Frequently Asked Questions

Hypnosis is essentially a state of heightened suggestibility, or "hyper-suggestibility." During hypnosis, you are working with various naturally-occurring psychological and physiological states. It’s a collaborative process in which you allow yourself to follow the guidance of the therapist by using your imagination to evoke positive emotions and rehearse behaviour change. Hypnotic “trance” is an increased ability to respond to positive suggestions, usually accompanied by relaxed attention to the ideas being suggested. Hypnotic suggestion is a means of experiencing certain helpful ideas at a level profound enough to directly influence our emotions and behaviour. Psychological and emotional problems can be seen as the result of negative thinking, whereas hypnotherapy aims to encourage ("suggest") positive ideas which lead to improvement. Hypnosis is essentially a simple, down-to-earth, and common-sense therapy.

No. However, hypnotic "trance" is very often compared to certain forms of meditation. There is an enormous amount of overlap between the two subjects, and they sometimes employ similar methods of inducing equally similar states of mind, however the fundamental aims of hypnotism and meditation are usually different. Most forms of meditation see the attainment of meditative trance states as an end in itself, insofar as they approximate an enlightened state of consciousness. However, in most cases the hypnotic "trance" is seen more as a means to an end, for example, the achievement of personal transformation through autosuggestion. It is more goal-directed than meditation.

No. Hypnosis is definitely not a state of sleep or unconsciousness. Roughly 90% of people report being aware of everything that happens, and relaxation helps but is not essential to hypnosis. The word "hypnosis" comes from the Greek word for "sleep" (hypnos), but it is actually an abbreviation for "neuro-hypnotism", meaning specifically "sleep of the nervous system." In ancient times, when trancework was a traditional part of European culture, philosophers wrote “The sleep [hypnos] of the body is the awakening of the mind.” (The Revelation of Hermes, translated by Paracelcus). In the Eighteenth Century, the mesmerists described hypnosis as "lucid sleep" or "artificial somnambulism." All of these points serve to emphasise that although hypnosis often resembles sleep externally, it is fundamentally different from normal sleep inside. Hypnotists often use the word "SLEEP" as a trigger word to induce hypnosis. This is because of tradition, and because the (appropriate) use of that word has been found by psychologists to be capable of evoking the body's innate relaxation response, not because hypnosis feels like being sleep. That said, when a person is in a very profound state of hypnotic relaxation, they will often reach a certain depth of drowsiness at which their mind begins to drift in and out of a sleep-like state. This is perfectly normal; someone can be in hypnosis and feel sleepy at the same time.

This is an outdated "pop psychology" theory found in cheap books on the subject. It is sometimes claimed that that people in hypnotic trance produce a higher frequency of "alpha", or sometimes "theta", brain waves on electroencephalogram (EEG) brain recordings. Michael Heap, one of the UK's leading psychological researchers in this field warns, Incidentally, ignore any statements in the popular hypnosis literature to the effect that hypnosis is an "alpha state" or "theta state" or that the right hemisphere is put into one of these states, or that the hypnotist directs suggestions to the unconscious mind in the right hemisphere by sitting on the subject's left side, or that the hypnotist matches the frequency of his voice with that of the subject's brainwaves, etc., etc. (Heap, 2006: 6) These are pseudo-scientific theories widely dismissed by credible researchers. There are some brain imaging correlates of hypnotic responses, but they tend to be more complex and task specific than these sorts of books assume. For example, after reviewing the literature on EEG recordings during hypnosis, James E. Horton and Helen J. Crawford, two experts, recently concluded, Hypnosis is not a unitary state and therefore should show different patterns of EEG activity depending upon the task being experienced. In our evaluation of the literature, enhanced theta is observed during hypnosis when there is task performance or concentrative hypnosis, but not when the highly hypnotisable individuals are passively relaxed, somewhat sleepy and/or more diffuse in their attention. (Horton & Crawford, in Heap et al., 2004: 140) Similar differences, they note, are well-known from research on meditation, where changes in brain wave activity depend on the kind of meditation being practiced, in particular whether it involves intense concentration or not. These changes are, therefore, probably merely a reflection of the concentration employed rather than anything which could be accurately referred to as a "trance" or "altered state of consciousness." Because the neurological and physiological correlates of hypnosis are task-specific, nobody has ever been able to produce a single unambiguous marker of hypnotic trance. In other words, it is currently impossible to point at two brain scans and say, "That one's definitely in hypnotic trance and that one isn't."

