Overcome Phobia and Fear with Hypnotherapy: Effective Treatment for Anxiety and Fear Management
Hi - My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I’m a Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
Overcome Phobia and Fear with Hypnotherapy: Effective Treatment for Anxiety and Fear Management
What is a phobia?
Phobias are more common than you might think, with over 11% of the population experiencing an intense, irrational fear of something. For those living with a phobia, the fear often feels overwhelming and can significantly impact day-to-day life.
A phobia is characterised by an extreme fear response to a specific object, situation, or activity. This response triggers the body’s stress system, leading to physical symptoms like a racing heart, nausea, or the urge to escape.
While many people manage their phobias by avoiding triggers, this can limit life opportunities, from travel to social events.
For some, the turning point comes when they feel their phobia is holding them back or when they realise they don’t want their children to inherit their fears.
Simple vs. Complex Phobias
Phobias fall into two main categories: simple and complex.
Understanding the difference is key to knowing the best way to treat them.
Simple Phobias
Simple phobias are focused on a single object, activity, or situation.
These phobias often develop in childhood and are specific and isolated, such as:
Fear of confined spaces (Claustrophobia)
Fear of flying (Aerophobia)
Fear of heights (Acrophobia)
Fear of spiders or insects (Arachnophobia or Entomophobia)
Fear of needles (Trypanophobia)
Fear of dentists (Dentophobia)
Fear of water (Aquaphobia)
Fear of dogs (Cynophobia)
Fear of balloons (Globophobia)
Fear of snakes (Ophidiophobia)
Simple phobias often respond well to focused therapeutic techniques like the Rewind and Reframe method.
Complex Phobias
Complex phobias involve more than a single, isolated fear. They often affect a person’s entire lifestyle, involve multiple triggers, and are deeply rooted in emotional patterns.
Examples include:
Social phobia (social anxiety): Fear of social situations or judgment.
Agoraphobia: Fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult.
Emetophobia (fear of vomiting): Involves fears of feeling sick, vomiting, seeing others vomit, or being in situations where vomiting might occur. It often leads to avoidance of social settings, certain foods, or public places.
Complex phobias require a broader approach, often involving exploration of underlying emotions and patterns. In these cases,
I use solution-focused hypnotherapy sessions to work collaboratively with clients, helping them regain control and confidence gradually.
How I Treat Phobias with Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy
As a Solution-Focused Hypnotherapist, I tailor my approach depending on whether a client is dealing with a simple or complex phobia.
Simple Phobias: The Rewind and Reframe Technique
For simple phobias, I use the Rewind and Reframe technique, a two-step process:
Rewind Phase:
During this phase, I guide you into a relaxed, trance-like state. From this safe and calm perspective, you revisit the memory of your phobia. This isn’t about reliving the fear—it’s about desensitising it. By reducing the emotional charge associated with the memory, we retrain the brain to respond calmly.Reframe Phase: Giving the Brain a New Template
In the Reframe Phase, we focus on replacing the old fear-based response with a new, positive, and empowering template for the brain to follow. During this phase, I guide you through visualisation techniques to imagine yourself facing the previously phobic situation with calm, confidence, and control.This process helps your brain create a new "normal" for how it reacts. It uses the brain's natural ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, to overwrite the old fear response with a healthier, more balanced reaction. By repeatedly visualising this new way of responding, the brain starts to adopt it as the default response, reducing anxiety and building long-term confidence.
Complex Phobias: Solution-Focused Sessions
For complex phobias, such as emetophobia or social anxiety, I use the broader framework of solution-focused hypnotherapy.
These sessions:
Explore your goals and the life you want to live beyond the phobia.
Focus on your strengths and the small steps that will help you progress.
Use guided relaxation and visualisation to reduce anxiety and build resilience.
Help you address lifestyle impacts in a safe, supportive way.
While complex phobias may take more time, the focus remains on moving forward at a pace that feels right for you.
Why Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy?
Solution-focused hypnotherapy is about looking forward, not dwelling on the past. It’s designed to help you tap into your strengths, rewire your thinking, and create lasting change. Whether you’re tackling a simple or complex phobia, this approach offers a supportive and effective path toward freedom from fear.
If you’re ready to take back control and leave your phobia behind, I’d love to help you. Let’s work together to create a brighter, more confident future.
Want to find out more about how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can support with fears / phobias.
The next step is booking a FREE 45 Minute Initial Consultation / Hypnotherapy Discovery Session (no half-measures here).
In-person at my Oxfordshire Therapy Room (Upper Heyford, near Bicester or Online via Zoom).
The first step to setting yourself free and living the life you want.
My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I am a fully qualified Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy®, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
I assist people in regaining control of their lives by retraining their brains to overcome limiting thought patterns, master their emotions, and cultivate resilient behaviours for a brighter and more positive future.. I know… It’s awesome!
a nutshell, I ‘get you out of your own way’. Because, let’s face it, a lot of us are.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy taps into the power of your subconscious mind so you can move forward towards the life you’ve always wanted to live. It’s a quick, practical way to address thought patterns, emotions and behaviours that are holding you back in life.
I’m a registered and accredited member of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
Hypnotherapy sessions can be done either in my garden therapy room in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire (Near Bicester). Ideally situated, it also serves individuals in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire and I also work online nationwide via Zoom.