FAQs

Ah, a most excellent question!

Start by booking a free call on Zoom. You can also email or phone me.

I like to speak to clients personally before taking them on. I find this helps build initial trust and also gives you an immediate idea of whether you want to go ahead and actually book a session. I personally prefer a Zoom appointment: Since I meet most of my clients online, this allows us check our connections and get technical issues out of the way before any paid sessions begin. I find this is just the best for allowing us to get into therapy sooner during the first session (I want you to get your money’s worth!).

We can either meet face to face in my purpose-built garden office here in Bovey Tracey, Devon or we can meet via Zoom for our sessions.

After your free call, you’ll receive and email from me. If you want to go ahead and book an initial consultation you’ll find the links for that in the email. There’s some paperwork that I’ll need to collect: A consent form and a questionnaire (links for these are also in the email). You’ll need to plan your initial consultation to give yourself enough time to complete these forms: I need these two days prior to your initial consultation to give me time to create your treatment file and your secure profile in the clients-only section of this website.

Why Zoom? Quite simply it’s the software I have a membership with and it integrates well with the rest of my business software. If we are not meeting face to face in my office Zoom is where we will meet. I want to be able to see and hear you and I want you to have the same of me.

Yes online sessions are almost as effective as face to face sessions.

Why only “almost”?

In the same way that a video conversation is almost as effective as an in-person conversation. There are aspects of body language, proximity and general elements of human interaction that we percieve much better in person, so we do miss out on a bit over a video link. However those aspects are minor compared to the huge benefits of comfort and convenience that are afforded by being able to participate in therapy in your own safe and comfortable space.

Still not sure?

Consider hypnotherapy of the old days…

A therapist would record a hypnotic message on a tape or some other media and the client would listen to it. DONE! No client participation or involvement. Yes, tapes and recorded messages worked, I’ve even encountered it working in braille for deafblind people! It worked by video message, over the phone, and and works even better with a live video connection; it’s a really close next-best to meeting in person, it’s certainly a viable option for effective therapy.

What if the connection drops?

If the connection drops and we can’t reconnect within a few minutes I will contact you by phone. Other than an inconvenient interruption to our schedule (which can be rearranged however best fits the situation), this really does not present a massive problem:

You are in control all the time. Because I teach self hypnosis as the mainstay of my treatment plans, not only are you in control of your own response to hypnosis itself but you control how long and when you enter and exit hypnosis.

Hypnosis and sleep are most definitely not the same however it serves to say you can not get “stuck” in hypnosis any more than you can get stuck in sleep… granted there are a few occasions when you sleep a little longer than you intended, but like I said, hypnosis is not sleep, it’s much more intentional and attentive.

The first session (Initial Consultation)  will last for about 90 minutes. Subesquent sessions will be an hour.

During the first session, we’ll go over your responses to a questionnaire which you will have completed before the session. We’ll discuss your goals for therapy and the hypnotherapy process itself. I will draw upon my insights and training so we can agree on a treatment plan and some things that you can implement straight away. Then I will teach you how to get into and out of hypnosis safely and effectively. That will conclude the first session, which I’ll follow up in an email. 

You will have access to a client’s-only section of this website where you will find videos which will help further your understanding of what we discussed in the session. 

After the first session, you may feel like you have enough to continue by yourself, which is fantastic. But if not, you can choose to book subsequent sessions which will build on what was discussed in the Initial Consultation. 

You can expect there to be as much conversational talking as there is actual hypnosis. That’s because we’re doing this together, and I need your input for that.

If you want to know more, feel free to arrange a call and ask me your specific questions.

Honestly, when I pre-empted this question my initial reaction was to write “NO”, which i still technically hold to, but there is a fuller, perhaps more appropriate answer…

Outside of hypnosis, people can be made to do things they aren’t comfortable with and don’t want to do. People get scammed, tricked, coerced, or just confused all the time.

Hypnosis doesn’t prevent that from happening. In this light, the idea that you can’t be made to act against your morals when hypnotised is wrong. The better answer is that is that hypnosis itself doesn’t grant the ability to make you act against your morals. And then to finish that thought… I’m not out to scam you or trick you.

Quite simply, no!

Hypnosis and sleep are most definitely not the same however it serves to say you can not get “stuck” in hypnosis any more than you can get stuck in sleep… granted there are a few occasions when you sleep a little longer than you intended, but like I said, hypnosis is not sleep, it’s much more intentional and attentive.

My emphasis is on giving you, the client, as much control, agency and self-efficacy as possible. Nobody knows you as well as you do. Sure there might be some insights that I might have about you that you hadn’t considered, but I cannot know what you will draw up in your mind as a result of anything I say. So rather than pouring away our time trying to figure out what the best suggestions are for your way of thinking, I have learned that it is far more efficient and effective teach you the hypnosis part and coach you in how to devise and optimise your own suggestions and how to work with your own mind (rather than my understanding of your mind).

This approach admittedly does present you with a small learning curve, but it ensures that you have access to the benefits of hypnotherapy whenever you need them. Long after our sessions have ended you will be able to adapt and apply what you know to help with many other difficulties of life in general. It also ensures that you can claim and value your successes, because they are your own creation; they came about as a result of something I helped you with, rather than something I did. To me, this is vitally important. In the simplest terms this is a you-focused therapy rather than a me-focused therapy.

But isn’t self hypnosis dangerous?

Any ill-considered fooling around with anything is dangerous. Fortunately the task we are undertaking is neither ill-considered, nor foolish. You will be well instructed, and informed as to risks and benefits of each intervention, you are encouraged to ask questions (you will even have the ability to pause while hypnotised to ask a question if you feel the need). 