Yes. Traditional hypnosis began with James Braid, a Scottish surgeon who in Neurypnology (1843) coined the term "hypnotism" for a special neurological state which had the potential to generate pronounced therapeutic effects. Braid thought, like the Mesmerists who preceded him, that hypnotic trance was inherently therapeutic. He made little or no use of suggestion or other therapy techniques, he simply put people into a trance and manipulated their posture to work his cures. Braid later changed his mind and began to emphasise the importance of verbal suggestion. Though his later work, e.g., Hypnotic Therapeutics (1853) was less well-known. Subsequently, in his Suggestive Therapeutics (1884), the eminent French psychologist Hippolyte Bernheim, popularised the use of direct verbal suggestions in hypnosis such as "You are now feeling stronger and more healthy." This completely superseded the old non-verbal approach, and is the basic therapeutic intervention used in all modern hypnotherapy. Then, in Studies on Hysteria (1895) Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, introduced a very different therapeutic use of hypnosis. Freud held the belief that many physical and most mental problems in adult life are caused by unconsciously repressed memories and desires. He used hypnosis to help people re-experience their childhood memories (regression), in order to discharge associated negative emotions (catharsis) and thereby achieve experiential insight into their unconscious. Direct suggestion and regression therapy ('hypnoanalysis') are the two main forms of classical hypnotherapy. After the Second World War, however, there was a massive growth in interest in psychotherapy; hypnotherapists began integrating techniques from many other forms of psychotherapy. At the same time a famous American hypnotherapist, Milton Erickson, was developing a unique model of hypnosis which has subsequently become about as popular as the more traditional approach. Today there are very many different psychological techniques which have been adapted for use in conjunction with hypnosis, and many different styles of hypnotism. Many hypnotherapists in the UK are also integrative psychotherapists, and what they do is therefore termed 'hypno-psychotherapy.'

Thousands of positive experimental and clinical research studies on hypnosis have been published. Hypnosis was recognised as an effective treatment by the British Medical Association (BMA) and American Medical Association (AMA) in the 1950s and, more recently, by the American Psychological Association (for obesity) and NICE guidance (for IBS) used by the NHS. The practice of doing hypnotherapy is actually considerably older than academic research in the field of psychology. Hence, since the very early days of psychology, hypnosis has been subject to analysis and experiment. Thousands of books and articles have been published on the effects of hypnosis, containing reference to research projects and case studies, which confirm the characteristics of hypnosis and its therapeutic benefits. To pick just two recent examples, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a 'Clinical Review' of hypnosis and relaxation therapies in which a carefully conducted overview of the best medical research on hypnosis confirms its effectiveness in alleviating pain and treating various medical conditions. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is ultimately derived from hypnotherapy, incidentally, and the CBT techniques used in these kinds of studies are often identical to standard hypnotherapy interventions such as goal visualisation. In any case, the study proves that hypnosis is effective in the following cases: * 'There is good evidence from randomised controlled trials that both hypnosis and relaxation techniques can reduce anxiety, particularly that related to stressful situations such as receiving chemotherapy.' * 'They are also effective for panic disorders and insomnia, particularly when integrated into a package of cognitive therapy,' * 'A systematic review has found that hypnosis enhances the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy for conditions such as phobia, obesity, and anxiety.' * 'Randomised controlled trials support the use of various relaxation techniques for treating both acute and chronic pain,' * 'Randomised trials have shown hypnosis to be of value in asthma and in irritable bowel syndrome,' * 'There is strong evidence from randomised trials of the effectiveness of hypnosis and relaxation for cancer related anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting, particularly in children.' [BMJ 1999;319: 1346- 1349 'Hypnosis and relaxation therapies,' Vickers & Zollman] In brief, the Clinical Review concludes that evidence for the effectiveness of hypnotherapy is particularly strong in relation to three conditions: pain, anxiety and insomnia. This is fairly consistent with other reviews of research on hypnotherapy. This is just a sample of some well-established medical research conclusions on common uses of hypnotherapy. There are innumerable studies on other medical and experimental applications of hypnotism. PubMed, the online database of research maintained by the US Government's National Institute for Health (NIH) also contains over thirteen thousand abstracts on hypnotherapy. The only form of psychological therapy which has more published research is behaviour therapy, which has been subject to a notorious amount of scientific investigation. There are more research abstracts on hypnotherapy than on most other modalities of psychotherapy combined. Another form of evidence comes from market research: a recent survey of over 2,000 people conducted by the UK Consumer Association and published in WHICH? Magazine showed that 82% of hypnotherapy clients found that their condition had improved as a result of treatment.

