What Is Hypnotherapy?

This is such a common question — and a really good one! So, let’s break it down.

There are two main parts to hypnotherapy:
the “hypno” part — that’s the hypnosis, and
the “therapy” part — that’s the talking therapy.

In solution-focused hypnotherapy, we combine both.
The therapy side uses positive, forward-focused talking techniques to help you move your brain into the intellectual part — the part that helps you stay calm, think clearly, and find solutions. Together, we set small, achievable goals that move you towards the life you want, rather than focusing on what’s wrong.

Then there’s the hypnosis part. This is where you close your eyes and enter a calm, relaxed, trance-like state. It’s not sleep — it’s more like that peaceful daydreamy feeling you get when you’re deeply relaxed. In this state, your mind becomes more open to positive suggestions — the kind that help you build confidence, reduce stress, and start rewiring your brain for the life you want.

Now, a lot of people worry about hypnosis. They think it’s brain control — maybe because they’ve seen stage hypnosis, where people are made to do silly things like cluck like a chicken on holiday! But stage hypnosis is completely different — it’s entertainment, not therapy.
If you imagine comparing football to rugby — yes, both involve a ball, but they’re totally different games. It’s the same here. Therapeutic hypnosis is calm, safe, and designed to give you back control of your mind, not take it away.

In fact, I like to think of hypnotherapy as helping you learn to drive your own brain. Most of us go through life without an instruction manual for how our minds work. But your brain is like a high-performance sports car — powerful, capable, and amazing. You just need to know how to drive it. That’s what we do together: I help you understand how your brain works, and how to get it working for you, instead of against you.

In each session, we start by talking about the brain — the neuroscience behind why we feel the way we do, especially when it comes to stress and anxiety. When our stress “bucket” overflows, that’s when we experience physical, emotional, or mental symptoms. Understanding that connection helps you take back control.

The talking therapy part is solution-focused — we don’t go digging into the past. Instead, we look at the future:

• Who do you want to be?

• What would life look like if this problem wasn’t in the way?

• What small steps can we take to get you there?

Some other types of hypnotherapy use regression — taking you back into the past to find the “root cause” of a problem. But I don’t use that approach, because it’s not always pleasant, and science shows our memories aren’t always accurate. Instead, I focus on what works: helping you build new neural pathways in the brain that support calmness, confidence, and resilience.

So, in a typical session, we begin by talking — understanding your goals, explaining how the brain works, and setting small, realistic steps forward. Then, we move into hypnosis — a relaxing, positive experience designed to calm your mind and reinforce everything we’ve discussed.

Hypnotherapy can help with a wide range of issues — physical, emotional, and mental.

Here are just some of the things I can help you with: 

I help people overcome and manage their stress, anxiety & overwhelm

I help athletes, performers, and creatives unlock their full potential — people who want to overcome anxiety, boost confidence & self belief, develop resilience and perform at their best, whether that’s on stage, in competition, or in daily life.

I help people manage their weight and health

I help women manage the symptoms of menopause

I help people overcome fears & phobias

I help people with exam nerves, delivering a presentation / sales pitch, public speaking 

And lots more. If you’d like to find out how I can help you, do drop me an email laura@laurabeadle.com