I love helping my wonderful clients to rid themselves of their fears and phobias. To witness somebody finally being free of a debilitating fear which has dogged them for years is deeply fulfilling. I have been privileged to have been able to help people get rid of all sorts of different phobias, from the quite common ones like fear of flying to the not so common, such as a fear of burping (yes really!)

Fears and phobias are often rooted in trauma, maybe from childhood but that’s not always the case. My approach is always very gentle as the last thing I would want to do would be to re-traumatise the client.

Not every therapist has a gentle approach, however. I recently watched a programme on Channel 4 called ‘The Fear Clinic’. Based in Amsterdam, the main premise of the treatment seemed to be exposure therapy which means subjecting the client to their particular fear, followed by popping a beta blocker in their mouth. I actually found this quite disturbing to watch, in particular the lady with emetophobia who had to witness hearing another person being quite violently sick. Obviously this type of thing makes for good television but I could not help feeling that it is deeply irresponsible and traumatising to say the least.

I am happy to say that I do not practice this type of exposure therapy, instead using calming hypnotherapy suggestions in order to reinforce a belief within the client that they can let go of their fear completely and live a normal and fulfilling life. I also record a relaxing download which they can use at home to further strengthen their confidence. I then encourage the client to set themselves achievable challenges, so that they continue to gradually build up their strength, at their own pace.

It is my belief that therapy should not involve any further trauma for the client, there is absolutely no need for this.

If you have been considering therapy for a fear or phobia, please do get in touch.

Best wishes,

Wendy x

This time of year can be a bit ‘ugh’. Recovering from the excesses of Christmas and trying to get ourselves in gear once again, all the while dealing with freezing, damp weather and perpetual colds and sniffles. At the same time we cannot console ourselves with retail therapy as there’s no money left after the Christmas blowout. I am usually quite relieved once we have got through January.

There is also the added pressure that we put upon ourselves to pledge to be healthier, whether it be dry January, going to the gym or increasing our step count.

I think that I may have said before that I am not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, it tends to be a way of setting yourself up for failure which obviously ends up adding to the ‘ugh’ feeling mentioned earlier.

Instead I have found that it is a good idea to try to make the new year a quiet, simple time: enjoying comforting and nutritious meals, getting outside when you can even if for 10 minutes, having a declutter session, watching some good drama on TV (I can recommend ‘My Brilliant Friend’ on Sky). I have always been a fan of the Scandinavian concept of ‘Hygge’ which sort of means cosy, but also add a dash of warmth, hugs, candles (you get what I mean). I have taken down the Christmas decorations but decided to leave the fairy lights, they always make you feel good.

Lastly, be easy on yourself, you are wonderful and that’s more than enough to be going on with.

I look forward to meeting some lovely new hypnotherapy clients in 2025 so please get in touch if you think I can be of help. The old clients are always welcome too, it goes without saying!

Sending my very best wishes for a calm, happy and healthy 2025.

Wendy xx

I have always found the link between the stomach and the brain fascinating, the magical vagus nerve which joins these two parts of the body an incredibly powerful connector. Buddhist philosophy is known to use the term ‘the second brain’ for the gut and indeed this can often be the case as we are sometimes ‘guided by our gut’ when we need to make hard decisions.

We also know a lot more now about the gut’s micro biome, this refers to the delicate balance of gut bacteria which is an essential factor in our general health and well-being. In order to achieve a healthy micro biome it is important to eat a huge variety of different fruits and vegetables, also to consider taking a probiotic and to consume as many fermented foods as possible.

These are all useful, practical ways in which we can improve the health of our gut.

However, what many people are not so aware of is how hypnotherapy can be an incredibly powerful gut healer. Gut directed hypnotherapy is actually recommended by NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) for people suffering with IBS. It is very disappointing that GPs are hesitant about giving this advice to their patients, often preferring to prescribe medication instead.

