Conditions we Treat

Anxiety

Severe anxiety is a common problem for many people and it is very damaging to health exposed to it for long periods at a time. When people are exposed to a high level of anxiety this may lead to panic attacks and people can experience a variety of very unpleasant symptoms. As with anxiety, the panic attacks are a sign of an underlying emotional problem. It is essential that the cause of the anxiety is investigated and treated by a skilled therapist.

Bruxism

Bruxism is a condition that involves the persistent grinding of teeth during sleep. It is an unconscious habit that is often caused by underlying stress, anger or rage. If left untreated lead to damage to teeth and gums.

Blushing

Blushing is an unconscious, physical reaction to certain situations. It is a symptiom of anxiety which can be distressing. Blushing can have a negative impact on social interaction and can often lead to avoidance of situations. Blushing responds very well to hypnosis and during therapy the patient is encouraged to rehearse the situations when the symptoms are likely to occur.

Childbirth/HypnoBirthing®

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Confidence/Ego Issues

Confidence anxiety often produces a variety of symptoms which are often so distressing that a person may be forced to avoid certain situations altogether. These symptoms may include panic, excessive sweating and feelings of terror. Confidence anxiety responds particularly well to hypnotherapy with extremely good results for all forms of confidence issues and ego boosting.

Depression

Patients who are depressed may show their condition in many different ways. Some feel unhappy or miserable and in extreme cases this can result in self harm. People who are living with depression often complain of insomnia, inability to concentrate, or irritability. Hypnotherapy has proved to be very helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders come in many forms, however Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are well known. Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa are extreme low body weight, body image distortion accompanied with an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Bulimia Nervosa is secretive excessive eating followed by inappropriate methods of weight control such as self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diuretics or excessive exercise. Another well known condition is Binge Eating, which is a secret addiction of obsessive out of control eating leading to self loathing. The AKL team can help by investigating the root causes of these disorders and planning positive strategies for coping. Hypnotherapy also strengthens a patient’s confidence and assertiveness so that they are less likely to feel vunerable.

Exam Nerves

Most people experience some degree of anxiety about exams. Whilst a certain amount of exam stress is and can be used as a motivating force, it is important to keep on top of exam anxiety. Our body already has natural mechanisms to handle the kind of stress associated with exams, but occasionally they need help in operating properly. Hypnotherapy has extremely good results for all forms of performance anxiety.

Insomnia

Patients who have difficulty sleeping fall into two main categories: those who have difficulty getting off to sleep and those who get to sleep easily but wake during the night and cannot get back to sleep again. Hypnosis is an extremely effective way of treating insomnia and many patients find that they can conquer their insomnia. During the treatment sessions the patient is taught self hypnosis and is encouraged to use this on a daily basis particularly when preparing to go to sleep or when they wake in the middle of the night.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Research shows that 1 in 5 people are troubled from irritable bowel syndrome. Often when symptoms become severe enough to interfere with their life, a person will seek treatment. The symptoms of IBS can vary but include frequency of bowel action, abdominal pain and bloating. Hypnotherapy is an extremely effective form of treatment and many patients have reported a considerable reduction in their symptoms, even in severe cases.

Nail Biting

People who bite their fingernails often start this habit in childhood and continue into adult life. The problem is often so severe that the nails are bitten right down causing bleeding and pain. Hypnosis can be very helpful in treating this distressing problem. During the course of the treatment the patient is given powerful suggestions that they will no longer have the need to bite or tear their fingernails. The treatment results are excellent after only 3-4 sessions.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Patients who suffer from OCD usually have a rigid personality structure. Their lives can be dominated by thoughts or actions, which are repetitive in nature. Those who perform repetitive actions often have a particular sequence that they must carry out in an exact order; this is referred to as a “ritual”. If this ritual (for example, repeatedly checking gas taps, water taps, plugs, the cooker or the locks on doors) is interfered with in any way, it may be necessary for the individual to start from the beginning once more. As the treatment progresses the patient gains trust in the therapist, and is able to reduce the obsession behaviour one step at a time.

Pain Management

Pain is the body’s way of telling you that there is something wrong. It is therefore important that the cause of the pain is thoroughly investigated and the appropriate treatment given. However, hypnosis can be used to help relieve pain in those patients where standard treatments have proved to be ineffective. This is particularly evident in the severe pain associated with cancer and in conditions involving bone disease. Hypnosis is widely used in dentistry both for the relief of anxiety and the control of pain and is becoming more widely accepted as an alternative to anaesthesia for surgery.

Panic Attacks

When people are dealing with high levels of anxiety this can lead to panic situations and a person may experience a variety of very unpleasant symptoms such as palpitations, sweating and feelings of helplessness. In addition excessive over breathing may lead to pins and needles in the hands and feet, which causes further stress. Panic attacks are a sign of an underlying emotional problem and it is essential that the cause of the anxiety is investigated and treated by a skilled therapist. If left untreated the situation in which they occur becomes associated with the anxiety and the person may well avoid that situation leading to a full blown phobia.

Phobias

The term phobia is used to describe a condition when a person is terrified of an object or situation that other people accept as harmless. The fear often leads to avoidance of the feared situation or object which can increase the severity of the phobia. Hypnosis can be extremely helpful in the treatment of phobic disorders such as the following examples:

Animal Phobia; Bird Phobia; Dental Phobia; Driving Phobia; Examination Phobia; Flying Phobia; Heat Phobia; Injection Phobia; Insect Phobia; Traffic Phobia; Wasp Phobia; Water Phobia

Sexual Issues

Men who suffer from impotence fall into two categories. Those whose impotence is life long and those who have acquired the problem. It is important to take a careful history to determine the onset of the problem and to try to discover if there is any known reason why it developed at that time. Hypnotherapy is the treatment of choice for acquired impotence and has been shown to be highly effective. Patients who have never been able to achieve an adequate erection will require on going regular once a week therapy as this is a much more complex problem.

Smoking Cessation

Stopping smoking by hypnosis achieves excellent results because it removes the craving for cigarettes. An important part of the treatment is learning to carry out self-hypnosis, which is taught during the treatment session and used by the patient at home each day to reinforce the treatment. Most people find that they are able to stop smoking after two or three sessions while those who are highly motivated will often stop after a single treatment session.

Stress Reduction

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Weight Loss

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Work/Sports Performance

Hypnosis is extremely valuable in the enhancement of all sports activities. It has been proven that the performance of accomplished athletes will improve if they practice their sport in their minds using self hypnosis before the event. Hypnosis has been extremely effective for motivating performance to a point of excellence. There are many records that indicate that top sports people have found hypnosis to be extremely valuable.