Firstly hypnosis is not mind control, will not make you run around like a chicken on stage and does not involve a clock swing back and forth in front of your eyes.

Hypnosis is a trance like state of mind where you go into a deep state of relaxation, focusing your attention and concentration on your inner self. Hypnosis supports you to problem solve and be receptive to suggestions. You will be surprised to know you go into a trance like state of mind many times a day when you daydream or watch TV, go for a walk, or even when you are driving. Hypnosis supports you to shift your attention from what is going on consciously around you to your inner subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind guides around 96-98% of your thought and behaviour patterns. During hypnosis, your mind can be receptive to taking on board the solutions you generate and be more receptive to positive suggestions to allow you to embed and create change.

Do not worry though hypnosis can help your mind be receptive to positive suggestions however you are still in control as your mind will only be receptive to information it finds beneficial for you.

No, you are always in control.

Your conscious actions and decisions are guided by your beliefs and values so is your mind during hypnosis. If suggestions are perceived not to be beneficial, then your mind will ignore them. During hypnosis, you enter a deep state of relaxation. If you do not feel comfortable your mind would wake you up, meaning you can not get stuck in hypnosis. You will not be controlled during hypnosis. Therefore there is no danger to you as the client, and it is a safe and relaxing process.

No, although it is common for clients to come to initial consultations or their first session and ask, you will not make me do anything stupid like act like a chicken or even expect me to pull out a pocket watch at the beginning of trance.

Stage hypnosis and hypnosis are different in terms of their purpose. Stage hypnosis is for entertainment. Before stage hypnosis, members of the audience susceptibility and suggestibility to hypnosis will be tested. Those scoring the highest will be chosen to partake in the show. It is questioned during stage hypnosis whether there is an element of impression management in the volunteer's responses, i.e. acting a certain way for entertainment purposes. Stage hypnosis tends to be short-lived. The volunteer will awake from the trance with no ongoing influence. The purpose of hypnosis in hypnotherapy is to provide positive suggestions. This supports you to make, embed, and maintain long-lasting change. In solution focused hypnotherapy in-direct positive suggestions are used to allow the client to be in control.

Hypnosis alone is proven to increase the production of brain waves associated with relaxation and problem solving to manage stress and sleep alone.

The deep state of relaxation allows your conscious mind, what is going on around you, and your subconscious mind, your patterns of thought, behaviour, values and beliefs to come together to solve problems.

Trance is the easiest way to access the subconscious mind, part of your mind more receptive to suggestions during trance. As a result, it enhances your mind's ability to change thoughts and behaviour, embed and bring about change, and harness your true potential. Positive suggestion during trance supports your mind to challenge and solve problems negative thoughts acting as mental blocks when trying to facilitate change.

Generally yes, we all can be hypnotised as long as you can remain open-minded about hypnosis, the therapeutic benefits, process, and have the ability to engage with guided imagery to sufficiently achieve the trance like state of mind.

There are certain circumstances in which hypnosis can lead to adverse reactions or where trance is not appropriate. People with epilepsy can experience fits disrupting the trance like state but can regain it quickly. Individuals who are experiencing psychosis should not have hypnosis. Due to the difficulties individuals can experience distinguishing the difference between a dream-like state and reality, this can result in bringing on or intensifying hallucinations. Individuals with severe and enduring mental health illnesses, who engage in self-harm or experience suicidal thoughts, should seek medical approval in written form from a general practitioner or mental health practitioner before engaging in sessions. As your hypnotherapist, I would work collaboratively alongside these professionals to ensure my duty of care.

Yes. Sessions only require a safe, comfortable, and quiet environment, whether that be in a therapy room or online from the comfort of your own home.

All initial consultations are online providing you with a good idea of what your preference may be at the time. The choice is entirely yours and based on your personal preference. Some clients prefer a therapy room to provide a different space to engage with sessions away from their home environment and personal life or where their preference is face to face contact. Other clients prefer online sessions to work around their schedules or to aid in the feeling of comfort and security their environment provides. It is common for clients to have a mix of online and face to face sessions once they are familiar with me. Overall it is based on personal preference and your choice.

Before sessions, Heather will firstly complete an initial consultation with you. The initial consultation provides you with an opportunity to outline your goals in relation to accessing hypnotherapy and why you think hypnotherapy will be beneficial. Heather will gather information about your general health and well-being and explain how your mind works, how problems are created but most importantly how hypnotherapy can help you. At the end of the initial consultation, Heather will provide you with a relaxation audio you can listen to every night to improve sleep and to help your mindset.

In the hypnotherapy session, Heather will support you to focus on the positives in your life supporting you to think in a positive and solution focused manner to activate your intellectual mind. Heather will go over the brain explanation, as done in the initial consultation. This is what clients note as an important aspect of the process, and provides them with the knowledge which supports them to understand their mind and know how to influence their mind to support their mental and physical health, well-being, and goals. Heather will further incorporate information from the initial consultation, as sessions progress she will add in additional information and personally tailor this to you. Heather will encourage you, through solution focused questioning, to imagine your life how you would like it to be and support you to identify what small changes you can make to improve things. At the end of the session, you will be guided into a twenty to twenty-five-minute relaxation trance to support embedding the solutions and positive suggestions into your subconscious mind.

Please note the session structure is different for the treatment of fears, phobias, and smoking cessation, all of which will be discussed during initial contact or on the booking of your initial consultation.