Yes. The current situation in the UK is that hypnotherapy is classified by the Department of Health as being a branch of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), while hypno-psychotherapy is recognised in the UK, and internationally, as a branch of integrative psychotherapy. The British Medical Association (BMA) first recognised the genuineness of hypnosis and its therapeutic benefits back in 1892, then again following a more thorough report in 1955. The following, rather technical, medical definition of hypnosis was proposed by their committee of experts: A temporary condition of altered attention in the subject which may be induced by another person and in which a variety of phenomena may appear spontaneously or in response to verbal or other stimuli. These phenomena include alterations in consciousness and memory, increased susceptibility to suggestion, and the production in the subject of responses and ideas unfamiliar to him in his usual state of mind. Further, phenomena such as anaesthesia, paralysis and rigidity of muscles, and vasomotor changes can be produced and removed in the hypnotic state. [BMA, 'Medical use of Hypnotism', BMJ 1955] The BMA recently suggested in a statement to the House of Lords that they considered hypnotherapy, along with counselling, to be an orthodox therapeutic treatment. However, the House of Lords committee proceeded to formally categorise hypnotherapy as a branch of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Their report provides the following rather terse definition of hypnotherapy: Hypnotherapy - The use of hypnosis in treating behavioural disease and dysfunction, principally mental disorders. (House of Lords Science and Technology Committee Report 6) The Select Committee officially placed hypnotherapy within the category of 'complementary therapy' (distinguished by them from 'alternative therapy'), which is defined as follows: Contains therapies which are most often used to complement conventional medicine and do not purport to embrace diagnostic skills. (Ibid.) Their list of 'complementary' therapies also includes disciplines such as therapeutic massage, stress counselling, and nutritional medicine. It has become an official classification now used by government departments such as the Department of Health (DoH). Hypnotherapy which is combined with integrative psychotherapy is known as 'hypno-psychotherapy.' Hypno-psychotherapy is officially recognised as an established model of psychotherapy by the UK Council for Psychotherapy, the lead body for psychotherapy in the UK. Hypno-psychotherapy is also recognised at an international level by the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), a fact formalised in the Strasbourg Declaration on Psychotherapy (1990), an international protocol whose signatories are thereby committed to respect the multiplicity of psychotherapy models, including hypno-psychotherapy. The UKCP are signatories of the Declaration, as are lead psychotherapy bodies in many other countries around the world.

The leading, peer-reviewed, scientific research journals in the field of hypnosis are: The International Journal of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis The IJCEH is the official publication of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH), the American Psychological Association (APA) Div. 30 (Society of Psychological Hypnosis), and the International Society of Hypnosis (ISH). It was also founded in the 1950s. www.ijceh.com The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis is the official journal of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH). It was founded in 1957 by Milton Erickson. www.asch.net/ajch.htm Contemporary Hypnosis Contemporary Hypnosis is the official publication of the British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis (BSECH). www.bsech.co.uk

Yes, absolutely anyone. Entering into hypnosis is as easy as daydreaming; if you can daydream or relax your mind in any other normal way then you can enter into hypnosis. Remember, hypnosis is essentially a matter of belief and imagination. In a sense, if you believe, or just imagine that you are in hypnosis, then you are in hypnosis. Hence, one perfectly legitimate (and pretty common) method of learning hypnosis is to pretend or role-play your way into hypnosis. On the other hand, if you imagine that hypnosis is really difficult and you’ll be no good at it then, of course, you will find it to be so. But if you imagine that it is easy and believe you are doing well then you will be right. As the great American industrialist Henry Ford famously said: "Whether you say you can or you can't, either way you're right." That is especially true of hypnotism. Are some people easier to hypnotise? Of course. Some people are exceptionally good at going into hypnosis, and this may be a natural talent or the result of practice. However, anyone can do it, and everyone can learn how to improve their ability with a little practice and basic instruction.

