Frequently Asked Questions

No. Clinical hypnosis is a well-researched approach, and there’s no established evidence of harmful effects in healthy people. You stay awake, responsive and clear-headed throughout – it’s a state of focused attention rather than anything mysterious.

What you may have in mind is the picture painted by films and stage shows: loss of will, blackouts, someone else at the controls. That has nothing to do with what we’ll be doing. There’s more on this here.

What does matter is scope. I work with non-clinical concerns. Where there’s a mental health condition that needs treatment, hypnosis isn’t dangerous – but it would be irresponsible of me to offer it to you as a substitute for that treatment. We’ll sort that out in our first conversation.

No. This is the most persistent myth of the lot. Hypnosis is a voluntary going-along-with ideas and images – not unlike letting yourself fall into a good film. And just as with a film, you can step out at any moment: open your eyes, speak, stop.

Nobody can get you to do anything in hypnosis that goes against your values. Your inner gatekeeper doesn’t clock off – he just sits in his chair a bit more comfortably.

Then that’s a result we work with – not a failure, neither yours nor mine. People respond to suggestion to differing degrees; that’s normal and well documented. Often it isn’t a question of “hypnotisability” at all, but of fit: wrong topic, wrong imagery, wrong moment.

So we adjust. And sometimes the honest answer is that a different route would serve you better – I’ll tell you that openly too. Since I earn nothing from you, I’ve no reason to string you along or sell you further sessions.

What I can’t do, and won’t promise, is a guarantee. Anyone promising guaranteed results has left the ground the research stands on.

Yes – in my experience, particularly well. Hypnosis doesn’t require touch or any special room; it requires your attention on my words.

And that’s often easier to give at home in your own armchair than in an unfamiliar consulting room: familiar surroundings, no travel, no threshold to cross. All you need is a quiet, undisturbed space and a stable connection (see “Do I need to prepare?” in the section below).

1. First conversation (free, no obligation): we talk about what’s going on and work out whether it fits how I work. No hypnosis – just a conversation.
2. Booking: you secure your appointment with a $10 deposit (see below).
3. Before the session: I’ll email you everything you need to know, including any small preparations, if they’re useful for your particular strategy.
4. The session: we start by talking, then comes the hypnotic exercise, and afterwards we discuss how it went. Allow roughly [60–90] minutes.
5. Between sessions: you’ll usually take something away to practise on your own – normally a short self-hypnosis routine. That isn’t an optional extra; it’s central to the approach.
6. Afterwards: I ask you to make a donation to one of three charities (see below).

A structured conversation first – then, when it’s the right tool for the day, the hypnosis itself: a deeply pleasant state of focused attention, in which you stay awake and in control the whole time. I’ve dedicated a full page to walking you through it, step by step: 
What happens in a hypnotherapy session?

In terms of content: hardly at all. Anything useful for your session – having a specific positive memory to hand, for instance – I’ll let you know about by email in good time.

What you do need to sort out yourself is the setting:

• A quiet room where you’ll be undisturbed for the full session – not a room people walk through.
• No children, pets or housemates in the room; phone on silent, notifications off.
• A comfortable armchair or chair, headphones, a stable internet connection.

This isn’t fussiness. Hypnosis depends on focused attention – every interruption throws us back to the start and costs you the value of the session. We’re setting aside time for concentrated work towards your goal, and that deserves the same seriousness from both of us.

Five at most. That’s a deliberate choice. For the kinds of concerns I work with, it’s a realistic frame – cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy is a short-term approach, not a process that runs for years. The limit also protects the model: it means I can share my limited time fairly among everyone who gets in touch. And plenty of issues need considerably fewer than five sessions anyway.

In principle yes, but no longer under the donation model – continuing would mean a regular, paid arrangement, with terms we’d discuss individually. Whether it happens depends on whether we both think it makes sense. My standard stays exactly the same as before: if I think you don’t need further sessions, I’ll say so.

Possibly, yes – but we agree that beforehand, not afterwards. Mention it to me before the session if you’d like a recording. I reserve the right to charge a small fee, as preparing a recording involves additional work. Recording a session yourself without agreeing it first isn’t on, though – just as I record nothing without your consent.

The short version: I’m financially secure through other work and don’t need to earn from this. I do it because it fulfils me more than any other project I’ve taken on – and because I want to keep my practice running continuously until I eventually move into it full time.

There’s a tangible benefit in that for you: I have no incentive whatsoever to sell you anything. The longer version is here.

The deposit isn’t a price, it’s a hold on your appointment. A free offer unfortunately also attracts people who book a slot and then simply don’t turn up – and every no-show is a slot somebody else needed. The $10 makes sure your appointment means something to you.

Once you’ve attended your session, the deposit doesn’t come to me: it goes towards your donation to one of the three charities as a starting amount. So it costs you nothing – it simply changes purpose.

Cancel at least 24 hours beforehand and you’ll get the deposit back in full – or we simply reschedule, in which case it carries over to the new appointment. For later cancellations or no-shows, the deposit is retained and donated. Genuine emergencies are of course an exception – just drop me a message.

There’s no contract obliging you to, and no minimum amount. But: the donation is the deal. My work costs you nothing because, in place of a fee, an amount of your choosing goes to one of three charities – directly to them, not via me.

What you give depends on what you can afford and what the work was worth to you. A small amount counts too. And if you send me a quick bit of proof – a screenshot, say – I’m genuinely pleased: it shows me this model works.

Yes, entirely. Everything you share with me stays between us. I don’t record sessions, I don’t pass anything on to third parties, and I don’t use your material as case examples – not even anonymised, unless you’ve expressly agreed to it.

Anyone whose concerns require treatment: diagnosed mental health conditions, acute crises, the effects of trauma, addiction. That belongs in medical or psychological care – and this offer isn’t a stopgap while you wait for a therapy place either.

If our first conversation gives me the impression that your issue belongs there, I’ll tell you plainly. That isn’t a rejection; it’s part of working responsibly.