I have had the opportunity to help many people with IBS symptoms and they have found that, not only do they feel better in terms of their gut health but also that they are feeling so much calmer and happier too. When your digestive system is settled and calm, the message goes right up to your brain via the vagus nerve allowing for a relaxed, serene mind.

I think you could call that a ‘win win’.

Do get in touch if you feel that I could be of help to you.

Keep warm folks,

Wendy xx

I have been thinking of doing this for a while now but have decided that now is the time: my weighing scales have got to go. For good.

It’s not easy to throw away something which has been a constant in your life since at least the teenage years, if not earlier. But I have at last realised that I don’t need them anymore and my life will be so much happier without them.

I do realise that I could probably do with losing a few pounds but actually I have reached a point in my life when I am quite happy with my body and that checking that number every morning is doing absolutely nothing for my well-being.

By getting rid of the scales it is possible to be much more aware of how your body actually feels and how good it is to be able to eat intuitively, move mindfully and treat yourself with kindness. Yes, I know, these are all things that I advise my clients to do but sometimes us therapists need to give ourselves a good talking to as well. What is it they say, healer heal thyself?

I love my food and eat a largely healthy diet of unprocessed foods and this is what I will continue to do, eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full. I am also a fan of intermittent fasting so I will continue with that. I absolutely love baking, avoiding gluten and dairy (but not sugar!) and this is something that I will always do, it’s in my DNA. In fact, a few days after my recent foot surgery I made a bakewell tart, even though I was still hobbling and obviously unable to do any other domestic jobs! Mr Chalk is an absolute gem, by the way.

I would be so interested to hear from you if you feel that you could benefit from some support with your well-being, whether this is related to nutrition, confidence or perhaps a simple acceptance of yourself as the wonderful person you are.

Off to find a sledgehammer, bye bye scales …..

Wendy x

Having had a little bit of time on my hands recently due to foot surgery I have been able to indulge in some reading. I have found that it’s quite easy to get out of the habit of reading and I was finding that in my spare time I would just be going down various internet rabbit holes. This tends to lead to feelings of being somewhat overstimulated, but not in a good way, in fact more like bingeing on fast foods – delicious at the time but then leaving you feeling quite nauseous.

I have therefore been delighted to have rediscovered the healing value of a really good book. To become totally immersed in the characters and story of a beautifully written novel is such a joy and is really quite calming for the soul.

I have just finished reading Demon Copperhead, the wonderful new book written by Barbara Kingsolver. This was a gift from my brother for my birthday and I hadn’t read any of Kingsolver’s books before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

Well, readers, it was a banger of a book, a beautifully written saga narrated by Demon himself about his life as a ‘trailer trash’ child, then into his teenage years. He experiences endless abuse, cruelty, drug addiction yet also has the good fortune to encounter wonderful, generous souls along his way. If you read the book, you may find some of the characters sound familiar and this is because Kingsolver very cleverly bases the novel on Dickens’ David Copperfield, the issues of Dickensian Britain being still very much in evidence in parts of middle America. I can truly say it is one of the most absorbing books I have ever read and I am thrilled to now discover that there are many more Kingsolver novels to devour.

If you used to love reading, but haven’t done it for a while, I urge you to give it a try. It really does have the power to calm and heal the mind and soul.

Best wishes to everyone,

Wendy x

One of the most satisfying interventions that I have had the privilege to do in my years as a hypnotherapist has been to help people give up smoking.

Many clients have come to me in order to quit, as they have been faced with a health crisis – this could be a diagnosis of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a recurrence of chest infections or maybe a heart condition.

Stopping smoking is one of the best, if not THE best thing that you can do for your health. Within a few days your body will begin to be healthier and stronger, you will feel so much fitter and you will be free of that never ending anxiety in the back of your mind of the harm you are wreaking on yourself.

I am also now seeing people who wish to stop vaping. Initially thought of as a way to ‘come off’ smoking, many people are now becoming just as addicted to vaping, which carries with it it’s own health risks. Whilst it is viewed as a lesser evil than smoking, we still do not really know all of the long term risks.

