Just checking in - no need to reply to me, just want you to know…… DAY 14!!!!!!!!!!!   HURRAY!

And you know what’s even more fantastic………… I thought it would be difficult living without drink……. how wrong was I?

I feel absolutely wonderful and so positive!

I know I keep saying it but THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Will keep you posted!

Karen xxx”

Whilst it may be true that not every hypnotherapist can do these things - we tend to specialise in different issues and this happens to be one of my strong points, along with smoking, weight loss, drug habits and a few other things listed here on the site - the very fact that this CAN BE DONE with hypnotherapy - and in ONE session…. that’s all Karen has had, so far, and Angela, Mary and my legal friend, the barrister… these are just a few of many who have been here over the last decade… should make hypnotherapy the No.1 choice for the treatment of drink and drug habits, particularly in those cases where the individual is still quite functional.  That’s where hypnotherapy has its greatest and most immediate successes: in those people who fear that their life will fall apart, but it hasn’t yet. They’re suffering - and that’s their personal motivation for real change - but they are not finished yet.  Because I can tell you from long experience, it’s a hell of a lot more difficult for a hypnotherapist to get these brilliant results with someone who has already lost their wife, their kids, their business and most of their will to live.  But you know, all of that can be PREVENTED!  We just have to catch it at the stage where the person has genuinely suffered enough, and doesn’t want to suffer any more - but they still have a lot to live for.  Since that describes most people in the U.K. with a drink habit, there is a real solution here for any one of them if they only pick up the phone.  07748 838 644.  My name’s Chris.  Leave a message if I’m busy, or call me in the evening when I’m usually free to chat.

Weekends are usually when I cook and drink…oh what a fabulous weekend I had… I cooked and ate with my family - never even crossed my mind to open a bottle!  Had dinner and went out for a long walk with my lovely husband, which is something I couldn’t do before as I would be too drunk after dinner.

Thank you thank you thank you… you really have changed my life!

Karen”

Now I can reveal the secret of Karen’s success - and that of Angela, Mary and all the other people who have found this kind of success at Central Hypnotherapy.  First of all, they came to the right place!  I specialise in these things, not all hypnotherapists do.  If in doubt, ask.  But just as importantly, they came along here with the right attitude: they were looking forward to being rid of the problem!  If you are ever having hypnotherapy for anything, go into it with that attitude.  Forward-looking, quite happy to be rid of the problem and allow yourself to get quite excited at the prospect because that helps to create brilliant and lasting results.

The other thing that creates brilliant and lasting results is this: if you need a further session at some stage, have one.  It might never be necessary but if it is, it’s not expensive.  Listen to what Karen said when I replied to the above message to check if I could add it to the website:

“Hi Chris,

You do of course have my permission to put my comments on the website.  Actually I forgot to mention, the money I would have spent on a bottle of wine on the way home and the money I would have spent on a few bottles in my weekly shop, I have put in a piggy bank - I will keep you posted when I eventually open it!

I am honestly happier not than I have been in years, again many thanks.

Karen”

My pleasure, and if I can do the same for anyone reading this just call me on 07748 838 644 any time.  Remember, you don’t have to quit entirely, we have the same kind of success with the alcohol reduction sessions.  Again, the key is to have another session if you need it - no-one needs more than the odd one from time to time, and some clients don’t even need that.  Either way, it saves you a fortune and gives you back your health, your happiness and your peace of mind.  No will power required.  Forget rehab, forget AA.  You don’t need ‘em! Just book a session and leave the rest to me.

“I felt the session went really well.  I was surprised how awake I actually felt.  I went out that evening for dinner with my husband and some friends… I drank lime and soda and felt completely at ease when everyone else had beer and wine.  I actually had a lovely evening which is something I never thought I could do without a drink.

I have not felt like drinking since our session, which, although I know it is only a few days is fantastic, I think!  I’m really pleased with the results.  However, in one of the testimonials on your website a lady said she “shuddered” at the thought of a drink, I don’t feel like that, I just feel, well, I’m not really bothered about having a drink.  I’m therefore a little worried I may start the habit up again.  Should I be worried? Should I have stronger negative feelings towards alcohol?  Please don’t take this the wrong way, I’m absolutely delighted with not drinking.  I feel fitter, more alert, and I am sure it will result in a bit of weight loss!  I would welcome your comments if you could spare the time?”

