The setting:    lunch time in a cosy, local bistro with foodies.

Acquaintance:  And what do you do?

Me:                    I’m a hypnotherapist.

Acquaintance:  But hypnosis does NOT work.

I stared in disbelief at him. How could it not work when I’ve had so many successes to date. After hearing his story, I had to agree, up to a point. He wanted to lose weight but his therapist did not explore his emotional hunger (he admits he comfort eats) nor his lifestyle., is it sedentary, does he exercise, if so, how much and how often? Losing weight is much more complex than quitting smoking.

From my experience, the general public usually associate hypnotherapy with the therapist giving them suggestions whist in a relaxed state.  Suggestion therapy works for confidence building, smoking, weight management, exam nerves, nail biting but only if there is no emotional cause that is driving that behavior or habit. The other strand of hypnotherapy -hypnoanalysis looks at the cause of the problem and thereby resolves it, to its best ability.

Why it’s not easy to quit?

I have met many ex smokers who gave up the habit through sheer will power or who have had just one session of suggestion therapy/hypnosis. I have also seen clients who have tried acupuncture, nicotine patches and even hypnosis, but couldn’t break free at all.  Mind you, not because they are weak in any way, shape or form but, unknowingly, are using cigarettes as a psychological crutch to prop them up. Cigarettes also serve as a smokescreen to cover up that nebulous feeling of restlessness that’s so hard to put a finger on, to define. They think in their own minds, that cigarettes help them to de stress. They hold that thought and feel good when they light up (the power of the mind eh?) but their body, however tells a different story.

Some of my clients think of cigarettes as a friend and are afraid that they will be losing a friend when they stop smoking. But what has this “friend” done for you? Besides costing thousands of pounds, this “friend” has lied to you and has had power over you and is making you ill in the long run. Once upon a time, perhaps cigarettes gave you confidence, made you feel grown up, but do you still need to feel this way now? Do you still want to hang on to this destructive friendship? Or is it time to let go? When?

When you decide to quit smoking of your own accord, hypnotherapy gives you the ‘push’ you need to break free. But if you are doing it to please a significant someone, you may give up for a short period of time. When stress hits you, you’ll conveniently pick up that habit again because deep down you are not ready to say goodbye to cigarettes as yet.

What’s on offer?

Hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety offers 3 sessions of hypnotherapy to help smokers get free from the smoking habit. We look at:

• the beliefs you hold around smoking,
• explore any resistance to giving up and
• assist you in setting tangible and compelling reasons to quit.

Some clients prefer to explore and get rid of their psychological crutch for good, so they can be free, in every way – Free to live adaptively in the present whilst reaching out confidently for a brighter and happier tomorrow. Hence gaining control and taking charge of their life once again.

#Charlie Gilmour, a journalist has this to say, “If you are giving up this month, try not to feel depressed or deprived. Cigarettes might seem like a crutch when you’re struggling to get along – but it’s smoking that knocked the wind out of you in the first place.”

If you’ll like some support, some help with giving up or to find out more about hypnotherapy and what it can offer, please email me: adeline@hypnotherapist-london.com.  Thank you.