Question 1

What is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a forward looking therapy, that focuses on how you'd like to feel and be, rather than going over your past problems or traumas. It is based in neuroscience, understanding how the brain works, and learning to manage your thoughts, feelings and actions to influence a more positive future for yourself. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy also uses tools from cognitive behavioural therapy and neurolinguistic programming.

Hypnosis in this context helps you to rest the mind, sleep better, consolidate learning, build new neural pathways (which help build better habits), down regulate your sympathetic nervous system (associated with anxiety, anger and depression), and feel calmer, more relaxed and in control.

This diagram from the Canadian Centre for Brief Coaching shows how solution focused work helps you draw on your resourceful past to help you create your preferred future. For more information on Solution Focused Therapy, feel free to check out the Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, of which I am a member.

https://www.afsfh.com/
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/23aa6b_7fb2a4fb98d34f6da8543a6dcfcfeff8~mv2.png

Question 2

How is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy different to other kinds of Hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Solution focused hypnotherapy stands out from other forms of hypnotherapy because of its structured approach and specific methodology.

•  Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach. It promotes positive psychology by visualising solutions rather than focusing on problems.
 • It follows a specific structure that integrates principles of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). This involves setting clear goals and focusing on solutions rather than problems.
 • Utilises an understanding of how the brain functions to enhance the effectiveness of the therapeutic process.
 • Combines these elements with the use of trance, a state of focused attention to facilitate positive change.
 • Unlike other hypnotherapy methods, it does not delve into the client's past. Instead, it emphasises planning and achieving future goals and aspirations.

It is important to note that solution focused hypnotherapy is not a quick fix. Lasting change takes time, and while progress can be made relatively quickly, it generally requires more than just a couple of sessions to achieve and maintain meaningful results.

Question 3

I'm worried about hypnosis, what happens?

Accepted Answer

If you've ever had a guided relaxation in a yoga class or elsewhere, the process is very similar. You'll be lying down and I'll be reading, helping you to guide your thoughts.

Hypnosis is a safe and natural state of focused relaxation that you experience every day, such as when you are deeply engrossed in a book or daydreaming.
I am a qualified and experienced, and adhere to strict ethical guidelines and best practices.

You will remain in control at all times during hypnosis. You cannot be made to do anything against your will or ethical beliefs and you will be fully aware of your surroundings and what is happening during the session.

Hypnosis is not the same as sleep. You will be in a deeply relaxed but focused state; it is a collaborative process where you are actively involved.

The benefits of hypnosis are many: reducing anxiety, managing stress, overcoming phobias, resting the mind, and supporting behavioural change. Hypnosis is supported by scientific research and recognised by medical associations as a valid therapeutic technique.

What to Expect
In the initial consultation, there is no hypnosis, it's a chance for us to get to know each other and me to explain how I work. Sessions after that are around 50 minutes long, and half of that is spent in hypnosis. Every session is tailored to your needs and goals.

Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or would like to discuss how hypnotherapy can help you

"I did a series of Hypnotherapy sessions and found it really helped me.
Ros makes you feel very comfortable and relaxed providing a safe space where you can really open up."

Question 4

What is the typical format of a session?

Accepted Answer

Each session lasts 50 mins for the therapeutic part of the session plus five minutes at the beginning and end to settle in and do admin such as arranging following sessions and taking payment.

As with all therapy, it is not a passive experience. It requires active participation and engagement from you to be effective.

The therapeutic part of the session is divided into two parts: talking therapy and hypnosis.

In talking therapy we focus on what has happened in the week since we last met, where you have seen improvements, changes and shifts in your thinking, feelings and actions.

We may look at these in the context of neuroscience or CBT-based practices, and discuss ways you can develop and nurture these changes.

Then we'll move on to where you would like to make changes over the coming week. This can be something that's been on your mind for a while that you would like to change. It can be something internal, like a way of thinking, or a habit, or emotional pattern, or it might be something external, like, for example, dealing with the clutter in your study. I will help you formulate an achievable plan to move forward with this issue, and to help you explore exactly how you will make this shift, when you will do it and how you will feel and experience the world as you make it.

