Hypnotherapist in Kent-choosing the right therapist

My name is Debbie O’Neill and I am a practising hypnotherapist in Kent (Whitstable).

In this article I would like to share some tips on choosing not just the right hypnotherapist, but the right THERAPIST for your needs.

Well it is the start of 2017 and I would like to start by wishing all my old clients, new clients and potential clients a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

As a practising hypnotherapist in Kent this is my busiest time of year. People have usually overindulged at Christmas on all the things they love, including food, alcohol, and cigarettes . Come the start of the new year they are feeling toxic, overweight and saturated .

The start of new year for a lot of people means the opportunity to start afresh , get rid of the old and bring in the new. This might mean concentrating on becoming more healthy by losing weight, giving up smoking, exercising more, addressing emotional problems and even getting rid of toxic relationships.

For some people it may mean addressing issues that have been holding them back or preventing them from moving forward in their lives. This could mean seeking help for depression and/or anxiety. It could be that a person has a  fear of flying and have decided that this is the year that they are going to take that much needed holiday. It could be that they have decided that they want to progress in their career and need help with their confidence  to enable them to speak publicly, or it may be that a person has low self esteem and they need  help getting to a point where they can love themselves .

Whatever the issue, some people are unable to overcome these issues on their own and may decide that they need professional help to move forward in their lives. But herein starts a dilemma for a lot of people.

Choosing the right therapist can be a minefield for people that have never been in therapy before. Some people may know that they want a hypnotherapist in Kent, but the dilemma then is which hypnotherapist to choose? For other people they  may not even know whether they need a hypnotherapist, a Psychologist, a Psychotherapist or a Psychiatrist! All they know is that they need help, and the choices can be mind boggling.

So in this article I am going to try and narrow things down a little and explain a  little about the main therapies available.

I cannot cover all therapies, so I will talk briefly about a few of the most successful  and therapies used by professionals today.

As a general guide psychological therapies include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, humanistic therapy, group therapy, mindfulness therapy, EMDR, hypnotherapy, and counselling.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Psychotherapies and counselling therapies are generally talking therapies where a qualified psychotherapist will help you to look at any past issues that may be affecting how you live your life in the present. These types of therapies generally mean that you will be discussing and reliving past traumas and trying to put them behind you so that you can move on from the past.  These kind of therapies are often used for resolving traumatic childhoods ,divorce ,bullying ,bereavement or any kind of unresolved traumatic experience that may have occurred in the past.

Of course not everyone wants to talk about their issues or problems so this kind of therapy is not for everyone. It is important to understand that if you start to see a psychotherapist and realise that reliving past trauma is traumatising you further, you should STOP therapy and find a therapy that is more suitable. Some trauma is too painful to talk about and new research has shown that talking about past trauma can in actual fact make things worse.

EMDR

EMDR is particularly effective for people that suffer with Post Traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

Post traumatic stress occurs after a person has suffered severe trauma in any form. Typically a person that is suffering from PTSD may suffer flashbacks, nightmares and display avoidance behaviours. Certain triggers can prompt the sufferer to continuously relive the traumatic event. When traumatic memories are not processed correctly this is when post traumatic stress occurs.

EMDR addresses  specific traumatic memories using eye movements and helps to process these memories correctly so that the sufferer stops re-living these memories again and again. EMDR may not be for everyone, as again, some people find it extremely painful and counterproductive to talk about the trauma they have endured.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY

Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on the here and now. A Cognitive behavioural therapist will not delve into your past or ask you to talk in detail about past trauma. A Cognitive Behavioural therapist will concentrate on what you want to change about yourself in the NOW and in the future. They will consider negative and dysfunctional thought patterns that are holding you back or affecting your life in a negative way, and they will work to change these thought patterns and improve your mental well being and your state of mind. Cognitive behavioural therapy is particularly beneficial for people that do not want to talk about or relive past trauma .

