HYPNOTHERAPY FOR ANXIETY IN LONDON
Steve Dell BA (Hons) HPD DSFH MNCH (Reg) NCH AFSFH
ABOUT ANXIETY
Most of us are familiar with the fight, flight or freeze response. It’s what happens when we’re in survival mode. And because it’s a response to life-threatening situations it’s most useful when it’s instinctive.
Anxiety is the flight response and when there’s a genuine threat, we’re delighted to have it working for us.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way.
When we’ve been going through a tough time, or when we’ve experienced a trauma or life event that’s hard to move on from, something happens. Temporary distortions start to develop in our minds. Our flight response overrides everything, causing us to feel anxious and panicky.
And if you feel like that’s you, contact 07966 464 005 or via this contact form to discuss how hypnotherapy for anxiety can help.
HOW DOES HYPNOTHERAPY FOR ANXIETY LONDON WORK?
Whether you’re experiencing genuine fear and anxiety or well-camouflaged excitement. These bursts of adrenalin are often an indicator that change is round the corner.
In the sessions, first of all, we’d explore how and in what ways you’d like that change to be. This puts you in control of those bursts of adrenalin and turns any negatives into positive ones.
Hypnotherapy works well because your arousal levels are considerably lower under hypnosis. So that you can start to feel the wonderful stillness and quietness that acts as a stable platform. From here positive change can be comfortably launched and then reinforced.
Results vary from person to person.
WHERE I’M BASED
UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY & ADRENALINE
Anxiety is powered by adrenaline to help with the flight response, but so too is excitement. In some instances, (but not all), anxiety is a misinterpretation of that burst of adrenaline. We may in fact have been experiencing thrilling, life-affirming excitement instead.
But if we’re not sure why we’ve felt a burst of adrenalin, and have no reason to feel excited, it seems natural enough to interpret the feeling as anxiety.
It’s possible that your mind is preparing you for change. And change, as you can imagine, is potentially exciting. Change can also be anxiety-inducing if you’re uncertain or it’s unknown where that change might lead you. In a way, anxiety is a bi-product of our lives not being predictable and pre-determined.
If we knew in advance about every event that was going to happen throughout our lives, there’d be no nourishment for our anxiety.
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ANXIETY HYPNOSIS
Before we would even begin with the trance ‘hypnosis’ part of therapy, we would talk through what you wanted to gain from the sessions. The success rate of hypnotherapy comes down to you. The idea that someone can be hypnotised against their will is somewhat a fallacy.
My approach is Solution Focused, that means we’re working together to co-create your ideal situation. Goals such as overcoming social anxiety in the workplace are often common. Other clients may work towards lessening anxious feelings within themselves, allowing them the freedom to reach their potential.
Many people ask me, ‘does hypnosis work for anxiety online’.
Since the beginning of lockdown in 2019 I started to run online hypnotherapy sessions. I found online hypnosis for anxiety to be an area which was very well suited to my clients. Hypnotherapy for social anxiety is particularly suited to online therapy sessions as the idea of taking part in a session at home was preferable.
The advantages of hypnosis at home for those who suffer from anxiousness is the removal of barriers. Examples include all the additional stress and nerves involved in travelling to and from a session. Even if you were searching for hypnosis for anxiety near me, those with severe conditions may struggle to make the next step. Online hypnosis for agoraphobia is a perfect example of where digital technology is an enabler.
You may be wondering can a hypnotist help with anxiety? It really does differ from person to person. Even so, the benefits of hypnosis for anxiety are clear. By entering a relaxing trance, you’ll experience a calm state, allowing you to practice what a new normal feels like.
Hypnotherapy for nerves works to the same principle. When we’re feeling nervous about a situation, adrenaline can be released and make it difficult to make rational, non-emotional decisions. Being able to acknowledge when we’re feeling less in control of ourselves is the first step towards positive change.
There are five common types of anxiety and hypnotherapy can help with them all. However, there are some types of anxiety disorder that I approach differently. These common forms are:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – Typically displayed as exaggerated worry and tension. Examples include:
- Hypnotherapy for health anxiety
- Hypnosis for driving anxiety
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Characterised by obsessive or repetitive behaviours such as cleaning, checking, counting or hand washing.
Panic Disorder – Usually this comes in the form of panic attacks involving a sudden intense fear. Avoiding these situations can lead to agoraphobia or other phobia-related disorders. Examples include:
- Hypnosis for flying or heights
- Hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety
- Using hypnosis to treat fear
Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder) – Social anxiety disorder can come in many forms. It can be triggered by situations, like performance anxiety. In more complex cases symptoms are displayed in any social circumstance.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Usually developed after a traumatic event and triggered by certain experiences. For PTSD and Trauma, I use the David Muss technique, which you can read more about here.
Looking for the best hypnotist near me for anxiety or for any therapy will always be subjective. Many of my referrals in London come from past clients. Also Google search can be helpful, such as: hypnosis for social anxiety reviews.
When searching for the best hypnotist near me, you’ll find a lot of different types of therapists. Some, like me, are certified clinical hypnotherapists. My training is based on the work of David Newton. He’s considered one of the best hypnotherapists UK.
Depression and anxiety both come from the same primitive response mechanism. Whereas depression is more likely to invoke the freeze response, anxiety is the result of the flight response.
Hypnosis is effective for anxiety and depression. Depending on your goals, we may need to approach each one differently.
I practice what is known as Solutions Focused Hypnotherapy. It’s a gentle and relaxing form of talking therapy.
Our aim is to work together to co-create an authentic version of you. That begins by talking about your goals and what you want to achieve. Then we’ll discuss the brain and what causes worry, anxiety and stress. Finally, we use hypnosis to treat anxiety. This trance-like state is deeply relaxing and allows the mind to be open to the positive version of yourself we’d previously discussed.
Anxiety comes from the primitive version of ourselves. It’s a response that can make us panic and want to escape from a situation. Hypnosis is good for anxiety because it’s a deep state of relaxation. In that state barriers are dropped, allowing new, positive ideas to form.
