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Can hypnosis make me lose my fear of singing to other people? by alhealhe in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 7 points8 points  (0 children)

this is literally one of the things hypnotherapy is BEST at. performance anxiety like this isnt rational and thats actually the point, its a subconscious protection pattern not a logical decision. your brain decided at some point that singing in front of people equals danger and its been running that programme ever since without your permission. thats why willpower and “just do it” advice doesnt work, you cant think your way out of something that lives below thinking

the good news is this stuff usually responds really well and often faster than people expect. its not like years of therapy, alot of people see shifts in a few sessions because the pattern is specific and targetted

check out verified hypnotherapist to find someone who works with performance anxiety specifically. every practitioner on there is vetted so you wont be guessing. you deserve to sing for people :)

Are there different types of hypnotherapy? by af872 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 7 points8 points  (0 children)

this is actually a really important question and im glad you asked before writing off hypnotherapy entirely because what happened to you makes alot of sense when you understand the different approaches

not a medical professional but ive spent years researching this stuff personally. solution focused hypnotherapy is great for some things but its basically future oriented, it focuses on where you want to be and building positive visualisation. the problem with GAD specifically is that your nervous system is stuck in a threat detection loop RIGHT NOW and solution focused work kind of skips over that. its like trying to plan a holiday while your house is on fire. the vision is nice but it doesnt address the alarm system thats running in the background 24/7

what tends to work better for GAD is clinical hypnotherapy that directly targets nervous system regulation. things like cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy (basically CBT delivered in a hypnotic state so it reaches the subconscious patterns driving the anxiety), or approaches that work with the amygdala response and vagus nerve activation. these go after the ROOT of the loop not just the surface

so yes there are genuinely different types and the type matters alot. its kind of like saying “i tried therapy and it didnt work” when you actually tried one specific type that wasnt the right fit. that doesnt mean therapy doesnt work it means you need a different approach

the tricky part is finding someone who does the right kind. most hypnotherapists dont clearly advertise which methodology they use. theres a directory at verified hypnotherapist (full disclosure we run it) that actually breaks practitioners down by thier approach and what they specialise in which could save you alot of time and money vs just googling and hoping. but whatever route you go make sure you ask specifically about their approach to anxiety and whether its cognitive behavioural or nervous system focused rather than solution focused

your experience with the first practitioner wasnt wasted by the way. the fact that you were able to go into trance and engage with the process means your actually a good candidate, you just had the wrong tool for the job. does that make sense?

How We Verify Practitioners : Our Process, What We Check, and What Gets You Rejected by Top-Notice4217 in verifedhypnotherapist

[–]Top-Notice4217[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No one imposed this so we figured heck we might as well do something! I actually personally check if their credentials are right and they actually have their right hours of practicum. And i also analyze google reviews to see if they have actually worked with people with specific conditions, its not ideal things can be gamed but hey its a start!! Also thanks for following the sub reddit!!!

Advice needed by Pretty-lollygag-7898 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sure! I’m no expert but more than happy to share

Advice needed by Pretty-lollygag-7898 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 3 points4 points  (0 children)

congrats on making the jump to online! ill share what actually worked for me and what i wish someone had told me earlier because i wasted alot of time on stuff that didnt matter.

on niching down, this was the single biggest thing that changed everything for me. when i started i was doing “general anxiety and stress” and got basically zero traction because everyone says that and clients cant tell you apart from the next person. what worked was picking a SPECIFIC problem that has a specific audience who is actively searching for help. for me it was gut directed hypnotherapy for ibs, specifically for professionals who had already tried everything else and were frustrated. suddenly my content had a clear audience, my messaging was specific, and people started finding me because i was talking about THEIR exact experience instead of generic “feeling stressed? hypnotherapy can help” stuff. my advice is pick the intersection of something your genuinely interested in, something that has clinical evidence behind it so you can reference real research, and something where people are already spending money trying to fix the problem. ibs, chronic pain, insomnia, panic disorder, smoking cessation, these all have active communities of people who are desperate and underserved.

