Hi, I’m Sarah
I am opening for business as a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist from May 2023.
My Qualifications and Life Experience
I have a Level 4 Diploma from the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy that qualifies me to work with clients using the incredibly powerful HypnoCBT® approach. UKCHH are internationally renowned for as world leader in evidence-based hypnotherapeutic approaches, which is why I chose to train with them. When choosing to retrain as a therapist, it was of paramount importance to me that the methods used would have been thoroughly research and supported by the science. Having been a biology teacher since 2005 I am not about to let up on my need for rigorous scientific data! When clients are choosing who to work with, it is vital they can trust the methods being used.
My 17 years of teaching and mentoring teenagers has equipped me with an array of skills and expertise that I bring to my new career. As a biology teacher I am well placed to teach clients about their brain, their nervous system and the interactions between these and the health of their body as a whole. I will also teach you about breathing, about muscle tension, the science of sleep…. and I understand the pressures on older teenagers with regards to exam anxiety, social anxiety, and the overwhelm of decision making in particular.
Outside of all that, I have lived in Wantage for about 15 years, and I have two awesome primary age children to keep me busy!
What is HypnoCBT®?
HypnoCBT®, also known as Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy is distinct from both CBT and other forms of hypnotherapy. By integrating the two modalities, there is unique power and flexibility in the approaches to helping clients. There is no “one size fits all” approach here! The treatment plan for each client is constructed around their unique needs for maximum rate of progress.
During sessions, distinctions between the approaches become irrelevant because they are used seamlessly with one another. However, in can be useful for prospective clients to understand the core components.
Cognitive - with regards to therapy, this relates to identifying and working to change unhelpful thinking patterns.
Behavioural - with regards to therapy, this relates to developing greater awareness of the things we do (normally without thinking about them) in different circumstances, and then working out what behaviours might serve us better and practice these, adapting as necessary. The practice is done both through visualisation in hypnosis, and then of course in everyday life when ready.
Hypnosis - this is the bit that is often misunderstood and sometimes elicits at least a little scepticism! And understandably so as there are still many hypnotherapists using approaches that are not backed by the research, let alone what you might have been led to believe if you’ve seen hypnotists on TV or on stage. Hypno-CBT incorporates hypnosis as a means to allow the client to be super-focused and open to suggestions. This means the CBT exercises can feel more impactful to the client, and visualisation exercises can be used as safe ways to explore triggering situations and try out new coping strategies. As a client you’ll be taught self-hypnosis to add a turbo boost to your progress.
Mindfulness - this ties in beautifully with Hypno-CBT and is a simple and easy way for clients to shift the way in which they experience their lives.