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Could Hypnotherapy help my child?

It may have been used since the start of civilization but modern hypnotherapy is gaining popularity as an effective complementary health modality, used in conjunction with other medical and therapeutic interventions as well as a stand alone intervention and therapy. So could it help your child?

Yes!!! Is the short answer. In Fact, some schools in the UK hire hypnotherapists as permanent staff members as do various children’s hospitals around the world such as Montreal’s children hospital who report being able to undertake small procedures and biopsies without anaesthetic. Some Anaesthetists at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s hospital also use hypnosis to keep children’s anxiety at bay before procedures. Young patients that had undergone hypnotherapy prior to treatment reported less anxiety and reduced pain when healing after procedures compared to children that didn’t experience hypnotherapy as part of the treatment plan.

Why does it work so well with children?

It’s about accessing the subconscious mind where, thoughts, core beliefs, and values reside so when an adult takes part in the session they may be taken through an exercise to relax them or induce a “trance” state where they may close their eyes and make the changes they(the client) would like to make. The client is in control the entire time and it feels similar to daydreaming.

As you can imagine a young child spends a large majority of their time daydreaming or playing imaginative, make believe games. You’ve probably seen a child out in the garden and they pick up a stick and they pretend it’s a magic wand, mixing spoon, broomstick, gun, or Dinosaur bone….the possibilities are simply endless in a young curious mind!

Children are also very suggestible due to the fact they have fewer life experiences and suggestions are unlikely to infringe on core beliefs. With imagination and suggestibility being key components to success with hypnotherapy, children and hypnotherapy are a match made in heaven!

How does session work, Do they need to sit still and close their eyes?

Every hypnotherapist will run their session differently. I find out from the parent prior to the session what they believe the child needs help with. When the child is in my clinic room the parent will stay but I will be talking and interacting with the child. I find out what is going on from the child’s own perspective and as I work with very young children from age 4 as well as children with Autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, and ADHD, communication and change are not always done through talking.

I use puppets, art, stories, animal figurines, music, dance, magic wands, spinning tops, stickers, marbles, balls, you name it….I’ve probably got it. Every session with every child is unique and different as I always enter their world. There is no need for the child to lie back and close their eyes (unless they really want to!) to make the necessary changes.

What issues can a hypnotherapist help with?

The possibilities are endless; the most common issues I assist with is; anxiety, school refusal, fears, and phobias, sleep disorders and nightmares, anger, habits such as nail biting, thumb sucking, bed wetting, post traumatic stress, and bullying. Currently(I’m a hypnotherapist in Melbourne) I am seeing many children for anxiety and OCD triggered by the recent COVID 19 outbreaks and subsequent second lockdown in our state.

If you would like to find out more about how modern hypnotherapy can help your child quickly and effectively, I recommend contacting a hypnotherapy association such as the Australian Hypnotherapy Association for registered hypnotherapists who specialize in working with children in your local area.