Definitely not; if anything, good hypnotic subjects tend to be more intelligent and less gullible than average. 'Gullibility' is a weakness of the conscious intellect, a form of stupidity. Research demonstrates that it is not correlated with hypnotic susceptibility. Hypnotic suggestibility, by contrast, is your ability to respond to positive ideas at an experiential, emotional, or "unconscious" level. Good suggestibility (or 'hypnotic responsiveness') is a valuable asset. Indeed real 'self-control' fundamentally requires good suggestibility. For example, if a person can say "I can do this!", and believe himself so deeply that he feels it to be true, then he is both highly suggestible and highly self- disciplined. Hence, many hypnotists find that highly self-disciplined people make particularly good hypnotic subjects, e.g. soldiers, successful businessmen, athletes, martial artists, etc.

The range of things which hypnosis has been successfully used for is absolutely vast, yet so far we have only scratched the surface. Hypnosis has been scientifically proven as a treatment for a great many medical and psychological conditions. Many athletes now improve their sporting performance using hypnosis, or techniques derived from hypnotherapy such as visualisation or anchoring. Salesman, trainers, and managers often use hypnosis or NLP to increase their business success. You will often find more books on NLP, a derivative of hypnosis, in the sales and management section of bookshops than in the therapy or self-help sections! Mystical, spiritual, and religious people of every creed and culture, from ancient times to the present day, have used the techniques of hypnosis alongside their traditional prayer and meditation. Artists and poets, such as André Breton and the early Surrealists, have used it for inspiration and self-exploration. The writer Aldous Huxley developed his creative talent with hypnosis, as did the composer Rachmaninov who used hypnotherapy to help him write his Piano Concerto No. 2. Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Henri Balzac and Alexander Dumas are just some of the famous authors known to have studied Mesmerism, the precursor of hypnotism. The poet Shelley dabbled in Mesmerism, and wrote a short poem about it. The philosopher Wittgenstein was hypnotised twice to help improve his grasp of logic; he subsequently became one of the most influential academic philosophers of the Twentieth Century. Hypnosis has been used by countless thousands of people over the centuries to help them in dealing with the everyday problems of living, to overcome fears and inhibitions, to develop skills and to cultivate self - esteem and confidence. Current research tends to provide most support for its use in anxiety management, pain management and overcoming sleep disorders. It’s also great for treating certain psychosomatic or stress-related illnesses. Hypnosis is commonly used to conquer habits such as nail-biting or smoking cigarettes, and for personal development in areas such as sports performance, public speaking, or creativity. Because of the way it works with belief, attention and imagination, I believe hypnosis has enormous potential to help people shift deeply-held thought patterns and change core beliefs about themselves.

Hypnosis is essentially a cognitive state, a special state related to belief and imagination – not a state of feeling, though it may be accompanied by various feelings. Just like belief, therefore, hypnosis is not necessarily reducible to specific feelings or sensations. To ask what hypnosis feels like is therefore to ask what hyper-suggestibility feels like. It feels like whatever suggestions are being accepted at the time. A person dancing on stage with a broom, in stage hypnosis, feels very different from a person reliving a painful childhood trauma in hypnoanalysis. There is therefore no single feeling which equates to hypnotic trance. Fixating your mind too much on a particular feeling and pursuing it, or worrying about "what hypnosis should feel like" can create mental tension and agitation, and may prevent you from being hypnotised. Be patient and open-minded and find out through practice what hypnosis feels like for you.

My scope of practice limits me to helping individuals with mild or moderate issues, such as anxiety, low confidence, or finding new ways to cope with life’s transitions and everyday challenges. For more serious situations such as those including any psychosis, major depression, addiction or suicide, please consult a psychiatrist, psychologist or medical professional. Other unsuitable issues include: · Personality disorders · Schizophrenia · Bipolar disorder · Dissociative disorders · Seizure disorders · Substance abuse

