R was just 10 years old and emotionally very intelligent. She had been persuaded to behave in a way that she knew was wrong by children that were older. This left her feeling huge amounts of guilt, not only in the knowledge of what she had done, but feelings of having let her parents down. This had changed a vibrant, bubbly young lady into one that was withdrawn and unhappy.
We had just 2 sessions. The first session all clients experience is what is called a chemistry session. This is especially key for youngsters as if they do not feel comfortable with the therapist or their methodologies, they will not get the results they deserve.
R was naturally nervous about hypnosis but having had it explained to her, was very open to having her first experience of it. After this first session, even though we had not used any therapeutic techniques, her Mum reported back that, “She is so much more relaxed & happy. She really enjoyed the hypnosis. I don’t want to speak too soon, but it feels like we’ve our daughter back. She’s so much happier.”
So we progressed to have one therapeutic session, using a range of techniques to help address the guilt and to bolster her self-esteem to feel more confident around other children.
R was able to let the past go and move on from the incident and return to being a happy, bright child ready to progress into secondary school with a new level of mental agility and resilience.
And in her own words, “I was really nervous about seeing Caroline, but she comforted me and assured me there was nothing to be nervous about. Before I saw her, my problem was always on my mind, but now I rarely think about it thanks to Caroline. Thank you for what you did for me Caroline.”
If you have a teen (or near tween) who is struggling with inter-personal relationships, please get in touch for an informal chat.
Let's TalkSports performance is often not associated with therapy, however most top athletes now use techniques derived from hypnotherapy.
Caroline was fit, regularly completing demanding gym sessions but when it came to running, she found herself giving up after just minutes. She was struggling to understand why her body would respond to the demands made of it the gym, but would not do so out on the track.
“I knew it must be something in my head but I just couldn’t work out what! Caroline Cavanagh was able to take me back to the age of 4. I was very badly asthmatic as a child and I recalled my Mum telling me as she dropped me off at school ‘not to run around or I would get wheezy’. My asthma was no longer an issue as an adult but I was amazed that this repeated comment heard has a child had had such a lasting impact.
Having realised that, the behaviour was no longer relevant, Caroline helped me to let go of that child like instruction and the next day I went out and ran for 30 minutes. The difference was incredible and it was clear that the problem had been totally in my head. I then decided to sign up for a half marathon. I quickly progressed to covering 5-6 miles but then met another block. At this stage I would start getting painful stitches. So I booked another session. This time I went back to a time when I was 9 or 10. I was training 6 days a week as a gymnast and my developing body was struggling with the demands being put on it and I recalled getting various random aches and pains that would stop me training for a bit.
I understood this was my body’s way at that time of getting its own down time and now that I was back to making higher demands of it with the running, this old pattern was clicking back in. Caroline helped my adult mind to understand that I was in control and had the ability to train responsibly and again the child like behaviour was no longer relevant. From that point on, the stitches also stopped.
As part of the treatment I learned how to hypnotise myself and found this a great technique when I was running – just took my mind off to another place and let my body get on with the running.
I completed the Reading marathon in a respectable time – something I don’t think I could ever have done without hypnotherapy.”
Let's TalkWhen Sally first contacted me, she was experiencing a growing dependency on alcohol over the last 12 months. It had reached a point where she felt there was an alcohol addiction and she wanted to gain back control.
She, like many, expressed a slight scepticism towards hypnotherapy. Her scepticism was fed by a 6 week counselling course (based around another condition) which she felt had delivered little benefit.
The first session is always a gentle session supporting an experience of hypnosis. Sally described the feeling as deeply relaxing and noted how time had just flown by – as in this state of relaxation your perception of time changes!
Returning for her second therapeutic session Sally told me that she had not had a drink since the last session and more importantly, was not missing it. This session was a few days before Christmas and she was experiencing some anxiety that the normal festive activities would take her back to square one. However on her next visit (early Feb) she told me that Christmas had been great and she had gone through the whole Christmas period without a drink.
Sally has since made periodic visits as a ‘top up’, typically when life is stressful, and she seeks to reinforce her new beliefs around drink. She is not teetotal and can enjoy a glass of wine of an evening, or share a few glasses with friends and enjoy it. But she can also go out and not drink and no longer feels the NEED to drink.
