Most people are only familiar with show hypnosis. People go on stage and behave as if they are being controlled by others. Show hypnosis cannot be compared with hypnotherapy. Therapeutic hypnosis is much more like meditation. The difference to meditation is that we dissolve stressful issues during hypnosis. Many people think that one is unconscious or asleep during hypnosis. It only looks like that from the outside. During hypnosis, you feel deeply relaxed. You are clear-headed and very focussed. You also do not lose control during the session. You control everything you discuss during the session.
The advantage of hypnotherapy is that it is much more efficient than other therapy methods. When your eyes are closed and your attention is focussed on your inner world, you gain access to your emotions and can perceive stress more clearly. We resolve these stressful emotions together in order to lead a happy life again.
Our first contact
After the online appointment booking, you will receive an e-mail with all the information. This includes a relaxing hypnosis that you can listen to in the comfort of your own home. Afterwards, I would like to learn more about you and your story in an in-depth conversation. If you decide that we shouldn’t work together, I will only charge you with the price for the preliminary talk (100€).
Course of the Hypnosis Session
If therapy is the proper course of action, I will gently ease you into a trance until you are sufficiently relaxed for hypnosis. I mainly work with resolving hypnosis. I proceed very carefully with fears regarding hypnosis. Here I work with relaxation session before we tackle the anxiety-related issues. From session to session you can engage better with me as a therapist and then with the hypnosis. We take as much time as you need. Finally, I will guide you out of your trance and you process your experiences from the hypnosis afterwards.
All sessions can be realised in German, Turkish and English.
Frequently Asked Questions about hypnotherapy
Should I start with hypnosis or with EMDR?
Preferably, we start with hypnosis and integrate EMDR into the sessions if desired. Of course, you can also be treated exclusively with EMDR or with hypnosis. Not every patient is immediately suitable for EMDR. People with severe mental health conditions or unstable coping mechanisms often require a few preparatory sessions first.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis is a holistic method of treatment. It addresses the mental, emotional and finally the physical level. During hypnotherapy, the emotional causes of an illness that are anchored in the subconscious are treated. The processes of change and healing take place at the emotional level. Hypnotherapy differs from other psychotherapy methods in that it does not take place in a waking state but in a hypnotic trance. When we are awake, our feelings are inhibited by our mind. This also explains why many people have already rationally understood their ‘problem’ and yet cannot achieve a change in behaviour. The disadvantage of waking therapies is that they are very lengthy and do not lead to the desired change in behaviour. In the trance, critical thinking moves into the background, which enables the processing of feelings. With the help of hypnosis, it is possible to gain access to one’s feelings within a few sessions, and these can then be changed more easily. In the process, the processed emotions are re-evaluated.
What does hypnosis feel like?
There is no particular feeling that you will feel during hypnosis. If you have any physical discomfort, it will not be felt during the trance unless we consciously trigger it.
You will not drift off or sleep during hypnosis. You will be clearer and more alert during hypnosis than when awake, as you will be much more aware of your feelings and thoughts. Some people see more images that relate to their issues during the trance. You can also consciously end a hypnosis at any time by simply opening your eyes. But I would ask you not to do this and only open them when I ask you to do so at the end of the hypnosis session. Otherwise, you may not be able to adequately process certain emotions. The hypnotic trance has a relaxing effect on the body. When the trance starts, some harmless effects may occur: Some people feel an urge to cough and some people have an itching sensation (due to improved fine blood flow to the skin), tears in the eyes, yawning, an increased urge to swallow as well as a laughing sensation (due to a release of feel-good hormones, which hypnotic trances can partially cause). Please try not to suppress these stimuli. Simply let them happen. Suppressing the stimuli can disturb the trance. Therefore, you may of course scratch yourself briefly if you have an itch. This way, you can then go into a deep, intense trance.
What is a hypnotic trance?
A trance is a state in which people are deeply relaxed yet highly focused at the same time. You are not unconscious, and nothing can be imposed on you from the outside. A trance feels much like being fully absorbed in a gripping book, where you feel as if you are part of the story. Or like driving a car and suddenly arriving at your destination without having consciously noticed the journey.