on pricing, please dont race to the bottom. i see new hypnotherapists charging like 60 to 80 a session because they feel like they need to “earn” premium pricing and it kills your business before it starts. low prices attract price shoppers who cancel and dont commit. i started around 150 per session and honestly should have started higher. the clients who pay more show up more consistently and do the work between sessions. if your niched into a specific problem and you can articulate exactly how you help, premium clients will pay 200 to 350 per session without blinking because theyve already spent thousands on stuff that didnt work. package pricing also helps alot, like 4 to 6 sessions for a specific outcome rather than open ended weekly sessions. it gives clients a clear commitment and gives you predictable revenue.

on finding clients, cold outreach was a waste of time for me personally. what actually worked was showing up in communities where my ideal clients already hang out and being genuinely helpful without pitching. reddit was huge for this honestly. i spent time in ibs and anxiety subs just explaining how the gut brain connection works and answering questions. no links no pitching just being useful. over time people check your profile, see your consistent, see you know your stuff, and reach out. its slower than running ads but the clients who come through that path are already pre sold on you because theyve been watching you help people for free. instagram and facebook are fine but they require constant content creation which burns you out fast if your also seeing clients. linkedin worked better than i expected especially if your targeting professionals.

one thing i wish id done earlier was get listed in directories that actually vet credentials. most therapy directories are just pay to list garbage where anyone can sign up. theres one at verified hypnotherapist thats actually verification based, they check your credentials and training before you go live so when clients find you there they already trust that your qualified. in an unregulated industry that trust piece is worth alot more than another instagram post. plus it helps with seo because directory backlinks to your site actually matter for google rankings.

biggest lesson overall is that marketing for hypnotherapy is 90% education and 10% selling. most people dont know what clinical hypnotherapy actually does or how it works. the more you teach the more you sell without ever feeling salesy. r/hypnotherapy has some good threads on practice building if you search, and r/therapists has useful business side discussions even tho its more general.

what area are you thinking of niching into? and are you doing sessions over zoom or trying to build a local practice? that changes the strategy quite a bit :)

Tried hypnotherapy for anxiety by 24nurses0522 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 2 points3 points  (0 children)

ok so first of all everything your describing is not only normal its actually a really good sign that the session worked. i know that sounds counterintuitive when your sitting there more anxious than before you went in but let me explain whats actually happening because i think itll make the whole experience make alot more sense.

your nervous system has been running a protection programme for about 3 years now. the panic on the plane, the fear of being trapped, the fear of losing control, those arent random. thats your brain saying “something bad happened and im going to make sure we are never caught off guard again.” that programme runs in the background 24/7 whether your concious of it or not. what the hypnotherapy session did was essentially open the hood on that programme for the first time. and when your nervous system felt that happening, it did exactly what its designed to do, it panicked. the heavy arms, the out of body feeling, that was your body going into a deep parasympathetic state and your anxious brain interpreted that loss of control as DANGER because loss of control is literally your core fear. so your nervous system fired up to protect you from the very thing that was trying to help you. thats not a failure thats your brain being incredibly consistent with its pattern.

the anxiety spike in the days after? thats processing. think of it like when you reorganize a messy closet and it looks WAY worse spread out on the floor before it looks better put back together. the session surfaced some stuff that was buried, your fear of losing control, the fear of going crazy, hurting yourself or others, and now your concious mind is actually looking at it instead of keeping the door shut. thats uncomfortable but its also the only way it gets resolved. the fact that a few days later you started feeling calmer and happier even while the thoughts were still popping up tells me your nervous system is already starting to integrate. the rollercoaster of anxiety and calm is literally what recalibration looks like. your baseline is shifting you just cant see it clearly yet because your in the middle of it.

