Absorption and imagination play a central role in successful hypnotherapeutic work. To clients, they can sometimes feel like mysterious abilities — something they must actively “do” — which may put them off from seeking treatment. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Every one of us has the capacity to imagine scenarios unique to ourselves, and we all have moments when we become so deeply engaged — or absorbed — in an activity that the rest of the world fades away. During an initial consultation, a hypnotherapist will often reassure clients that hypnosis, which draws heavily on absorption and imagination, is both natural and common. Most of us enter this state daily without even thinking about it. We might get lost in a...
If you’ve ever sat in the GP’s waiting room, wide awake at 3am, or curled up on the sofa trying to make sense of your pain — chances are this thought has crept in: “Why is this happening to me?” It’s such a human question, isn’t it? We ask it in frustration, in sadness, in silence. We ask it when the pain won’t go away, when treatments don’t work, or when everyone else seems to be getting on with life while we’re stuck — hurting, exhausted, and unsure. I’ve heard it hundreds of times from people living with chronic pain, fatigue, trauma, and illness in my pain psychology clinics both online and in person in Milton Keynes. And I’ve never heard it asked lightly. It’s...
One of the hardest things people living with chronic/ persistent pain tell me either in person at my pain psychology clinic in Milton Keynes or online — sometimes in a whisper, sometimes through tears — is this: “I don’t think people believe me.” It’s not just strangers. Sometimes it’s doctors. Sometimes it’s colleagues. Often, it’s family or friends — the people we hope will “get it” without us having to explain. And let me say this right at the start: I believe you. I really do. Your pain is real. Your experience is real. Your struggle is real. Let’s talk about why this question — “Do people believe me?” — crops up so often, and why the answer matters more than most people realise. When...
Today we are beginning a new short series on how personality and individual differences can affect experience and success of therapeutic hypnosis. To establish something as a trait, it needs to be a characteristic which is present in some people but not in others, and may vary in intensity between individuals. It also needs to be relatively stable — that is, something which remains consistent across long periods of time, and sometimes for a whole lifetime. There are standards for measuring this trait in relation to hypnotisability. Two well-known ones are the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility. We know that the ability to enter a hypnotic trance varies and there are some complex reasons for this. We will...
In my pain psychology clinics online, and in-person in Milton Keynes, it’s a question I often hear from people living with chronic/persistent pain, fatigue, or long-term health conditions: “How do I explain this to other people?” Whether it’s colleagues, friends, family — or even your own GP — putting your experience into words can feel like trying to explain colour to someone who’s only ever seen in black and white. And let’s face it: most of us don’t want to bang on about our symptoms. But neither do we want people to assume we’re fine because we’re smiling, upright, and wearing mascara. So today, let’s unpack that question together — gently, practically, and with a good dose of honesty. Why It’s So Hard to Explain...
In the third of our series on Behavioural Psychology in Hypnotherapy, we are going to look at integrating behavioural principles into hypnotic suggestions. As we have seen in the first two blogs on this subject (Behavioural Psychology in Hypnotherapy: Classical and Operant Conditioning and Habit Formation and Techniques for Breaking Bad Habits), conditioning—both classical and operant—forms much of our behaviour, and we can change that behaviour with certain hypnotherapeutic techniques. We are now going to examine these techniques in more detail. Suggestion is key here. We can associate a behaviour we wish to change with an unpleasant feeling or emotion. An experienced hypnotherapist will use metaphor to create strong sensory images. It is important that these are crafted for the individual client, using metaphors which evoke...
For many parents and caregivers, the school summer holidays bring a mix of joy, dread, and exhaustion. But if you're living with chronic/ persistent pain, that mix can lean heavily toward overwhelm. Let’s be honest – six (or more!) weeks of constant activity, noise, and broken routines can feel daunting even at the best of times. So how can you manage the summer break without breaking yourself in the process? The Summer Holiday Struggle is Real You love your children, of course you do. But the long summer holidays can stir up some uncomfortable realities: You're already running on limited energy, and now you're expected to be the entertainer, referee, chef, cleaner, and chauffeur – every single day. Your pain doesn’t take a summer break....
In the second of our series on Behavioural Psychology in Hypnotherapy, we are going to look at habits: how we form them and how we can break the ones we do not want. Rewiring Neural Pathways: How Hypnotherapy Affects the Brain Just as strength training can improve your body, targeted therapy delivered by a professional can help your brain work better for you. Hypnotherapy techniques such as those described below can help form new connections between neurons, making it easier to adopt positive behaviours. Brain scans have shown that hypnosis can alter activity and connectivity within the brain. This is especially useful for controlling emotional responses, changing habits, and reinforcing more constructive patterns of behaviour. MRI scans reveal that hypnosis can reduce activity in the...
Living with chronic/ persistent pain means you're constantly balancing energy, expectations, and your own limits. Some days, just getting out of bed is a victory. So when someone asks for a “quick favour” or suggests another task you could squeeze in, what happens? You smile. You nod. You say yes—even though every part of you is already running on empty. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many people with long-term pain conditions struggle to say “no,” even when they need to. But here's the thing I often tell my clients: saying no isn't selfish—it's survival. Why Saying No Feels So Hard Most of us were brought up to be helpful, agreeable, and reliable. We're told to put others first, to be kind, to say yes if...
For the next three blogs we are going to look at how behavioural psychology is used in hypnotherapy. This time we are going to look at conditioning. What is it and how does it work? The fact that the outside world has an effect on our behaviours seems so obvious to us as to be unremarkable. Yet once we start to think about it, there is much to be learned. Conditioning involves identifying a consequence with a thing in the world. Something happens, or I notice something, and then something else happens and I identify the first thing with the second thing.. If the second follows the first on a regular basis I will begin to identify a pattern. This patten can then be used...