A hypnotic trance has a relaxing effect on the body. Upon entering trance, some harmless effects may occur: some people experience a tickling sensation in the throat, an itch, watery eyes, yawning, an increased swallowing reflex, or even a laughing urge. Please do not try to suppress these reactions—just allow them to happen naturally. Suppressing them may disrupt the trance state. Therefore, if you feel an itch, you are welcome to scratch it briefly so that you can then fully immerse yourself in a deep, intense trance.
What is the difference between show hypnosis and hypnotherapy?
The only thing show hypnosis and hypnotherapy have in common is that both procedures take place in a trance. Otherwise, they have nothing in common.
Show hypnosis only serves to entertain an audience and has no added therapeutic value. Various tests are used to filter out the ‘highly hypnotisable’ people. They usually then have to perform embarrassing acts.
During a hypnotherapy session, the client has full control over the topics and the course of the session.
How can I prepare for hypnosis treatment?
Please arrive on time for our hypnosis appointment in order to avoid stress in advance.
Do not make many plans after the hypnosis treatment on the same day. Better try to relax afterwards.
Listen to the relaxation exercise I’ll send before our appointment.
You will also receive more information with your booking. Please watch the videos, read the information sheet, and fill out the questionnaire if you have a printer.
If you are very sensitive to caffeine, please do not consume any drinks containing caffeine (e.g. coffee, cola, black tea) 3 – 4 hours before the appointment. As the stimulating effect can be counterproductive for the trance. Drink plenty of water instead.
Refrain from taking strong non-prescribed painkillers for at least 48 hours before the treatment. If the medication is prescribed by a doctor, please let me know before the hypnosis treatment.
Do not consume lots of alcohol or mind-altering substances for at least 48 hours before the treatment.
Can I be hypnotised at all?
In general, everyone can be hypnotised. Trance is like reading an exciting book and feeling like you are in the middle of the action. Or you are driving a car and you suddenly arrive at your destination without having been consciously aware of the way there.
There are only some exceptions. About 10 – 15% of all people are difficult to hypnotise. They are very sceptical, refuse hypnosis or are not able to accept the hypnotist’s instructions. Some mental illnesses and the consumption of antidepressants can also make it difficult to enter a trance. In particular, anxious and/or perfectionistic people find it difficult to relax at all. If we clarify all fears and unanswered questions about hypnosis in the preliminary consultation, you will be able to engage in hypnosis well.
Is hypnotherapy allowed in the Islamic religion?
There is no information in the Islamic religion that hypnosis treatments are forbidden. Islam allows any form of medical as well as mental treatment that helps a person to heal.
However, there are some considerations about treatment with hypnosis that relate to the abuse of power. Every hypnotist should use their skills professionally and responsibly and not harm anyone.
What do I have to do when you hypnotise me?
Try to adopt an ‘inner observer position’ during hypnosis. Allow yourself to enter your inner world – physical sensations, feelings, thoughts, inner images. Just notice what the hypnosis is triggering in you at the moment. You are allowed to relax and let go. If you have difficulty doing this, then consciously do nothing. By just letting it happen, you reduce critical thinking and as such, the activity of your mind. This helps you to enter hypnosis easily and quickly. You will reach deep hypnosis within a few minutes. And if you realise that you can’t get involved in hypnosis, you can simply tell it so that I can support you.
Can I prove that hypnosis does not work for me?
If you have made the decision that you do not want to go into hypnosis, you will be successful with your plan. You can do the opposite of what the therapist tells you to do or you can independently stop the hypnosis by opening your eyes. However, in order not to diminish the effect of the hypnosis, I would recommend that you go along with it and just let it happen.
Will I notice everything during the hypnosis?
Please do not expect to become ‘unconscious’ or ‘faint’ during hypnosis treatment. You will recognise the states of trance used in hypnosis therapy by an intense feeling of relaxation, which can be accompanied by phases of ‘wandering off’ from the state of consciousness. These trance states represent optimum therapy and allow for much more profound, long-term effects than states that are too clouded in consciousness. Therefore, you will be able to notice everything and also clearly remember everything from the hypnosis. It may happen that not every single detail can be recalled from the treatment after hypnosis. However, you will not have a blackout or anything similar.
How is hypnosis used to provide treatment?
There are many forms of hypnosis. The focus of my treatment is the resolving hypnosis. With this method, negative emotions can be resolved and inner blockages can be removed. Read more about my way of working.
