Counselling & Hypnotherapy Online
Gone are they days when you might have had to travel a long distance to benefit from an experienced therapist or consultant known to be an expert in their field.
I now provide comprehensive online hypnotherapy and counselling, helping my clients to overcome their problems without them having to leave the comfort of home. The great thing is that it works, and thereby removes the barrier for people who, for one reason or other, cannot come to see me at my Swindon practice.
Before the COVID pandemic I had already conducted around 7,500 treatment sessions (during around 16 years of clinical practice), but only a very small number of these were carried out online. Then suddenly everything changed and for a while the only way anybody could access help was at distance. It was during this time that I developed effective ways to help patients via video calls, initially using Zoom. Importantly, I discerned what could and couldn’t work well online, how to make it safe, and get my clients the best results.
I now use doxy.me (and occasionally WhatsApp) to provide counselling and psychotherapy, including most styles of hypnotherapy, online. This works just like Zoom or Skype and is very easy in that only a reliable Internet connection is required – you don’t need to download an app.
This will suite many people who can’t get to my Swindon practice, or who would just find it more convenient get the help they need online. It is also possible to switch between seeing me online and in person throughout the course of your therapy. Around half of my clients now see me (or sometimes see me) online. A desktop or laptop is ideal, although a smartphone seems to work well too. Most of my clients see me from home, but a few see me while they are at work or school!
In most cases online counselling or hypnotherapy can work just as well as seeing me in person. This includes other methods too, such as CBT, BWRT or NLP. The only real exception is work that includes hypnoanalysis, regression or other styles of therapy designed to release trauma. If the Internet connection were to cut out for any reason right in the middle of something important it could be detrimental to both therapist and client, so I will only conduct this type of work in person.
A basic requirement is an hour or so of undisturbed time in a comfortable place with a fast and reliable Internet connection. It is important that you will be able to talk freely without fear of being overheard. An audio headset will be an advantage if we undertake hypnotherapy.
The main caveat to make clear for any type of therapy is that the benefits are likely to be compromised if the Internet connection is slow or inconsistent. If there is a noticeable latency or lag time the emotional brain’s ability to benefit from an attuned therapist may be reduced.¹
1.Una McClusky describing the effect of split second mismatches of timing during video interactions while working with Murray & Trevarthen undertaking their 1985 study on infant-mother interactions.
