What happens in a typical hypnotherapy session?
Solution focused hypnotherapy sessions
Sessions in solution focused hypnotherapy are relaxed, informal and focused on the exploration of a life, your life, beyond therapy.
Your best hopes, your preferred outcomes, and how you would like to live your life going forward.
But there’s much more happening behind the scenes than just a comfortable chat and 20 minutes of shut-eye on the hypnotherapy couch, even though that’s how it might seem…
What happens in a typical hypnotherapy session?
In a solution-focused hypnotherapy session, from the outset, you can expect to experience a collaborative, goal or direction-oriented approach that focuses on your present and future, rather than delving into past concerns or problems that may have had an effect on the way you feel, or the circumstances you are dealing with.
Often, presenting concerns are a part of someone’s ‘bigger picture’, and in solution focused hypnotherapy the approach focuses on you, as a whole person, and your potential to further create the life of your best hopes, moving on from the negative circumstances that may be holding you back.
Solution focused hypnotherapy helps people move forward, comfortably, and seamlessly, and is a catalyst for change at an accelerated rate.
Here’s what typically happens in a session:
Setting clear directions, aims and goals
At the beginning of the session, we will work together to identify your specific hopes; what you want to achieve through hypnotherapy, and how life would look after you leave therapy. This future-focused process allows you to step out of the negative mindset that problems can create and helps to initiate a clear direction for the session.
Discussing your strengths and resources
Throughout each session, we’ll explore the strengths, abilities, and resources that you already possess. Recognising and emphasising these positive aspects helps build a foundation for finding solutions to your current challenges, and helps create adaptability and readiness for any possible future eventualities.
Exploring the present situation
There is always space to discuss your current situation and the challenges you are facing. The focus will be on understanding how these challenges impact your life and well-being, and importantly, if they had improved, what you would notice.
Hypnosis, using relaxation techniques
By guiding you through the relaxation practice of hypnosis you can begin to enter a comfortable and calm state of mind, turning down the volume of the day-to-day noise we all absorb in our lives.
During the early moments of hypnosis, the emphasis is on relaxation, switching off your fight/flight response, and promoting a calm and positive mindset.
Visualising positive outcomes
By relaxing into a state of deep rest, the mind has been shown to re-run thoughts and ideas experienced prior to entry into this state of mind. The intention through hypnosis is for the experience to be a catalyst, a springboard, to establish the changes you previously set during the stage of solution focused therapy.
Encouraging solution-focused thinking
Throughout the session there is a high degree of encouragement, guiding you to explore potential solutions, coping strategies, and positive changes that align with your best hopes.
Positive language and affirmations
Positive language and affirmations are used to help reinforce a feeling of hope and possibility, helping promote an image of progress and to help instil a higher degree of confidence in your ability to achieve your desired outcomes.
Developing coping skills
Throughout a session or sessions, we will increasingly focus on practical coping skills and techniques that fit you as a unique individual, and that you can apply in your daily life to overcome challenges and maintain progress between sessions.
Measuring progress
For some, observing your outcomes through a simple feedback scale to track your progress over time can help to ensure that the therapy is effective in achieving your preferred outcomes. Equally, it can give us a view of what works, or what may require additional effort in order to see the progress you desire.
Assigning tasks for home practice
To maximise the benefits of the therapy, we may look at small, achievable steps that can be taken between sessions in order for you to maintain your ongoing progress and self-improvement.
Continuous collaboration
Teamwork is dreamwork as is said, and together, we will continuously collaborate, adjusting and adapting sessions based on your progress and any new insights you gain during our time together.
Ending on a positive note
It’s always considered in solution focused hypnotherapy to end the session on a high note which can allow you to leave the practice room, or end the online session, with a positive frame of mind and a keenness for the days ahead.
It’s always good to remember that solution-focused hypnotherapy is a collaborative process and that my role as a therapist is to make efforts to help empower and guide you towards your desired outcomes.
The focus is on creative solutions, the building of strengths, and learning to imagine life with a more hopeful and positive future.
Frequently asked questions
How many sessions of hypnotherapy do I need?
In any therapy, there is no set number of sessions that suits everyone.
Through taking hypnotherapy sessions, I would hope you experience something of an immediate response in some way.
Additionally, to potentially accelerate progress, there are a few helpful factors that may be a catalyst for change.
Factors:
– a constant level of engagement within the session
– maintenance of consistency beyond the therapy room
– a high degree of hope and expectation
Beyond any possible initial improvement, we’d be hoping to see a notable change within 3 to 6 sessions and a significant and lasting change between 6 and 12 sessions.
Of course, should you want, you can continue with sessions if you feel you are continuing to make further progress, or alternatively if you wish to look at new directions.
Do you offer guarantees?
No approach or therapist can guarantee how long therapy will take, or what the outcomes will be.
I do however offer a simple method to measure outcomes so that we can observe your progress regularly and monitor what may be having the greatest impact.
I also guarantee to offer you my every effort, alongside my knowledge and experience, to help move you towards where you would like to be in the briefest time.
What is the cost of hypnotherapy?
The cost of hypnotherapy is determined largely by location, and experience.
Central London prices for a professional hypnotherapist range between £100 to £400 per session
Smoking cessation hypnotherapy courses range between £200.00 to £500.00 approx.
The price at London Hypnotherapy is £150.00* for a single hypnotherapy session and for initial consultations.
Promotional reductions are available every 3 months
*Reductions for NHS staff and full-time carers are available throughout the year
Do you offer online hypnotherapy?
Yes!
Online hypnotherapy is something I’ve been offering for many years, even before the pandemic!
Access is simple and the outcomes are as effective as face-to-face sessions.
This option also allows for people who struggle with agoraphobia, have difficulty using public transport or driving, or have a physical disability that may prevent them from coming to the practice.
Read about Online Hypnotherapy for more information.
Where is your London Hypnotherapy Clinic based?
I run a practice room In Clerkenwell, EC2, which is serviced by underground and rail stations, and numerous buses.
The closest stations are
Farringdon – (circle + district) 0.5 miles
Chancery Lane – (central) 0.5 miles
Angel – (northern) 0.7 miles
Kings Cross – 0.9 miles
And bus routes 63, 38, 19, 243.
The practice is set in a peaceful courtyard where you can sit when the weather is good, and a waiting room with toilet facilities.
Will I lose control in hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a highly focused state of attention, and it’s considered you are therefore in a greater, and not lesser, state of control.
Hypnosis is a natural frame of mind that, to some degree, anyone can enter during the day, by removing all distractions and losing themselves in the task at hand.
Willingness is the key to successful hypnosis – for you can only experience hypnosis if you choose to.
Will I feel drowsy after hypnosis?
The time spent in hypnosis in your session (10 – 20 minutes), is really not long enough to feel drowsy for any extended period following your hypnotherapy session.
Plus you’ll take a few minutes at least to get into the land of nod, so really we’re talking 10 – 15 minutes give or take.
Drowsiness is considered to happen when we enter into a state of sleep inertia, which is generally experienced beyond 24 minutes (as per NASA report c.1995)
Often people remark how much more alert they are following a session, and the NASA report also states alertness can actually increase by approx. 50% after a nap.
But before you leave the session we will always engage in conversation to bring you back into full consciousness.
