01225 484938
Will Hypnotherapy Work For Me?
Although I am commonly asked this question, it often indicates that a person is thinking about hypnotherapy in the wrong way.
Increasingly these days, many of us have come to expect that getting help for our problems won't require much active involvement from us. For example, if we are depressed, we go to the doctor, he tells us what pills to take and all we have to do is take them. If we are overweight, we are sent to have a gastric band fitted and all we have to do is turn up for surgery.
In a similar way, many people expect that all they have to do is turn up, sit in the hypnotherapist's chair and all their problems will be magically removed.
This isn't true. Making a committment to hypnotherapy is a lot like studying at a university. The job of the university is to provide you with the tuition, facilities and opportunities to change and improve your life. Whether or not you make the most of those opportunities is up to you.
So how can you make the most of the opportunities that hypnotherapy offers you?
1. Take personal responsibility for your problems.
Only you can change your life, no-one else. I can give you the opportunity to change more quickly, rapidly and easily than you would otherwise - but you have to take the opportunity and make the most of it. Remember that accepting responsibility for something and accepting blame for something are two different things. Your problems are not your fault - you've been doing the best you can - but it is your responsibility to solve them.
2. Accept that your problems may not just disappear overnight.
Increasingly, people expect healthcare professionals to just magic their problems away. We presume that we can life whatever lifestyles we choose and if we then become fat, sick or depressed as a result, we'll be given drugs or surgery to make the problem disappear.
This is unrealistic. Therapy may well require you to look long and hard at the beliefs, behaviours and lifestyle that led to your current problems, and to make substantial changes to resolve them.
3. Accept that the more you trust me with the truth, the better results you'll get.
What I decide to do to help you is based entirely on the information you give to me. If you give false, misleading or incomplete information, the help you get will be much less effective. Why does anyone do this? There are several reasons:
Please the therapist - Some people are afraid of conflict, and so pretend that interventions are working when they're not simply to keep me happy. This is a waste of everyone's time and effort. If something isn't working, it's my responsibility, not yours, so tell me the truth. I am always calm and appreciative of being told the truth, whatever it is.
Fear - Many people are frightened or intimidated by the thoughts and feelings that go on inside them. As a result, many of them pretend such thoughts or feelings don't exist, or don't admit to them. Again, if you're feeling this way, tell me and I will help you. Ideally, over time we'll develop a relationship where you feel comfortable admitting to just about anything, but if you can hurry that process up, so much the better.
Ultimately, your success is in your hands. I can't control you or force you to do anything. If you choose - consciously or unconsciously - to stay the same then that's exactly what will happen. But if you choose to change, I can make it a lot quicker and easier. If you would like help but are concerned about your ability to fulfill these basic requirements, let me know and I will help you.
What's the next step?
Book a free initial consultation to discuss the exact details of how we'll work together and find out what you'll need to invest in time and money. You can do this by calling me on 01225 484938 or by contacting me through the website.