Hypnotherapy for Fears and Phobias

Nicci Murphy: Hypnotherapy for fears and phobias

NLP, Hypnosis and EMDR can help with phobias

What is the difference between fear and phobia ?

“Fear is a natural, healthy emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat,” the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) says.

In contrast a phobia evokes a more intense response which can lead to severe anxiety and potentially panic attacks.

“The DSM-5 names three anxiety disorders that contain the word phobia.

Individuals with specific phobia are fearful or anxious about or avoidant of specific objects or situations eg., fear of vomit, dogs, spiders, snakes etc.

In social anxiety disorder (social phobia), the individual is fearful or anxious about or avoidant of social interactions and situations that involve the possibility of being scrutinised.

Individuals with agoraphobia are fearful and anxious about two or more of the following: using public transportation; being in open spaces; being in enclosed places; standing in line or being in a crowd; or being outside of the home alone in other situations.”

So how can a combination of NLP,  hypnotherapy and EMDR help you overcome fears and phobias? 

NLP will help to establish how the fear/phobia is impacting on your daily life

Identify triggers and maladaptive responses

Help you to develop a greater understanding of the fight, flight response

As Phobias are rooted in the subconscious, no matter how much we tell ourselves that the ‘fear’ is irrational, the mind body connection still reacts out of fear.

Hypnotherapy communicates directly with the subconscious, helps to reprogramme the way you feel and in turn change your behaviour.

If you’re unsure where the phobia came from, regression work can help you to identify this

Self-hypnosis

Relaxation techniques

Gradual Exposure techniques with either NLP or Hypnotherapy

EMDR works a little differently to gradual exposure techniques as it focuses on sensory information, focusing on memories of the phobic response, and the feelings associated with the memory. Working through memories until the ‘phobic stimulus’ no longer evokes a distressing response.