Q: Is hypnotherapy safe?
A: Yes, for most people it is. However, there are some contraindications to hypnotherapy, for example, certain health conditions. This is why you are asked to complete a health questionnaire before your first session. We are here to help you achieve your desired outcomes safely and in a controlled manner. 

Q: Would counselling be more beneficial to me than any of the other modalities you offer?
A: Yes, it might be. However, during the first session we will discuss your challenge and what the best way forward is. Some people know exactly what they need, i.e., hypnotherapy or counselling etc. We can adjust our sessions to meet your needs and goals. 

Q: What can I expect when I come to a session?
A: There are a few questions that need to be asked about you and the challenge you're facing. It's important that the therapist knows your situation, reasons for choosing this type of therapy, how committed you are to change and other information with regards to your health, home-life and professional life. Expect to be talking with your therapist to build rapport - this is also an opportunity for the therapist to gauge how to best proceed. A hypnotherapy session isn't about being hypnotised for the whole hour, rather, it is a mixture of talking, counselling and teaching you appropriate techniques you can use every day to make positive changes. You will be given a set of tools you can use daily to overcome your challenges and achieve goals.
It is also important to explain to the client how hypnosis works. It is NOT a quick fix, nor is it a way of shifting responsibility for the challenge you're facing and placing it on the therapist. Owning it, being committed to change and being flexible in your approach is already half the battle. Own it, commit to it, be flexible, live it, do it.

Q: Can hypnotherapy help me with my anxiety? I have been anxious for most of my life.
A: Yes, it can. No matter how long you have been anxious, or nervous, shy, angry etc., hypnotherapy can help with your emotional states. Hypnotherapy helps regulate our emotional states and promote peace and calm. This in turn, promotes overall wellbeing. 

Q: I am an athlete and do a lot of competitive sport. To gain an edge, I'd like to use hypnosis to mentally prepare for sports competitions alongside my physical training preparation. Would hypnotherapy help with this?
A: Yes, very much so. Hypnotherapy is highly effective when it comes to taking part in competitive sports. It has been proved that when athletes imagine themselves performing their sport to their best abilities, winning and enjoying the whole experience, the body and mind cannot distinguish between what is imagined and what is real. This means that the muscle fibres fire is similar ways whether you are sitting on the sofa visualising yourself perform your sport, or when you are actually doing it. You are giving your mind a template for the future events. The mind then will guide you on the day of your sports competition. 

Q: If I fall asleep during the hypnotic trance, will that still be beneficial to me?
A: People often confuse being in deep trance with being asleep. It is surprising how quickly our brainwaves slow down and the body relaxes. However, if you do fall asleep, it means you're comfortable with the therapist and the surroundings. Also, when you're in that state, you're resting and your body is resting as well. This is a win-win, as your sympathetic nervous system is switched off and your parasympathetic nervous systems is on - that's when healing can begin. Healing alongside growth, rejuvenation, rest.

Q: Is hypnotherapy effective?
​A: Yes, it is. However, it is very individual and the response depends on the person, their beliefs, attitudes and approach. If, for instance, someone wants to stop smoking as they know it'll be beneficial for them but are unwilling to give it up 'just yet', then they will find a way to make excuses and shift the blame on something/someone else. This is why it is so important for the therapist to get to know the client and find out any underlying beliefs and reasons for continuing with an unwanted habit.
It's important to remember that hypnotherapy is not a magic wand. You need to put in some effort too. As with anything worth pursuing, it is a process and something worth investing in. 

Q: How many sessions will I need?
A: It really depends on the individual and their goals they want to achieve. Again, this is something that the client and therapist will be able to agree upon together and monitor progress. 

Q: What can I expect from a session? 
A: It is important for the therapist to get to know the person in front of them. A chat about you and your goals is vital. A hypnotherapy session therefore is a mixture of a warm, full of empathy chat and the 'hypnotherapy' part will follow. The best results are achieved when there is mutual understanding, strong rapport, the feeling of safety in an environment where you can relax and open up. Sessions are confidential, carried out in a warm, emphatic non-judgemental atmosphere. 

Q: What if all I want is to talk things through with someone who knows how to listen?
A: That's absolutely fine - it is the client who decides what they want from a session. We all have the need to be heard and understood. In this fast-paced world we live in, there's not enough time and willingness to stop and listen to another person. The therapist's role is to listen and ask the right questions and often this process clears away any fears and doubts, helps the client decide on the best action, makes them more confident. Just the process of voicing your fears, frustrations etc, helps you feel better. And the fundamental part of this is that it is done in an emphatic, non-judgemental environment. 
The therapist's role is also to challenge your old, disempowering beliefs. If you keep thinking and doing the same things, you will keep getting the same results. That's not what change is. So be prepared to be challenged a little so that you could move forward in life. Getting out of your comfort zone will feel uncomfortable at first, but once you do, you're on your way to a more fulfilling life. It's like moving home - how stressful and uncomfortable is it to find yourself in a new place, having to learn about your new surroundings and make an empty home a warm welcoming place? However, once you do, you become so used to the new place, it no longer feels strange to you.

Q: How can EFT help with my problem?
A: EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique, is a holistic practice that is focused on changing your emotional state by tapping various meridian points on your body. It uses acupressure points, where energy blockages may occur. By tapping on those points along with making certain statements, we reduce the emotional charge that accompanies a specific challenge, situation, belief, person. It can relieve stress, anxiety, negative emotions, physical discomfort. 
It involves tapping specific points - mainly on the head and upper body - whilst focusing on a memory, emotion, or issue you want to address. This rebalances the disruptions in the energy system, caused by the issue, memory or emotion. EFT and TFT have been recognised in the US as evidence-based techniques. 

Q: I might struggle to articulate what I really want to achieve. Would that be a waste of time for both of us? 
​A: Absolutely not. Very often we don't have a clear idea of what we want to change in our life. Often it is a nagging thought, anxiety, a nervous feeling. The sensation(s) could be triggered by a specific stressor, for example if there is a stressful situation coming up, like a presentation, exam, being made redundant, or an event in our past, that has been lodged in the mind and surfaces as a feeling/emotion. However, often we're not aware of what is causing us to feel unsettled. Coming for a session is a great opportunity to voice concerns and get things out of one's head - that's when things become more obvious and clearer.  

Q: I'd rather not have a face-to-face session with a therapist, is it possible to have a session online? Would it be as effective?
A: Absolutely, yes, it is possible to conduct sessions online. All you need is a laptop/PC and Internet connection. Sessions can be conducted via Zoom/MS Teams/Google Meet. They are as successful and effective as meeting face-to-face. In fact, when you're in the comfort of your own home you may feel safer and more relaxed and open to making a positive change. For example, after a hypnotherapy session, when you're relaxed, you can just stay in your chair/bed, without the need to rush out of the therapist's door and drive home. There are a lot of advantages of working this way. However, we are social creatures and often want to meet in person. Everyone is individual and has different needs and home situations. Do ask when you get in touch, as this can be extrapolated and explained further.

Q: How can breathwork help me with my challenges?
Breathing is the first thing we do when we come to this world and the last thing we give away when we leave. It governs our nervous system, our emotions, thoughts, it signals to the heart that all is well, or that we're in some kind of danger. We can tell what emotional state we're in by observing our own breath. We can also do the same with other people. 
There are many different breathing techniques: to achieve calm and peace, to sleep better, to prepare the mind and body for physical exertion, to energise the body, to keep the mind sharp etc. I can teach you a technique that will work for you.