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Hypnotherapy

What is Hypnotherapy?

Psychological therapy and counselling (sometimes referred to as ‘talking therapy’) is the treatment of emotional and psychological disorders, unwanted habits and undesirable feelings using psychological techniques alone. All such therapy aims to assist people in finding meaningful alternatives to their present unsatisfactory ways of thinking, feeling or behaving. Therapy also tends to help clients become more accepting of themselves and others and can be most helpful in promoting personal development and unlocking inner potential.

There are many forms of psychological therapy, but Hypnotherapy is distinctive in that it attempts to address the client’s subconscious mind. In practice, the Hypnotherapist often requires the client to be in a relaxed state, frequently enlists the power of the client’s imagination and may utilise a wide range of techniques from storytelling, metaphor or symbolism to the use of direct suggestions for beneficial change. Analytical techniques may also be employed to uncover problems deemed to lie in a client’s past, or therapy may concentrate more on a client’s current life and presenting issues. It is generally considered helpful if the client is personally motivated to change (rather than relying solely on the therapist’s efforts), although a belief in the possibility of beneficial change may be a sufficient starting point.

Regardless of the techniques employed, perhaps the most important thing is that clients should expect to feel comfortable and at ease with their therapist. This is particularly important in Hypnotherapy, in which the value of the treatment is greatly enhanced when there is confidence in the practitioner. For this reason, it is recommended that a single session only is initially booked, leaving the client subsequently free to decide if they wish to proceed with more.

Unlike many other psychological therapies, Hypnotherapy is generally considered a fairly short-term approach in which beneficial change, if it is to occur, should become apparent within a few sessions.

Binaural Beats

Our Hypnotherapy sessions are usually conducted with noise-cancelling headphones, through which you can hear Dr Lakhani and a specially produced audio track containing Brainwave Entrainment Music. This ‘music’ has been produced to include binaural beats and isochronic tones to encourage certain states of consciousness beneficial to hypnosis.

Sessions can be recorded and immediately given to the patient on a complimentary mp3 player at the end of the session.

Sound mixer and headphones used for hypnotherapy sessions

Who can be hypnotised?

The answer to this question is undoubtedly ‘virtually everyone’. This claim must, however, be qualified by the observation that some are more readily hypnotisable than others and that it will also depend upon one’s willingness to be hypnotised at the time. This willingness will depend upon a number of factors, not least of which will be the strength of the person’s particular need and their trust and confidence in the therapist concerned. A corollary to this question is, ‘What level of trance is required to achieve a beneficial outcome?’ Although there remains some disagreement over the answer, most researchers concur that the actual level (or depth) of trance experienced does not relate to the beneficial results that might be obtained. In practice, this means that even when a person feels that they have not been hypnotised, given time (and this is a significant factor), the desired outcome of therapy might yet materialise. This matter of time is fundamental in our current society, which has, in many respects, been coerced into believing that gratification of every desire should be instantaneous. Hypnotherapy can be extraordinarily effective, but it is not magic. However, if the willingness is present, if the time is right and if you find a suitable practitioner for your needs and you, as the client, are also willing to undertake your part, then all their (realistic) goals are achievable.

Who may benefit from Hypnotherapy?

Again, the answer to this question is ‘virtually everyone’. Given that Hypnotherapy can be utilised to access a person’s inner potential and that probably no one is performing to their actual potential, then this answer is true. However, it is not just the potential that Hypnotherapy is well placed to address but also one’s inner resources to effect beneficial change. In this regard, it is the innate healing capacity of our own body that Hypnotherapy may stimulate. Consequently, the list of problems which may be amenable to Hypnotherapy is far too long and varied to catalogue but certainly includes: stress, anxiety, panic, phobias, unwanted habits and addictions (e.g. smoking, overeating, alcoholism), disrupted sleep patterns, lack of confidence and low self-esteem, fear of examinations and public speaking, allergies and skin disorders, migraine and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dr Shradha Lakhani conducting a hypnotherapy session wearing a headset microphone

Some Common Concerns

People are sometimes concerned that they will ‘lose control’ in hypnosis. However, consensus indicates that regardless of how deeply people may go into hypnosis and how passive they may appear to be, they remain in complete control of the situation. They can talk if they wish to (or not, as the case may be) and can stand up and leave the room at any time. Neither can a hypnotised person be made to do anything against their usual ethical or moral judgement or religious belief. The notion of a loss of control likely stems from most people’s misconception of stage hypnosis, wherein participants are apparently made to perform all manner of (usually foolish) acts. However, the reader should be aware that participation in a stage act is an entirely voluntary process (thus, ‘permission’ is already given to the hypnotist) and that there can be no such volunteer unaware of exactly what they are letting themselves in for!

General Hypnotherapy Standards Council

Hypnosis for Anxiety and Worries free session

Sessions are normally personalised  individually for the patient’s needs, but below is a short sample recording what a session might be like.

Further sessions will be available to purchase and download in the near future.

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