Stage hypnosis has some methods and principles in common with hypnotherapy, however, in terms of style and approach it is very, very different. Yes, most of the people on stage are indeed in real hypnosis. However, hypnotherapy is not about making fun of people. You will not be asked to bark like a dog, cluck like a chicken, or dance like Elvis Presley! Bear in mind that stage hypnotists often have a background in stage magic and that their acts often contain some sleight of hand and clever illusion mixed in with genuine hypnotism. It is worth reading the various books available on-stage hypnosis to learn about these "smoke and mirrors" tricks. Although some of them are well-documented, there are many experienced hypnotherapists who, ignorant of them, are taken in by the illusory parts of stage hypnosis. For example, the most famous "hypno-trick" or "fake hypnosis" trick is called the "human plank" or "full body catalepsy." Anyone can demonstrate that this phenomenon does not require hypnosis, but merely depends on the correct positioning of the subject's body.

Though people can and do find these alternative/esoteric therapies useful, the truth is that there is very little credible scientific evidence to support their efficacy. I trained with the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, which has been running accredited courses for over 15 years and has a strong reputation for teaching an evidence-based approach that is scientifically orientated. I also strive to conform to the Code of Ethics outlined by the General Hypnotherapy Register, which means I have a responsibility to practice only those techniques and approaches that are known to be safe and effective.

Yes, of course you can. However, it’s a little like the difference between receiving face to face therapy with a trained counsellor or psychologist, versus simply reading a popular self-help book. Readymade recordings can be very useful and convenient, and in many cases, a hypnotherapist will supply their client with recordings to use between sessions, and for use after therapy concludes. However, the big difference is that working directly with a hypnotherapist means you are receiving safe, appropriate treatment that is actually tailor-made for you. Working with an integrative therapist means you are working with so, so much more than hypnosis. By carefully incorporating other psychotherapeutic elements, your therapist can tweak and adjust your process in real-time, and offer you support, insight and guidance that’s almost impossible to replicate with a script written by someone who has never even met you. There are countless popular sites now selling pre-recorded scripts for every ailment under the sun. In most instances, these won’t do any harm, but these generic recordings are seldom going to match the benefits of a treatment plan created by a professional.

No. This idea comes from the comic books, cartoons, and movies. People who believe this happens in stage hypnosis are misinterpreting the experience. In hypnosis you are generally aware, and fundamentally in control of everything that happens. You choose to be in hypnosis, you choose how deeply you go into hypnosis, and you choose whether to allow yourself to respond to suggestions or not. You cannot be forced into hypnosis against your will nor compelled to do anything embarrassing or objectionable while in hypnosis.

No. Just as you cannot get stuck in a daydream, in your imagination, or in meditation. Given time you will either rouse yourself naturally or drift off to natural sleep; hypnosis is a temporary state of mind.

Sessions are typically an hour long. The first session is where I get to learn a little more about you and the issue you’re wanting to work on. I’ll gather information from you and possibly do a few short questionnaires to help me fully understand where you’re coming from. Hypnosis, if used, will only be done from the third session or so. In some cases, we may decide that hypnosis is not necessary at all, and instead make use of relaxation, visualization, exercises or even role play techniques. No two sessions are alike. However, hypnotherapy (especially forms that make use of CBT style methods) is often very pragmatic and common sense. This means that rather than dwelling for long periods on the past, conversation tends to be focused on problem-solving, setting goals, and taking concrete action right here in the present.

My fees are £70 per hour, although I offer a discounted rate when six sessions are booked in advance.

Absolutely. I offer new clients a free 30-minute consultation. You can tell me a little about how you’re hoping I can help, and I can answer any questions you may have to decide if/how we’d both like to work together.

This is a how-long-is-a-piece-of-string question! Hypnotherapy, except for smoking cessation, almost always requires more than one session. However, it is probably one of the briefest forms of psychological therapy, and in clinical studies the average number of sessions is around 4-6.

At present, I work exclusively online and find that this helps me connect with more people, not to mention keep costs down. For those of us who have an allergy to Zoom/Google Meet, telephone sessions are also available.

Yes, you really can. If you understand hypnosis as a special kind of communication, one that rests on heightened suggestibility, attention and belief, then you can see that being physically present in the same room is not necessary. Though sessions conducted online sometimes do require a few adjustments, they also allow clients to meet therapists in the convenience and comfort of their own homes.

Though some hypnotherapists do work with the NHS (for example with things like IBS clinics or cancer support) most hypnotherapists work privately, as do I.