Make Yourself Comfortable
Choose somewhere to lie back and make yourself as comfortable as possible. It can be your sofa, even your bed, it doesn’t matter as long as you are in a place where you can completely relax. Also worth mentioning; make sure you visit the bathroom before we start! Your session will last up to 90 minutes and needing the bathroom will interfere with the hypnotic depth you are able to reach. Consider whether you are too hot or too cold and turn your heating down or snuggle up under a blanket, whichever you need to do to be totally comfortable.
Choose A Quiet Place
Make sure you chose somewhere peaceful where you can fully relax. People often forget that they may be interrupted by family members or pets, so just remind everyone (including the cats!) that this is your time and you must not be disturbed. If you can, close the window in the room you are in. This will help to keep out traffic noises, lawn mowers, and dogs barking which may filter into your conscious awareness. It might also be helpful to pop a note on your door, asking no one to knock or ring the doorbell for a few hours. If you are using your phone, tablet, or laptop for your session, turn off notifications or place it in do not disturb mode . Some people find it really helpful to wear ear buds or headphones to block out all background noise, so make sure that they are securely in place before we start.
Lighting and Viewing Angles are Important
Make sure there is enough light for your face to be seen clearly during your session. It is also helpful for me if I can see your chest, so I can monitor your breathing patterns. If you are undergoing a consultation that requires regression or other deeper work, then I must also be able to see your hands for ideomotor signalling. I'll be sure to let you know what you need to do before each session starts.
Check your Internet Connection and Audio
Before we start, make sure that you have a stable Wi-Fi connection and that your audio is at a good volume for you. If at all possible, try to move your device closer to the Wi-Fi hotspot or router in your house. If the connection is lost, nothing terrible will happen, but it will interrupt the flow of your session and your level of relaxation if we have to reconnect again.
Make Time to Re-orientate
Take at least 5 - 10 minutes after your session has finished to re-orientate properly and make sure that you are safe to stand, walk, make a hot drink, or drive. Treat it like you’ve just woken up and treat yourself with care. Sometimes, many thoughts, feelings, and emotions that you were not expecting may work their way up to the surface during hypnotherapy. If this does happen we will talk them through together, but make sure that you allow yourself to process these in your own time and plan to do something nice for yourself after the session has concluded.
