What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of focused attention. During hypnosis, you focus on a dominant idea with my guidance through suggestions that help create therapeutic change. It’s important to understand that hypnosis isn’t something done to you; it’s something you do yourself. For best results, you must be willing to engage in the process of hypnosis. You are always awake and in control during hypnosis, and we will discuss which suggestions work best for you to achieve the outcomes you desire.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to help treat conditions or change habits, such as anxiety-related issues, phobias, sleep disorders, and psychosomatic or stress-related illnesses. Hypnotherapy utilizes a heightened state of awareness induced by hypnosis to help you focus on a specific problem.

Are you going to control me?

No! Hypnotherapy is not the same as stage hypnosis, and hypnosis in general is not a form of mind control. What you see in stage hypnosis is entertainment, not a clinical application of hypnosis, and it should be taken with a generous pinch of salt. You cannot be made to think or say anything that you do not want to. In fact, quite the opposite—you must want to accept the suggested ideas and consciously and intentionally participate in the process to benefit from it.

Do you focus on the past?

The modalities I use (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness) predominantly focus on the present rather than the past. Although the past cannot be undone, it may inform us of why things are the way they are, and this can be interesting to explore further with a psychotherapist or counselor. However, in our sessions, I focus on providing you with tools to change the way you respond to the present and how you can improve your future. For more information about the integrated approach I use, click here.

Where do sessions take place?

Currently, all sessions I offer are online via Zoom. Online therapy and hypnotherapy are just as effective online as they are in person, according to recent studies.

What happens in the sessions?

The first session is mostly focused on data gathering and discussion so I can understand your problem, how it shows up in your life, and what you would like to achieve. We will discuss thoughts and behaviors, and perhaps later, feelings and emotions. Sometimes it’s not easy to access or find the words to describe how we feel physically or how we feel about experiencing emotions, so this part might take time. I will teach you mindfulness practices to help create awareness of your inner world. When we understand more of what’s happening, we can look at making changes, mostly through behavior and acceptance strategies. Hypnosis is also used to better cement the new behaviors, habits, and thoughts, and to lessen the impact your issue has on your life.

Can I get stuck in hypnosis?

No! Even if our online session gets disconnected midway due to a technical problem, you will be able to bring yourself back to the room once you no longer hear my voice. Hypnosis feels very much like meditation in terms of what’s happening in the brain. Just like a meditation practice, when it’s over, you return to a normal, everyday state of mind immediately. Hypnosis is completely safe, and no one has ever been stuck in hypnosis.

Is hypnosis the same as mindfulness?

No. Mindfulness teaches you how to watch and observe your thoughts and feelings without interfering with them. However, hypnosis is focused on an idea to create the desired outcome. You will practice how to best respond to that idea. Mindfulness is open awareness, while hypnosis is focused on one dominant idea.

How long are the sessions, and how many will I need?

The first session is up to 90 minutes, subsequent sessions are 75 minutes. The number of sessions you will need will vary from person to person. We will discuss this in our discovery call.

What do I need to do in between sessions?

Therapy works as long as you are interested in actively participating in it. We will go at your own pace and take baby steps if needed. However, you need to take responsibility for your own therapeutic change. Between sessions, I offer a formal practice, usually an audio hypnosis or mindfulness practice to use daily before our next session, and, an informal practice, something you will practise, on the fly, in your day to day life.

Being active in your own therapeutic change creates better and longer-lasting outcomes as you build your toolkit of new skills. If you feel that you cannot commit to actively engaging with the audios and practicing your new skills between sessions, now might not be the right time for you to seek hypnotherapy.

Is there anything I should consider before seeking hypnotherapy?

If you have recently received or are currently receiving treatment from a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, or counselor for an ongoing mental health problem, you must obtain approval from your mental health professional before proceeding with hypnotherapy. I cannot work with clients who have depression or other serious mental health issues.

Additionally, if you are currently going through a traumatic life event, such as a separation from a long-term partner, the death of a close family member or friend, or something similar, this may not be the right time for you to have hypnotherapy sessions. However, this very much depends on your current psychological health and the support networks you have around you, such as friends, family, and mental health professionals.

If you are currently taking medication for sleep and/or a mental health problem, I recommend that you do not change your medication without close collaboration with your prescriber.

If any of these circumstances apply to you and you would like more information on whether you are suitable for hypnotherapy, please email me.

I want to work with you, what should I do?

Scroll down to book your free 30-minute discovery call, where we will discuss and determine whether or not we are the right fit for each other. If we agree to working together there will be a pre-session questionnaire to complete, and if you are seeking help for sleep, I will send you a sleep diary to complete for at least a week before our first session.