What is suggestive hypnosis?
A suggestion is the influencing of a person’s thinking, feeling, wanting or acting. Suggestive hypnosis is used to try to directly change a feeling and the behaviour associated with it.
Unfortunately, suggestions have no effect if they cannot be accepted by the client. Example: Let’s suppose the therapist says “From today, you will go through life with confidence” to the client during hypnosis. But the client may think, “No, I am not self-confident.” Then the suggestions will not work or will only work for a short time. The causes of the lack of self-confidence must first be resolved. Then, suggestions are very effective.
How will I feel after hypnosis?
You may feel very exhausted after hypnosis Addressing distressing feelings, as in any therapy, is very exhausting. For this reason, do not take on anything strenuous for the period after the hypnosis. In addition, avoid tasks that require a lot of concentration. Of course, you may also feel fitter and more energetic than before because you managed to get rid of a lot of baggage during hypnosis. Last but not least, it is also possible that you experience an initial worsening of your symptoms. This is a sign of the healing processes, and these will subside within a few days.
The resolving hypnosis and the trance can have an after-effect lasting for a few days to several weeks.
You may dream more often after the first couple of hypnosis treatments because the subconscious is stimulated during hypnosis and as such, it works more actively. This is also a sign of healing processes.
How should I behave after the hypnosis treatment?
After hypnosis, many clients feel as if they have had a nap. Therefore, schedule your appointments afterwards so that you have about a quarter of an hour to become fully awake again before you have to drive, for example.
After the hypnosis treatment, I recommend that you get some rest.
After the session, do not immediately analyse as to whether the hypnosis effect has taken place. It is only possible to check exact effects after about 3 to 4 days. Your brain needs time to process the therapy session. Initial results can only be seen after some nights, because your brain can only perform deep memory processes during sleep.
In the 72 hours following a hypnosis session, refrain from drinking large amounts of alcohol or taking medication that has not been prescribed by a doctor. Alcohol, medication and other agents that can influence your consciousness can reduce the effect of the hypnosis..
Drink plenty of fluids in the initial days after the treatment. This can support the brain and nervous system when it comes to change processes and processing mental processes.
Can hypnotherapy change my personality?
The opposite is the case. With the help of hypnotherapy, you can remove the blockages that prevent you from being the person you actually are. Everything that makes you as a person is simply allowed to be there without you having to fear that you will be punished or hurt for it. We resolve the emotional baggage behind the causes that keep you from being free.
Who is not suitable for hypnotherapy?
People who want to use hypnosis to make their problems “go away”. It is true that issues can be treated more effectively through hypnosis. But therapy also means that you have to take personal responsibility and deal with unpleasant emotions yourself.
What factors make hypnotherapy difficult?
The starting point of any successful therapy is the client’s self-motivation. If someone sends you for hypnosis and you do not feel ready for therapy at the moment, hypnotherapy will be of no use.
A strong fear of hypnotherapy can also affect success. Many people find it difficult to open up emotionally to a stranger or to confront their problems. If you have the willingness to let go of your fear, nothing stands in the way of us working together.
There are people who always blame others for their difficulties. If you want to make lasting changes in your life, you need a minimum amount of self-reflection for therapy.
A lack of trust between the client and therapist can lead to the client not being able to go into trance in the first place.
Maybe hypnotherapy is not the right therapy method in your situation. There are people who need more intense guidance and they may do better by having behavioural therapy.
Feelings of shame and guilt often prevent the success of psychotherapy. The shame of presenting yourself as you are inhibits some people from addressing shameful issues in the first place. Sometimes, it also happens that people close themselves off during hypnosis because of feelings of shame.
If you do not want to deal with certain emotions (e.g. anger, hatred, etc.) in the sessions, it can impair the success of the therapy and permanently worsen your mood. All emotions are natural psychological processes that make us human. Excluding unpleasant emotions can lead to us only scratching the surface of your problem.
Unfortunately, most people have false expectations of hypnotherapy. As with almost all therapy methods, hypnosis can lead to both positive and negative changes in your mood. It takes a complete processing of our “bad” memories to feel good again.
