Hypnotherapy

Geraldine McManus Psychotherapy and Counselling

Why choose Hypnotherapy?

If there is one particular issue you would like to focus on, hypnotherapy can be very powerful and effective. As I am also a psychotherapist and counsellor I will work with you from the initial assessment to ensure that hypnotherapy is the appropriate, most effective and relevant approach.

With my background as a psychotherapist and counsellor I have taken additional training in hypnotherapy, accredited by the American Board of Hypnotherapy.

If you would like to work on specific issues using hypnotherapy rather than psychotherapy or counselling, our working approach will be different from the start; we will collaborate to develop hypnotic suggestions that I will then use with you. This is a completely different approach from psychotherapy and counselling which is non-directive.

Geraldine McManus Physiotherapy and Counselling

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is effective for a variety of applications:

  • to reduce anxiety
  • to increase self esteem, confidence, social skills, motivation and reduce shyness or procrastination
  • secure weight management
  • manage phobias including for flying
  • stop smoking
  • improve sleep and overcome insomnia
  • pain control
  • improve memory
  • Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic process based on our natural ability to become very relaxed and focused.
  • Hypnotherapy allows us to harness both your conscious goals and your unconscious resources
  • Hypnotherapy uses the unconscious to establish well constructed suggestions to promote positive changes in your behaviour, thoughts and feelings in the wakeful state.
  • Hypnotherapy is a trance state where you feel deeply and completely relaxed. It can be similar to day dreaming, or when you are so fully absorbed or focused that you don't notice distractions. 
  • Hypnosis rests the conscious, rational or thinking mind.
  • Hypnotherapy is a totally safe process where you are always in control.
  • Hypnosis is a state of mind in which suggestions are acted upon much more powerfully than is possible under normal conditions.

Unnecessary concerns about Hypnotherapy 

  • "Stage hypnotism is the same as hypnotherapy"
  • "it's for the weak minded"
  • "I may risk revealing secrets"
  • "I'm afraid I will feel humiliated and lose control, like media entertainment"
  • "I'm concerned trance is scary"
  • "I'm afraid there will be problems with waking up"
  • “If I hear every word I wont be hypnotised”

What you may not know about the unconscious - it...

  • The unconscious runs and preserves the body
  • it maintains instincts and generates emotions
  • stores and organises experiences and memories
  • represses memories with unresolved emotions
  • re-presents memories for resolution
  • is highly moral and holds your highest intention
  • controls and maintains perceptions
  • operates through repetition
  • is symbolic
  • believes everything it is told
  • makes no distinction between reality and fantasy
  • takes the simplest and most efficient route
  • the unconscious has a malleable sense of time
  • does not process negatives
  • is literal and needs clear instruction

How is hypnotherapy carried out?

  • An initial assessment will indicate if hypnotherapy is the best approach to achieving your goals
  • We will formulate the messages together that will be used in your hypnosis
  • I will work with you to bring you into a trance like state
  • I will work with the messages we have developed together
  • I will bring you out of this hypnotic state
  • We will discuss your experience, adapt the process and repeat

What you can expect

  • 3 - 6 sessions - initial assessment up to 2 hours 
  • A journey of self discovery and understanding.
  • Positive changes in behaviour.
  • Positive changes to life.
  • A collaborative working relationship
  • I will spend time preparing between our sessions to develop a tailored hypnotic process for you
  • We will repeat the process several times