I know my fear is irrational, so why can't I just get over it?
Your fear isn't irrational, it's a very logical response your mind built in a single moment to keep you safe, and it's been applying that same logic to anything that even resembles the original threat ever since.
A phobia doesn't live in the reasoning part of the mind. That's why you can't think your way out of one.
Phobias often form fast, deep in the part of the brain built to react before you've had time to notice. That's why they show up as a racing heart, sweating, even vomiting. It's your brain's blunt way of getting you away from whatever it's decided is a threat, whether that's a cat, an aeroplane, or an elevator.
We're not going to ask you to face the thing you fear. We get curious about the moment your mind first decided it was dangerous, because once that association is understood, it can be gently updated rather than simply endured.
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.
What people often notice
People often come wanting to feel less controlled by their fear. What follows tends to be broader than that: regaining their freedom and trusting their own reactions again.
Is this the right approach for you?
'Single incident' phobias respond well to a particular technique, often quickly and with lasting results. Others are more complex because they have been built up over time and compounded by a number of learned patterns, and these can take longer to work through.
Your free consultation is an opportunity for us to understand what's been happening and decide together whether hypnotherapy is the right approach for you.
Common phobias
A few we're often asked about.
Fear of flying
A fear of flying is often less about the plane and more about the loss of control, or the feeling of being trapped. We work with what your mind is actually bracing against, so a flight can become something you get through, and eventually something you barely think about.
Needle phobia
Needle phobia is very common and usually traces back to a single early experience. Because the reaction is fast and physical, it responds well to gently updating that association, so a blood test, vaccination, or procedure stops feeling like something to brace for.
Fear of cats or dogs
A fear of cats or dogs almost always traces back to one frightening encounter, a scratch, a bite, a sudden bark, that your mind filed away as a permanent warning about every animal that resembles it since. Once that single moment is separated from the animal itself, a fear that made parks, friends' houses, or family visits feel impossible usually starts to feel ordinary again.
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia, the fear of lifts, scanners, small or crowded spaces, is usually your mind over-protecting you against not being able to escape. Once it learns those spaces are safe, the panic that used to arrive automatically starts to loosen.
Don't see your particular fear? Most phobias respond to the same gentle approach. Tell me what's going on.
Ready to feel differently?
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.