depression
Depression is one of the most serious disorders and can be psychological or clinical in nature. If the sufferer becomes depressed for no apparent reason there may be a chemical imbalance at work that can be treated, in a relatively straight-forward manner, with appropriate medication. If, on the other hand, the depression has been triggered by previous events or a current situation, Psychotherapy can be highly effective. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be deployed to enable the sufferer to view the negative situation in a different and ultimately more thought provoking (and maybe positive) light while Hypnotherapy will help unearth and subsequently address problems that have been buried in the past. Together with stress, many of our clients have come to us with issues of depression.

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post-traumatic stress
Post-Traumatic Stress is the development of disabling psychological symptoms that follow a traumatic event and can start immediately after the occurrence or take months or even years to surface. Repetitive thought about the incident/s, flashbacks, nightmares, a lack of interest in the sufferer's daily life and well-being and becoming increasingly out of touch with his or her own feelings are common-place. It is a serious condition which left untreated can become permanent. Again, CBT can be effectively utilised to focus on the negative trigger so that the traumatic event can be isolated and framed in such a way as to dissipate the impact it has so devastatingly created.

obsessive/compulsive disorders(OCD)
Recurring ideas (obsessions) can lead to repetitive behaviours. When combined, the affliction is called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. The three most common compulsions are continuous washing, counting and checking/confirming. Some people are amused when they observe a sufferer checking ten times an hour that the door is locked, or washing his or her hands twenty times a day but it is by no means funny to the sufferer who can be imprisoned. in what one client recently described to us, as a "waking nightmare" Further research needs to be conducted in relation to OCD. Medication such as Clomipramine and Fluoxetine have been proven to be successful in overcoming OCD, though exposure and response prevention, as explained in the psychotherapeutic session, can be equally (or if not more in our opinion) effective.

cannabis addiction
Cannabis is at least as damaging to one's health as smoking - perhaps even more so as the smoke from a typical joint is inhaled into the lungs more deeply than it would be if drawn from a straight cigarette. In addition, it has different psychological disturbances that usually occur over an extended period of time. Understanding the drug and addressing not only its usage but the dependency of its supply is of paramount importance when helping people overcome this increasingly common addiction. In addition to the actual hypnotherapy, we will discuss some of the following areas:

He is NOT your "mate" - Your relationship with your dealer/s

Running low/running out of gear

The FEAR factor of non-supply

What happens when you continue taking Cannabis
(short and long-term effects)

Strategies for post-addiction survival

stage fright/performance anxiety
Even the most effective of speakers, or the most accomplished of musicians can suffer from Stage Fright. A sudden tidal wave of fear can strike the sufferer weeks, days, hours or even minutes before a performance. Stage Fright can be cured relatively easily if there are no major problems underlying the condition. Our technique, which has as its central premise that you are only ever addressing one person - no matter how many people there are in the audience, has helped many clients overcome this problem.

Performance Anxiety differs slightly to Stage Fright in so far as the musician or actor is more concerned by the opinion of his or her fellow musicians/actors than with playing to an audience. Sufferers are, generally speaking, perfectionists who tend to care more about the quality of their own performance than with other contributory factors. Whether suffering from Stage Fright, Performance Anxiety or a mixture of the two, we guarantee that we can help you.

In the meantime, the British Assocation for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) has produced some useful tips on the subject of Stage Fright. These can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

Stage Fright: I Can't Go On!

eating disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by severe disturbances in eating behaviour. The practice of an eating disorder can be viewed as a survival mechanism. Just as an alcoholic uses alcohol to cope, people with eating disorders can use eating, purging or restricting to deal with their problems. Some of the underlying issues that are associated with an eating disorder include low self-esteem, depression, feelings of loss of control, feelings of worthlessness, identity concerns, family communication problems and an inability to cope with emotions.

smoking
It is really not for us to point out the damage that smoking can do to a person's health as smokers know only too well the harm it can do. We differ from many practitioners when treating smokers in that we firmly believe that cutting back tobacco intake and working towards giving up completely is more effective than simply quitting on the spot and facing the complications of immediate withdrawal. Usually, a maximum of six sessions is sufficient for the "gradual" methodology to work and we have always been pleased with the success rate that we have had with (now former) smokers.