Developmental Psychology and Generational Factors The influence of early life experiences on hypnotic responsiveness In this new series we will look at how age impacts on hypnotherapy and its success. This time, we will look at how early life experiences can shape hypnotic responsiveness. Research suggests that attachment patterns formed through early relationships with parents or other caregivers may affect how easily a person settles into hypnosis and how intensely they experience it. This field is still developing, and most studies are correlational rather than experimental. That means researchers can identify associations, but they cannot say with certainty that early experiences directly caused the hypnotic pattern observed. Also, hypnotic responsiveness is shaped by many influences besides childhood, including temperament, beliefs about hypnosis, attention control, and…

There is a quiet, insidious shift that happens for many people living with chronic pain. It does not arrive with a clear beginning, nor does it announce itself as a problem to be solved. Instead, it creeps in through language, through habit, and through the subtle reorganisation of a life once lived very differently. “I have back pain” gradually becomes “I am a chronic pain patient.” What begins as “I can’t do that today” evolves into “I’m not someone who does that anymore.” Somewhere within that shift, pain stops being something you experience and starts becoming something you are. This is not a failure of resilience, nor is it a lack of motivation. It is, in many ways, an entirely understandable psychological adaptation to persistent…

As I was people watching in the dentist waiting room a few weeks ago, it struck me that there is something quietly unsettling about the dental chair. It isn’t just the position – reclined, exposed, unable to speak – or the bright light that can feel more like interrogation than healthcare. It’s the experience of having to remain still while something is being done to you. For many people, that creates a sense of vulnerability. If you live with chronic pain, that feeling can be amplified. This isn’t just about teeth. It’s about how your nervous system interprets the experience. Very few people actively enjoy going to the dentist. Even those who cope well with other physical or emotional challenges often notice a shift the…

Neuroscience and Hypnosis Using insights from neuroscience to enhance hypnotic techniques In recent years, the partnership between neuroscience and hypnosis has evolved into a powerful way to explore how attention, imagination, and suggestion shape perception and behaviour. New discoveries about brain networks, learning, and emotion are refining how clinicians and practitioners use hypnosis. Neuroscience has now confirmed that professional and directed hypnosis creates measurable, reversible shifts in brain function. The more we understand about this process, the more we can focus on using the patterns of connectivity we discover as a powerful tool for change. Here is an example. Functional MRI and EEG studies show that during hypnosis, the brain networks involved in self‑monitoring, sensory processing, and emotional regulation behave differently. The mode associated with…

Stress and pain share a complicated relationship—each can quietly fuel the other until they become tangled, leaving people feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and trapped in their own body. Many people living with chronic pain tell me, “I know stress makes my pain worse, but I don’t understand why.” Understanding why gives people back a sense of control. It helps them step out of the cycle rather than feeling pulled along by it. Let’s explore what’s really happening. The Threat System: Your Body’s Smoke Alarm When the brain senses danger—physical or emotional—it activates the threat system. Heart rate increases. Muscles tighten. Breathing shifts. Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline surge. This is the body doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect you. But chronic pain means…

On Sunday 12th April 2026, I will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon. As I come to the end of my training, it has given me plenty of time to think about fatigue, discomfort, motivation — and the ways we can influence how our brains interpret all three. One thing has become unmistakably clear to me: Music is much more than background noise. It’s a tool. A regulator. A companion. And, for many people living with persistent pain, a genuinely helpful pain-management strategy. Below, I’ll share not just the “why,” but the practical how — simple ways you can use music to support your nervous system, reduce distress, and make movement feel more manageable. When the Music Kicks In — And The Whole Run…

Often in my pain psychology clinics both online and in-person in Milton Keynes, we discuss how chronic or persistent pain has a way of creeping into every corner of someone’s life. It affects sleep, thoughts, confidence, relationships, work, and identity. Yet one of the most misunderstood aspects of chronic pain is this: the pain someone feels is absolutely real, but it isn’t only coming from their body. For many people, that sentence lands awkwardly. It can feel invalidating, or as though someone is suggesting the pain is “in your head.” But the truth is far more hopeful—and far kinder—than that. Chronic pain is a whole-body, whole-brain experience. And once we understand how the brain becomes involved in long-term pain, we open the door to new…

In the last of our series, Cognitive-Behavioural Principles in Hypnotherapy, we will look at integrating CBT with hypnotic interventions. As hypnotherapy has become more rigorous and grounded in evidence-based practice, it has integrated principles and practices from psychology. Among the most influential developments has been the integration of cognitive behavioural principles—and the rise of cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy (CBH). This approach views hypnosis not as an isolated technique, but as a refined psychological tool for changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours through focused attention and imagination. The foundations of cognitive behavioural therapy Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was developed in the 1960s by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis. CBT is based on the principle that how we think determines how we feel and act. Distorted or unhelpful patterns…