Hypnotherapy explained

Hypnotherapy is the therapeutic use of hypnosis to help people achieve specific goals or to facilitate healing.  Hypnosis is very powerful and I love the fact that it can be used for many different purposes and especially to help and to heal people quite quickly.  I have been using Hypnotherapy since 1994 to help people change habits, behaviours  and attitudes; resolve persistent or recurring problems; let go of fears or phobias; reduce alcohol and quit cigarettes; lose weight and deal with eating disorders; improve performance  ie sport or academic; deal with 'physical' issues such as pain and illness; and receive help with anxiety and depression.

The Hypnotherapy I use is advanced and high level and incoporates many different techniques and aspects of modalities such as NLP, Healing, Counselling, Ericksonian Communication, Gestalt, Conflict Resolution etc.
This is augmented by my extensive experience in counselling for more than
25 years and practicing hypnotherapy for the past 20 years. 

I try to keep the amount of times you have to come and see me to a minimum,
to save you time and money. A treatment program rarely lasts more than three sessions.  A lot of people only require one session to achieve their goal - and that includes a lot of smokers.  I also keep the cost of my sessions relatively low so more people are able to access professional and safe hypnotherapy in order to heal themselves or to change their lives. I give discounts to people who are not in full employment.

We will discuss your specific needs and individual circumstances in the first session and agree on a program that will suit you. Sessions are a mix of hypnosis and counselling and are different for each individual.  I take into account your individual circumstances and the reasons why you are doing  what you are doing, as well as your personality, your specific needs and your wishes.

As people have different life styles I am trying to be flexible when it comes to agreeing on the treatment program. If due to time constraints, personal choice or family commitments you prefer to have shorter but more frequent appointments we may be able to arrange that. Please mention your individual requirements when we discuss your treatment program.  I also see people on weekends and after hours.

What does a typical treatment cost ?

The first appointment is usually 1.5 hours long, it includes the assessment interview. The cost of this session is $130 (valid July 2013).

Subsequent sessions are usually standard sessions of just over 1 hour duration, the cost of a standard session is $110.

There are 'top-up' sessions available costing $90, if taken within a few months of your last appointment.

Below I will answer some of the questions I am often asked.

Can you see me at short notice?

If you are in this area on vacation give me a call and I may be able to fit you in at short notice.  You may find that just one hypnotherapy session can work wonders in getting things sorted out for you or getting you back on track. Especially if you then do some follow-up with a practitioner back home (I may be able to recommend someone).

What would a typical treatment program involve ?

It depends on the issue. Here are some examples:

Quit Smokingprograms usually involve 2 - 3 sessions, but quite a few of my clients have quit after just one session and in such cases they can ring me after a few days and cancel the second appointment.  Everyone is different and therefore each quit smoking treatment is different.  If you have 2 quit smoking sessions they will be spaced approximately one week apart.  Some people may require 3 sessions.
Everyone is different and everyone quits differently.  Some people quit instantly and some quit gradually with several attempts over the space of some years.  People often feel desperate or guilty when they don't succeed at first.  When they finally try hypnosis they have a much greater chance of succeeding.  In a way you could say that hypnotherapy helps those people 'across the line' and finally makes it possible for them to do what they want to do. This can happen because with hypnosis we can identify and deal with the underlying causes of behaviour. Hypnotherapy doesn't just 'fix' the symptoms or the most obvious cause. As pointed out elsewhere - hypnosis has been found to be the most successful method for quit smoking out of more than 10 methods compared in a meta-analysis involving 70.000 people.

For Weight Loss programs I generally conduct a treatment of 2-3 sessions spaced over one month.  The first two sessions are spaced approximately one week apart, and because losing weight usually involves behavioral changes, or a change of habits, a third session may be beneficial for some people for long term success.  In the first session much emphasis is put on the emotional reasons for weight gain, but there may be other reasons.  With hypnosis we can discover what is behind this extra weight and why someone may have difficulties letting it go or sticking to a specific diet.  Then we use some hypnotherapeutic or healing processes to change/heal that. You will feel more in control and finally able to do things differently - in a way that support one's wellbeing, happiness and health.

Click here for a link to my personal view on diet for weight loss and some interesting information on low carb eating - and some recipes on baking cakes without flour and sugar.

I have helped many clients with fears, phobias, anxiety, depression, stress, low confidence, self-loathing etc in just one hypnotherapy session.  Fears, anxiety etc are often a reaction to something that has occured in your life which may have scared or traumatised you and which you may not be consciously aware of.  Or if you are aware of it you may not have realised its significance and the effect it may have on you. The cause or reason for your fears etc may be in your past or may have something to do with your present situation.  In any case, we will usually discover it with hypnosis, which then allows you to heal, transform, change or release it.  If this has gone on for many years you may have developed coping mechanisms (conscious and unconscious ones) that may have shaped you into someone you don't really want to be.  Where there is a mismatch between how you behave on the outside and who you really are (the 'real you') on the inside, then something has to give.  I believe that some of the anxiety, fear, panic, depression, low confidence that people experience is caused by what I call this 'incongruence' between the outer and the inner Self.  Using counselling and special hypnotherapy techniques I can help you discover and support the 'real you' hidden underneath all the pain and the superficial coping mechanisms.Maybe I can even help you find back home to yourself.

