Treating Phobias at Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic

by Mary_Nathan

Published on: July 26, 2011

Categories: Hypnotherapy

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What is a Phobia?

A phobia is an irrational fear of something which, in fact, poses very little danger to the sufferer. He or she knows that this fear is illogical but is unable to control the panic and anxiety which when confronted with the phobia is completely overwhelming. The panic and terror is automatic and often prevents people from doing ordinary things they would love to do.The most common phobias are:

• Fear of spiders

• Fear of flying

• Fear of needles

• Fear of dogs

• Fear of public speaking

• Fear of illness

• Fear of enclosed spaces

• Fear of open spaces

• Fear of heights

This is just a brief list of the most common cases we have treated at Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic but in reality people could and do have phobias about anything.

What is the difference between a normal fear and a phobia?

Fear is a useful tool to have because it protects us from/in dangerous situations. It is an adaptive human response and is there for protective purposes … bring our “fight-or-flight” response into play when needed. For example, it is normal to feel fear if facing a wild tiger, but should the same fear be experienced when facing a domestic cat? For a person suffering from a cat phobia the same rush of anxiety and fear would catapult them into an immediate state of panic which to a cat lover seems totally irrational or bizarre.

What is the difference between a normal fear and a phobia? Fear is a useful tool to have because it protects us from/in dangerous situations. It is an adaptive human response and is there for protective purposes … bring our “fight-or-flight” response into play when needed. For example, it is normal to feel fear if facing a wild tiger. But should the same fear be experienced when facing a domestic cat? For a person suffering from a cat phobia the same rush of anxiety and fear would catapult them into an immediate state of panic which to a cat lover seems totally irrational or bizarre.

Common Phobia signs and symptoms:

• Palpitations and pounding of heart and increased heart beat

• Dizziness, feeling faint

• Trembling body

• Sweating

• Nausea

• Fear of losing control

• Throat closing up

• Loud noises in ears

Some people suffer from a couple of these symptoms and others suffer them all and more!

How can Hypnotherapy help with phobias?

Most clients who visit our clinic have phobias which can be successfully treated with three sessions of Suggestion Therapy.

The First Session is Information Gathering, during this session I ask many questions about the client’s background, the history of the phobia and the changes the client wishes to make in his/her life. The client learns Self-hypnosis during this 2 hour session and this starts the client on the road to freedom!

The Second Session is a Suggestion Therapy Session during which the client is guided into a state of hypnosis and positive life changing suggestions are given. The hypnotic state, which is simply a state of relaxation during which the analytical mind is relaxed and the subconscious mind comes to the fore, allows the client to readily accept the positive suggestions for change which s/he has already stated in the first session. This therapy is about empowerment … allowing the client take responsibility for their own life, thoughts feelings and behaviour.

From the information I gather in the first session I make a personalised CD for each client. This CD is of benefit only to the person it has been made for because it contains positive suggestions relating to what the client specifically stated in session one. This CD is given to the client at the end of the second session and I request that the client take responsibility for playing this every night for a minimum of 90 nights.

The Third Session may contain any or some of the following techniques: Fast Phobia Cure, Pin Point Analysis, Traumatic Incident Reduction, The Swish Technique and or Healing the Inner Child. This session depends of the individual client and what they present in session.

A phobia is by its very nature debilitating and may limit a person hugely, restricting job promotion, travel, social life and many other aspects of life. Sometimes there is an emotional root cause that needs to be looked at before the phobia is cured. If this is the case then Analytical Hypnotherapy is the route we would promote. An example of this may be Tokophobia , (to mention just one )… which is a fear of pregnancy and/or giving birth. If there is an emotional root cause it would be like putting a plaster on an infected wound without cleaning it to do Suggestion Therapy alone. Analytical Therapy requires a minimum of 12 sessions, for more information please look at our webpage explaining the difference between both therapies.

Hypnotherapy lends itself very well to the treatment of phobias in people of all ages. All it takes is the client choosing to embrace positive changes in his or her life and trusting that all will go well.

Hypnosis for Life Video from YouTube

Following is a video created by Clinical Hypnotherapists Xavier and Mary Nathan who both own and run their own private hypnotherapy practice in Peel, in the Isle of Man; Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic. The video explains explains hypnosis and the role it plays in the therapy they provide.