questions about what you're experiencing. This will help your hypnotherapist guide you to the solutions you need. Talking during hypnosis does not bring you out of hypnosis.