When asked now what her impression of hypnotherapy is, she has moved from scepticism to, “It worked – amazingly!!”
If you are experiencing something in your life over which you feel you are losing control but may also have some scepticism, please do get in touch to find out more.
Let's TalkI have a strong belief that the body and mind need to be on the same page for full health. And this is never more true than when someone is trying to conceive and experiencing unexplained infertility.
The story below comes from a lovely lady who had been trying for some time to conceive. She was visualising her life with a baby, created vision boards with all the lovely things that she would buy, but still no baby. We had one session together and her story, in her own words, goes like this…
“My husband and I had been trying to conceive for several months without luck. It was really starting to get me down. I confided in a friend that even though I was desperate for a baby, I was also feeling stressed and overwhelmed in my business. I was worried how on earth I’d manage to juggle a baby as well. She suggested this was why I was not conceiving.
I spoke to Caroline, a hypnotherapist in Salisbury, and aside from working on the key issues of stress and anxiety we focused on conception for a short time at the end of the session. After the session I felt so much more relaxed. Things which would have added stress previously didn’t bother me. I continued to use some of the visualisation techniques we’d used in the session, particularly after intercourse. I couldn’t believe it when just a few weeks later I took a pregnancy test and it was positive!
After months of negative tests it felt like magic! I’m certain it wasn’t a coincidence and that feeling more relaxed and less worried about my business definitely released a lot of tension from my body.
When we were trying to conceive so many friends had said- ‘it will happen when you’re relaxed about it.’ Any woman who has been in the position of having several months of negative pregnancy tests will understand that that does not lead to a feeling of relaxation about the issue, it only makes you more anxious and worried that something might be wrong. The hypnosis finally helped me to let go of the tension I was holding and the mental anxiety I was harbouring about how to juggle family life with my business. I could literally see a way for the two to work together harmoniously and I feel like I have a really clear vision to work towards. It really feels like hypnotherapy was a key that unlocked something inside me.”
And one of the things I love about what my clients learn though the hypnotherapy we do here in Salisbury is that it helps them in other areas of their lives. Her story continues…
“I’m more relaxed about my workload. Instead of panicking about how to get it all done, or feeling overwhelmed I know I’m in control of it. And if the feelings do come back I have strategies to bring back the feelings of calm. And I’m pregnant!!
In addition, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you Caroline! I was starting to just feel so depressed every month with another negative pregnancy test again. It feels like magic that I had only one hypnosis session, did some visualising and was able to fall pregnant just weeks afterwards, but I know it wasn’t. You were able to bring out of me some of the best qualities about myself which had somehow got lost in the midst of all the anxiety and stress of running a business. You’ve helped me to see how my life can be, without stress, a clear and realistic vision to work towards.
Thank you!!!”
Let's TalkKath had one child and had had been trying to give her a sibling for over 6 years. Not only had no sibling appeared but she had actually stopped ovulating. There was no physiological reason the doctor’s could find for the infertility and she was put forward for IVF. But there was a long wait. At her whits end, she decided to try hypnotherapy.
Her story, in her own words
“Prior to having ICSI treatment, I commenced a course of hypnotherapy with Caroline Cavanagh.
Caroline used time line therapy, with the aim of identifying the possible cause of my infertility. During the initial session it became clearly evident that when I was aged five there were several traumatic incidents. These were predominantly related to starting school and my mother giving birth to my second brother, releasing feelings of fear and insecurity. Other incidents that came to light were an issue of bullying at nursery school and a week long hospital stay, during which time I only saw my parents once a day.
I found the treatment very relaxing and was reassured that I was completely aware of my surroundings and in control at all times.
Following the sessions I was very relaxed and slept well afterwards, although I had quite vivid dreams.
Caroline gave me exercises to do regarding bonding and strengthening the relationship between me now and me aged five. I felt this helped relieve a lot of internal anxiety and also improved my confidence socially.
Shortly after commencing our work together, I started ovulating again.
