Conquering Fears and Phobias with Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
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.
So, you're reading this blog, which probably means something has resonated with you?
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy: Conquering Fears and Phobias
Fears and phobias can significantly impact daily life, preventing you from enjoying experiences, pursuing opportunities, and maintaining overall well-being.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFH) offers a powerful and effective method for overcoming these debilitating conditions, allowing you to reclaim control and live a more fulfilling life.
Understanding Fears and Phobias
Fears and phobias are intense, irrational reactions to specific situations, objects, or activities.
They can trigger overwhelming anxiety and avoidance behaviours that disrupt normal functioning.
Here are the top 10 common phobias:
Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders
Ophidiophobia - Fear of snakes
Acrophobia - Fear of heights
Aerophobia - Fear of flying
Cynophobia - Fear of dogs
Astraphobia - Fear of thunder and lightning
Trypanophobia - Fear of needles/injections
Dentophobia - Fear of dentists
Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder) - Fear of public speaking or social situations
Mysophobia - Fear of germs or dirt
Your Initial Consultation: Discovering the Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Approach
During your initial consultation / discovery session, which can be done in-person at my therapy Room in Upper Heyford, Bicester, Oxfordshire or online), we will explore how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can address your specific fears and phobias.
As a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist, my approach combines elements of psychotherapy and hypnosis, focusing on what you want to achieve rather than delving deeply into past events.
The Rewind and Reframe Technique
Central to Solution Focused Hypnotherapy in terms of phobias is the Rewind and Reframe technique, which is particularly effective for simple phobias.
Simple phobias are specific and isolated fears, such as fear of spiders or flying, as opposed to complex phobias which are more deeply rooted and multifaceted.
Here's how the Rewind and Reframe technique works:
Relaxation: You will be guided into a deep state of relaxation, creating a safe mental space where you feel calm and secure.
Visualisation: You will be asked to visualise a screen, such as a TV, within your safe place. While deeply relaxed, you will then watch yourself watching the screen, which creates a sense of double dissociation. This means you are watching a version of yourself observing the traumatic event, adding an extra layer of emotional distance.
Rewind: You will then imagine the event being rewound rapidly in your mind, as if it is being played backward quickly. This process helps to reprocess the memory without re-experiencing the intense emotions associated with it.
Reframe: Finally, you will view the event again, this time in fast forward, from a calm and detached perspective. This cycle is repeated several times until the emotional response to the memory diminishes significantly.
How the Rewind Technique Works
To understand how the Rewind technique works, it is essential to grasp how the brain processes memories.
Non-traumatic memories are usually transferred from short-term to long-term memory by the hippocampus.
However, during a traumatic experience, the body's survival mechanisms (fight, flight, or freeze) are activated, and stress hormones inhibit the hippocampus, causing the memory to become stuck in short-term memory.
When the Rewind technique is performed, the client is in a state of deep relaxation.
This relaxed state prevents the body from producing the stress hormones that inhibit normal memory processing.
Thus, the brain can process the traumatic memory calmly, transferring it from short-term to long-term memory.
The Neuroscience Behind Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
The effectiveness of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy lies in its ability to harness the brain's neuroplasticity— the capacity to form new neural connections and pathways.
During hypnotherapy, your brain enters a highly suggestible state, allowing it to reorganise and adapt more efficiently.
This process helps diminish the irrational fear response and replace it with calm and rational reactions.
Imagine a life Free from that Fear / phobia
Why Schedule a Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Consultation in Bicester, Oxfordshire or Online?
Taking the first step towards overcoming your fears and phobias can open doors to new possibilities and enhance your quality of life.
Our initial consultation /discovery session, taking place either at my therapy room in Upper Heyford, Nr Bicester, Oxfordshire or online, will help you explore how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can address your specific fears and phobias, providing hope and a clear path forward.
In this session, you'll discuss your goals, experience a sample of the techniques used, and gain a deeper understanding of how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can support you in achieving a life free from debilitating fears.
Imagine the confidence and freedom you could gain—what new experiences would you embrace?
What opportunities would you pursue?
Don't let fears and phobias control your life.
Schedule your initial consultation today and take the first step towards a brighter, fearless future.
Want to find out more about how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you conquer your fear/phobia?
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.