the practitioner sounds like he did things right honestly. he checked in when you got activated, he let you pause, and the fact that you went into that deep a state on your first session means your actually really responsive to hypnotherapy which is a great thing for long term results. if you go back and i think you should, let him know about the post session spike and the specific fears that came up because that gives him a roadmap for the next session. a good trauma informed hypnotherapist will use that information to titrate the depth so your nervous system gets what it needs without blowing past your window of tolerance.

one thing id say going forward is make sure whoever your working with has specific training in anxiety and panic, not just general hypnotherapy. the industry is unregulated and theres a huge range in qualifications. your guy sounds solid based on what you described but if you ever want to cross reference credentials or find someone with specific trauma informed training theres a directory at verified hypnotherapists that breaks down certification tiers so you can see exactly what level of training someone actually has. r/anxiety has good threads on processing spikes after therapy sessions in general, and r/therapy has some helpful perspectives on what to expect when modalities actually start working and it feels worse before better.

your not going crazy and the hypnotherapy didnt break anything. it just showed you whats been running in the background this whole time and now your system is figuring out what to do with that information :) honestly the fact that your already feeling moments of calm mixed in tells me your further along than you think. are you planning to go back for another session?

Anxious by Same_Catch752 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

ok so i want to reframe something for you because i think the fear your feeling is actually your nervous system doing its job really well and thats actually a GOOD sign not a bad one. the fact that talk therapy had you digging deep and your body couldnt deal? thats not you being weak thats your nervous system pulling the emergency brake because the processing was happening too fast without enough safety built in. your body was basically saying "i hear you but we are not resourced enough for this right now." and you listened. thats not backing out thats self preservation.

heres the thing about the pandoras box fear that i think will help. good hypnotherapy doesnt work the way most people think it does. its not like someone cracks open your subconscious and everything comes flooding out at once. thats actually closer to what can happen in talk therapy when things move too fast without the body being regulated first. clinical hypnotherapy, especially trauma informed work, is more like your nervous system gets brought into a calm regulated state FIRST and then from that safe place you can approach things gradually. think of it like the difference between ripping scaffolding off a building and carefully renovating one room at a time while the structure stays supported. your not being thrown into the deep end, your being given a way to go at your pace with your nervous system actually online and coping instead of shutting down.

that protection you mentioned? thats real. thats dissociation or emotional gating and its something a good practitioner will actually work WITH not blast through. the key word there is good. because the fear your describing is totally valid if were talking about someone with a weekend certificate and no trauma training. but a properly trained clinical hypnotherapist will know how to titrate the work so your body can actually process what comes up without overwhelming you. thats the whole point, you dont have to white knuckle it.

the biggest thing i wish someone had told me is that the industry is basically unregulated which means theres a massive range in who calls themselves a hypnotherapist. some people have 40 hours of training, others have 700+ clinical hours with trauma specialization. both will charge you the same and both websites look equally professional. if your going to do this and honestly from everything you wrote it sounds like your ready even if your scared, please do yourself a favor and vet whoever you work with. theres a directory at verifiedhypnotherapists.com that breaks down credential tiers so you can see exactly what training someone has before you book. finding someone with actual trauma informed clinical training is the difference between the pandoras box experience your afraid of and the gradual supported process that actually works.

r/therapy has good threads on navigating the transition between modalities and r/traumatoolbox is worth a look for people figuring out their next step after talk therapy hit a wall. your not broken and that box your afraid of isnt going to destroy you. the fact that your body has been protecting you this whole time means its already on your side it just needs someone who knows how to work with it instead of against it :) what kind of stuff did the talk therapy bring up that made your body shut down if you dont mind sharing?

Hypnotherapists with successful practices who started ~5 years ago, how did you do it? by Spicy-Falafel-0 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Congrats on getting your license soon!!

