What Is Hypnotherapy?

Discover how hypnotherapy uses focused relaxation and suggestion to help with anxiety, phobias, habits and confidence, who it may be suitable for and what a session involves.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy uses a state of focused relaxation to help you become more receptive to positive suggestion and change. Contrary to how it’s sometimes portrayed, you remain fully aware and in control throughout — it’s simply a deeply relaxed state that can help bypass some of the everyday resistance we have to changing ingrained patterns.

What to expect from a session

Your therapist will usually begin with a conversation about what you’d like to work on, before guiding you into a relaxed state using calm, focused language. Techniques vary between therapists and may include visualisation, suggestion, or working with specific memories or associations.

Who hypnotherapy may be suitable for

People often turn to hypnotherapy for anxiety, phobias, stress, confidence, and breaking habits such as smoking. It can suit people looking for a gentler, less analytical route into change.

Online and face-to-face options

Our hypnotherapists offer both online and face-to-face appointments — let us know your preference when you get in touch and we’ll help match you accordingly.

Therapists offering Hypnotherapy

Amanda Baker

Psychotherapist , RTT Practitioner , Clinical Hypnotherapist

Amanda Baker is an integrative psychotherapist and BACP registrant with over 16 years in private practice, combining psychotherapy with clinical hypnotherapy and Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) trained in the Marisa Peer Method. Her collaborative, solution-focused approach draws on a wide range of trainings, including CBT and mindfulness, to support lasting change.

CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Counselling Humanistic Therapy Hypnotherapy Psychotherapy Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT)

Gordon Matthews

Cognitive Hypnotherapist

Gordon Matthews is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist trained at the Quest Institute with 12 years of practice. Drawing on a varied background spanning the commercial world and environmental campaigning, he works in partnership with clients on issues including anxiety, stress, and phobias.

Hypnotherapy

Louise Smalley

cognitive hypnotherapist

Louise Smalley is a cognitive hypnotherapist trained at the Quest Institute, with a background of 12 years as a specialist dental nurse at Guy’s Hospital. She specialises in treating dental phobias, bruxism, and needle phobias, alongside a wide range of other issues.

Hypnotherapy