When I commenced my ICSI treatment I felt quietly confident that it would work. I was also surprised at how calm I felt throughout the treatment and that I didn’t experience any physical side effects.
I am now 36 weeks pregnant and can’t wait to meet my baby.”
Let's TalkLesley was facing fer fifth diagnosis of cancer. This time it was potentially terminal. She wanted to know if hypnotherapy could help her cancer.
These words have come directly from her.
“I have known Caroline in a professional capacity for 10 years. Caroline has a wonderful trait – integrity. In everything that she undertakes she approaches it with sincerity, professionalism, honesty, decency and truthfulness.
In 2012 I had a personal crisis related to my health. I was in deep despair and felt that I needed to help myself deal with my illness both physically and mentally.
I had had clinical hypnosis about 5 years ago – through someone I had researched on the internet – to give up chocolate. That worked and still does – so I believed that Caroline could help me to help myself.
I had around 6 sessions during 2012/13. My medical prognosis was not good and I was at an all time low mentally. Caroline helped me to manage this very difficult period in my life. Her skills enabled me to find the way forward and now all I can say that I have exceeded my medical prognosis and I am in good health, leading a full and active and very happy life.
I’m not one to gush – but I really could not have coped without Caroline’s input. She facilitated my medical outcome by working with me under hypnosis. I have an awful lot to thank her for and words just don’t seem to be enough.
If you are at a crossroads in your life – physically or mentally, you have the power within YOU to change. Caroline can help make that happen.”
If you are facing a medical challenge, hypnotherapy may help alongside traditional treatment. The mind is powerful and when you direct it, the results can be phenomenal. If you are curious, let’s chat.
Let's TalkCaroline had suffered from asthma from an early age and had been hospitalised with it a number of times. She could not leave the house without having an inhaler with her. It had got to a stage where finding that she was without an inhaler would instantly result in her starting to wheeze. She wanted to know if hypnotherapy could help her asthma and reduce her reliance on ventolin.
Here is her story.
“I could understand why I could get wheezy when rushing about but I hated being so reliant on having a ventolin with me all the time. But I would panic and start wheezing and realised one was empty or there was not one in my coat pocket.
I had read a bit on using suggestions in hypnosis but didn’t think hypnotherapy could help with asthma. Imagine my surprise when visiting Caroline, a hypnotherapist in Salisbury started talking to me about anger! I didn’t consider myself an angry person but the more I thought about it, the more I realised I did have a pretty short fuse.
In the sessions we went back to things in my childhood and I realised that my dad had pushed me really hard to be successful. As an adult I could see that he was trying to live his life through me. He wanted deflected glory from my success. I had bottled up all this resentment at being made to do things I didn’t want to do as a child.”
“It was a very emotional experience but the difference I felt at the end of the session was amazing. I genuinely felt lighter as if a weight had been lifted. It was still tricky to go out without an inhaler close by at first but it didn’t take long to notice that I wasn’t using it. Slowly the confidence grew and I increasingly left the inhalers behind.
I also noticed that I just felt calmer. There is a much longer fuse before I ‘blow’ and my relationship with my Dad also changed for the better. I used to go through a ventolin about every 6 weeks. It has now been over a year since I went to the GP for a repeat prescription.
It’s hard to comprehend how an emotion I had unknowingly bottled up could have such a physical impact. However, the evidence is undeniable.
I suspect the boundaries for how hypnotherapy can help reduce illnesses are almost limitless and have encouraged lots of people to now look at alternatives to just keep taking drugs.”
Let's TalkJude was referred to me by someone close to her and came with the request, “I want some of what she has found!” He friend had done some weight management work with me and at that point, lost over 3 stones.
Despite having seen the impact of hypnotherapy on a close friend’s weight loss, Jude, like many others, had concerns about it. “I was concerned that it wouldn’t work in that I wouldn’t be able to be hypnotised and that if it did, I wouldn’t get the results I wanted. I was also concerned about being out of control.”
This is a common feeling based on the TV and stage shows that use hypnosis but after talking her through the differences between stage entertainment and the therapeutic use of hypnosis she agreed to give it a go! “It was just like being really relaxed. You are still aware of everything and sometimes still wondering if you are actually hypnotised!”