HYPNOTHERAPY

Hypnotherapy is a therapy that aims to change subconscious thought process  in order to change that way we act, think or feel. A hypnotherapist will relax the conscious part of your mind, in order to stimulate a heightened state of awareness in the  subconscious mind, which allows the subconscious to soak up positive suggestions like a sponge. Hypnotherapists believe that our conscious actions, thoughts and feelings are driven by our unconscious thoughts which become embedded and conditioned in our mind as we move through childhood to adulthood. By addressing these unconscious processes we can change how we act behave and feel on a conscious level. A good analogy for hypnotherapy is the iceberg. If you imagine the iceberg that sank the titanic – what lay beneath the water was huge in comparison to what could be seen above the water. The titanic had already hit the iceberg before they even saw what was above the water. The subconscious mind is very similar to an iceberg. It is the biggest part of the mind and the part that drives everything we do, it drives the conscious mind. Therefore changes made in the subconscious can affect huge conscious changes in our life .

Hypnotherapy when combined with any of the above therapies can be extremely effective .* Usually a hypnotherapist will be trained in one of the above therapies AS WELL as hypnotherapy. A cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist will address change in much the same way as a cognitive behavioural therapist but will use hypnotherapy as an adjunctive therapy which means a client’s issues are addressed consciously as well as subconsciously.

No matter what kind of therapist you decide is best for you, it is very important that you check their qualifications and that they are registered with the correct governing bodies . For practising psychotherapists this will be the the British association for psychotherapy and counselling (BACP). For hypnotherapists there are many governing bodies that claim to be THE governing body and many hypnotherapists may seem to have lots of bodies displayed on their website. However, if you are looking for a reputable and properly qualified hypnotherapist, the most important body to look for is the CNHC. This is the complementary and natural healthcare council and was set up with government support to protect the public. To this end only fully qualified and reputable hypnotherapists can be a member and display the logo on their website. ALWAYS look for this logo before considering therapy with a hypnotherapist. You can even check the CNHC register to ensure that the hypnotherapist you plan to use is in fact a member .

It is also important that you find a therapist that you feel comfortable with and that you are able to build a good relationship with. You will usually know this after the first session. If you feel intimidated , or in any way uncomfortable , do not be afraid to move on and change until you find a therapist that is right for you. Many clients make the mistake of continuing with the wrong therapist just because they think ‘they are the professional and they know best’, this is not the case. You HAVE to be comfortable with your therapist for positive change to take place.

Private therapy is not cheap, and like anything in life, you get what you pay for. If a therapist is offering very cheap rates it is probably because they are not properly qualified . Do check the credentials before booking an appointment. An unqualified therapist can do more harm than good.

Lastly, if you think you have severe mental health issues you may need to see a Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist. Both are highly trained specialists in mental health issues. A Clinical Psychologist will have specialist skills in dealing with mental specific  mental health issues , and a Psychiatrist can prescribe medication for mental health.

I hope that this article has been informative in helping you find a therapist to suit your needs. For more information on various therapies  NHS choices website is an excellent place to start with comprehensive information on mental health issue such as OCD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, stopping smoking, losing weight, and much more . I have added the link below for those that require more information.

http://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx.

Another good source of information is The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

https://www.nice.org.uk/

Hypnotherapist in Kent

I am a fully qualified Clinical hypnotherapist working with all issues. I hold a 2.1 Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology as well as Post graduate qualifications in hypnotherapy through the University of West London. I am registered  with the CNHC , The Hypnotherapy directory, as well as  The British School of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH). This is the only governing body where registered hypnotherapists hold University qualifications in hypnotherapy. If you are looking for a hypnotherapist in Kent you can be confident that I am a fully qualified, insured and ethical hypnotherapist registered with professional governing bodies and abiding by a strict code of conduct.

If you are looking for a hypnotherapist in Kent and would like to book in with me for Clinical hypnotherapy please look at my website treatment page to see a list of comprehensive treatments I offer.

I can be contacted on 01634 307030 or on enquiries@dohypnosiskent.co.uk to book in an appointment.

Please note results may vary from person to person. There are never guarantees when undergoing any form of therapy and for this reason we do not offer any guarantees for any of our hypnotherapy services. *