When Every Other Option Has Failed: Hypnotherapy - A Last Resort?

You feel stuck; you’re doing all the ‘stuff’: self-help books, deep breathing, medication, talking therapy… but something isn’t shifting. Those repeated patterns, habits or unhelpful thoughts keep returning. Nothing seems to work.

When we believe that nothing is working, this is usually because:

• Progress is so incremental, and not necessarily linear, that we often miss the signs that we are moving forward;

• Sometimes we don’t have the right tools that work for us;

• There’s something going on with our mindset that’s inhibiting progress. Subconscious blocks and deep-seated negative beliefs are usually to blame here.

Hypnotherapy is often tried as a last resort when traditional talking therapies and treatments have failed. This is a real shame, because hypnotherapy does what more traditional methods do not: it works with the subconscious mind. By working in this way, we bypass that critical conscious resistance that’s been keeping you stuck, often leading to more rapid shifts. Clients usually see me for an average of 6-12 sessions. Contrast this with the more traditional approach which can see you in weekly therapy sessions for many months, if not years, and you can see why hypnotherapy being a last resort makes no sense.

So what are the main considerations when it comes to starting a course of hypnotherapy?

Firstly, it’s important to ensure you work with a trained and licensed hypnotherapist. Look for a therapist who has a recognised Hypnotherapy qualification. The HPD (Hypnotherapy in Practice Diploma) is a good starting point, but there are different kinds of hypnotherapy, so check the NCH (National Council for Hypnotherapy) website to see whether a therapist’s qualification is listed.

Understand that you are embarking on a course of therapy rather than a ‘one session wonder’. Your commitment is necessary. Hypnotherapists are facilitators and therapy is a collaboration. You must be ‘all-in’ in order to get the best out of it. None of us are wielding any magic wands I’m afraid.

But if you are fully committed, real change is possible, no matter how long an issue has been with you.

Let me share a story that’s based on the kinds of challenges people often bring to hypnotherapy.

Take “M”, for example. M had been struggling with setting boundaries and standing up for themselves both at work and at home. Although in solution focused hypnotherapy we don’t dwell on the past, M shared that this pattern had begun early in life, when they were taught to always do as they were told and never answer back (with severe consequences if they did).

Now, well into adulthood, that old fear of speaking up was still there. Saying no felt impossible, and it was leading to constant stress, overwhelm, and resentment.

Over the course of our work together, M made some powerful shifts. They learned to say no without over-explaining, set clear boundaries around their personal time, and even calmly address someone’s behaviour that had been causing them grief for years.

A year on, M has moved into a new job and describes feeling far more confident, relaxed, and in control of their life.

If you recognise yourself in M’s story, if there’s a deep-seated issue you are ready to resolve, know that you CAN make that change. Our brains are elastic, not plastic. With the right support and tools, you can break away from unwanted patterns of behaviour no matter how long they’ve been with you.

To find out more about how hypnotherapy can help you, fill in the contact form below with your enquiry and let’s arrange a free discovery call.

Lisa.

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