Jude and I had a total of 7 sessions together. The results that she felt she had made included;
“Weight loss was slow but steady. I had no desire for or reliance on sweet, sugary foods and there was no more snacking between meals.”
Weight management through hypnotherapy is not all about abstaining from foods or constant calorie counting, it helps that part of your mind that controls eating to make better, more healthy decisions that also reflect what the body needs. However, there are often secondary benefits that come out of hypnotherapy:
“I now value the need to look after myself more and better protect myself from the slugs and arrows!” (Jude’s metaphor for the ‘stuff’ that life throws at us!)
Jude had a high convincer filter – a filter we all have but can be set at different levels and hers meant that she needed to see a good amount of evidence to trust that the changes were not just temporary.
Her final comment was: “The belief that it has changed my behaviour and that I will remain that way gets reinforced every day!”
Let's TalkIt is very common that people come for help in one area of their lives but then experience benefits in other areas too. Bev came to me for help with weight management and along with success in that area, “I have more confidence, I have the ability to now take a step back from things that previously would have made me feel stressed and to feel in control of situations.”
This is one of the key benefits of hypnotherapy; you cannot only change an area of your life that you are not happy with, but you also learn a sense of relaxation and calmness that also makes other areas of life much better.
Bev had a total of 4 hypnotherapy sessions here in Salisbury spread across nearly 8 weeks. After the first therapeutic session she was amazed that she had had a chocolate bar in her bag for several days and not felt like eating it. After further sessions she had changed her eating habits considerably, was drinking less and exercising more.
Our eating behaviour often stems from lessons learned or experiences earlier in life that you would not naturally attribute to eating habits. For Bev this was also true: “The biggest surprise to me was the feelings and recollections that surfaced from when I was younger that contributed to my over eating. Things that I hadn’t even given a second thought to.”
And it is accessing the subconscious through hypnosis that allows these childhood patterns to be adapted to something appropriate to adulthood. Bev started to lose weight slowly after the first session and her weight loss has continued at a steady rate. The key difference between dieting and her new behaviour is that it was not a chore and the changes felt natural.
“I would like to say you again Caroline for everything you helped me with. The weight loss has slowed down a lot but I am in a new ‘stone zone’ , I will confess, I still pick up a size 18 in the shop forgetting that I am a 16 now!!!
It’s taking a little getting used to. On Monday I fly off to Corfu for a week and I have discovered some of my old holiday clothes fit me again as well as new ones I’ve had to buy, of course. Sounds silly, but I am looking forward to sitting in the plane seat and feeling comfortable.
I still feel as though I have a way to go until I will be happy with my weight but I am getting there and know I will be the size I want to be for my daughters wedding in a few months.”
Let's TalkAnn-Marie came to me to seek assistance in losing weight. She found herself snacking regularly and had got to a stage where her self image was also affecting her self-confidence and motivation.
Like many people who come for hypnotherapy, the only experience Ann-Marie had of hypnosis is that seen on entertainment shows.
“I was surprised how in control I remained whilst hypnotised. Following the taster session when I first experienced being hypnotised, I was much more relaxed during the process as I knew the myths about hypnotherapy were just that. It was like my conscious mind was watching from the sidelines, ready to step in if needed but happy to allow the rest of my body and my unconscious mind a chance to be heard. No matter how stressful work had been just before arriving my mind and body was completely relaxed through the whole experience.”
“I can be quite nervous meeting new people and being open and honest. Caroline made me feel completely relaxed and unembarrassed about talking openly and honestly. I knew I wouldn’t be judged; she just wanted to help me.
Ann-Marie started to lose weight straight after the first therapy session but she was surprised that she did not feel as if she was dieting. In her own words….
“ I am much more aware of my body and the elements that affect my choices. This awareness has helped me lose weight by making better choices, supported by my subconscious mind, rather than feeling like healthy choices were always a battle between what I wanted and what I knew was good for me. I am now losing weight in a steady, healthy manner, without dieting.”
But weight loss was not the only benefit she experienced.
