Frequently Asked Questions
What is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy?
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFH) is a combination of Psychotherapy and Hypnosis. The Psychotherapy part is the talking part, where I start to encourage you to focus on the positive aspects of your life in itself is highly beneficial and its effects are enhanced by the application of Hypnosis, which enables the subconscious mind to make the changes you are seeking – small goals you set yourself.
What to expect:
Unlike the Hypnosis you may have seen on TV or in films, where Hypnotherapy is ‘done to someone’ with a swinging watch or snap of fingers and the person goes into trance and the therapist hypnotises the problems away people believe that Hypnotherapy is something that is “done” to them, SFH is much more of a team effort and it is important for you to understand that changes happen because you want them to and you are prepared to take the required steps to make them happen.
Putting it simply: I cannot make the brain do what it does not want to do. Changes must come about because you want them and are motivated to achieve them. The goals you seek must be yours.
What happens during the Initial Consultation?
The Initial Consultation is an Information Gathering session: I’ll ask what has brought you to me and what you’d like to achieve and take a brief history. No hypnotherapy occurs during this session as it usually takes approximately 50 minutes.
I explain how Hypnotherapy can help you and discuss with you an approximate number of sessions I think you may need, bearing in mind that everyone is unique and how many sessions it may take can vary from one client to another.
I do provide you with your supporting track to listen to each night which helps with the process and for you to get the best out of the Hypnotherapy.
What happens in a Hypnotherapy session?
Each Hypnotherapy session involves more than Hypnosis.
In the first part of each session, we’ll talk about what’s been good, and I’ll be encouraging you to express yourself positively, think in a more positive way, use more positive language and start to encourage a new thought process – focusing on solutions rather than problems.
I’ll help you to imagine your preferred future, one where you are working towards that goal you desire. I’ll then guide you into a relaxed state of Hypnosis so that your mind can consolidate what we have discussed. You may hear some, all or none of what I say, which is absolutely fine. The subconscious mind gets what it needs, and you get the opportunity for 25 minutes to sit or lie down and do nothing. Or so you think. Your brain is doing a massive amount of work during this part of the session and processing everything discussed, along with so much more. Many clients say they feel heavy, or like they’re floating, but all feel very relaxed afterwards.
Each session takes no more than an hour.
What happens between sessions?
You will be sent the link to my supporting track after your Initial Consultation.
Please play this when you are ready to go to sleep at night as it will help with the process and for you to get the best out of the therapy.
How often should I attend sessions?
This is a personal preference. However, the clients who get the quickest results attend weekly and listen to the track each night when they go to bed.
All sessions are booked via my online booking system.
Am I expected to talk during the Hypnosis?
No, this is not regression Hypnotherapy, after the Initial Consultation, we do not discuss the past, or the problem that has brought you to me again. This is Future Focusing – Focusing on where you would like to be and not where you have come from. Designed to reduce anxiety and calm your mind rather than analysing the past issues which created the problems.
What is Psychotherapy?
There are many kinds of Psychotherapy, all of which aim to help people with stress and emotional issues.
Psychotherapy requires talking together to help clients conquer their issues and is often referred to as ‘talking therapy
As a Solution Focused Clinical Psychotherapist, I am future-focused. As the name suggests it focuses on the future rather than on analysing the past problems which caused the anxiety and distress.
Provided you are willing to make changes to the way you think. Focusing on solutions means we do not dwell on problems.
Instead we:
- acknowledge where you are now
- identify what your goal is
- facilitate those changes
What is Hypnotic Trance like?
You are probably going to be surprised to hear that you have been in a hypnotic trance already, you have probably been in one a number of times today.
We do it without realising that it has happened when we are driving home but have absolutely no recollection about the journey, when out for a run but glazed over during the last 2/3 miles. When someone has been talking and you’ve no idea what on earth they have been saying? Or even when watching a film or reading a book and losing all track of the time you have been so engrossed?
Or when you were a child (or even now!) and stare off into space daydreaming!
If so, you have been in a deep state of focused attention and it is not that, unlike the feeling of being hypnotised.
During the Trance Hypnosis part of the session, I will guide you into a similar state so that beneficial positive suggestions can be directed into your subconscious mind.
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is simply a state of focused attention. When you are in this relaxed state, your mind is more responsive to suggestions. In a therapeutic setting, the suggestions are designed to help you change negative and unbeneficial thought patterns.
Clients often comment about how “ordinary” Hypnosis feels – it is not unlike daydreaming – you can often hear everything that is being said whilst in a deeply relaxed state. In fact, you could think of it as guided daydreaming.
What Hypnosis is not:
Hypnosis gets a bit of a bad press in the media, and contrary to popular belief, I cannot control your mind, make you do anything you want to do (“Look into my eyes, not around my eyes!”) because your subconscious mind will just reject anything which is not right for you.
I do not have any magic powers and cannot hypnotise anyone against their will.
Only those who seek change and want to be hypnotised will be open to it and the changes that they seek.
