Clinical hypnotherapy
Clinical hypnotherapy has been increasingly used in the cancer setting to support a wide range of issues such as pain, fear, anxiety and many side-effects of cancer treatment.
These sessions offer some relaxing time out and can provide an opportunity to reframe thinking habits.
Janey Barrett - Wellbeing Lead
BA (Hons), Dip Cah, VRT, CNHC
Janey has been a Complementary Therapist for over 25 years, and is qualified as an Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist.
Janey uses various relaxation techniques to help you reach a lovely deep level of calm, and will then gently guide you through suggestions, exploring ways to help support you. Each session is themed, aimed at helping with issues related to Cancer and Cancer treatment. Janey will also be offering self-care techniques, so that you can continue to practice between sessions.
A note from Janey – ‘We all have the answer within. Sometimes these answers get buried under layers; layers of experiences, thoughts, memories etc… Hypnotherapy helps to peel back these layers. People often claim to feel ‘lighter’ and ‘unburdened’ after Hypnotherapy. These sessions are aimed at helping you to feel calm, relaxed and more prepared.’
FAQs
A ‘hypnotic state’ is a natural state of mind. We all go into such states in everyday life, when we daydream or concentrate intensely on something, or go into ‘automatic pilot’ when we are absorbed in an activity.
The idea is that our mind is made up of our ‘conscious’ and ‘sub-conscious’. Our sub-conscious mind is like a computer, storing information, memories and experiences from our whole life. When we suddenly have an emotion, memory, or image from the past, this is the subconscious mind communicating to our conscious mind.
Hypnotherapy is an established evidence-based complementary therapy, with over 70,000 research references worldwide.
In the NHS, over 100 breast cancer clinics recommend hypnotherapy as a resource for their patients.
The sessions are held via Zoom, so although you are within a group, you are still in the comfort and safety of your own home. There is no pressure to engage with the group, however, if you have any questions or feedback there will be an opportunity at the end of the session.
Hypnotherapy can be used to help promote relaxation and cope with some of the symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment, often supporting people to feel calmer and more in control of their situation.
These sessions are not suitable for anyone who has a history of psychosis, uncontrolled epilepsy or schizophrenia.
If you have any queries about whether hypnotherapy is suitable for you, please contact: janey.barrett@pennybrohn.org.uk
This is an opportunity for some relaxation and self-care; it is a good idea to wear comfortable clothing, and to join the session in a quiet, comfortable location where you won’t be disturbed.
As you will be guided through relaxation techniques, you may fall asleep, so ensure you are in a safe position; and as our body temperature tends to drop when we are deeply relaxed, have some blankets close by, you may choose to do the session from bed.
Drink a glass of water before and after the session, our brains are made up of 75% water.
Ideally allow a little time before and after the session, rather than rushing from one thing to the other. Keeping in a calm, relaxed state will help us to process the information from the session.
“I had booked onto the radiotherapy hypnotherapy session last week and was able to use it at my first radiotherapy session today-it helped me feel relaxed and also more in control of the treatment”
“Really helpful to reframe fatigue and give me tools to get a little bit better every day.”