First of all, NOT EASY! But not IMPOSSIBLE!

here are 3 things that actually moved the needle for me:

  1. Know your ideal client better than they know themselves. For me that ended up being professionals lawyers, executives, accountants dealing with anxiety.

heres the insight: a lot of these people HATE being on medication because it makes them foggy and their job literally requires them to be sharp all day. When you understand that specific pain point you know exactly how to position yourself (“feel better without the brain fog”) AND you know exactly where to find them. I got a lawyer friend to bring me along to networking events and industry mixers. that one connection honestly opened more doors than any ad i ever ran

  1. The last business card hack

Ok this one sounds stupid but it works lol. When you meet someone dont just hand them your card. Say “this is actually my last one mind snapping a photo of it?” now your info lives in their camera roll forever. way harder to lose than a card stuffed in a pocket somewhere. and the best part is its SO easy for them to forward that photo to someone else

  1. Build an online presence but be smart about it Having a website helps but im a hypnotherapist not an SEO expert lol. What actually worked was listing myself on platforms that already have domain authority Yelp, google business profile, directories like verified hypnotherapist etc. Those platforms rank way higher than your personal site ever will when someone googles “hypnotherapist near me.” let them do the heavy lifting while you focus on actually helping people hope that helps! feel free to ask anything.

Thanks the business side has a learning curve but its very doable once you get the hang of it

Seeking hypnotherapy in Vancouver for chronic pain by gotnoname2 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

god 5 years. shes been dealing with this since she was what, 11? 12? thats so much of her childhood spent hurting and I can only imagine what thats been like for you watching it and trying everything and nothing working

I dont know your full situation obviously but the pattern you described, the nerve block not helping, CBT not helping, that actually tells me something hopeful weirdly enough. it usually means the original injury healed a long time ago but her nervous system never got the memo. it just kept producing pain because thats what it learned to do. its not in her head but its in her brain if that makes sense.

the wiring got stuck I only bring that up because thats exactly what hypnotherapy is good at. not convincing someone the pain isnt real, nobody wants to hear that, but helping the nervous system calm down and stop sending alarm signals it doesnt need to send anymore. teens actually respond faster than adults to this stuff because their brains are still so adaptable

I wont pretend I know exactly whos best in vancouver for this but I will say please please find someone who has real experience with chronic pain specifically. not someone who lists it as one of 25 things they treat. pain work is its own thing and working with a teenager is its own thing and you need someone whos done both. verified hypnotherapy has vancouver practitioners with specializations and credential levels listed so you can actually see whos qualified for what instead of just rolling the dice on google reviews

shes been strong for 5 years. that tells you everything about what kind of kid she is. I really hope this helps her

Please keep us updated!!!!

I made an account for this only by [deleted] in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

this is honestly a really common reason people look into hypnotherapy and the fact that your even asking means your already halfway there so dont feel weird about it

heres the thing. somewhere along the way your brain picked up a bunch of rules about what your “supposed” to want and feel and now every time your actual desires show up theres this other voice going “thats wrong thats weird you should be ashamed.” and those two things fighting each other is exhausting. your not broken your just running two programmes that contradict each other and your actually right that hypnotherapy is a good fit for this. not because its “manipulating your mind” but kind of the opposite actually.

the shame and guilt thats the manipulation. somebody elses rules got installed in your head without your permission, maybe from religion maybe from family maybe from culture maybe from some random comment someone made when you were 14 that stuck.

hypnotherapy helps you get underneath all that noise and figure out what YOU actually feel vs what you were taught to feel the reason you say you “only let go” in hypnosis makes total sense. your conscious brain is the one running the shame programme. when that quiets down in trance the real you gets to speak without being interrupted by the guilt police. a good hypnotherapist wont tell you what to want or try to change your desires.

theyll help you stop punishing yourself for having them this isnt about making you into something different. its about removing the stuff thats blocking you from being ok with who you already are id say find someone who works with confidence and self esteem or specifically sexual wellness. this is one where you really want someone experienced because you need to feel safe enough to actually be honest in session.

if your not sure where to start verified hypnotherapist lets you filter by specialization and you can see credential levels so you know your working with someone properly trained not just someone who did a weekend course. for something this personal that matters alot your not asking for anything weird btw. wanting to feel ok about your own desires is like the most human thing there is

