Hypnotherapy for Anxiety

Anxiety is the single most common reason people come to see me. That persistent knot in the stomach, the racing thoughts, the feeling that something terrible is about to happen even when logically you know it probably isn't. If that sounds familiar, you're certainly not alone — and you don't have to keep living this way.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is, at its core, your brain's threat detection system working too hard. It's the same fight-or-flight response that kept our ancestors safe from predators, except now it's firing in response to work deadlines, social situations or health worries. The physical symptoms — rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing, muscle tension, digestive issues — are real and genuine. Your body genuinely believes you're in danger.

The difficulty is that anxiety tends to feed itself. You feel anxious, so you avoid certain situations. The avoidance provides short-term relief but confirms to your brain that the situation was genuinely dangerous. Next time, the anxiety is worse. This cycle can gradually narrow your life until you're avoiding more and more.

How Hypnotherapy Helps

My approach to anxiety treatment uses cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, which works on two levels simultaneously:

The Conscious Level

We identify the specific thought patterns that maintain your anxiety. These are often automatic — you may not even notice them any more. Common patterns include catastrophising (always expecting the worst), mind-reading (assuming others are judging you) and overgeneralising (one bad experience means it will always go badly).

Once you can recognise these patterns, you can start to challenge them. This isn't about positive thinking or pretending everything is fine. It's about developing a more balanced, realistic way of assessing situations.

The Subconscious Level

While the conscious work is important, hypnosis allows us to reinforce these changes at a deeper level. During hypnosis, your subconscious mind is more receptive to new ways of thinking and responding. We can rehearse calm, confident responses to situations that currently trigger anxiety, effectively retraining your brain's automatic reactions.

I'll also teach you self-hypnosis techniques that you can use at home between sessions. These give you a practical tool for managing anxiety in the moment, which many clients find enormously reassuring.

Types of Anxiety I Treat

• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) — persistent, excessive worry about everyday things
• Social anxiety — intense fear of social situations and being judged by others
• Health anxiety — excessive worry about having or developing serious illness
• Panic attacks — sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms
• Work-related stress — burnout, overwhelm and performance anxiety
• Post-event anxiety — anxiety triggered by a specific life event

What a Typical Course of Treatment Looks Like

Most clients with anxiety benefit from four to six sessions, spaced one to two weeks apart. Here's what you can generally expect:

Session 1: Assessment and First Hypnosis

We'll spend time talking about your anxiety — when it started, what triggers it, how it affects your daily life. I'll explain the treatment approach and answer any questions. The session ends with your first experience of clinical hypnosis, focused on deep relaxation and reducing your baseline anxiety level.

Sessions 2-4: Core Treatment

Each session builds on the last. We'll work through specific anxiety triggers, develop coping strategies and use hypnosis to reinforce new patterns. You'll learn self-hypnosis and other techniques to practise at home.

Sessions 5-6: Consolidation

We strengthen the progress you've made and prepare you for maintaining the changes independently. Not everyone needs all six sessions — some people feel significantly better after three or four.

What the Evidence Says

Research supports the use of hypnotherapy for anxiety. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that hypnosis enhanced the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety conditions. The NHS recognises hypnotherapy as a complementary approach, and it is increasingly offered alongside conventional treatments.

Is This Right for Me?

Hypnotherapy works best for anxiety when you're genuinely motivated to make a change and willing to engage with the process — both during sessions and with any homework between sessions. It's not a passive experience where something is done to you; it's a collaborative process.

If your anxiety is very severe or you're currently in crisis, I may recommend you speak to your GP first. Hypnotherapy works wonderfully alongside medication and other treatments, and I'm happy to coordinate with your GP or other healthcare professionals.