2. First session

(Prior to your visit, we will have talked briefly about your motivation for seeking a hypnotherapist, discussed any medical or psychological prerequisites, and reviewed the procedures for the first session.)

Step 1. (Paperwork and chat)

On your first visit, there will be some paperwork (e.g. client information, participation agreement, HIPA forms), and then we’ll just chat for a few minutes!

I’ll ask you more about your motivations, expectations and preconceptions. As we talk, you will find yourself already feeling calmer, relaxed and at ease. Any apprehensions or nervousness you may have had, will fade away as we both get to know each other better. 

Step 2.  (Model of the mind)

When you are ready, I’ll explain how hypnotherapy serves as an adjunct to medical or psychological treatments. We’ll look at a  model of how the conscious and subconscious mind works, and how what we believe influences the way we feel and behave.

Step 3.  (Light inductions and suggestions)

With your permission, I’ll ask you to relax, breathe, close your eyes and listen to my voice.  You’ll feel yourself calming, your respiration slowing, and a sense of deep relaxation washing over your body.  In just a couple of minutes, you will already begin feeling better!

I’ll then count to five,  you’ll open your eyes and be fully alert and aware again.  We’ll talk about how you felt, what you experienced, and if you had any concerns or questions for me.  Then, when you are ready, we’ll repeat that process, but this time, go into a deeper and more relaxed experience.

Your motivation for coming determines the remainder of the first session. For example, if you are coming for a specific anxiety issues (e.g. test taking), I may do a simple suggestion therapy technique where you hear positive affirmations and conditioning statements related to studying, learning and exams.  If you are coming to learn some pain management strategies, or how to overcome certain fears or phobias, our strategies will be more complex.

Step 4.  (Return and post-talk)

When you are ready, I’ll count again, and you will return to your full sense of awareness.  I’ll ask, again, how the experience was for you, and if you have any questions about the process or your reactions to it.  This post talk is an important time for us to adjust any future sessions to your specific preferences for language and imagery.

Most clients feel very, very relaxed and peaceful at the end of a session. In fact, many people feel as though they have had a long, restorative nap.  The fact is, they haven’t been asleep, but rather have experienced a deep and profound relaxation. They have loosened the painful connections to their conditions, and have begun the first step in re-establishing healthy links between their conscious and unconscious mind. 

Step 5.  (Additional sessions)

Your goals for hypnotherapy set our course. Depending on the severity of the issue, your motivation and committment to treatment, we may need to meet three or four times over the next month. In between sessions, you will learn some self-hypnosis techniques, listen to audio scripts I’ve created specifically for you, and practice positive, healthy thinking.