(For confidentiality reasons, “Betty” is a pseudonym. All details have been shared with permission while maintaining client privacy.)
Meet Betty
- Betty reached out to me through the Upminster Sanctuary, looking for relief from stress and anxiety.
- She described herself as someone with OCD tendencies, caught in a cycle of worrying, catastrophising, and negative visualisation.
- She wanted to feel calmer, be more present in her daily life, and break free from the relentless loops in her mind.
Understanding Betty’s Challenges
From our initial phone chat, I could tell that Betty was eager for change but unsure about hypnosis. She admitted she had little understanding of what it involved.
Before the session, she completed a client information questionnaire, which helped me assess her suitability for hypnotherapy.
I took into account any medications, past experiences, and psychological history to ensure that my approach would be both safe and effective for her.
When she arrived, she was visibly nervous, unsure of what to expect. We spent time
discussing the process, and I explained hypnosis in simple terms, how it’s a natural state of focused awareness, not sleep, and how she would remain fully in control at all times. This reassured her, and I could see her shoulders relax as we built a strong rapport.
First Steps: Engaging the Mind
To demonstrate the power of suggestion and ease her into the process, I guided her through a simple suggestibility test, the “magnetic fingers into stuck hands” exercise.
When she was unable to separate her hands, I saw a flicker of amusement and surprise. This was a breakthrough moment. It showed her how powerful her imagination could be and laid the foundation for a positive hypnotic experience.
We then talked about the stress response, how the body reacts to perceived threats, triggering the “fight or flight” mode. I explained that hypnotherapy helps shift this response, promoting deep relaxation and control over emotional triggers.
To better understand her stress levels, we used the SUDS scale (a simple 1-10 rating system). She rated her stress as high at the beginning of the session. This gave us a measurable starting point to track progress.
Hypnotherapy Session & Transformation
With Betty’s permission, we began the session using my chosen induction, a method designed to bring deep relaxation. As I guided her into trance, I could see her face softening, her body sinking into the chair, and her breathing becoming slow and steady.
Once she was in the optimal state for the ‘change work’ to take place, I introduced my version of ‘parts therapy’, helping her to explore the part of her mind that felt the need to stress. I explained that this part wasn’t working against her, it was actually trying to protect her, just in an unhelpful way. Through gentle negotiation, we encouraged this part to adopt a more beneficial role, allowing her to feel safer and calmer without unnecessary worry.
Next, I introduced future visualisation, where she experienced herself in a stress-free future, feeling calm, confident, and in control. By engaging the subconscious in this way, we strengthened her ability to step into this mindset in real life.
Throughout the session, I used a combination of direct and indirect suggestions, carefully placed at key moments for emotional impact. Many of these suggestions worked on an unconscious level, reinforcing positive change beyond her conscious awareness.
To conclude, I counted her back to full awareness, weaving in post hypnotic suggestions for continued calmness and presence. She emerged feeling deeply relaxed, slightly drowsy, and most importantly, free from the overwhelming stress she had walked in with.
Results & Follow-Up
By the end of the session, Betty’s stress level had dropped to zero. She was amazed at how relaxed she felt and wished she could have spent more time in that peaceful future version of herself, something I noted for our next session.
Later that day, I sent her a custom hypnosis recording designed to reinforce our work. She was encouraged to listen to it at least once a week (or daily if she wanted), in a safe and quiet environment.
Ten days later, we followed up. Betty was thriving, she reported that she felt significantly calmer, was no longer getting caught up in endless overthinking, and had been listening to the recording daily because she loved it so much.
Final Thoughts
This session was a fantastic example of how hypnotherapy can break negative thought patterns and create lasting change. Betty’s journey from feeling trapped in stress to finding a deep sense of calm is exactly why I love this work.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, overthinking, or stress, you don’t have to stay stuck. Book a session today and experience the power of hypnotherapy for yourself.