My stop smoking or vaping programme consists of an initial consultation (this is very important and means that I can personalise the treatment for you), the main hypnosis session and then a follow up session which can be taken any time. I also record a hypnosis relaxation download for you which you can use at home. The cost is £250 and this can be paid by cash or bank transfer.

If you are ready to do something truly wonderful for your health, please do get in touch. I would love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Wendy x

Being laid up after my foot operation, I have had the opportunity to do lots of reading which has been lovely. I do admit to have been watching some TV too but also trying to limit it – endless episodes of ‘Married At First Sight’ can make you feel a bit nauseous after a while!

One of the books I read was by Matthew Perry entitled ‘Friends, lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’. If you were a Friends watcher, like me, you will no doubt remember Matthew as the hilarious (and troubled) Chandler Bing. The role was quite literally made for him, you could say a case of art imitating life, although he almost missed out on it as he was contractually bound to another series but, fortunately, a way was found for him to take up the role.

Although Matthew was a uniquely talented actor and achieved his goal of superstardom, he had a huge addiction problem. It started with alcohol and then went onto prescription painkillers. His untimely death last year was found out to have been caused by a massive dose of ketamine in his system. He was in rehab many times but sadly never seemed to be able to overcome his addictions. He had had a difficult childhood, with his parents separating when he was very young and neither of them really being there to support him.

I was interested to find out that he visited a hypnotherapist to give up smoking and not just any hypnotherapist, this was Hollywood’s finest, the one all the superstars went to. It seems that the hypnotherapist practiced a form of aversion therapy, so this would entail suggestions of the awful things that would happen if he continue to smoke (his health was severely comprised at this point). Needless to say, the hypnotherapy didn’t work and only served to deepen his anxiety and trauma.

I am always interested to find out about the different types of interventions taken by hypnotherapists. However, after 15 years of working with many different anxiety issues, I have found that a solution-focused modality is by far the most successful. At the root of most addictions – be it food, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs – is an underlying anxiety or trauma. The addict has found he can temporarily stop these awful feelings by the use of substances. A quick simple fix.

My hypnotherapy intervention does not involve going over and over what caused the anxiety in the first place, the client will often be acutely aware of this already. Instead, my aim is to help the client to achieve a deep state of calm and peace within themselves by the use of hypnosis and then also self-hypnosis. It takes work and practice, but once the client realises he has the power within to change his mindset without the substance, it is an incredible feeling.

Matthew Perry’s book was terribly poignant, the latter chapters seemed to involve him repeating the narrative ‘well, at least I’m still here’. What a sad loss of a truly talented and wonderful actor and one wonders that if he had received the right therapy, he would still be with us.

Warmest wishes to you all,

Wendy x

I have been completely blown away by our amazing team of GB paralympians, second in the medal table as we speak and looking like they are going to be nabbing quite a few more before the contest finishes.

To be honest I have found the 2024 Paralympics far more exciting and entertaining to watch than the ‘other’ Olympics. I have also been struck by the huge amount of goodwill and friendship between the different countries, it’s wonderful to witness this.

Many of the paralympians seem to have developed an almost other worldly mental strength, a positivity and sheer bloody mindedness which gets them through anything.

Take 14 year old Bly Twomey for example who only began playing at her local Brighton club in 2021 and has now achieved two bronze medals! An incredible talent who is no doubt going to have an amazing career ahead of her.

I must admit to feeling a little bit frustrated at the moment as I have just had a foot operation and have a few weeks of limited mobility. My issue is only temporary, however, so really what right do I have to feel sorry for myself?

These wonderful athletes endure relentless illness and injury and then turn it all round in order to achieve something quite awe inspiring. I wish them all continued success in their careers, they really are superhuman.

By the way, I am taking hypnotherapy bookings for October, so if you have been considering this and you are ready to take the leap, why not get in touch and we can get a date in the diary.