So I reassured Karen that the other lady’s response was a bit out of the ordinary, most of my clients simply aren’t bothered about alcohol after a Stop Drinking session, so there was no need to worry.  It depends upon how the individual feels about the issue and Mary’s shudders were really about how much alcohol had frightened her and made her feel terrible on particular occasions, so after her session she was associating the thought of alcohol with those occasions, and that’s what made her shudder.  Even then, that reaction didn’t go on for long - Mary soon settled into simply not wanting to drink alcohol.  She’s still going strong!  That little reassurance was all Karen needed to hear:

“Phew! I feel much better now!  Thought I should feel repulsed by the demon drink lol! I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome!  I will just roll with it as you say.  I finally feel I have gained control of my life again and I am absolutely delighted with it.  My mind is clearer and I’m sleeping much better.  My only regret is that I didn’t come to you sooner!  I am more than happy for you to put any feedback on your website, but would not like my real name to be used please.  I will keep you in touch with my progress!  

Best wishes, Karen”

As you may have guessed, Karen is not her real name.  Her real name is… just kidding!  Confidentiality is absolute here.  Angela wanted me to use her real name, and that’s okay too - it’s a matter of personal choice.  Another matter of personal choice is whether a person wants to stop drinking entirely or just cut down.  If you consult Alcoholics Anonymous, they will always insist that anyone with a drink problem is an “alcoholic” and must quit forever, and they’ll need the constant support of other “alcoholics”.  I say they know nothing about hypnotherapy and compulsive habits.  Do my clients sound like they’re struggling to you?

If you would like to adjust your drinking pattern or quit, give me (Chris) a call any time on 07748 838 644.  Leave the rest to me!

“Hi Chris day 13 going stronger by the day! Absolutely no sign of weakness, wouldnt get drunk for a thousand pound, just wouldnt be enough to compensate for my state of mind now! I feel great, people are saying already how fresh and happy I look, the dark eyes and bloated face have gone!”

She also sent me two jokes that were very funny but I can’t really share them with you because they’re not very p.c. - although ironically one of the jokes has a P.C. in it.  Anyway she’s obviously in very good form.  So if you are sick of being poisoned by alcohol - or you just want to cut down - why not give me a call?  0161-474-8120 or 07748 838 644.

“It’s my anniversary this week Chris, 6 years since I gave up smoking thanks to a single session with you!”

The rest of the message was about another issue which the sender now wants to deal with in the same way.  One session, one non-smoker - that what I aim for and expect.  So I asked the person concerned if I could put that line up on the website if I left out the name and the other details, and this was the response:

“Yep not problem about quoting me, if it helps others then its worth it.”

It DOES help others.  Sometimes clients ask me about success rates, and if I know of people stopping permanently with hypnotherapy. Of course, I’ve been doing this for ten years! Many of my former smoking clients come back later to solve other problems too, and so I hear of their long term success all the time.  Most of my new clients are direct referrals from previous ones, so that is where I usually get confirmation of the on-going success not just with smoking, but with all the other things we do as well.  And I get messages like this all the time - often by phone, so those are not recorded and I wouldn’t dream of putting testimonials up on the website from memory. In fact, I never thought of putting testimonials on the website at all, until the last few years - when this website was built actually. There were none on the old website.  I’ve got a big collection of Thank You cards, postcards and written letters as well as hundreds of emails which I was going to put together in a file but I never got around to it.  Now I feel it is a bit late to go back and ask permission to reproduce all that or show it to people, so that’s all sitting in a filing cabinet but who cares? New messages are coming in all the time!

Nowadays when I get a phone call I often hear them say: “I’ve been reading through some of the testimonials on your website…” and it is obvious this has inspired them to go ahead and grab some of that success for themselves.  And I have the comfortable feeling of knowing that it is all genuine, and that with every single one of the messages on this site I have the full permission of the client to reproduce it here.

