Dr John Pates
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi, I'm Dr. John Kenneth Pates. I am a hypnotherapist who uses Ericksonian hypnosis, performance psychology, psychotherapy, and advanced psychological approaches.
I specialise in working with high-performing professionals, but I am also deeply committed to helping individuals from all walks of life.
Whether you’re struggling with stress and anxiety, low confidence, depression, or feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns, I’m here to support you. Hypnotherapy is a gentle yet powerful approach that can help you build resilience, reduce overwhelming emotions, and unlock your inner potential. Combined with advanced psychotherapy techniques, it’s also effective for improving sleep, overcoming fears, breaking unwanted habits, managing pain, and cultivating focus and motivation.
As a PhD holder with extensive research in hypnosis and numerous publications in the field, I bring a deep understanding of its transformative potential. My methods are grounded in science and backed by years of experience, ensuring you receive a safe, supportive, and effective pathway to meaningful and lasting change.
My work is centred on creating a compassionate space where you feel truly heard and understood. Together, we’ll uncover the root causes of your challenges and empower you to achieve greater balance, confidence, and well-being. Whatever your goals, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.
By combining hypnotherapy with advanced psychotherapy, I provide powerful, customised solutions to address a broad range of issues, empowering people from all walks of life to overcome their challenges.
Below is a list of challenges I help clients overcome.
Psychological and Emotional Challenges
- Anxiety disorders: Reduces generalised or social anxiety symptoms.
- Depression: Eases mild to moderate depression.
- Stress management: Builds resilience to handle stress.
- Phobias: Alleviates fears like flying or spiders.
- PTSD: Addresses trauma-related symptoms.
- OCD: Helps manage intrusive thoughts and rituals.
- Sleep disturbances: Improves insomnia and related issues.
- Low self-esteem: Boosts confidence and self-worth.
- Performance anxiety: Supports sports, public speaking, or exam fears.
- Grief: Assists in coping with loss.
- Relationship issues: Promotes emotional healing.
- Anger management: Teaches healthier emotional responses.
- Emotional eating: Addresses stress-related eating habits.
Habit and Behavioral Challenges
- Smoking cessation: Encourages quitting smoking.
- Weight management: Promotes healthy habits.
- Procrastination: Builds motivation and focus.
- Nervous habits: Reduces nail-biting or similar behaviours.
- Substance dependency: Supports broader recovery efforts.
- Productivity: Enhances time management skills.
Pain Management
- Chronic pain: Eases conditions like fibromyalgia.
- Migraines: Reduces headache severity.
- Hypnobirthing: Minimizes childbirth pain.
- Post-surgery recovery: Aids pain and healing.
Medical and Psychosomatic Issues
- IBS symptoms: Manages stress-triggered discomfort.
- Skin conditions: Addresses stress-aggravated issues.
- Tinnitus: Provides coping strategies.
- Hypertension: Reduces stress-related blood pressure.
- Allergies: Helps with stress-related triggers.
Addiction and Dependency
- Gambling: Breaks compulsive behaviours.
- Screen addiction: Reduces overuse of devices.
- Gaming addiction: Addresses compulsive gaming.
- Shopping addiction: Encourages healthier habits.
Sexual Health and Intimacy
- Erectile dysfunction: Tackles psychological causes.
- Low libido: Builds confidence and desire.
- Sexual trauma: Heals intimacy fears.
Children and Adolescents
- Bedwetting: Addresses enuresis in kids.
- Test anxiety: Improves academic confidence.
- Behavioural challenges: Supports focus and discipline.
- Bullying recovery: Builds resilience and self-esteem.
Performance and Personal Growth
- Creativity: Boosts imagination and problem-solving.
- High-performance: Optimises mental performance, resilience and mindset.
- Focus and memory: Enhances academic or work outcomes.
- Leadership skills: Improves decision-making confidence.
- Creative blocks: Supports writers and artists.
Other Issues
- Fear of aging: Provides emotional support.
- Medical fears: Reduces anxiety about procedures.
- Travel anxiety: Addresses fear of transportation.
- Trauma recovery: Reframes limiting beliefs.