Pain relief and physical illnesses need to be dealt with on a case by case basis. For example: work to support and strengthen the body and the immune system during illness or during chemotherapy can be done weekly or fortnightly for a specific period of time. Hypnosis can help you stick to a strict dietary or other remedial discipline, it can be used to directly influence the body's self healing ability.  Pain relief can be handled similarly. In those cases you would also be taught how to apply self-hypnosis, which can be learned in just one session.  Pain relief often involves giving you tools to scale down the pain. However, since pain is also the body's warning signal that something needs attention, it is important to distinguish between an appropriate level of pain which may be necessary and a level which is too high and may need to be scaled down.  Hypnosis can be used to influence how we 'experience' any pain that's there,
and to lessen its impact.

How qualified are you ?

I am an accredited clinical member of the Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA), the Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS) and in addition I am on the register of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). In order to be registered or accredited a practitioner has to be highly qualified and experienced, be insured, has to fulfill very strict assessment criteria and has to maintain this standard in order to receive annual accreditation or registration.

Is there something you do not treat ?

I do not treat children as I have specialised in treating adults - I could recommend other hypnotherapists in the area if you wish to treat a child or young teen. Children respond extremely well to hypnotherapy.
Here are contact details of some hypnotherapists in my area who treat children:

Michelle      michelle.nassner@gmail.com
Paul            greenstone@optusnet.com.au
Lynne         66776191

Here is a link to a hypnotherapist in Melbourne: http://www.courageouslifechanges.com

Here is a link to a hypnotherapist in Brisbane:
http://www.potentminds.com

Most hypnotherapists treat the full range of issues and problems, but we also tend to have certain areas we specialise in.  My particular specialities are emotional healing, spiritual healing, acute sensitivity, phobias and fears, anxiety, depression, confidence and performance, relationships and sexual issues, quit smoking, eating disorders and weight loss.

How effective is Hypnotherapy ?

Some Examples

1. Quit smoking

A meta-analysis published in the New Scientist Oct 1992, where 600 studies were compared covering about 71000 people, showed that hypnosis was the best method to quit out of 15 methods that were compared.
look at www.newscientist.com for this study

A study headlined " Hypnotherapy Outperforms Other Treatment Approaches for Smoking Cessation" was released in October 2007 by the American College of Chest Physicians. It showed that of hospitalized smokers who received hypnotherapy 50% were still smoke free after six months.

 2. Physical conditions and chronic illnesses

There is research which demonstrates clear benefits in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Hypnotherapy in addition to the more conventional treatment.  Other physical conditions can also respond well to hypnosis as an adjunct to  more conventional treatment and healing can sometimes be greatly enhanced and accelerated and side effects and pain reduced.  Even if a full recovery is not possible, symptoms can often be greatly relieved. Hypnotherapy can support the body to heal itself (as intended by nature), can improve wellbeing and quality of life, and can complement or accompany orthodox medical treatments (without having to choose between the two). I advocate using the best of both worlds. You can support your body's natural ability to heal, strengthen your immune system and reduce pain with the help of hypnotherapy.

 3. Performance

There is hardly a top athlete these days who does not use Mind over Matter techniques. It doesn't matter whether it is called Visualisation, or Meditation, or Motivation, or Self Hypnosis - the results usually speak for themselves.

 4. Placebo - Mind over Matter

Think about the Placebo effect.  It is an excellent example of how the mind (what we believe) can influence and shape matter (how our body reacts when we believe something).  Such is the power of the mind.  I think it is a shame that the placebo effect is not harnessed more often in the fight against diseases or similar issues.

The Process

Let me explain what you can expect to happen when you have your hypnosis sessions with me.

We will agree on a Treatment Program:

Treatment programs may involve 2 - 3 sessions spaced approximately one week apart, some issues require only one session.  I will let you know at the beginning how many sessions might be needed to deal with your issue. 

In the first session we discuss your needs and your issue in detail and we agree on a treatment program before we proceed with the hypnosis and/or the counselling part. Sessions are not based on a strict time limit, however, first sessions are usually 1.5 hours long. 

Session two is usually one week later. There we build on what happened in session one, reinforcing and fine tuning the changes that have already occurred and also providing effective support during the initial phase of greater change. Session two lasts approximately one hour.