Quit smoking in one easy session: no weight gain, no bad moods, no willpower required!   Call me (Chris) on 07748 838 644.  One call.  One Session. One Non-Smoker!

“Good morning, just been weighed, lost 8 pound ha ha ha regards Angela Mancini”

So: from just one session with me 11 days ago that’s one heavy drinking habit eliminated and 8lbs in weight lost already!  Full story below.

So anyway, Angela had just one session with me on the 8th of July, during which we had a chat about hypnotherapy, her particular drinking habit and the history of it for about an hour, then she put her feet up and did nothing for a bit whilst I explained a few things to the part of her brain which controls all habitual behaviour.  She also adopted exactly the right attitude to the whole procedure: quite happy for it to be successful and looking forward to her freedom and new healthy lifestyle. I too adopted the right attitude and tone for presenting such a case for change to the Subconscious mind, because if the therapist doesn’t get that right, nothing will change. I’m not going to elaborate because these are my specialities!  Trade secret.  Then off she went on her merry way.

On the 12th of July I got the following text message (full permission obtained to reproduce this here of course):

“Hi Chris it’s Angela, came to see u thurs with my drinking prob?  Well a miracle has happened and I haven’t touched a drop, my mind is as happy and clear as I could ever imagine, diet started today with excitement instead of dread ha ha thank u so much!  I know its early days but I feel very positive about my future.  I have passed ur number 2 a couple of people thank u once again, regards Angela”

A few days later I sent Angela a message asking if I could add the comments above to the testimonials on my website, because I never do that without permission, and I assured her I would change the name to ensure confidentiality.  This was her response (16th July):

“Hi Chris, I still haven’t touched a drop? I’m so refreshed and optimistic I can’t tell u, my diet is so easy as I’m not craving the alcohol, I count the days down normally whilst im dieting wishing for the end of the week so i can break the diet and have a drink, it just isnt there since seeing you, my target for a tiny treat is 28th August as im going to town with all my friends to watch the gay parade, wow that would be nearly 6 weeks since coming to you! Yes certainly you can pass my texts on, chris im not ashamed what ive done, was in a rut that i just carried on and on with, on a track to nowhere, whats done is done, the only thing i can say to anybody in the same situation is - what have u got to lose?? I want to come back just to get that feeling i had when i left your office again…FREEDOM.  I mean that from the bottom of my liver ha ha ha, you can use my name im proud that I had the courage to face my demon, regards, Angela Mancini, there you go my full name ha ha”

One happy bunny, I think you’ll agree.  Angela, I’m very proud of you too.

One session, folks.  That’s all it was.  It’s not an addiction, it’s a compulsive habit.  Now it’s gone.  And if it ever comes back, I’ll be happy to get rid of it again.  07748 838 644.  By the way, that’s the longest text message I ever got but I could read it over and over because what it really demonstrates beautifully is the difference between trying to quit anything the hard way - or diet - and what happens when you come to Central Hypnotherapy!  Why do it the hard way?

My name’s Chris, by the way.  Call me any time, leave a number if I’m busy.  You too could be feeling the way Angela does very soon. And if you just want to cut down a bit, that’s okay as well - after all, that’s what we do with food in the weight loss sessions.  It’s entirely up to you!

This was partly because of an idiotic suggestion from her very first driving examiner. After he announced that she hadn’t passed and explained why, he then came out with this: “Yes, and it will only get harder and harder for you to pass now, because it gets harder every time.”

Unfortunately, because you tend to feel quite vulnerable and emotional when you’ve just been told you haven’t passed your driving test, a suggestion like that from someone you can only assume knows more about it than you do - because that’s their job - can have rather more impact than it normally would.  If someone just dropped that statement in to an ordinary conversation, you would just think: “What? How can it get harder? Surely you get progressively better because you gain driving test experience!” Which is true, normally - but not if your STUPID examiner just kicked off a phobic reaction in the Subconscious mind.