Perfectionism and hypercritical thinking can get in the way of successful hypnosis treatment. Everything that happens during hypnosis is allowed to take place. There is no right or wrong. During the hypnosis session, thinking about whether you are sufficiently in a trance can also prevent you from letting go.
In the case of severe OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), hypnotherapy can only be successful accompanied by psychopharmacological therapy.
Taking psychotropic drugs can make it more difficult to achieve a trance. If you are taking medication such as tranquillisers (benzodiazepines) or sleeping pills (hypnotics), experience has shown that the positive effect of hypnosis does not materialise. Tranquillisers dampen your feelings so that they cannot be resolved with hypnosis. The medication must first be phased out under medical supervision and completely broken down in the body. This can take several weeks to months.
If you have only recently started taking antidepressants, I recommend that you first get used to the medication. In the initial phase, the feelings can flatten out so that hypnosis cannot work.
Be patient. If you have lived with discomfort all your life, sometimes it can take longer until issues are resolved. It may also happen that an issue has stuck with you on many levels. This is quite normal. Therefore, don’t be too hard on yourself if you require multiple hypnosis sessions on the same issue.
How many hypnosis sessions do I need?
Unfortunately, I cannot look inside you and determine the number of sessions needed. Please always keep in mind that your problems did not just appear overnight, and accordingly, it will take multiple sessions to achieve success. You should expect at least 3 to 6 sessions.
How often do the sessions take place?
Ideally, the sessions should be scheduled every two weeks. In urgent cases, we can arrange weekly sessions. As the therapy progresses, you will develop a sense for the hypnosis sessions, allowing us to find the right rhythm for you.
Will my symptoms go away with hypnosis?
I cannot make you a promise that your complaints will go away with hypnotherapy. Under the point “What factors make hypnotherapy” difficult you will find several reasons why you may not respond to the treatment. It may be that the session resolves another problem or even makes several distressing issues disappear. I promise to provide treatment as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible for you.
Can hypnosis cause any new symptoms?
Under the point “How will I feel after hypnosis”, I have already written about initial worsening that can sometimes occur after a hypnosis session and subsides after a few days.
With the help of hypnosis, you become more and more aware of your feelings and emotions. This can feel very threatening for some people. And actually, it is a sign that we are getting closer to the core of your problem.
Which groups of people should not be treated with hypnosis?
People suffering from psychosis or schizophrenia.
Following cardiovascular events such as a heart attack, stroke or thrombosis and embolism, hypnosis should only be used again after 6 months.
Hypnosis is not performed on people with reduced intelligence.
For people with personality disorders, e.g. borderline personality disorder, dialectical behaviour therapy is more suitable than hypnosis therapy.
What’s the difference between hypnosis and EMDR?
EMDR does not induce a trance state like hypnosis. Hypnosis works by accessing the subconscious to release emotional burdens, while EMDR focuses on integrating traumatic memories.
While hypnosis helps release deep-seated emotions and habits, EMDR promotes the reprocessing of traumatic events for deeper emotional integration. Sometimes, unresolved issues from hypnosis can later be addressed through EMDR.
What are the advantages of hypnotherapy over EMDR?
Some clients feel uneasy about entering a trance during hypnotherapy, especially survivors of abuse or violence, who may struggle with relaxation. Since EMDR maintains a focused, alert state, it can feel safer for these individuals.
Can hypnosis and EMDR be combined?
Both therapeutic methods can be combined very effectively. With the help of hypnosis, the client can identify and largely resolve distressing issues. During a hypnosis session, multiple topics can often be addressed at the same time. If specific or deeply rooted memories, thoughts, or burdens emerge, they can be processed using EMDR.
Or the other way around: First, specific burdens are processed with EMDR, and then we use hypnosis to dive into the unconscious areas. In my daily practice, I frequently combine both methods.
What do I do in an emotional crisis when the practice is unavailable?
If you find yourself in an emotional emergency situation, please contact the following organisations:
This question is not easy to answer because there are many reasons why you are suffering at the moment and others are living a “supposedly” perfect and healthy life. Even though you may not believe it, many people are in the same situation as you.
Do I have to put up with my complaints?
There are many people who think that they have to live with their complaints. They don’t mind if they have physical symptoms from time to time. Very few can imagine that a healthy psyche brings with it physical well-being.
