"I couldn't possibly see a hypnotherapist without knowing what to expect"

"I wouldn't know what to expect."

Deciding to start a series of hypnotherapy sessions might feel like a big step into the unknown. Many people take several weeks or months exploring what hypnotherapy might mean before deciding to make contact with a potential therapist so, if that’s what’s brought you to this page, you’re not alone!!

What people find is that the reality is nothing like they have built it up to be.

The first session is much more of a conversation than people imagine. Whether we first chat online, or you decide to come to a face-to-face session straight away, our first time together is a chance to spend time talking about what's brought you to therapy, what you'd like to achieve and any questions you might have.

It is a chance for us to explore what has happened in your life that might have contributed to where you are currently, and for you to help me understand everything that might help me make sure that our sessions are individually tailored to your needs, your aspirations, your future self.

Everything is tailored to you. No two people arrive with exactly the same experiences, so no two sessions are ever identical.

There's no rush, pressure or expectation for you to have all the answers.

Our first session will conclude with an initial period of gentle hypnosis as we start to explore how hypnotherapy can help you find a calming place, where you can set your current thoughts aside and focus upon feeling safe, secure, relaxed. You're still fully aware of what's happening. You're not asleep, or out of control and you're free to speak, ask questions or stop at any point.

Some people decide they want to lie down, others will be more comfortable simply relaxing in the chair. However you want to experience the feeling of gentle hypnotic trance is OK.

The aim is to make the whole process feel calm, supportive and comfortable from the moment you walk through the door so that, as you leave our first session, you are already beginning to feel unburdened, and with a growing sense of confidence that the changes you are seeking are there to be fulfilled.

In the following days, many clients are provided with an audio relaxation that they can listen to in their own time which begins to reinforce the initial relaxation work and help them prepare for the deeper work that will follow in the following sessions.Keep following this blog and, in the coming weeks, I’ll chat some more about what future sessions feel like, the types of things that hypnotherapy can effectively address, and some of the theory and science behind how it works.

Taking the first step to exploring doesn't commit you to anything else

Contact potential therapists is not part of some massive commitment where you're then bombarded with stuff you don't need, neither does it force you to do anything other than listen, ask questions, and consider whether it feels right for you. A good therapist, such as those accredited by the National Hypnotherapy Society, will offer some form of free initial consultation often online or by telephone to simply provide you with whatever support you need to decide whether hypnotherapy is for you and, importantly, whether they are the right therapist to work with you.

So what have I got to lose?

Nothing, apart from around 30 minutes of your time. If you've been thinking about hypnotherapy but haven't taken that first step because you weren't sure what would happen, then I offer FREE introductory online chats so that you can get answers to those questions that are currently stopping you taking the time to focus upon you.