After this, you will have hypnosis, during which your thoughts and visualisations about how you will achieve your goal and the feelings associated with it will have a moment to rest in your brain, while you experience some calm and gain some headspace.

I will carefully guide you out of relaxation, we will tie up any admin that needs doing before you float away, feeling calm and ready to take on the rest of your day!

Question 5

What issues can solution focused hypnotherapy help with?

Accepted Answer

Solution focused hypnotherapy can help with many issues, which include:

• Abuse (overcoming and stabilizing after)
 • Acceptance (of external factors over which we have no control and limitations)
 • ADHD
 • Anxiety (managing and controlling)
 • Arthritis (pain management)
 • Autoimmune Conditions (reducing inflammation, calming, pain)
 • Barrett’s Oesophagus (reducing stress and easing symptoms)
 • Bereavement (acceptance, support, healing through the stages of grief)
 • Binging (drinking and food)
 • Bio-psychological Conditions (physical conditions worsened by stress and anxiety)
 • Blood phobia
 • Blushing
 • Bruxism (teeth grinding)
 • Bullying
 • Caesarean (calm and prepared)
 • Childbirth
 • Claustrophobia
 • Communication
 • Concentration
 • Confidence
 • Coercive Control (recovery from)
 • Dental phobia (sometimes requiring Rewind Trauma and other support)
 • Depression
 • Digestive Disorders
 • Eating disorders
 • Emetophobia
 • Empty nest syndrome
 • Exam nerves (and preparing for success)
 • Fears (irrational and overwhelming)
 • Fertility
 • Gambling
 • Gaslighting
 • Grief
 • Guilt
 • Habits (breaking and creating)
 • Health Anxiety
 • Hoarding
 • Hypertension
 • Identity Issues (acceptance, clarification)
 • Impostor Syndrome
 • Interview Nerves
 • Insomnia
 • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
 • Low Mood
 • Medical phobias
 • Memory
 • Menopause
 • Migraine
 • Misophonia (irrational disgust or anger at another person’s eating or breathing noises)
 • Nail biting
 • Narcissistic abuse
 • Obsessing
 • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
 • Over-rating
 • Pacing and Energy Management
 • Pain control
 • Panic attacks
 • Parosmia
 • Perfectionism
 • People pleasing
 • Personal growth
 • Past life regression
 • Phobias
 • Presentation Nerves
 • Procrastination
 • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
 • Public speaking
 • Relationships
 • Rumination (excessive)
 • Self-Esteem
 • Sexual Problems
 • Shame
 • Shyness
 • Skin problems
 • Sleep problems
 • Smoking
 • Social anxiety
 • Sports performance
 • Stabilising (after a major life change)
 • Stammering
 • Stress
 • Tension
 • Tinnitus
 • Trauma (single event, PTSD and CPTSD - supporting recovery)
 • Trichotillomania - pulling out hair
 • Trypanophonia (needle phobia)
 • Vaping cessation
 • Weight control and maintenance
 • Work life balance
 • Work stress
 • Gen Z and Millennials (generational stress)

https://www.afsfh.com/blog/AtoZ/

Question 6

What evidence is there that Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is effective?

Accepted Answer

Hypnotherapy has been approved by the British Medical Association since 1892. The NHS considers it a complimentary therapy: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/ (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/)

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is not - yet! - recommended by NICE guidelines (National Institute of Clinical Excellence).

However, my practice is part of a much larger nationwide study which hopes to provide solid  peer-reviewed evidence into how effective Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is. You can be part of this study if you wish - there is no obligation - and it is completely anonymous.

Previous studies have had excellent results. This one, carried out by Inspired to Change, worked with police officers from Northumbria Police with excellent results.

Question 7

Do you offer online sessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes I offer online sessions, I have clients I have never met before in person.

