FAQ

Social anxiety can make going out an overwhelming concept. It is an anxiety focussed in on social gatherings, either because of the people or the venue, whether there are many people or not. It is also triggered by the concept of performing in front of others.

Everyone can feel some anxiety about new experiences. When someone is experiencing social anxiety, they can be overwhelmed even before the event by thoughts of what people will think of them, of what will happen, by what they will find and experience by going and doing. And often, what you’re imagining, is the worst and negative.

It’s rooted in a fear of being judged negatively, of being criticised, laughed at or feeling humiliated, in the smallest of ways, in every day situations. And it often goes on even before you leave the house!

The thoughts and worries are often accompanied by physical feelings. Butterflies, tension in your chest or abdomen, feeling sick in the stomach, sweaty, hot and flushed. It can even result in panic attacks. And often none of it makes sense because you’re judging yourself harshly for feeling this way.

To learn more, a good resource is Beyond Blue

Yes. There are many types of anxiety. They have a range of signs and symptoms. People can experience more than one types of anxiety and other mental conditions, such as depression, PTSD and OCD.

Anxiety can be generalised or specific.

To learn more, a good resource is Beyond Blue

Social anxiety tends to lead to you avoiding situations and events.

The overwhelming feelings associated with the experience of social anxiety and performance anxiety lead someone to avoid social and performance situations.

The thoughts you can’t stop rolling around in your head, thinking the worst, worrying about what others think, obsessing over every little part of the experience before you’ve even left the house.

And you can feel physical symptoms including sweating, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, hot and cold flushes, tension in your chest or abdomen, headaches, insomnia and even panic attacks.

So there is a tendency to avoid what it is possible to avoid. This can lead to isolation.

The effect of anxiety can impact on study, work, relationships and everyday activities.

And if you do happen to attend an event, then the rumination over every little part of the experience starts. So you replay over and over what happened, what didn’t happen, how this conversation or that conversation should have gone, which further embeds feelings of isolation.

To learn more, a good resource is Beyond Blue

Clinical Hypnosis, used in therapeutic application, is popularly called Hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis has in fact, been used as a therapeutic tool in treating traumatic experiences, pain and anxiety for more than 200 years.  

In a hypnotic state (trance), you are guided to focus more on ‘what’ than ‘why’.  This is done in a state of physical and sensory relaxation.

The effect is that you are able to interrupt and consciously contemplate the maladaptive patterns you have been running.  This opportunity soothes the sensory cortices that are triggered in an anxiety or trauma response, as well as the regions of the brain that are involved in context monitoring.  The effect is not only a space of conscious contemplation, but allows for alternative neural pathway development (neuroplasticity), meaning you start developing more productive, useful and effective patterns to deal with problems and situations.  (Spiegel, D., M.D. 2013)

See our other FAQs to discover more about what is Clinical Hypnosis, Strategic Psychotherapy and NLP.

Spiegel, D., M.D.  2013.  Tranceformations: Hypnosis in Brain and Body.  Depression and Anxiety 30:342-352. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.

Hypnosis refers to a state of ‘trance’.  It is a state of heightened focus that literally alters your brain wave frequency. 

The technical bit in plain language:  The experience of trance guides you from waking consciousness (Beta), to between a deep physical and mental relaxation like being in a daydream or light meditative state (Alpha) and a deep hypnotic state that is like a deeper meditative state  (Theta).  

You are likely to experience a deep sense of relaxation and comfort and be open to ‘aha’ moments and clear thought and realisations that can leave you feeling calm and peaceful and more confident in yourself and your experiences.

Strategic Hypnosis is an advanced model of Clinical Hypnosis.  Clinical Hypnosis is the use of advanced hypnotic techniques for therapeutic purposes.  It is used to treat a great variety of conditions and there is a vast body of evidence as to its efficacy.

Anywhere your emotions and thoughts play a part in suffering, there is a place for Clinical Hypnosis to help, including mental, emotional and physical conditions.

It is a powerful therapeutic tool.  When coupled with Strategic Psychotherapy, it becomes Strategic Hypnosis and is an extremely effective model of treatment.

Visit College of Strategic Hypnotherapists to read more about why you should choose a Strategic Hypnotherapist.

Modern Strategic Psychotherapy reflects the beneficial principles of a number of specific therapeutic models, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Therapy (ITP), Person-Centred and other Psychodynamic models.

It is future and goal oriented.  It is a form of brief therapeutic intervention which seeks to disrupt patterns that are holding you in suffering or stasis.  It is an empowering approach which teaches you to identify the patterns for yourself, and provides you with the skills to create positive patterns in order to achieve your goals.

Visit College of Strategic Psychotherapists to read more about why you should choose a Strategic Psychotherapist.

NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming.  As the name suggests, it encompasses our neurology, language and programming.  That is, how we perceive the world (neurology), how communicate with others and ourselves (language) and our habitual patterns and behaviours and how we operate in the world (programming). 

The interplay of our mind and language influences our physical state and our behaviours.  NLP is based on the study of how the most effective people operate in the world.  It is the blueprint of success.

From an NLP perspective, each of us are far more resourceful than we give ourselves credit for.  And we are capable of more.  NLP taps you into those resources and helps you take control of your own success.

Visit College of Strategic NLP Psychotherapists to read more about why you should choose a Strategic NLP Psychotherapist.

The Gordian Pillars were developed by Gordon Young.  

Gordon is the founder, director and lead trainer of the Institute of Applied Psychology, president of the Hypnotherapy Council of Australia and Vice President of the International Strategic Psychotherapists Association.  

The Gordian Pillars is a Strategic Psychotherapy framework for treating everything from anxiety, depression, addiction, and trauma to perfectionism, lack of self-esteem, procrastination and weight loss.  

Accredited Gordian Pillars Strategic Psychotherapists are trained to identify, disrupt and provide skills training that address the underlying cognitive patterns, themes, perceptions, values and beliefs that maintain psychological conditions.

Visit College of Gordian Therapists to read more about why you should choose a Gordian Pillars Strategic Psychotherapist.

The use of Clinical Hypnosis is popularly called Hypnotherapy.

Anywhere your emotions and thoughts play a part in suffering, there is a place for Hypnotherapy to help, including mental, emotional and physical conditions.

Besides the many forms of anxiety, Hypnotherapy can be effective in treating conditions including stress, low self-esteem, procrastination, addictions/dependencies, pain management, fears and phobias, insomnia, depression, eating disorders and much more.

On average, a treatment plan involving 6 sessions is recommended.  Depending on the individual, more or less may be needed.  For some people, they may not be able to articulate a goal much beyond, to feel better, or to stop feeling ‘like this’.  You’ll no doubt find, after 3 weekly sessions, you are much clearer and more focussed on your ‘where to from here’.

We can discuss this in your discovery call or your initial session.

You will likely feel like a lot has changed even after one session, but my aim goes beyond helping you FEEL better.  I want you to DO better.  And this is a process and takes time.  Although, as mentioned above, much less time comparatively than other therapeutic models.

Yes, of course.

This type of therapy does seek to help you DO better in the longer term, rather than being a single session model. In as little as 3 sessions, you can start to make significant changes with ease.

Initial session (1.5 hours) $250 +GST

Standard session (1 hour) $200 +GST

Several private health insurers cover hypnotherapy.  You will need to check with your health fund to ask them directly.