Hypnotherapy and CBT with Lynn Rhodes-Harrison in Winchester, Hampshire and 10 Harley Street, London

Welcome to my website

I have experience in working with a wide range of issues including anxieties, depression stress, self-esteem, phobias, and panic attacks.

Anxieties, depression and phobias are relatively common, affecting many adults. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a short term psychotherapy particularly suited to specific difficulties ranging from phobias and panic attacks to eating disorders and self esteem. Clients typically present with a behaviour which distresses them and I hope to help you. Hypnosis is ideally structured to complement cognitive behavioural therapy and address these behaviours.

About Lynn

My background lies in biomedical sciences and psychology while my postgraduate training and interest lies in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and hypnosis.

I practice in both Winchester, Hampshire and Harley Street, London.

I’m committed to continued professional development, ongoing supervision, and I'm governed by a strict code of conduct and ethics as a member of the British National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists.

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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a choice of treatment for many anxiety related disorders such as phobias and fears of stressful situations such as public speaking. CBT works by helping you to make sense of overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts. This makes it easier to see how they are connected and how they affect you. Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on the thoughts, physical symptoms and behaviours that comprise an area of emotional difficulty. The goals of CBT are to decrease the intensity and frequency of symptoms, increase coping skills and prevent relapse.

Treatment usually encompasses 6-8 individual weekly sessions and progress with CBT depends on the engagement of the client throughout. In the first couple of sessions, I will check that you can use this sort of treatment and you will check that you feel comfortable with it. I'm also placed to judge the commitment of the client and to decide whether CBT is suitable for the difficulty in question and the number of sessions required. The aim of treatment is for the client and therapist to work alongside to identify patterns of thought underpinning behaviour and for the client to make further progress once therapy has been completed.

At the outset the client is asked to outline his or her specific problems and any goals that they might have in mind. Subsequent assignments, treatment aims and sessions hinge on information given by the client. Agreed topics are approached in a problem-focused and straightforward manner. Both the client and therapist agree on assignments devised by the client, giving the client the opportunity to both practice techniques which they've learned and/or to gradually expose themselves to discomforting situations. CBT techniques include challenging irrational beliefs and substituting these with alternative beliefs, halting cycles of thought, graded exposure and relaxation techniques.

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Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis is an entirely natural state which occurs between being fully awake and fully asleep. It is almost always accompanied by a pleasant state of physical relaxation which in itself is beneficial as stress is seen to exacerbate symptoms of anxiety.

As an altered state of awareness, hypnotherapy can be used for the treatment and relief of a variety of somatic and psychological symptoms.

It is important to note that no one can be hypnotised against their will and no one can be forced to do things while under hypnosis that they would not otherwise want to do. Benefits are considered long lasting.

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