Why can't I stop these intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours?
OCD isn't something willpower can override. It's a specific pattern where the brain's alarm and checking systems get stuck in a loop: an intrusive thought triggers intense anxiety, a ritual or compulsion temporarily relieves it, and that relief teaches the brain to reach for the same ritual next time. The more it's repeated, the stronger the loop becomes.
When your brain finds an effective solution to anxiety, it runs it, on repeat.
The most effective, evidence-based treatment for OCD is a specific therapy called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), usually delivered as part of CBT, and recommended as first-line treatment by NICE. For some people, medication (typically an SSRI) is also part of the picture, prescribed and monitored by a GP or psychiatrist. If you haven't yet accessed ERP or a full clinical assessment, that's genuinely the most important next step, and I'd always point you there first.
Where hypnotherapy may help. Hypnotherapy isn't a substitute for ERP, and it isn't an established treatment for OCD itself. Where it can be genuinely useful is in settling the heightened anxiety and hypervigilance that make ERP harder to tolerate, and supporting a calmer nervous system as you do the harder work of sitting with uncertainty rather than resolving it through a compulsion. Some people find it makes the primary treatment easier to manage, and therefore more effective.
If you're already working with an ERP therapist, we can work alongside that, focused specifically on nervous-system regulation. In practice, that means helping to settle the anxiety and hypervigilance that make exposure work so exhausting. We're not working with the compulsions directly; we're working with the state that makes them so hard to resist in the first place.
What happens over our four sessions?
I work within a structured programme of four sessions (usually weekly, where possible) because meaningful change rarely happens in a single appointment. Each session builds on the last, giving your mind and body time to settle, learn and change.
Your first session starts with a conversation. We'll take time to understand what's been happening, what you'd like to be different, and answer any questions you have about the process. I'll then guide you into hypnosis, a calm, inward-focused state, rather like daydreaming, but with a purpose. You remain aware and in control throughout. Many people tell me it's one of the most relaxing experiences they've had in a long time.
Each session is tailored to you and builds on your progress, combining conversation, hypnosis and practical tools where appropriate. You'll also receive personalised audio recordings to listen to between sessions, helping to reinforce the work we're doing together.
Is this the right approach for you?
If you're already working with an ERP therapist, we can work alongside that, focused specifically on nervous-system regulation. If you haven't yet had a proper assessment or started ERP, it's advisable to explore this first, because that's what gives you the best chance of things actually changing.
Your free consultation is a chance to talk honestly about what's been happening, and to make sure you're pointed toward the right support, whether that's here, elsewhere, or both.
Ready for the right kind of help?
Start with a free, friendly chatMelissa is an HPD Level 4 Clinical Hypnotherapist, registered with the NCH, BSCH and CNHC, working with adults, children and teens in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and online.