Hypnosis and sleep are most definitely not the same however it serves to say you can not get “stuck” in hypnosis any more than you can get stuck in sleep… granted there are a few occasions when you sleep a little longer than you intended, but like I said, hypnosis is not sleep, it’s much more intentional and attentive.

I couldn’t possibly answer that, but it’s often one of the first questions…

Peer reviewed research shows that for most treatments hypnotherapy is effective in the range of between 4 and 12 sessions. For this reason I don’t reccommend fewer than 4 sessions (that’s your initial consultation plus three other sessions) in order to give you the best chance of success.

But I’m not here to tie you into a package, only book further sessions if you are totally happy with the first session AND you have put some personal effort into the suggested follow up.

Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions. My area is in the treatment of anxieties and stress management, phobias, and pain management.

I also work with artists and stage performers to elevate performance skills/confidence and boost creativity. This can also be useful for sales people or anyone who has to make a pitch or presentation. 

Furthermore, very much of what I do has a focus on self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence. This is one of the main reasons I work in the way I do; I teach you to apply the therapy to yourself so you can rightly celebrate it as your own achievement.

Hypnotherapy is a safe and effective form of therapy: You are always in control during a hypnotherapy session and you can come out of hypnosis at any time.

That said, it is not always best suited for everyone.

One of the reasons hypnotherapy is so effective is because it is able to blur the lines between what is real and what is not. This allows a client to temporarily create their own version of reality and practice the thought patterns that are appropriate to that reality. They can then bring these practiced patterns with them into their true reality.

As you can imagine this makes hypnotherapy particularly unsuitable for people who have a personality disorder or other psychotic illnesses. Additionally for those with severe depression already established there is a small risk of developing suicidal ideation.

I am happy to discuss a working arrangement with clients who suffer with depression, however it should be noted that my approach will not treat the depression itself (I’m not the right therapist for that). I work in an adjunctive capacity to help cope with some of the issues that can arise as a result of depression.

I hold a Diploma in Hypnotherapy and a practitioner’s certificate in Neuro-Liguistic-Programming. These were earned at the Anglo-European College of therapetic hypnosis.

I am a registered member of the UK Hypnotherapy Council (UKHC) who are a professional governing body for the field of hypnotherapy.

As a result of my membership I am required to submit to regular supervision and continued professional development to ensure the very highest standards of care, skill and professionalism. This also ensures adherence to a recognised code of ethics and provides clients with a path for complaints and recourse that goes beyond what I alone could offer.

You’re in good hands.

You can call me for free for 15 minutes. This is typically to set up prospective sessions and ask specific questions.

After a free call you can book an initial consultation. This is 90 minutes and costs £125. During this session we will complete all of the necessary administration and agree on a plan of action for your treatment. I will teach you how to use hypnosis by yourself. You may feel like you have enough to work with on your own and you don’t need any further sessions with me. This is why the initial consultation is always a standalone session.

If you would like to draw more on my insights and training and you would like me to help you optimise your new self hypnosis skills to your particular needs and goals I reccommend you book at least 3 further sessions. These are packaged together at £240 for all 3 sessions.

Subsequent sessions may be booked one at a time as necessary at a price of £85 per session.

Why the package for the first three sessions?

Peer reviewed research shows that, for a wide range of treatments, hypnotherapy is most effective in the range of between 4 and 12 sessions. For this reason I don’t reccommend fewer than 4 sessions (that’s your initial consultation plus three other sessions) in order to give you the best chance of success.

I don’t offer guarantees, simply because hypnosis requires the cooperation of the client. One of the most sure-fire ways to sabotage your own therapy is to believe that you don’t have to put your trust in in because “if It doesn’t work I can just get my money back”. If you always have that thought in the back of your mind it will, at some level, restrict how much you commit yourself to the process. Far better to realise that you are emotionally and financially committed to your own self improvement.

Be aware of what you are paying for. Ultimately, while I am keen for you to be focussed on the results and positive outcomes of therapy, you are buying my time and expertise, not your personal success.

Lastly, I cannot think of any other mode of therapeutic or medical intervention, whether it is cognitive behavioural therapy, prescribed medicine, faith healing, alcoholics anonymous or whatever that offers a guarantee. By offering a guarantee I would not only be setting myself apart from accepted therapeutic practise, but I would also be robbing you, the client, of any responsibility or part in the therapy. This goes completely against my own (and generally accepted) practise: I want you to own this, you can’t do that if it becomes about me wielding “hypnotic power” over you.

You can cancel your order by sending us a clear statement indicating your decision to cancel. You can use our model cancellation form available at the bottom of the terms and conditions page, but it’s not mandatory to do it that way. Make sure to keep evidence of when you made the cancellation. We’ll acknowledge your cancellation without delay.

If you’ve received part of the service during the cancellation period, you’ll be charged for the proportionate part you’ve received. We’ll reimburse the remaining amount to you promptly.

Yes, As per the language of the terms and conditions; bespoke or personalized services, tailored to your needs are exempt from cancellation unless they don’t meet the agreed specifications. 

While everything I do is bespoke and specificly designed for your personal needs there is a large element of admin and setup which remains the same for almost all clients. So this clause refers to the package of 3 sessions together. Which is a suite of sessions, homeworks and training videos which develop in compound fashion according to a bespoke treatment plan. for this reason it is exempt from the cancellation/refund policy. 

If you’re not satisfied with the service after the cancellation period, please contact us, and we’ll work with you to find a resolution. We aim to address any concerns or issues promptly. If you are still not satisfied I will be happy to provide you with the contact details for the professional governing body that oversees my work.