Does Hypnotherapy Work for Phobias?

It can work well for many phobias. A phobia is a fear reaction your mind has learned, and it fires faster than reason. In hypnosis you can approach the feared situation in your imagination while feeling calm, so that your mind can learn a different reaction. Many of my patients notice a change after the first session.

Why you cannot simply think a phobia away

People with a phobia usually know that the fear is out of proportion. You may know that the plane is safe or that the dog is friendly, yet your body reacts as if you were in danger. The reaction comes first and the thinking comes second, so arguing with yourself rarely helps. Avoiding the thing you fear brings relief, but it also keeps the fear alive, because your mind never gets the chance to learn that you are safe.

Phobias people often ask about

1. Flying.
2. Heights, balconies and glass lifts.
3. Needles, injections and blood tests.
4. Visiting the dentist.
5. Being sick, or seeing someone else being sick.
6. Enclosed spaces such as lifts or the Underground.
7. Spiders, dogs and other animals.
8. Driving, especially on motorways.

How a session for a phobia works

At the free consultation I ask when the fear began, what sets it off and what you would like to be able to do once it has eased. My aim is to find the core of the problem that triggers the fear, because two people with the same phobia rarely have the same story behind it.

Once you are deeply relaxed and feel safe, we approach the feared situation in your imagination, step by step and at your pace. I stay with you throughout, and you can stop at any moment. Where it helps, I combine hypnosis with techniques from NLP and CBT. Sessions take between one and two hours, depending on how you respond.

Do I have to face my fear in real life?

Not during the session. Everything we do happens in your imagination, so nothing is sprung on you. Afterwards many people like to test the change gently, for example by looking at a picture, booking a short flight or walking past a dog they would once have avoided. There is no rush, and you decide when you are ready.

Phobias that need extra care

1. If the sight of blood or needles makes you faint, tell me at the consultation and mention it to your GP as well.
2. If your phobia comes with panic attacks or began after a frightening event, mention it, so that we can plan the work properly.
3. Wider fears, such as fear of leaving the house or of social situations, can take longer to change than a fear of one thing.
4. My own safety rule applies here too: no hypnotherapy for people with epilepsy or for anyone who experiences hallucinations.

What it costs

A first session for a phobia currently costs £199, with any further session at £100. We begin with a free consultation, normally by video, and you can then have your sessions online or at my practice at 165 Borough High Street, London.

If a fear is shrinking your life, you can arrange a free consultation from the home page and tell me what you would like to do again.

I am Shahin Gurbanov, and I enjoy seeing patients do the things their phobia once stopped them from doing.