Hypnotherapy in London and South Bucks. All our clinics are fully open. Appointments available online and face to face.
What happens at the initial treatment appointment?
2 hour initial appointment
We do a 2-hour initial appointment because it gives us enough time to do the checks and protocols as required by the GHR & GHSC and a good amount of work.
Medical History and Patient Questionnaire forms
We’re required to have a completed Medical History form which we’ll check through at the appointment, GDPR consent (General Data Protection Regulation). And the Patient Questionnaire which gives us information about the problem you want help with, how it affects you and any previous treatment you may have had.
These will be emailed to you with your booking confirmation. Please complete them in advance as doing so will same valuable time at the appointment. Enabling us to spend more time focused on helping you.
For some patients, we are the first point of treatment and other patients come to us having tried several other forms of treatment.
Regardless of whether you’re new to treatment or have tried other things we’ll start at the beginning and check everything properly to give us a baseline to calibrate from.
We take a more effective approach
If you’ve previously had counselling or traditional psychotherapy an important difference with our treatment is that we don’t go digging around in the past looking for deep hidden meaning. Nor do we delve into personal detail or past trauma.
Although the past can be interesting, neuroscience has proved that re-living past issues and traumas doesn’t actually help people resolve fear.
In fact in many cases continually reliving past traumas is not only painful for the patient and also tends to reinforce the problem.
So, we DO NOT do it.
Instead, we work with process. Because this is where we can create change.
The initial appointment allows us to get to know you and find out about how the problem functions.
We’ll also find out more about what you want to achieve from treatment. And make sure your desired outcome is realistic and achievable.
The Clinical Hypnotherapy we use comprises elements from several very effective therapies including NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Provocative Therapy, Quantum Psychology, Behaviourist Therapy, Neuroscience, Gestalt Therapy, Psychotherapy & Psychodynamic approaches, TimeLine Therapy and Ericksonian Hypnosis.
The work is generally fast and always Solution Focused. At times we may be a little cheeky or a bit Provocative to challenge ideas, check responses and generate change. Many patients find the sessions enjoyable and light-hearted.
Unless the patient is a doctor or medical qualified (yes our patents include GPs, surgeons, psychotherapists, counsellors and psychiatrists.) we avoid using complicated medical terms. And as much as possible, we’ll use language that you can understand. And at a level, you’re comfortable with.
Please note that at all points during the appointment, you’re in control.
Because everyone is different, at this stage we can’t say which particular techniques we’ll use to help you. First, we need to understand the issue you want us to help you overcome as that will determine how we work with you.
Due to the nature of what we’re dealing with, we can’t do an MRI or CT scan to see what’s causing the problem. The only way we can find out is by talking and asking questions.
We understand that for some people what we’re discussing can be emotional or upsetting. And is why we largely avoid going into content and instead work with process.
Communication is very important. Please talk to us. If at any point we use terms you don’t understand or language that you’re uncomfortable with or if there’s anything you’re unhappy about, please tell us during the appointment and we’ll adjust how we do things.
We want you to be comfortable and for your treatment to be successful.
We’ll explain what Clinical Hypnosis is and that at all times you’re in control. We’ll do some gentle hypnosis so you can feel comfortable with it.
We’ll also teach you some self-hypnosis.
We’ll talk through the issues you want help with to enable us to understand what’s happening. And start doing some work to find out what you respond to the best.
Our aim is that by the end of the initial appointment you feel you have a better understanding of what’s causing the problem. Able to experience a reduction in symptoms or a noticeable improvement. And feel you’re gaining skills and tools that will help you.
Because Neurophysiological learning works best when it’s done quickly, the aim is always to help you make a lasting recovery in the least number of sessions possible.
This has hopefully given you a general overview of what typically happens at the initial appointment.
If you have any specific questions please call us on 0203 086 8444 or use the contact form below. We’d be delighted to answer your questions.
WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
Every year we help more people overcome fear of flying. Discover how we can help you on your journey towards recovery and wellbeing today.
Google reviews for
PhobiaGone
10 Harley Street, London
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Paul provided hypnotherapy for my 10 year daughter who was suffering from OCD. The OCD was very severe and it impacted daily life significantly, for my child and our family. Paul's approach was highly impactful, we had a few sessions … More before my daughter was able to learn how to navigate her scary thoughts and to replace them with happier thoughts. I can only describe Paul and his work as wonderful, highly skilled and able to support my daughter stop her OCD rituals. I regularly spoke to Paul during the sessions, he provided support and guidance after each session to ensure we remained on track. Paul is very empathetic, kind and was able to build trust with my 10 year old which was not easy. I am forever grateful for Paul's support in helping my daughter overcome OCD, she is now flourishing thanks to his support. Thank you so much for the past few months, we are truly grateful. -
15 years ago Paul treated me for issues I had been suffering with just about all my life, unable to move on or deal with issues from childhood to then. In the 2 sessions I had (the second was more of a check up although from the first session … More it was feared it would take more than one session), it changed my life completely and almost overnight. Previously I had been living in a constant vicious circle, on anti depressants for 14 years, suffered with anxiety issues and was rapidly developing an alcohol problem. Thanks to Pauls therapy I have not been on any medications since, and see life in a very different way. Absolute game changer!
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If you have a fear of needles, injections or blood tests, I urge you to see Paul. I had a crippling phobia that would keep me up at night for my entire adult life. After one session with Paul, I came away feeling confident I could have … More a blood test. Sure enough, I had my first blood test days later feeling calm and in control. I cannot believe how well his methods worked, it's honestly lifechanging! Thank you Paul, I cannot recommend you enough!
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It was good experience and it helped me a lot to overcome my anxiety. On my first session it feels like I manage to get over with anxiousness but with life situation it will require a little bit of mind retuning. Thanks Paul for accommodating … More my last minute appointment to help me overcome my anxiety when doing my practical driving test. It helps me to calm down and focus on my test.
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I was desperate for help with my claustrophobia when I came across Paul online. After reading the reviews, I knew it was something I wanted to try.
I had one 2 hour session with Paul (just over a week ago) and my life has changed forever! … More I didn’t expect to see such amazing results this quickly.
Paul has been extremely attentive and checked on my progress many times via email or phone calls since my appointment. As someone that struggles to relax, I was really worried that it wouldn’t work for me, but Paul’s calm and friendly nature allowed me to relax and get the best out of my treatment.
The things that used to impact my life are becoming easier and even enjoyable. Paul taught me the valuable steps to help myself; manage how I think and take back control to get FREEDOM!
Thank you so much, Paul. I highly recommend his service to anyone. -
Paul was really welcoming, very understanding and knowledgable. I made so much progress after the first session and I was amazed at how calm I felt. I came to Paul for help with a fear of dogs that I thought would never improve but I am … More so impressed with the progress I have made. My Family and friends can't believe the difference and Paul gave me so much confidence that I could be calm in the presence of a dog and able to assess the situation calmly and react accordingly. Paul is great at managing your expectations and explaining how everything works.
I'm so glad I did this and Paul is really amazing! -
I had been seeking help for panic attacks for a few years and found that nothing really worked…until a friend recommended Paul. In one 2 hour session, he has completely changed my life. I haven’t had a panic attack since and the anxiety … More I would feel between the panic attacks has also gone. Paul has been incredibly attentive, with multiple follow up calls, emails and another session I haven’t yet needed, to keep up to date with my progress. I couldn’t recommend him more.
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Paul is an absolute Master of his craft and deals with his customers and families in an inclusive way.
The support that he gave was linked to real world scenarios and within a few weeks (just a session a week) had developed a far more … More appropriate mindset where he accepted anxiety for what it is and learned how to manage it and focus on the positive aspects of life.
I can't thank Paul enough and I would recommend his services to anyone.
