Question 1

How does hypnosis work?

Accepted Answer

There are many dimensions to hypnosis as an intervention. You can read more about the research here, but essentially hypnotherapy involves using visualisation and somatic experiencing with therapeutic intent. The process involves relaxing the body and activating the Limbic brain — the part of the brain that processes data as imagery, sensation, symbols, sound-bites etc. It's the experience before you put language to an experience. We intentionally explore this state (the alpha-theta brainwaves states) to take the focus off the neo-cortex (the reasoning mind) and onto these other modes of perception (i.e. what you feel, what you sense etc). The idea is getting brain and body coherent and present, so you're receptive to suggestions that can interrupt regularly running programming, or prime in preparation. Sometimes the result is in-the-moment clarity or release. Sometimes your experience will unfold as a subtle shift in the days and weeks following. There's no need to try to figure it out, or try to make sense of what's happening during and/or after the experience. It's more a matter of letting the process do what it does. The subconscious is non-linear. Nothing about this process is linear. It doesn't really benefit you going in with an intention to understand, more so, it's advised to go in with an intention allow what's important at this time to make itself known to you. ​You can read more about my approach on the About page, and the research behind these processes on the Articles page.

Question 2

What's the efficacy of online sessions?

Accepted Answer

There are natural benefits and drawbacks to in-person vs. online hypnotherapy sessions. Most of my sessions are virtual, mainly because the variability of my availability and my clients at the exact time that there's a room available to hire isn't always aligned. So, we make the most of the virtual set up, focusing on the following benefits:Ease of access: connect from your comfiest area where your body can relax the absolute most. A totally relaxed  body allows you to be more immersed in the experience. No need to drive after: you'll be pretty zenned out after a session, so it's nice to not have to enter into traffic if you don't immediately need to. No parking worries. Your eyes are shut for around 70% of the session.Being done instantly. There's a sensation which occurs after you close your laptop after a session — this silence. It's an opportunity to sense into how you feel following the session, before returning to existing daily patterns. Note what comes up if it feels relevant.If you can't get a quiet moment at home, we can discuss an alternative arrangement.

Question 3

How long will it take for change to occur?

Accepted Answer

The more you approach the experience with curiosity about what might emerge — the better the chances of absorbing what it is you need.​​​It's best not to assume how hypnotherapy may affect you one way or another, or go in with a hard-and-fast outcome in mind. Resistance generally works against you in hypnosis, but when resistance presents it's usually illustrating something important. What presents is presenting for a reason. ​For some people, change might be an instant perspective shift or realising a framework you've build some structures of your life on aren't entirely true. For others you might notice your patterns shift subtly from one day to the next day, or everything seems the same until one day the quality of a circumstance has shifted.Change might present differently to what you expect.

Question 4

What about being influenced against my will?

Accepted Answer

While the essence of hypnosis is suggestion, you needn't worry about being controlled or unduly influenced — you'll find that the subconscious easily rejects/dismisses ideas it doesn't agree with while in hypnosis. ​​In order to make your experience the most comfortable and therapeutic, you're invited to share any concerns on your Client Intake Form or in your booking enquiry. Nothing is too weird or too minor. It's better to cover it in advance, save you spending energy worrying if it's going to come up. Essentially, we come up with the parameters together. ​

Question 5

What if I fall asleep?

Accepted Answer

If you're overworked or your body is overloaded with stress, it is possible that you may fall asleep in a hypnosis experience. These processes are intended to calm the brain from mid-to-high beta brainwave state to the alpha - theta brainwave states. Theta nears on delta - the sleeping brainwave state, so you may drift in and out. It's okay. You're not losing money on a session, or wasting time. ​I always suggest: ... the best approach is to be open to the idea that you will absorb the benefits of the experience regardless of whether you remain totally with every single aspect of it, or not. The subconscious remains aware even if you do fall asleep. You'll get what you need. You'll likely drift in and out if you've got a lot on your mind, or feel exhausted, or are considering what's going on elsewhere in the house, or with work — and that's all okay. You won't miss anything. Not every single word matters. The subconscious gets exactly what it needs.

Question 6

How do I know if it worked?

Accepted Answer

If you felt relief for a moment — it worked. If you received one insight to help with next steps — it worked!If you feel a little more at peace or a little more spacious — it worked!If your perspective has shifted slightly — it worked! Then you just let it play and experience the ripple effects.

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