- Life transitions: Supports career or retirement changes.
Why Choose Me?
- Expertise: World-renowned psychologist/hypnotherapist with decades of proven results.
- Personalised Care: Every session is tailored to your unique needs.
- Cutting-Edge Techniques: Combining Ericksonian Hypnosis with advanced evidence-based psychological methods.
- Comprehensive Solutions: Treating psychological, behavioural, medical, and performance-related issues.
Training, qualifications & experience
I’m Dr. John Pates, a BPS Chartered Psychologist and HCPC-registered practitioner with a PhD, master’s, and degree in psychology. My journey began in 1993 when I trained with Stephen Brooks and the British Hypnosis Research (BHR) at St. Ann's Hospital, qualifying as a Practitioner of Ericksonian Hypnosis, Psychotherapy, and NLP.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve combined cutting-edge psychological techniques with hypnotherapy to help people achieve transformative results. While much of my early work focused on elite sports—training world champions, Olympic medalists, and major winners—I have since dedicated myself to helping individuals from all walks of life overcome challenges, heal, and thrive.
I was the first researcher in the world to uncover the link between hypnosis, flow states, and peak performance, and my PhD explored the profound impact of hypnosis in sports. Alongside numerous peer-reviewed publications, my practical work has empowered clients to break through barriers, overcome limiting beliefs, and unlock their full potential.
Whether you’re seeking to overcome personal challenges, improve your well-being, or achieve meaningful change, I bring decades of experience, advanced therapeutic methods, and a deep commitment to helping you succeed. Let’s work together to create the life you deserve.
Member organisations
Each member of APHP has received thorough training in hypnosis and hypnotherapy, is competent and conscientious, and abides strictly by a code of ethics.
There are four grades of membership: Licentiate (LAPHP), Registered Member (MAPHP), Accredited Member (MAPHP(acc.)) and Fellow (FAPHP), with the different categories standing for different levels of training and experience.
The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy is a member organisation of UKCHO (an umbrella body for the hypnotherapy profession in the United Kingdom).
Areas of hypnotherapy I deal with
info Information about health conditions (*)
Hypnotherapy can enhance the well-being of individuals diagnosed with serious medical conditions, but should not take the place of medical treatment and advice. If you have been diagnosed with - or suspect you may have - any of these conditions, please speak to your doctor before starting hypnotherapy.
Therapies offered
Fees
£80.00 per session
Further information
My Research
Pates, J., & Maynard, I. (2000). The effects of hypnosis on flow states and golf performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 91, 1057-1075.
Pates, J., Maynard, I., & Westbury, T. (2001). An investigation into the effects of hypnosis on basketball performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13, 84- 103.
Pates, J., Oliver, R., & Maynard, I. (2001). The effects of hypnosis on flow states and golf-putting performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13, 343-356.
Pates, J., Cummings, A., & Maynard, I. (2002). The effects of hypnosis on flow states and three-point shooting performance in basketball players. Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, 16, 1-15.
Pates, J., & Palmi, J. (2002). The effect of Hypnosis upon Flow States and Short Serve Badminton Performance. Journal of Excellence, 6, 48-62.
Pates, J., (2013) The Effects of Hypnosis on an Elite Senior European Tour Golfer: A Single-Subject Design. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 61(2): 1–12.
Pates, J., & Cowen, A. (2013) The Effects of Hypnosis on an Elite European Tour Golfer: A Single-Subject Design. The International Journal of Golf Sciences, 2, 43-53.
Pates, J. (2014) The Effects of Hypnosis on an Elite Senior European Tour Golfer. Journal of Excellence, 16, 74-83.
Pates, J. (2019). Hypnosis in the Clutch. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research 23 (2), 17205-17211.
Pates, J. (2020). The effects of a clutch-based intervention on golf performance: a single subject design. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
My Books
Pates, J, Robertson, D and Gardner, M. (2008). Enter the Zone- How to think and play like a champion. Grosvenor House Publishing. ISBN 9781906645328.
Pates, J (2022). The Miracle Mind. Amazon Publications.
Pates, J (2023). How to Achieve Greatness. Amazon Publications.
