Frequently asked questions

• Is Hypnotherapy mind control
No, absolutely not. Hypnosis is a trans state in which you are very relaxed and open to new idea’s. However you are still in control, not the therapist. No on can make you do anything that you don’t want to do, or anything that is ‘out of character’ (see below about TV hypnotists) or which you believe is wrong. You might have seen films in which people are ‘hypnotised’ to kill people on command, often by remote control. Well I’ve seen Godzilla in a film but I don’t expect to see him on the 9 o’clock news. Its just fiction. Hypnotherapy is safe, effective and usually enjoyable.


• What will happen if I book a session
You will come to my practice in a quiet suburban road with plenty of on road parking and privacy. A therapist will have a chat with you about what you have come to get help with and agree with you the best way to help you. If we agree on hypnotherapy, then you will be asked to relax in a chair (perhaps with its massage function turned on, and some soft music) and be asked to listen to a therapist guide you through some visualisations, perhaps given some new idea’s to consider. It is likely you will then be given some things to try at home, perhaps learning self hypnosis. You may come back for a number of sessions to work through a plan to get some real changes in your life. Most people come for between 2 and 6 sessions.

• Can hypnotherapy do any harm
I wouldn’t practice it if hypnosis was harmful. The worst that can happen is that you feel a bit emotional or tired afterwards. Hypnosis is natural normal and enjoyable, a really effective way to make changes. Also a therapist can only do what you have given them permission to do ie help you stop smoking so if something else occurs your subconscious will override it, to protect you.

• Will this be like the hypnotists I’ve seen on TV.
No, it won’t. Professional stage hypnotists choose subjects who are likely to do outrageous things, because its in their nature. They don’t force them, its natural to them (whether they want to admit it or not). Also stage hypnotists are very good at their job and give a professional performance; they manage the performance of their subjects as well. Also, the subject gives the stage hypnotist to make them perform. In a therapy setting the permission the client gives is specific to helping you, not making you dance like a chicken.

• How many sessions would I need to book
Your first consultation session (30 minutes) is free, just for you to find out if this is what you want to do. After that if you choose to proceed, we will discuss how many sessions we (you and your therapist) think it’s likely to take to make a difference for you. Obviously if you think its to many you don’t have to go ahead the choice is yours. The things that will help determine the number of sessions are the complexity of the issue, the length of time you’ve have the problem, and what is its underlying cause.

• Can you guarantee success
No, no one can guarantee success in solving any problem. I can guarantee that if I don’t think I can help I will tell you at the start and let you choose what to do. Sometimes we think we want to change but really deep down we can feel quiet comfortable with our habits, so the extent to which you are genuinely committed to change will make a big difference to your success in changing. This means that sometimes before we actually start working on your change we might do some work on your motivation. You increase your chances of success by; being honest with your therapist, by cooperating in the sessions and by doing any follow up work that is suggested.



• Can anyone be hypnotised
Most people can be hypnotised though it’s true to say that some people are much easier to hypnotise than others. The key is, do you want to be hypnotised. Do you think you would enjoy relaxing and listening to music or to someone talking quietly to you while you drift around in a peaceful sleepy way. I enjoy hypnosis and most of my clients agree it’s quite a gentle way to spend some time.

• What’s coaching and who does it help
Coaching is not new, it’s been around as long as we have. We coach someone when we help them to bring about improvements in their life of performance. Athletes have coaching to improve their technique, footballers to improve their game and actors to improve their performance. A coach is a person with skills in coaching not necessarily in athletics or acting. A professional coach not a professional footballer coaches most professional athletes.

Coaching is a powerful relationship between two people, one of whom acts as a guide and coaches the other towards a specific improvement. Dream Futures offers a wide range of coaching services. Go to our ‘about Coaching’ page for more info.