Carol Hickson

I’m Carol Hickson, a multi-disciplined mental health professional, therapist, life coach, neuro diversity coach, workplace trainer and mental health author.  I work online with adults and children.  I am DBS checked. 

Mental health has become medicalised but there is a gap between what medication can do and how we personally improve our health and well-being.  Human beings are driven internally by systems that in many ways, are no longer compatible to the way we live now.  Therapy is about helping people live better and learn how to mange their reactions and responses.  Whether you are experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, relationship breakdowns, chronic pain, insomnia or menopause I specialise in nervous system regulation and personal development.  

Working online I provide my clients with therapy, and practical tools, so that they can learn how to manage their health, mental health and well-being from the safety of home.  As the author of The Resilience Template – 7 Steps to Improve Your Mental Health, (and for children, Beeston the Anxious Pup), my mission is to support you as you learn how to manage stress, anxiety and depression, and refocus your nervous system.  

I want to help you build a toolbox that will help you move your life forward.  The practical tools I share will help you manage constant worrying, cope with thoughts that boomerang around your mind, and help you deal with debilitating panic attacks and heart palpitations.  These evidence-based tools include Clinical Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and will provide ways to reduce the symptoms of stress.  

Many of us don’t realise that the symptoms we have are caused by a dysregulated nervous system and stress.  When you understand this and learn techniques to live better everything changes.

Whether we are working with anxiety, depression or stress we all need to be aware of our own reactions.  Perhaps you have started to avoid situations, suffer with stomach issues, have poor sleep, feel stuck in the past or experience poor mood there are evidenced-based ways to help you live better.

I was a disabled blue badge holder, in chronic pain with 5 prolapsed discs and a diagnosis of Dystonia, at the time I had no idea that anxiety and stress were worsening my physical health symptoms. I also, put up with insomnia for years because nobody could help me sleep better. Now I welcome all clients including those who are dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, worry, chronic pain, insomnia and menopause.

Please get in touch, I offer a free initial 30-minute telephone consultation. I’ll give you an honest opinion as to whether I can help you.

My approach will always be tailored to you and the problem you want to address. Therapy doesn’t have to take a long time; many people get significant changes very quickly. My goal is to not only help you with a specific issue or issues, but for you to leave me with a toolbox of useful techniques that you can use every day to live better.

I am qualified to work in nine mental health modalities including Clinical Hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the Emotional Freedom Technique. Everyone responds differently and with a variety of tools and techniques I aim to create an individual, personal experience for each of my clients.

I work online, via Zoom, many clients find this much more convenient than travelling to face-to-face sessions.  Working online, I provide audio recordings and resources for you to use outside the session.

Please see a few of my testimonials below together with some of the issues I work with. But, whatever the problem, please call me today, and let’s talk about how we can move you forward.

I use a Hypnotherapy as a standalone or in combination with EFT and/or Reiki; Hypno-Reiki. Clients can join me in solution oriented visualisation whilst experiencing a Reiki treatment.

Free Initial Consultation – I offer an initial free telephone consultation.  During this call, I will explain a little of the fight or flight survival response which is strongly linked to stress symptoms.  I will always give you an honest response as to what you can expect should you decide to work with me. You are under no obligation, all you need is an open mind.

I charge £75 per 60-minute session including any MP3 recordings.  I can discount if three sessions or more are booked together as a package.

5-week holistic weight loss package 'Change your relationship with food.  Change your life.  A personalised blueprint for a healthy body and a healthy mind'.  £350 for minimum 5 hours face to face.  Also includes Hypnotherapy, MP3 recordings, booklet, EFT and the latest research.  Average weight loss after 5 weeks is 15lbs, there is no dieting and no deprivation.  We rebuild your will-power together.  See above for further details.  Please see testimonials below.

5-week holistic sleep improvement program 'Wake up to a better you.  a personalised blueprint for better health'.  £350 for minimum 5 hours face to face.  Also includes Hypnotherapy, MP3 recordings, booklet, EFT and the latest research.  See above for further details.

Mon - Friday 9 am to 8.30 pm Sat 10 to 12

Testimonials:

KH. Chester - Anxiety and Stress

Thank you Carol for always being so patient with me even when I didn't think I could learn how to manage my stress and anxiety.  You are right about keeping a journal because when I look back I can't believe how bad I was.  I'm now living my life properly instead of over reacting to everything that happens to me.  As you say onwards and upwards!

GT. Warrington - Childhood Issues

Hi Carol, thank you so much, I knew you were the right person for me as soon as we spoke on the phone!  Even after the first session you helped me clear so much and I am excited at how quickly I have changed.  The way you helped me process childhood memories is incredible and I still don't understand it, but I don't have to!  I can just put the past behind me and live for now.  Thank you so much.

TC. Northwich - Stress

Carol, I wanted to say thank you.  I'm back at work now and can't believe how far I have come since I came to see you a month ago.  I no longer live on my nerves and am feeling much happier.  I tap and listen to the recordings everyday because they make me feel like I can do anything!

ED. Middlewich - Severe Anxiety

Hi Carol I just wanted to say thank you I had a fantastic holiday.  I used the techniques when I got anxious at home before I went and at the airport but they were especially useful on the plane.  I can't believe that I flew so far having not flown in ages but I did!  We're now thinking of going to Mexico next year!  Thank you so much!