The third session a week or two later reinforces and cements the successful changes. There is a focus on taking charge of your life, using your new tools effectively, empowering and preparing yourself for your new future and getting used to living your life differently.

Shorter top-up or follow-up sessions are also available, as long as they are taken within a reasonable time frame (ie a few months) after conclusion of the treatment program and are related to the original issue you came to see me about.

How does it work ?

To help you into the hypnotic state I use breathing and relaxation exercises. There are no gimmicks or weird experiences or magic wands, hypnosis will feel quite pleasant and somewhat normal to you. It is a slightly altered state of awareness where the conscious or analytical mind has been asked to step aside for a short while so we can access other parts of the Self where changes can be made or where solutions can be found. These other parts or aspects of the Self are usually referred to as the 'subconscious'.  

A small percentage of people cannot be hypnotised and some hypnotherapy sessions are not successful. Hypnosis is not a magic wand and some things need to be dealt with by other professionals or by a doctor (I will refer you in that case and not charge you for something you did not get).
But in most cases, if you are ready for change, having hypnosis can make the difference between success and failure.  Because hypnosis makes it possible for you to make the changes that you want to make, often easily and almost automatically, as it works on the deeper levels where our behaviour usually originates.  

About Me:

I believe in the person and not in their qualifications.  However, it's okay to check this out.  For your information:  I've completed a university major in Psychology in 1988 and a Diploma in Hypnotherapy in 1994.  Since then I've undertaken further studies in Reiki, Thought Field Therapy, Prime Tuning and Muscle Testing (a kind of kinesiology), Energy balancing and Chakra cleansing, Meditation, Group Training Methods, Mediation and Conflict Resolution, NLP, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Grievance Counselling, Ericksonian Communication, Sports Hypnosis, Art Therapy and Soul  Collage, Health, Nutrition and Alternative Therapies,  Mindfulness in Therapy (this is a Buddhist philosophy) and Holographic Kinetics (an Aboriginal Healing Modality). There's been plenty more -  would have to go through my filing cabinet.

My work experience stretches across many boundaries.  Several years as conflict manager and grievance counsellor for the NSW Public Service in Sydney.There I also worked as a staff trainer, mediator, equal opportunity co-ordinator and change agent. I've been a Hypnotherapist since 1994 and am fully accredited with the AHA (Australian Hypnotherapists' Association) and the ATMS (Australian Traditional Medicine Society). I am on the Register of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) as a counsellor.

I personally welcome clients who ask a lot of questions before making a booking. I probably could not help a person who doesn't relate to me at all and could not relax as a result of it. Thankfully this is very rare. I have specialised over time in certain areas and will refer you to another hypnotherapist (at no charge of course) if I do not treat your issue.

Sometimes I can see you at short notice and I do work flexible hours. So if you are here on holidays - give me a call. It is surprising how much can be achieved and changed in just one hypnosis session.  And if you do require follow up treatment when you return home I can probably recommend a hypnotherapist near you.
Fees (effective July 2013)

First session: A$130 for a 1.5 hr hypnotherapy/counselling session
Subsequent sessions: A$110 for a 1 hr hypnotherapy/counselling session
Top-up/follow-up sessions: A$90 for optional short sessions taken within a few months after the conclusion of the treatment program

About Past Life Regression and Spiritual Healing
(Spirit State Healing)

More and more people are asking me if I do past life regression or spiritual work.  The answer is  YES.  Hypnosis is a wonderful tool for this kind of work. I use it to guide my clients through specific processes which allow them to access past life memories or the spirit realm.

During spirit state healing sessions people experience their pure spirit state and remember themselves as the immortal souls they are.  In that state people can access their innate wisdom and can put their human lives and everything in it into a broader perspective. As I gently guide them through this experience, people often report meeting spirit guides, angels or deceased loved ones who provide comfort, assistance or clarification. Some people discover their life’s purpose during these sessions, or they gain clarity and inner peace. Some are shown the lessons they are meant to learn. I keep notes or record these sessions, but people generally remember everything after they come out of hypnosis. You are welcome to record the session on your own device, alternatively a CD of the session can be mailed to you for a small fee.

During past life regressions clients usually experience themselves in a different body, incarnate at a different time which their immortal soul or spirit remembers.  Valuable lessons can be learned from observing their previous Self dealing with the experiences from a previous life. Healing often happens as people understand for the first time why they do what they do in this lifetime.

The journey of discovery and the gaining of awareness are wonderful and valuable things, but in addition I often guide clients through processes which allow healing to happen, so clients can move on in their lives. I keep notes or record these sessions, but people generally remember everything after they come out of hypnosis. A recording can be made on your own device or a CD of the session can be mailed to you for a small extra fee.

The fee for a two hour session is $160.

For more detailed information on Spirit State Healing and Past Life Regression Therapy go to the relevant page by clicking here