How Many Sessions Will I Need?

First of all, the honest answer is: I don't know for sure. Everyone is different. Most clients benefit greatly from the use of Hypnoanalysis techniques to deal with the root causes of their problems. There seems little point in using suggestion therapy alone because the client still has the underlying root cause, and so their problem is likely to recur at a later date. I make it standard practice, therefore, to deal as thoroughly as possible with these underlying issues. This means that, for most problems, you should think in terms of around five sessions. Occasionally, there are clients who need longer.

Note that the actual number of sessions is greatly reduced by my use of two-hour sessions, rather than the usual one-hoursessions. In any session, there are a number of things that have to be done, both within and outwith hypnosis. These all take a finite amount of time.

• The client needs the opportunity to discuss the treatment, how they are feeling, etc.
• The state of hypnosis has be "induced".
• The hypnosis has to be "Deepened".
• There has to time spent on "ego-boosting" techniques. This helps the client to feel more able to confront the problem.
• The main "Hypnoanalysis" is carried out. This is the main part of the treatment.
• The client needs time to awaken.
• The next appointment is arranged and payment made.

My "slogan" is Are You Suffering?. I feel it is very important that the client feels that he or she has been listened to. My two-hour sessions allow much more time to be available to allow us to talk and to afford the client the opportunity explain how he or she is feeling. It also allows a very much greater amount of time to be devoted to addressing the actual problem. Many hypnotherapists plan on treatment lasting twelve to fifteen sessions.

If you have a phobia, for example, we use visualisation techniques where we gently expose you to the source of your fears. We need to do this gradually in order to build up your confidence without making it too distressing.

Some clients can suffer from so much anxiety that they initially find it difficult to relax sufficiently to allow themselves to go into anything but a light level of hypnosis. It may take an extra session or so to achieve the deeper levels needed for psycho-analysis techniques to be effective.