Hypnotherapy for fears and phobias
A phobia is an intense fear of something or a situation that can be very debilitating and affect your whole life. For instance someone may avoid going abroad because they do not want to have the injections they may need to visit a certain country. Someone else may avoid going abroad because they don’t want to get on a plane. Another person may avoid going to their local park because they don’t want to meet any dogs.
Why do phobias come about?
There are many different reasons why phobias can develop. Sometimes they are a natural consequence of a bad experience. For instance if someone was bitten by a dog when they were a child their brain may have taken on the message that all dogs are dangerous and to be avoided.
Often a phobia can be learnt. If a person’s parent or caregiver was frightened of mice or frogs this can be passed down to their children.
At times in life when people are under a lot of stress or change they can also develop a phobia as a result of losing confidence or feeling anxious. This can often be the case with driving when people feel pressured or out of control in different ways.
However it doesn’t really matter why a phobia has come about and this is not something we go into during sessions. There is no judgement around this. Put simply fears come about as a result of your brain trying to keep you safe; it’s just that sometimes this response is not helpful and is inaccurate.
How can hypnotherapy support me with a phobia?
The first step is a telephone conversation to see if I feel the right fit for you. After this we can set up an initial consultation where together we come up with a course of action. If you have a simple one-off phobia and feel that everything else is going well in your life this usually takes 3 hypnotherapy sessions. However if you are under stress, have a number of fears or more generalised anxiety a longer series of sessions is beneficial.
Through hypnotherapy your brain is more receptive to positive messages and when working with a phobia I aim to take away some of the negative associations or fear your brain may have attached to an issue. Positive visualisation around working through the issue is also very powerful and gives you the confidence to face your fears in a more confident way.
I often work with clients who have fears around injections and needles as well as medical procedures. Click here to find out more about needle phobia or here to find out more about my work around medical procedures.
Reviews from clients who overcame phobias
“I spent each year worrying about coming across frogs and toads when out walking or in the garden. This was a fear I had from childhood and had plagued me all my life. We had very relaxing hypnotherapy sessions, although I did worry at the start but I soon settled into the routine, although I wasn’t sure it would work. The relaxation tape was very helpful. Afterwards I found when I came across a toad in my garden I did not over react as usual and managed to move it out of the way. Maybe a small thing to others but a major step to me. Thank you.”
‘I have received help from Beth for both anxiety and a phobia. In both situations she has been excellent at dealing with me and my problems, and I am so pleased with the results. She has turned my life around.’
‘Elizabeth helped me conquer me phobia of flying which made a fantastic holiday for me and definitely my family. Highly recommend Elizabeth to help you overcome your fears or phobia Thanks again’