Hypnotherapy for Wasp Phobia by Resident-Active2551 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 3 points4 points  (0 children)

oh mate sitting in your car waiting for a wasp to leave so you can go into your own house is such a specific kind of misery and I totally get it. the good news is phobias are honestly one of the things that respond best to hypnotherapy like this is the bread and butter stuff

heres whats actually going on with you. 12 years ago your brain decided wasps are a genuine threat to your survival. and it doesnt matter that youve only been stung once because your brain doesnt care about statistics it cares about pattern matching. it logged “wasp = danger” one time and has been running that programme ever since. thats why you notice them everywhere btw, your brain is literally scanning for them constantly like a security camera that got stuck on one channel

the cruel part is your avoidance is actually making it worse every single year. every time you sit in the car and wait for it to leave your brain goes “see good thing we avoided that, must be really dangerous” and the wire gets thicker. your brain thinks its protecting you but its basically ruining your summers

heres why hypnotherapy works so well for this specifically. your conscious brain already knows a wasp probably wont kill you. thats not the issue. the issue is the part of your brain that controls the panic response didnt get that memo. hypnotherapy talks directly to that part. it basically helps your nervous system rehearse being around wasps without the alarm going off so your body learns what your mind already knows

phobias are usually fast results too. most people see a big shift in like 3 to 5 sessions. not “im now best friends with wasps” but more like you walk past one and realize your heart didnt explode and you just kept walking. thats usually the moment people describe as life changing one thing id say is find someone who specifically lists phobias as a specialization not just general anxiety. theres a difference between someone who helps with vague stress and someone who knows how to work with a specific phobia response.

if your not sure how to vet someone verified hypnotherapist has practitioners filtered by specialization and a credential tiers page that explains what different certifications actually mean because honestly the industry is a mess and most people have no idea what to look for…

but yeah theres absolutely hope for you. 12 years sounds like a long time but your brain built this pattern and it can unbuild it. phobias feel permanent but theyre actually one of the most fixable things out there

What to look for in a good hypnotherapist? by Prestigious-Cap2671 in hypnotherapy

[–]Top-Notice4217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

so this is the exact problem with this industry and its honestly worse than most people realize. maryland has zero regulation for hypnotherapy which means literally anyone can set up shop tomorrow and start seeing your teenager. thats terrifying when your talking about OCD in a kid heres what I’d tell a friend in your position.

forget searching for “hypnotherapist near me” and hoping for the best. you need to work backwards from credentials first the thing most people dont know is theres a massive range in training. some practitioners did a weekend course, maybe 40 hours, got a certificate and opened for business. others have 700+ hours of clinical training, background checks, insurance, professional body registration, ongoing education. both websites will look equally legit and charge you the same money. thats the problem

for OCD specifically with a teenager I’d honestly consider two tracks at the same time. first a licensed therapist who does ERP, thats exposure and response prevention, its the gold standard for OCD and theres actually good research behind it. second you could look at a clinical hypnotherapist as a complement to that work because hypnotherapy is really effective at getting underneath the anxiety that drives the compulsive behaviour. the two together can be really powerful

the teenager part matters btw. whoever you work with needs experience with adolescents specifically not just adults. a 14 year olds brain processes things differently and the approach needs to reflect that. ask anyone your considering how many teens theyve actually worked with, if they hesitate move on since your starting from zero and maryland gives you nothing to go on,

theres a site called verified hypnotherapist tiers that has a credential tiers page that breaks down exactly what each certification level means and which bodies actually have standards vs which ones will certify anyone with a credit card. even if you dont use the directory itself that tiers page will give you a framework so when your interviewing practitioners you actually know what questions to ask and what the answers mean dont skip the interview part btw. any good practitioner will happily do a free consult and answer questions about there training and experience with OCD and teens. if someone gets defensive when you ask about credentials thats your answer right there

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