How can cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy help you?

Therapeutic approaches are evolving, with the latest research highlighting the effectiveness of combining hypnosis with CBT for quick and lasting outcomes. Many methods now exist, but the integration of hypnosis with CBT has emerged as a powerful and highly effective approach. 

CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns, while hypnosis works at a subconscious level to reinforce these changes. Together, these techniques help you access deeper parts of your mind, creating lasting transformation and providing both immediate relief and long-term strategies for managing a wide range of conditions.

What is cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy (CBH)?

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH) is practical, goal-focused, and designed to deliver both immediate relief and sustainable strategies. By combining the conscious, rational techniques of CBT with the subconscious power of hypnosis, CBH supports positive, lasting change. Hypnosis engages the subconscious to reinforce conscious efforts, helping you address present-day challenges and find solutions. Although some aspects of the past may be explored, the focus remains on setting clear goals, moving forward, and working through what holds you back, creating lasting change and building effective strategies.

What can cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy help with?

Breaking habits and addictions

Habits and addictions - whether it’s smoking, overeating, or nail-biting - can feel deeply ingrained and difficult to change. CBH addresses these issues in a practical, focused way. CBT helps identify the triggers and emotions linked to the habit, such as stress, boredom, or specific situations. By recognising these patterns, you can begin to interrupt the automatic cycle. Hypnosis adds another layer by working with your mind to reinforce healthier behaviours, boost confidence, and strengthen self-belief.

Managing phobias and anxiety

Phobias and anxiety can significantly impact daily life, limiting opportunities and causing unnecessary distress. If you’ve struggled with anxiety or a lifelong phobia, such as a fear of animals, insects, flying, or heights, it can feel overwhelming. CBH offers effective strategies for managing these issues. The CBT component provides tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts, gradually expose yourself to fears, and practice relaxation techniques. For example, if you’re afraid of flying, CBT might involve breaking down your fear into smaller steps, such as imagining a flight, visiting an airport, or watching planes take off.

When hypnosis is combined with CBT, it helps to reduce the emotional intensity of these fears and calm the subconscious fear response. This approach doesn’t just offer temporary relief - it builds long-term confidence, reduces avoidance behaviours, and helps you reclaim control over your life.

Managing pain

Chronic pain, whether caused by trauma or conditions such as fibromyalgia, can leave you feeling physically and emotionally drained, impacting both your mental and physical well-being. CBH offers a gentle yet effective way to manage pain by addressing both the physical sensations and the psychological factors that amplify it. Hypnosis helps reduce pain perception by promoting deep relaxation and calming the nervous system. You will also gain an understanding of pain theories.

CBT techniques work alongside this by helping you change the thought patterns and beliefs that contribute to pain. For example, CBH can guide you to reframe negative thoughts about pain, helping you develop a more balanced perspective while using hypnosis to ease discomfort. This combination provides both immediate relief and strategies for long-term pain management.

Improving sleep

Sleep issues, whether it’s trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrested, can have a major impact on mental and physical well-being. CBH offers a practical solution to improving sleep quality by addressing both conscious and subconscious factors that interfere with sleep.

CBT techniques focus on identifying and changing the thoughts and behaviours that disrupt sleep, such as stress, anxiety, or poor bedtime routines. Hypnosis works to deepen relaxation, quiet the mind, and guide you into a more restful state. By combining these approaches, CBH helps regulate your sleep cycle, reduce disturbances, and create lasting improvements in sleep quality.

Supporting IBS management

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) not only affects the body but can also have a significant impact on mental well-being, with stress and anxiety often worsening symptoms. CBH provides a unique approach to managing IBS by addressing both physical discomfort and the psychological factors that contribute to the condition.

Hypnosis helps regulate the brain-gut connection, promoting relaxation and reducing sensitivity to pain. Combined with CBT techniques like reframing unhelpful thoughts about IBS, this approach helps individuals feel more in control of their symptoms. Many report improvements in pain, bloating, and overall quality of life. CBH focuses on immediate relief while also building long-term resilience in managing IBS.

Why choose integrative hypnotherapy?

CBH is part of a broader movement toward integrative therapies, which combine different techniques to create personalised approaches. Other examples include mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which blends mindfulness practices with CBT, or acceptance and commitment therapy, which integrates behavioural science with mindfulness.

The advantage of integrative therapies is their flexibility. They adapt to individual needs, whether you’re dealing with unhelpful thought patterns, overwhelming emotions, physical discomfort, or sleep issues. CBH stands out by addressing both conscious and subconscious aspects of an issue, making it easier to achieve meaningful, lasting change.

Is CBH right for you?

Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, phobias, habits, pain, sleep issues, or conditions like IBS, CBH can offer a practical and structured approach to making real progress and achieving your goals. By combining evidence-based techniques with the benefits of hypnosis, it supports you in building the skills to feel better, overcome challenges, and regain some control.