These are convenient if, for example, you are short of time, don't live close, have children to look after etc.

I will usually use zoom for the meeting as it allows me to play music as well as talk. 
I will send you a meeting invite and link in advance of our session
You need to be somewhere where you are comfortable and won't be disturbed.

Question 8

Why do we experience anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Anxiety is an evolutionary tool that helps us spot danger and therefore ensures our survival. It's a very natural response, however, when we feel in a chronic state of anxiety or overwhelm we can experience unpleasant symptoms such as panic attacks, hypervigiliance, obsessive habits, migraines, IBS, nail biting and disturbed sleep - to name but a few.

Here is a fantastic three minute video that you might find useful in understanding the origins of anxiety and why it is helpful and unhelpful.

https://youtu.be/kv6HkipQcfA?feature=shared

Question 9

What are the cost of sessions?

Accepted Answer

The initial consultation is £65
Ongoing sessions are charged at £80
Blocks of six sessions, paid for upfront are £450. These are non-refundable and must be taken within six months of payment.

ADHD coaching sessions, and coaching / hypnotherapy sessions are charged at £100 per 1.5 hr session. 
Blocks of eight are charged at £760

Question 10

Will hypnosis solve my problem, and will I see immediate effects?

Accepted Answer

With Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, YOU will take charge of solving your problem. Hypnosis puts you in a relaxed and focused state, allowing you to envision your ideal future, using the ways you have explored during the talking therapy part of the session.

This method empowers you to create your own solutions rather than having behaviours imposed on you through suggestion, ensuring you are actively involved in the process.

It's important to note that Solution Focused Hypnotherapy isn't a 'silver bullet' that will instantly transform your life. Instead, it fosters lasting and profound changes by tapping into your mind's deep capabilities to enhance your wellbeing.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can often be a faster alternative to other problem-focused therapies, as it allows you to quickly begin envisioning your desired future and working towards your goals in manageable steps. However, it's crucial to understand that, like most things in life, the effort you put in directly influences the results you achieve. This therapy won't solve all your problems if you remain a passive observer, expecting to be 'cured.' If your current issues have been ongoing for a while, it might take a bit longer to see significant changes – though you might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you start to feel better.

Question 11

What happens to the brain during hypnosis?

Accepted Answer

Using an EEG (electroencephalogram) it's possible to actually see what is going on in the brain during hypnosis revealing changes in brain wave patterns compared to the waking state. An EEG measures electrical activity in the brain through electrodes placed on the scalp.

What we see are changes in brainwave associated with increased relaxation and calm such as alpha waves (8-12 Hz) . These waves are also associated with a state of wakeful rest, like when you’re daydreaming or meditating.
  
We also see increased Theta Waves  associated with deep relaxation and creativity: Theta waves (4-7 Hz) become more pronounced, suggesting a deeper level of relaxation and a state often linked to creativity, intuition, and daydreaming. This is similar to the state experienced just before falling asleep or during light sleep.

Lastly, we see decreased Beta Waves - Reduced Alertness: Beta waves (13-30 Hz), which are associated with active thinking, problem-solving, and alertness, are less dominant. This reduction indicates a shift away from the highly alert and analytical thinking characteristic of the waking state.

EEG studies show that during hypnosis, the brain shifts to a state characterised by increased alpha and theta waves and decreased beta waves. This indicates a relaxed yet focused state that is different from the normal waking state. These changes are important as they enable deep relaxation, access to the subconscious mind and improved focus and imagination, all of which are beneficial for therapeutic outcomes in hypnotherapy.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/23aa6b_f6d162c08e464b3f96f195b15f44e391~mv2.jpg

Book a Call

Frequently Asked Questions

Blog Posts

The Justice Imperative: Understanding Moral Compulsions

Understanding and Nurturing the Highly Sensitive Child: A Guide for Parents

8 Powerful Grounding Techniques to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Contact

Subscribe to my newsletter