How do I know what type of hypnotherapy my therapist will use?

When you meet with your therapist and talk about your goals for hypnotherapy, it is likely that they will then choose the type of treatment that they feel will be most effective for you. For example if you are seeking help with changing a habit (such as smoking) they may use one approach and then use a different approach with someone who is seeking help with stress and anxiety. The whole idea is to tailor the hypnotherapy to your needs  and your therapist will explain what they are going to do to ensure you feel at ease.

Will my therapist respect me as an individual?

All officially registered and listed hypnotherapists should treat you as a unique individual and they will certainly be aware of and respect diversity around issues of age, gender, sexual identity, disability and/or race.

How many sessions of hypnotherapy will I need?

This will depend upon your individual circumstances. This is something that you will discuss with your therapist when you first meet and many therapists will agree a set number of sessions with you which they will review with you. Depending on the issues you want to address hypnotherapy can often be a relatively short process.

How long is a session?

An individual session will usually take 50 – 60 minutes and your therapist will make this clear to you at your first meeting. In some cases a session can take longer but you will discuss this with your therapist in advance.

How often will I see my therapist?

This is something that you will decide with your therapist. It may be once a week but this is flexible for example you may meet once a week initially and then decide together that you want to meet more or less frequently depending on how you feel.

How much will hypnotherapy cost?

This is something that will be discussed with you at your first contact and you will usually be asked to pay for each session as you go.

What happens if I have to miss a booked session?

Your therapist will explain such things as their policy on late or missed appointments.

What happens at the first session?

The first session will be a consultation which is free of charge where the hypnotherapist will go through a fact find process with you and explain the process and what hypnotherapy is.  It is possible that you will feel quite apprehensive about meeting your therapist for the first time  they will understand this and do their best to put you at ease. At the first session they will tell you all about the practical information you need to know and of course you will be able to tell them about your own goals for attending therapy. They will give you the guidelines about:

How many sessions you will have

What type of therapy they use

How much will it cost

What happens if you miss a session

If you can contact them between sessions

You will also have the opportunity to ask them about things like their experience and most importantly, decide if you will feel comfortable working with them.

What happens if I can’t relax?

Your therapist is skilled at helping people to relax and there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way for you to behave. Try not to worry about things like this as this may make you feel less relaxed. This is something you will be led into gently  and your therapist will be aware of your apprehensions.

What happens if I fall asleep or don’t wake up?

The state of relaxation that you enter is not the same as sleeping. There is little difference between hypnosis and daydreaming, or becoming involved in a good book or television programme. It is an altered state of awareness which every one experiences naturally and it's that lovely feeling that one experiences just before going to sleep at night, or as you come out of sleep in the morning. Generally you will be aware of what is going on around you and of what the therapist is saying to you, you will remember a lot of what has happened in your session, and throughout, you are always in control. If at any stage you feel you want to end the session you can do so by just opening your eyes. You will be in a secure environment and your therapist will be aware of this possibility. Your therapist will also explain about the method that they will use to ensure you are fully aware and ready to get on with your usual activities after the session.

I am worried that I may say or do something stupid

When you meet with your therapist for the first time do tell them about any concerns that you may have and they will be able to reassure you. Unfortunately the only thing that many people know about hypnosis is what they have seen of so called ‘stage hypnosis’ where people may indeed be encouraged to do ‘silly’ things for the entertainment of an audience. Hypnotherapy is nothing like this, your therapist is an ethical practitioner and everything that happens during your therapy is completely confidential.

What if I don’t like my therapist – do I have to keep going?

It is absolutely your choice to continue seeing a therapist or not. It is important that you feel comfortable with your hypnotherapist so you can relax and feel confident with them.

Can I bring a friend with me to the sessions?

You may want to get a friend to accompany you to the place you are meeting with the hypnotherapist and then ask them to meet you afterwards. Talk about this with the therapist – the reason why it is better not to have another person you know in the room is that it may get in the way of you talking honestly about your issues.

Is there any age limit?

Anyone over the age of 18 years can choose to see a therapist. If you are a minor you may need the permission of a parent or guardian and you should talk to your therapist about this. If you are a parent or guardian seeking a hypnotherapist for a child or young person it is best to talk to the individual therapist. There is no upper age limit.

Is it confidential?

Yes it is important that you can feel that you can talk about things in complete confidence. Your therapist will not talk about you with others – the only time they might breach confidentiality is if by keeping a confidence it could cause significant harm to you, your therapist or another person – for example if your life is at risk. They will explain about this when you first meet.

Is Hypnotherapy guaranteed to make me feel better?

A hypnotherapist will never offer to ‘cure’ you. During your initial consultation you will be able to talk about why you are seeking hypnotherapy and together you will decide on a course of treatment. They will always refer you to your GP first for any medical issues.

A hypnotherapist will provide you with the tools and techniques to make the changes you want to make in your life. The work is done with the power of your own mind, The hypnotherapist does not take control of your mind so it is entirely up to you to make it work so a total commitment is essential if you want to make changes. The saying comes to mind "you can take a horse to the water but you cant make it drink it".

I am taking prescribed medication – is it ok to have hypnotherapy as well?

It is likely that when you first meet your hypnotherapist they will ask you about any pre-existing medical conditions that you may have and also if you are taking any prescribed medication. They may well ask you to check with your GP before you start hypnotherapy.