Therapy Types

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Clinical Hypnotherapy combines Counselling, Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Assertiveness Training, EMDR, Gestalt Therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Relaxation, Visualisation, Regression Analysis and Desensitisation.

Clinical Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a variety of medical and psychological problems. It is a safe and natural experience and can be successful where other, more conventional methods of treatment have been slow to produce the desired results. However it is not a substitute for seeing your own GP who knows your medical history.

Counselling

The counsellor creates a safe non-judgemental environment to enable a person to express their feelings about issues that are affecting them. The client is encouraged to explore their situation, enabling them to gain insights into how they can move forward.

Psychotherapy

This involves the therapist listening to your experiences and exploring connections between present feelings, behaviour and past events. Psychotherapy enables the client to gain insight into 'the root of the problem' - in hypnotherapy terms this is termed 'the seeding event'. An example could be of a client being stuck in a lift 20 years ago and still holding onto those thoughts and feelings resulting in a fear of flying now!

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) aims to help people change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are causing the person's problem. Changing how you think and behave also changes how you feel. The approach is structured and empowering - goals are agreed for treatment and techniques learned to achieve these goals can be tried out by the client between sessions. More research has been conducted on CBT than any other psychological therapies according to the Department of Health.

Assertiveness Training

This involves looking at how effectively we are communicating and dealing with situations and outcomes. It is based on the premise of 'I'm Ok, you're Ok'. This is a respect and acceptance of self and others. The overall aim is a 'win / win' situation which consists of a workable mature compromise.

Assertive Rights

I have a right to :

	Ask for what I want (recognising that other people have the right to say no)
	Have my own views and opinions
	Have my own needs and wants
	Say yes and no without feeling guilty
	Change
	Decline responsibility for others
	Be respected
	Make mistakes
	Have others respect my rights
	Choose not to exercise my rights

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) uses a series of rapid eye movements, similar to those in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach that can be used to treat symptoms such as anxiety, guilt, anger, depression, panic, sleep disturbance, sexual abuse and flashbacks that are a result of traumatic experiences. It works by reprocessing disturbing memories to bring about a therapeutic resolution without the use of formal hypnosis. EMDR is also used to install positive self-belief and accelerated learning.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt is a holistic approach to therapy, its aim is to raise the client's awareness of what he/she is sensing, feeling, doing and thinking in the present moment. Techniques include acting out both sides of a conversation to enable the client to gain new perspectives.

NLP

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is essentially a model of excellence and achievement. It studies how people have achieved outstanding results so that their techniques can be taught to others. NLP helps us to look at our perception of the world and the way that we organise our thinking, feeling, skills and behavior so that positive changes can be made enabling us to become the person we want to be!

Relaxation

One of the most important skills that we can learn is how to breathe effectively. It is amazing how many people breathe high up into their chest or 'over-breathe' and then wonder why they are always so anxious! Most problems that we encounter stem from anxiety. It is impossible to be relaxed and anxious at the same time. Effective breathing promotes deep relaxation, which is essential for entering a trance state. A high degree of internal awareness is experienced during this trance state enabling us to be much more responsive to suggestions.

There are many different relaxation techniques that can be taught during therapy for you to practise as homework between sessions.

Visualisation

This is one of the most powerful and effective tools used in hypnosis. Creative visualisation uses the power of the imagination to combine all of our senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) to overcome negative self-limiting beliefs, set goals and adopt a more positive outlook on life. Just imagine what it might be like to have a control button that you can use to control the colour, brightness, sound etc of a certain situation! This doesn't just have to be a 'snap shot' of an image; you can re-experience a past event and change it!

Regression Analysis

Regression enables you to access memories of past events that may be affecting the present. Analysis allows you to review these past events with a different perception. This enables you to gain insight about the actual event and how this has affected your subsequent feelings and behaviour. Past memories can be transformed with this new perspective, facilitating positive change in the way that you feel about the past. Regression involves deep relaxation to achieve a deep trance state.

Desensitisation

Desensitisation can be achieved with or without formal hypnosis, although it does require relaxation. The technique involves the client being introduced to the feared object/situation via the imagination in a very gradual approach whilst experiencing deep relaxation. The client remains in control and can STOP at any time that discomfort is felt. After experiencing the fear via the imagination it becomes easier to face it in reality.