So we did a single session of hypnotherapy, during which Haley spent a bit of time relaxing whilst I reassured her Subconscious mind that actually the guy was an idiot for saying that, and the only thing that made it difficult to pass the next two attempts was the massive bouts of anxiety generated by the Subconscious, which probably wouldn’t have happened at all if only the driving examiner had been blasted out of the car on an ejector seat just a second before he opened his stupid fat gob.

Short pause whilst we all enjoy that mental image.

Anyway, Haley sent me the following text:

“Hi Chris, I came to see you yesterday about my anxiety re driving test. Just wanted to say - I passed!  Thank you so much. x”

So I thought I’d ask if it was okay to share this news with my website readers, and Haley said:

“Of course you can! Thank you, would not have done it without you. Told my instructor about you, and she has a few more like me, so she’s thinking of sending them your way.”

The more the merrier.  Like I say, it’s a common thing, as are phobias generally and all kinds of anxieties about driving, flying and various other aspects of travel.  If you have a problem like that, just give me a call (or text) on 07748 838 644 any time.  I’ll get rid of it for you!  Don’t be nervous about hypnotherapy either if you’re new to it, because it’s a doddle.  Read around the site for more info or just call and ask.  Evenings are the best time to catch me because I’m often in session in the day, and do feel free to ring any day, including weekends. I’ll be happy to help!

Actually I think it is.  Are my clients more likely to tell everyone about their hypnotherapy success if it took one session, or if it took three?  And if you are one of the people hearing that, are you more likely to try it yourself if it took one session, or three?

Now, obviously there are times when I’m dealing with something that will certainly need more than one session, such as a major trauma or tragic loss.  In such cases, I’m not expecting the client’s Subconscious mind to simply change immediately.  But quite a lot of what we are dealing with in hypnotherapy doesn’t require a change of that magnitude.  Very often I am simply asking the Subconscious mind to stop doing something.

OCD is a classic example of the Subconscious mind working too hard, and not realising that it is.  Those impulses to repeat/repeat/repeat, together with the fears attached to the routines or rituals are all generated by the Subconscious, and it is the Imagination driving it.  The Imagination knows no bounds, so it can get completely carried away without realising it, although quite often the conscious mind is well aware the behaviour goes too far from a logical point of view - that’s why the behaviour gets labelled “irrational”.  Unfortunately your conscious mind has no way of pointing this out to the Subconscious, so that’s where I come in!

My main task in the second part of any hypnotherapy session is to explain to the client’s Subconscious mind what we want in terms of change and why it’s a good idea.  And recently it has struck me again and again how often in hypnotherapy we are simply asking the Subconscious mind to DO NOTHING in future, instead of what it was doing before, such as using powerful impulses to compel you to clean the house from top to bottom for the fourth time because last time you got interrupted by the phone which messed up the sequence, or whatever.

Well, it’s very easy for the Subconscious mind to achieve that.  All it has to do is nothing.  So it’s not surprising it can do that in one session either, is it?  All it takes is one person with OCD who is sick of OCD, one session and one very experienced Friend Of The Subconscious Mind.  (That’s me, by the way.)

Oh, and one phone call.  07748 838 644.  Easy.

The second surprise is the results.  Think about it: we spend about an hour chatting about the issue, then you spend the rest of the session listening to me explaining things, whilst wondering why you feel perfectly normal.  It seems like nothing is happening at all.  You heard what I was saying and it was all stuff you knew already on a conscious level.  So it is not surprising that your conscious mind is not expecting anything to have changed.

Then you find that all desire to smoke has ceased.  Or the impulse to buy chocolate, gamble, get plastered or buy clothes you don’t need.  Or the phobia has gone, the anxiety, the emotional pain…

Where did all these feelings or impulses come from in the first place?  All generated by your Subconscious mind… which DID NOT know all those details until I explained them during the second part of the session, even though your conscious mind did!  By the way, human beings have no effective way of telling their own Subconscious minds anything in detail - that’s why an experienced hypnotherapist is a handy person to know.  But don’t expect hypnotherapy to be some strange experience you’ve never had before, because it’s really rather ordinary.  It’s the results that are exciting, not the experience itself!