When people first use my therapy programmes it’s perfectly understandable they’ll have lots of questions about how everything works, so if you’re unsure about anything, do feel free to ask using the contact form.
These are the questions I’ve heard most often since I’ve been a therapist, so hopefully you’ll find the answers you’re looking for somewhere on this list. If your question hasn’t been answered here, please feel free to contact me through the website and I’ll be happy to explain things. Believe me, I asked a million questions (at least) while I was training, so I have plenty of answers to share!
Is it safe to go into hypnosis?
Absolutely: the routines I use have very strict safety procedures. You go into hypnosis using a deep relaxation technique and your exit is safe, monitored and controlled at all times.
Will I be under your power?
No, you’re always the one in charge. You can’t be forced to do anything and you can’t be taken into hypnosis against your will. It’s your experience and you’re always in control. Unlike stage hypnotists, I have no desire to make you do anything silly or humiliating, so the answer to the question I’ve been asked more than any other – ‘Will you turn me into a chicken?’ – is a definite ‘No.’
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
You can; everyone can. As long as you want to enter hypnosis, you will. It’s an easy, enjoyable and thoroughly relaxing experience.
Will I be asleep under hypnosis?
No you won’t. You’ll be fully awake and alert, aware of everything that’s happening throughout the session. At the end of your programme I’ll give your subconscious mind the option to wake you up or allow you to drift off to sleep so you can use it with confidence either during the day or at night.
Will I be able to drive afterwards?
Definitely. The last thing any good hypnotherapist wants is to do you harm, and obviously it would be very dangerous to let you drive while still hypnotised, so you can rest assured that you’ll be wide awake, fully alert, refreshed and relaxed in every way before you exit hypnosis. There are a number of strict safety procedures ensuring this, which I always follow to the letter.
What does hypnosis feel like?
You might be surprised to hear you already know the answer to this one, because you experience hypnosis many times every day: watching television, reading, driving, painting or doing anything that absorbs your attention is deeply hypnotic. The problem with this kind of hypnosis (natural hypnosis) is it’s unintentional and therefore, although it can be relaxing, it’s very unpredictable.
Hypnotherapy (using intended hypnosis) is an extremely safe, controlled way to access your subconscious mind and make profound changes quickly and easily. During hypnosis you’re deeply relaxed and comfortable, yet completely aware of everything going on around you, experiencing a pleasant feeling similar to daydreaming or drifting off to sleep. Many people fear being ‘out of control’ during hypnosis, but the truth is that you’re always in complete control of yourself and can come out of hypnosis whenever you want to. You’ll remember everything afterwards, and the words used in every subliminal session are there for you to read when ordering your programme.
During intended hypnosis you might feel warm, cool, heavy or light, or you might feel none of these things. It’s an entirely personal experience, and the most usual comment I get from clients afterwards is ‘I felt like I could open my eyes if I wanted to, but I couldn’t be bothered.’ So you can be sure that whatever you experience consciously, you’re doing just fine.
What’s the difference between a normal session and a subliminal session?
A normal session of hypnotherapy contains lots of powerful suggestions to deeply relax you, so you’ll need to take time out of your day to complete one and it can’t be used when you’re doing anything requiring your full attention, especially driving or operating machinery. Subliminal sessions contain no suggestions for sleep or relaxation, only positive affirmations, so these can be used while you’re doing something else like cooking, reading or watching TV. Don’t use them when you need your full attention on anything though, so definitely not while you’re driving.
Will the effects wear off over time?
Absolutely not; in fact you’ll find that with my therapy the opposite is true because the progressive hypnotherapy and psychotherapy techniques I practice are specially designed to become more and more powerful over time. They simply continue to work, quietly and consistently, in harmony with your subconscious mind, creating a beautiful ripple effect of positive change throughout your life.
Your subconscious mind has looked after you since before you were born, and it knows exactly how to keep you safe. It always has your best interests at heart and will make sure any changes happen at your own individual pace, easily and comfortably fitting them into your daily routines, making this a wonderfully smooth, automatic procedure. All you have to do is trust the process and enjoy the results.
Can your programmes do me any harm?
Not at all – they can only bring about safe, positive changes in your life. Many people get confused about what hypnotherapy actually is, thinking it’s the same as stage hypnosis or even some form of brainwashing, but honestly, it’s very different. I’m highly skilled in both hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, and everything I do is designed to help, not harm you.
Are there any age restrictions for using your programmes?
None at all. People of all ages have benefitted from my therapy sessions over the years, so feel free to use them no matter how old you are. If you’re worried you may be too young to use them, remember that the suggestions I use are carefully crafted to unfold and become more powerful over time, so starting young gives your subconscious mind some fantastic tools to use as you mature.
I’m not autistic; can I still use your programmes?
Yes, definitely. The important thing to remember is although the brains of people with autism may be wired differently to yours, I’m dealing with people’s minds, and all my programmes are designed to work for everybody. Autistic people have some very specific issues which I understand and focus on because it’s my specialist area, but my therapy works in exactly the same way for everyone, so it’s safe to use any of my programmes whether you have autism or not.
Can I share my programme with other people?
If you’re using a pre-recorded programme then lots of safety procedures will already be in place to make sure anyone can use it, so technically you can share these ones with others, but obviously I’d rather you didn’t! A percentage of the profits from every programme I sell go directly to my charity Autism All Stars, so sharing them around is a bit like buying one red nose for Comic Relief and letting everyone wear it. Feel free to recommend the programmes to everyone you meet though, and let them know where to buy their own, then everybody benefits.
How often can I use my programme?
The simple answer to this one is: as often as you like. You can’t overdose on these programmes so it’s entirely up to you how often you listen to them. What I would recommend though is that you use them at least once a day for the first two weeks, then once every other day for the following two.
Can I use more than one programme at the same time?
Definitely; I always mix and match programmes when I’m using them myself, so you can certainly do the same. All my therapy programmes are specifically designed to work with each other and each one supports and strengthens the others, so feel free to listen to any recordings you’ve got, in any order. Incidentally, this process of linking suggestions from one programme to another is called ‘Quantum Looping’ which, in part, inspired the name of my practice.
Will the programme still work if I fall asleep with it on?
Yes it will; in fact I highly recommend using your programme to help you relax and drift off to sleep at night. Your subconscious mind never sleeps, it’s always awake and working to keep you safe and secure, so listening to a therapy programme while you sleep is a great idea because your subconscious mind can absorb and use the suggestions I give it, without any conscious interference. Each session contains a suggestion for you to either wake up or go to sleep at the end, and your subconscious will decide which response is correct, so you can simply relax and enjoy your sleep.
If someone doesn’t speak, how can they understand what’s on your programmes?
I can see why people would ask this question, and the simple answer is that although many people with autism are non-verbal, they’re often aware of what’s being said to them, even if they can’t communicate this fact. The challenges they have with processing and translating language come from wiring issues within their brains, not their minds, which is often the cause of much of their anger and frustration. Everyone’s subconscious mind absorbs far more than they realise and the same goes for autistic people too. The subconscious communicates in all kinds of ways, many of which still aren’t fully understood, and over the years I’ve seen some remarkable changes happen in the lives of the non-verbal children and adults I’ve treated, so I know my therapy works in these instances, even if I can’t tell you exactly how just yet.
What kind of subjects do your programmes cover?
In the past I’ve written thousands of programmes covering everything from stopping smoking to curing phobias, but the ones I’ve put together for you here cover the things I feel can be most useful for people living with autism. There are eleven in total and all hypnotic programmes except one include a very discreet trigger you can use afterwards (no-one will realise you’re doing it) which are described in full in the instructions you’ll download with your programmes.