Empowering You for Lasting Change: Why I Set Tasks and Teach Techniques in Hypnotherapy

As a hypnotherapist, my role goes beyond simply guiding you through relaxation exercises or “doing something” to you. My approach is about empowering you with skills and a sense of control that lasts long after our sessions together. I’d like to share why this collaborative approach is so essential for achieving lasting change and how it ultimately puts you in charge of your journey.

Many people come to hypnotherapy hoping for quick, effortless change. However, hypnotherapy is a highly collaborative process, where true transformation happens between our sessions through practice and self-application. Think about it: each week has 168 hours, and we spend only one of those hours in session together. To ensure those changes you’re seeking can truly take hold, I provide you with personalised tasks and techniques to incorporate into your daily routine. This active engagement is what turns new skills into lasting habits.

In our sessions, I often set personalised tasks designed to deepen your awareness and actively engage you with techniques like self-hypnosis, mindfulness, and journaling exercises. Depending on your goals, I might also suggest mood tracking, monitoring certain habits, or observing specific thoughts and reactions. These tasks are more than “homework”; they’re tailored strategies that empower you to take charge of your progress and give us insight into what’s working well and where we might make adjustments.

To further support your journey, I often incorporate principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). ACT is about accepting challenging emotions rather than resisting them and making choices aligned with your values, which helps you build resilience and self-compassion. CFT, on the other hand, teaches you to approach yourself and your struggles with kindness and understanding, reducing self-criticism and enhancing emotional wellbeing. These approaches help you create a positive, compassionate mindset and are powerful tools for lasting change.

Some hypnotherapists provide generic recordings or session recordings for follow-up work. While these can be helpful, I take a more individualised approach, offering exercises that align closely with your goals. These techniques aren’t just for the present issue but are versatile enough to support you in other areas of life, giving you a toolkit for future challenges.

Through this collaborative work, you build self-efficacy—the belief in your ability to make positive changes and handle challenges. Psychologist Albert Bandura (1997) highlighted how crucial self-efficacy is to success and resilience. By practising the techniques we explore in sessions, you cultivate a belief in your capability to manage difficult situations. Additionally, research from Lazarus & Folkman (1984) indicates that stress often arises when we feel under-resourced. Having a toolkit of techniques that you know and trust is a way to feel empowered, resourceful, and capable of handling whatever life brings.

Ultimately, the techniques and tasks I provide are designed to empower you. By taking an active role in your progress, you’re not just experiencing a temporary shift but fostering meaningful, lasting change. When you engage with these techniques and see how they can transform your experience, you realise that the change isn’t something happening to you—it’s something you’re creating for yourself.

By empowering you with the tools, insights, and techniques you need, my aim is for you to leave our hypnotherapy sessions equipped to take on any future challenges with confidence and resilience. This collaborative approach is at the heart of my practice because meaningful change is something we build together.

References:

Lazarus, R.S. & Folkman, S. (1984) Stress, Appraisal and Coping, New York, Springer 

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: W.H. Freeman.