Best wishes for autumn,

Wendy x

It hasn’t been a brilliant start to the year for me. I have been struck down for most of January by a strange and horrible lurgy which invaded my throat, chest and ears and even perforated one of my eardrums. Happy to say now that I am mostly recovered, voice and hearing have returned and my energy levels are back to normal. I have had a lot of time to rest, sleep and meditate which has probably not been such a bad thing. Prior to Christmas was a really hectic time for me and in truth I have probably been a little bit burnt out. The enforced rest came at the right time.

I was reading an excellent book recently called ‘When the body says no: the cost of hidden stress’ by Gabor Mate. He is a physician/psychologist who cites lots of examples of people – many of whom are incredibly driven – who seem to suffer physical illness which can then be linked very clearly to stress or trauma. I have always believed that there is a distinct link between the mind and the body and the more that we can be tuned into this, the better for our well-being. So, when I was poorly recently, I took time to switch off completely, had long naps and have been sure not to return to work too quickly. I have also made sure that I have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables and minimising the nasties. Mr Chalk has been away travelling quite a lot these past few weeks and I have even been venturing into vegan territory which I have really enjoyed. I have also ditched the alcohol (hard!) but I am not sure how long that is going to last.

I am now looking forward to welcoming some lovely new clients in 2024, my little Suffolk sanctuary is an oasis of peace so if you are feeling burnt out, stressed or just a bit ‘off’ do come and see me for some wonderfully calming hypnotherapy.

sending love and best wishes,

Wendy x

Today is World Mental Health Day and I think that we can mostly agree on two things :

1. Mental health issues are increasing exponentially
2. We do not seem to have found an effective and long term solution to mental health problems

A lot of effort seems to go into ‘raising awareness’ of mental health issues and also getting people talking.

I have an issue with both of those points. With regard to the first one, it seems to be that we now have what could almost be described as a ‘hyper’ awareness of mental health problems. They are spoken about endlessly on social media platforms, on TV and radio and in the press. Many celebrities are coming forward with their own stories about mental health struggles. It is generally seen as quite normal if you have had mental health challenges. In many ways this is a positive thing. We would not want to go back to a time where mental health issues were stigmatised or brushed under the carpet.

So, there is certainly more than enough ‘awareness’ now.

The bigger issue is how do we help people to feel better mentally, for the long term, not just as a quick fix.

There are a lot of campaigns which seem to have ‘getting people talking’ as their main premise to help to solve the mental health crisis. I do agree that this can be very helpful for many people, seeking support from friends or a therapist is to be encouraged. Many GPs encourage their patients to self-refer for ‘talking therapy’ which usually involves the patient having sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This involves talking to a therapist about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, helping to recognise negative patterns and tendencies. Although this can be helpful for some, I have had very many clients who have told me that it has either not helped at all, or (and I have a real issue with this) it has made them feel much worse.

I think that one of the reasons I have a problem with this approach is that I witness hypnotherapy working so powerfully and quickly for my clients, yet there continues to be the same blinkered approach being used, when it is quite clearly ineffective for many people. Hypnotherapy is unfortunately not available on the NHS as it is not licensed, and yet it has such a transformative effect on so any people.

The urge to ‘get people talking’ is also not helpful in some cases. For some of my patients they are so traumatised by events, that the very last thing they want to do is talk about them. Teenagers, in particular, may not find it at all easy to open up about their problems. This is where hypnotherapy can be so much more effective as there does not need to be much talking at all in a session, the therapy can work in a ‘content-free’ way, gently and positively encouraging change in how the client is feeling.

Therefore, on World Mental Health day, let’s not keep harping on about ‘awareness’ or ‘getting talking’, these are worn out records. Instead, how about we look at things with a fresh perspective, opening our minds to new therapies.

And I would say that the best of these therapies for mental health issues is hypnotherapy, obviously.

Warmest wishes for a mellow October,

Wendy x