Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy means ‘mind-healing’. In practice it is the treatment of disorders using psychological methods — in addition to or instead of medical treatments. The purpose is to address mental health concerns, emotional problems and some psychiatric disorders, helping individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop coping strategies.

The practice began with Sigmund Freud’s work in 1894. Today’s psychotherapy encompasses many approaches for individuals, couples, and groups.

Counselling

Counselling is referred to as ‘the talking cure’ — described as support and guidance offered to people of all ages, to help resolve difficulties in life when they have felt too stressed or overwhelmed to make any headway. Common triggers include illness, loss and bereavement, work and education pressures, relationship difficulties, and life crises past and present.

Counselling provides deeper self-understanding, clarity of situation, new confidence, control, and life choices.

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis is an ancient healing technique using trance. Franz Anton Mesmer in the 18th century produced cures through trance states. James Braid, an English physician in the 19th century, induced profound trance through suggestion, naming it “Hypnosis.”

The British Medical Association endorsed hypnosis in 1955 for doctor training. It is now a valued addition to conventional medical treatment. The experience is similar to daydreaming or deep engagement in an activity — neither asleep nor awake, a pleasant feeling of deep relaxation. No one can be hypnotised against their will.

Clinical hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to treat medical and psychological problems. An estimated 85% of people readily respond. It often succeeds where conventional methods have failed. When professionally administered, benefits are long-lasting, often permanent, natural, safe, with no harmful side effects.

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy

CBH is a combination of talking therapy and hypnotherapy — combining CBT, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy into a powerful integrated approach.

The combination means that the unconscious mind can process the discussions at a much deeper level than the conscious critical mind, making change easier to implement and more lasting in its effects.

Treatment duration varies. Most people require 4–6 treatments. Long-standing symptoms may need several months. Habit-breaking and smoking cessation have specific protocols. An initial consultation provides a treatment estimate.

NLP Psychotherapy

NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, encompassing the three most influential components in producing human experience: neurology (how our bodies function), language (how we communicate and interface with others), and programming (the kinds of world models we create).

NLP describes the fundamental dynamics between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how their interplay affects our body and behaviour (programming). It is a pragmatic school of thought addressing the many levels involved in being human.

The therapist helps the client identify their desired state — goals and dreams — and achieve them through their own and new resources and skills. This involves experimenting with limiting beliefs, identifying new beliefs, and gaining insights into behavioural patterns for increased choices.

Personal history is considered relevant, but the focus is on how the present is created from past and present experiences and future ideas. The main emphasis is on “how” rather than “why.”

EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a powerful psychotherapy technique very successful in helping people suffering from trauma, anxiety, panic, disturbing memories, post-traumatic stress and other emotional problems.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — right/left eye movement or tactile stimulation — repeatedly activating opposite sides of the brain, releasing emotional experiences that are “trapped” in the nervous system. This assists the neurophysiological system, freeing blockages and reconnecting the mind-body connection.

The therapist gently guides the client to revisit the traumatic moment while tracking the therapist’s finger movements. The intense focus eases the memory revival, and the eye movements help convert painful feelings to peaceful, resolved feelings.