“I have learnt how useful full body and mind relaxation can be, and this has been incredibly helpful in other areas of my life, such as dealing with work stress. I have also realised that I am strong enough to achieve my goals and that when I am feeling alone and somewhat beleaguered by the world I can recruit those separate and powerful parts of me to help.”
Ann-Marie had a total of 4 hypnotherapy sessions here in Salisbury and her weight loss had been consistent and at a healthy rate, losing 9 lbs over the month that we worked together. It was felt that at that stage, she had the resources and new skills to continue to reach her goal alone. Ann-Marie has the last words:
I also felt that the therapy was being tailored exactly to my needs, down to Caroline saying when she felt we didn’t need any further sessions at present. It was incredibly refreshing to hear work effectively being turned down as she genuinely felt it wouldn’t bring me any further benefit at that point in time.
I would recommend Caroline Cavanagh to anyone and would consider using her again.”
Let's TalkJo contacted me because she wanted to develop a healthy relationship with food and to lose weight. But she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life on a diet to have good weight management.
Whilst her own health was a high priority for her, her main motivator was to be a positive role model to her two beautiful young daughters. Jo really didn’t want to pass on her own food issues to them. She had developed what we refer to as ‘the black lab syndrome’ – if there is food around, it needs eating! Every day it felt she had a battle with food.
In therapy, it is important to have a goal to work towards. Jo’s goal was to lose 2 stone and to get into a specific dress that was in her wardrobe. We had 4 sessions spaced over approx. 10 weeks. Hypnotherapy for weight loss involves developing new habits and these take time. I challenged Jo after each session to do some ‘homework’- simple activities that create new behaviours. Her success was strongly influenced by her commitment to doing the activities suggested.
6 months after our first session, Jo reported that she had lost 42lbs and the weight was still reducing. Here is her story in her own words:
“I am now a healthier, more active person. I have become more in tune with my body’s needs and make simple daily choices that simply didn’t feel available to me before.
My daily routine was focused around food…notably, what I couldn’t eat battling what I wanted to eat and a destructive pattern of starving and stuffing.
I am now more contented, at peace with food and generally have a calmer, more confident attitude to life.Thoughts about food don’t dominate anymore. I trust that what I put in my mouth will not only be delicious but also exactly what my body is telling me I need. As Caroline said, my body is not a bin.
We can now have crisps, chocolate and snacks in the house without the nagging fear that I might quickly stuff them all in in a bid to get rid of them. I can take or leave them and feel no guilt if I simply fancy a piece of chocolate.
Food has taken on a new place in my life. I think more about what I would like to eat rather than what I can’t or shouldn’t eat. Menus and flavours are suddenly more interesting. I drink more fluids and have a lot more energy.
Before I visited Caroline my life was on a very unhealthy destructive path. I feel like this process has not just enhanced my life by losing weight and starting to enjoy food but it has made me healthier and given my body a new form of protection.”
The thing that I love about hypnotherapy when it comes to weight management is reflected in Jo’s words – it is not about being on an eternal diet but having a relationship with food that is positive. ‘Treats’ can still be a treat and enjoyed but food ceases to be a constant focus.
Let's Talk
Bexi had a fear of phobias that was literally terrifying her at even the thought that a 'beastie' may be around. We addressed this and then Bexi returned. She realised that traumas from her childhood were holding her back from realising her dreams. Here is what she had to say about her experience of hypnotherapy
This lady was struggling with performance anxiety. After a few sessions she became a World Champion.
Mia's anxiety was holding her back in her business and also in her life. She shares how our work together has helped her
William was doing well in his career and life in general but knew there was another level - and together, we found it!
It is still common for men to believe they don't need help and Keith only came after his wife had had sessions. His experience is shared in this short video
Lilli shares her story of how a diagnosis of anxiety had led to medication that she was not happy to stay on. So she explored other routes.
Sometimes it is not about being in a bad place, but knowing that if life does through challenges at you, there is somewhere you can go where it is safe to be vulnerable.
Carol talks of what being in hypnosis feels like and what results she was able to achieve after PTSD.
Alix had a phobia of the phone - and it was having a massive impact on her life. After two sessions she talks about the results she has had and how that has affected her.