Cognitive Hypnotherapy

In Hypnotherapy we are able to utilise a person's problem trance state, i.e Anorexia, Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia or overeating in order to dehypnotise them of these detrimental conditions and the effects they have on a person’s life. Quite often when a significant emotional event or a series of small ones happens, our brain will drive us away from the negative consequences in order to protect us. In fact when we are children, we tend to have nominal thinking so we aren’t able to process situations with a rational and analytical mind of an adult so we can take things far more literally. These memories can be taken like literal snapshots in the mind and keep us from living the life we truly want as an adult.

Have you ever wondered why there is a part of you that wants to lose weight and another part that doesn’t?

All too often we are taught to suppress the ‘bad’ parts of ourselves and shame them as an effective way of achieving weight loss goals. Unfortunately the more we suppress these parts of ourselves the stronger they can become.

In fact all parts of us have a positive intention and with Cognitive Hypnotherapy I often work with clients to find out what these are and how they just aren’t working with each other. Once these parts are given a space and worked through they can begin to work more effectively together without the tug of war they used to face.



Our brains are designed to move us towards protection but sometimes with conditions like Eating Disorders it can be just going about it in the wrong way. Where there have been negative events in someone's past or present it can affect their ability to relax as they are always in fight or flight. This is often the very first place I start with a client. Daily relaxing and bespoke recordings help the mind and body to realise that they are safe. Until a person can feel safe in themselves and their environment their unconscious mind will push to protect them with unhelp behaviours it thinks it needs to do.

As a 14 year old I developed Anorexia and struggled with my weight and self worth for many years. After receiving many different therapies with the NHS my weight began to stabilise, but it was when I went to see a Cognitive Hypnotherapist and worked on the deeper rooted issues I was truly able to free myself of what was holding me back in life. I decided to train as a Cognitive Hypnotherapist as I experienced just how effective it was myself and wanted to help people who struggled like I did to overcome their eating disorder and body image issues so they can have their life back.

With funding being so stretched it is difficult to provide the right pacing of compassionate care with eating disorder treatment. Currently the NHS utilises CBT and CBT-E as their main form of treatment with Eating Disorders, which can be very helpful in breaking current behaviours. But more crucially, a person with an eating disorder needs to first feel safe which is where the use of hypnotherapy is most effective. With Cognitive Hypnotherapy I use elements of CBT whilst also working on where the symptoms began for the client, not just their current behaviours. I have witnessed many times that Cognitive Hypnotherapy has the combination of treatment that has been the missing link in someone's recovery.

How sessions work.

Within the framework of Cognitive Hypnotherapy I use a combination of coaching and hypnosis so not every session will be the same. I work with the individual in front of me and how their problem manifests itself as everyone is completely unique, therefore I treat the person, not the label.

I don’t use scripts and instead I utilise a client's own words within hypnosis in order to create the most effective and powerful change for them. I create bespoke WordWeaving recordings that are around 10 minutes for a client to listen to daily in addition to sessions that last between an hour to an hour and half.

The number of sessions completely depends on the individual, however with eating disorders it is likely to require a longer treatment plan. I allow my clients to contact me via whatsapp, text or email between sessions as it can provide them with the support they may need to keep the momentum going in their recovery. As part of the therapeutic process I very often include setting appropriate tasks for my clients in between sessions to help aid independence and change in their behaviour.

If you are struggling right now or someone close to you is, please feel free to contact me for a free no obligation chat to see how I can help you take control of your life, giving you the freedom to live the life you want to live.

You can contact me via my website or if you’d like to learn more about Cognitive Hypnotherapy take a look at Quest Cognitive Hypnotherapy Practitioners Association here.