Hypnotherapy and phobias
Disclaimer
Hypnotherapy results differ from client to client and whilst we will try our best to help a client make changes the results are not guaranteed.
We develop phobias because we have an inbuilt tendency to organize our thoughts into categories, and once we have experienced panic when faced with a particular thing or situation, we automatically associate that thing with panic and anxiety. Our fears are conditioned and, if left untreated, will generalise and affect you more and more.
Hypnotherapy teaches you to visualize the feared object whilst in a state of deep relaxation thereby reconditioning you to a relaxation response in the presence of the phobic object or situation.
What is a phobia?
A phobia is an irrational and exaggerated fear which causes stress and
panic. A phobia will often lead you to avoid the feared thing.
Fear leads us to avoid dangerous things, or makes us able to fight them off – the fight/flight response.
The ability to become anxious sometimes has a purpose, in that it leads to avoidance of something which it IS rational and sensible to avoid. However, all too often when we are fearful it is the fear itself which harms us.
Hypnotherapy allows you to overcome your fears, enabling you to live your life without inconvenience, and improves your self esteem so that you are more easily able to deal with new or difficult situations.
Phobias lead to panic and anxiety
Most people who suffer from a phobia deal with it by avoiding what they fear. By avoiding what they fear they can also avoid the unpleasant symptoms of panic and anxiety. However, this can make life difficult in the case of simple phobias and near to impossible in the case of complex phobias. You may feel unable to have simple medical treatment or tests because of a needle phobia, or a dental phobia may mean that you cannot have preventative treatment or regular check ups. This can lead to serious problems – many individuals who have needle or dental phobia suffer much more serious problems than would otherwise be the case, as their fear prevents them from going to the dentist or doctor at an early stage. Some women even put off having a baby because of a fear of needles. Fear of flying stops many people from flying, or prevents them from really enjoying their holiday. People even refuse promotions because the new job would mean having to fly. Phobias and anxiety can also lead to emotional problems and difficulties at work.
The sessions
Hypnotherapy is combined with NLP and Life Coaching to ensure that the internally experienced changes from the hypnotherapy are translated to effective action. Only when you can be in the phobic situation exhibiting relaxed and resourceful behaviour will you have achieved success.
You will be shown how to create a base relaxation response and then gradually desensitised to the phobia with a series of visualisations designed to touch the differing aspects involved.
Treatment options
We reccomend starting with a Super Session that lasts up to 2 hours and covers in depth hypnotherapy for the issues and includes a session on mindfulness.
At the end of the session you will be given a recording of the session for further home use.
You can also start with a standard hypnotherapy session, if preferrred.