SNN. Helsby - Severe Anxiety

Carol, I wanted to say thank you so much.  After years of therapy with my last therapist I never thought that I would be in a place where I could say that I have taken back control but I have!  In a few sessions you have given me techniques and tools and I when I think of where I was when I came to you I can't believe the change in me.  My family are amazed too.  Thank you so much.  I'm excited to be travelling again too - I never thought I'd do that again either. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

SN. Cheshire - 18 year old's severe OCD

Thank you!  I just feel so driven and more determined than ever to get this C!  Thank you so much for everything you've done I don't think I could ever thank you enough for what you have done for me and how much you have helped with my OCD.  I am forever grateful that I am fortunate enough to get therapy.  You are one amazing human!  I don't know what else to say but THANK YOU!

LU. Cheshire – 14 year-old daughter's anxiety

Good evening

I just wanted to let you know A enjoyed every minute of her trip.  She had a little wobble on the second night, but quickly put herself right by tapping! She loved it!! I can’t thank you enough, what a difference I’ve seen in her.  I am so grateful to you.

KI Winsford - Food program

Carol, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve lost 2 stone in 2 months on the food programme.  I really can’t believe how easy it is.  I am not dieting or going without but literally my mindset to food has completely changed.  I love listening to the recordings before I go to sleep and as well as the weight loss I’m sleeping better.  I’ve also got my motivation back to exercise too!  I can’t wait to see how much I’ve lost by Christmas!

Thank you so much.

NT Chester - Food program

Carol, just wanted to say how helpful I have found the programme, it has really changed my relationship with food and enabled me to take more control of what I’m eating and when. So far I have lost 16lbs. My goal is to lose 2 stone and whilst it is coming off slowly, it is coming off at a steady rate and probably a healthy rate. I feel so much better already.

In addition, the programme has got my mind back on exercise. I had gotten to the stage that I just couldn’t get motivated prior to the programme and now I am exercising thoroughly each week and introducing new exercises each time such as boxing, skipping, floor exercises (plank etc) squats and just recently started running again. It is little and often but the feel-good factor is now back so hopefully I will continue with this moving forward.

All in all, I feel much stronger, much more focused and looking forward to getting down to my ideal weight and staying at that weight.  Really glad I met you and really glad I started this programme.

PH, Cheshire - Fear of Flying

I did it! Thanks Carol so much for helping me. We had the holiday of a lifetime and I would never have believed it was possible. I've just booked the flights for our next holiday and I can't wait.  You've changed my life!

A, Cheshire - Anxiety

Carol has the most amazing positive attitude… I have never met anyone like this before! She is such a knowledgeable lady, gentle and reassuring.
I had some expectation prior the first session, as I did experience hypnotherapy years ago. But Carol is different… she blends energy psychology, hypnotherapy and Reiki providing such a unique experience.
The sessions were like talking to a good friend who wouldn’t judge me, who would show me a different perspective on my life, who would truly understand me.
Carol didn’t just focus on my severe anxiety. She also helped me to overcome a very deep-rooted self-hatred and hatred towards certain people. I honestly never thought that would be possible… Forgiveness is beautiful… I truly feel like I was born again… I am in such a good place now.
Thank you Carol.

DH Northwich - Food program

Carol, just wanted you to know that your weight loss programme is Fabulous, I’ve lost 12lbs it’s slow & steady & more importantly I’m enjoying my food & not on a diet.  It’s remarkable how much I’ve learned about sugar & flour & how over processing can cause such problems for you.

Your recordings are part of my day I feel energised & find myself up early in the morning getting ready for the rest of my day.

My daughter & my friend have also lost well over a stone on your programme.  I would like to thank you for all your hard work & wish you well for the future.

B, Cheshire - Stress

I am very open to complementary therapies but I had never tried hypnotherapy before and it was amazing. I was a bit nervous as I was worried that I might lose control and Carol reassured me that that wouldn’t happen and that I would be aware of everything and I would always be in control. I left our session feeling alive, everything was clear and during the hypnotherapy I felt incredibly warm and saw the most amazing colours. I didn’t want to move! I just wanted to stay in this amazing feeling. I will definitely do more sessions in the future especially when I am a bit stressed. And Carol is going to show me how to do self hypnosis which will be good.

DM, Winsford - Sleep / Insomnia

I went to see Carol because I was having problems sleeping and I felt so tired all the time. I kept lying awake worrying about things and Carol showed me how to calm my head down. I liked working with her because she understands how it feels when you just can’t sleep. I also, learned how to do it myself and now in the night if I’m wide awake I can use it on myself. I have so much more energy and with carols help I’ve signed on for college. I am excited about it all. Thanks again.

SD, Cheshire - Chronic Pain

I went to Carol on the recommendation of a friend. I suffer from chronic knee pain and osteoarthritis and was looking for a way of managing this without drugs. I am in my forties, so am trying to avoid knee replacement surgery also at this stage. We dealt with the pain in two ways, hypnotherapy and EFT, both aimed at releasing the emotional connotations of the pain: the ‘I can’t exercise, can’t cycle, can’t walk properly’, ‘I’ll never be free of this, ‘It’s with me for the rest of my life’, ‘Oh here we go again, immobile’, ‘I don’t want an operation’, ‘Why me?’ thoughts.

Now all this baggage has been removed, it’s been surprising how easy the pain has been to manage. Yes, I still get twinges, but they are temporary. It only took us two sessions to get to this point and I haven’t used codeine since. I also still use EFT on my own e.g. if I’ve got a headache at work or something has upset me. It still surprises me how useful it is, it’s a bit of an emotional and physical Swiss army knife. Throughout, Carol was supportive and perceptive. She knows her stuff. I can strongly recommended her