Children and Young People

I have experience of working with children as young as six years, as well as teenagers and young adults. Children tend to have great imaginations and are often easily able to visualise and take themselves to a world of make-believe and fantasy! This ability can be a great advantage in experiencing hypnosis and can be utilised to engage a child’s subconscious: invaluable in achieving goals.

Because I work with children, I have an Enhanced Certificate issued by the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). The DBS is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office. DBS checks were previously known as CRB, or criminal record checks.

A DBS certificate is an official record showing any criminal convictions a person has (if they have any at all). DBS checks help to ensure that people are making the right decisions when deciding to work with a professional therapist they do not know. DBS checks are especially important in finding suitable people to work with vulnerable groups, including children.

Other Information

Additionally, I’m an Anxiety UK Approved Therapist providing therapeutic support to the charity’s members and partner beneficiaries. I am subject to Anxiety UK’s regular monitoring of my professional qualifications, supervision, continual professional development, insurance and professional body membership, in addition to complying with the ethical framework and professional standards set down by my governing body (The British Society of Clinical Hypnosis).

 

I have particular experience in treating a range of anxiety disorders and have carried out primary research into how Paramedics experience stress and anxiety and how hypnotherapy could help.

 

I have experience of combining various other therapies into my approach, including ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy); combining a traditional style of hypnotherapy with a modern methodology.

 

The use of hypnosis in Pain Management

Pain can be a complicated issue and we all experience pain differently. It can be difficult to treat and conventional approaches using painkillers are not always effective. Of course, the starting point will be to see your GP and indeed chronic pain is one of the most common reasons for seeking medical attention. Yet it often persists, despite treatment with painkillers and physical therapy. It is also the most common reason for the use of complementary therapies (Astin, 1998; Eisenberg et al., 1993), such as hypnotherapy.

The last twenty years has seen a growth in research and evidence to support the use of hypnosis in the management of chronic pain.

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for more than six months and includes, for example, lower back pain and osteoarthritis. Any type of chronic pain can lead to considerable suffering, physical limitations and emotional distress. According to research by Fayaz et al., (2015), chronic pain affects between one third and one half (33% – 50%) of the UK population – corresponding to just under 28 million adults – and this figure is likely to increase due to our ageing population.

Research by Elkins et al., (2007) reviewed a number of clinical trials of hypnosis in the management of chronic pain relating to:

Cancer Pain
Low-back Pain
Arthritis Pain
Sickle Cell Disease
Temporomandibular Pain
Fibromyalgia
Disability-Related Pain
Mixed Chronic-Pain Problems

Their review concluded that hypnosis for chronic pain, results in “significant reductions in perceived pain” and the beneficial results can last for several months. They also found that the use of hypnosis in treating chronic pain can be more effective in some cases than other treatments, such as physical therapy.

In addition to relieving the perception of pain itself, hypnosis can help with improving independence and providing support in coping with the emotional implications of chronic pain. Often, stress and anxiety play a major role in exacerbating pain and in these cases the benefits of hypnosis should not be underestimated – it’s an effective tool for relaxation generally but also, in cases of chronic pain, hypnosis can be used to relax the nervous system and help it become less reactive to pain.

 

Blogs:

Hypnotherapy: building resilience and overcoming anxiety – Part 1

Hypnotherapy: building resilience and overcoming anxiety, Part 2

The Power of Self-Hypnosis

Why using hypnosis to improve your golf should be par for the course

Hypnotherapy for Anxiety and Depression

Winning the Mind Game – Part 1: Denise Brazier & Rachel Deakin

Winning the Mind Game – Part 2: Jade Donnelly

 

 

Last Updated 6 April 2022