Clinical hypnotherapy is entirely safe. The client/patient is always in control of the session, and is able to say "stop" at any time if the need arises. It should be said that this is extremely rare, but a point worth emphasising.

There exists no loss of conciousness as commonly thought, there is no "zombie like" state (this can disappoint some people weaned on stage hypnosis) and even within full/deep sessions the subject remains within the "subliminal box" that being from the waking side of sleep into no more than a very light sleeping state.

There is no question of the client at any point being asked to, or responding to, any irrelevant suggestion, or anything indeed that transgresses their moral code.

Can everyone be hypnotised and benefit accordingly?

People vary naturally in their ability to relax and thereby to enter into the trance-like state. However, the vast majority of people are fully able to benefit from hypnotherapy, as the level of trance required is usually quite light.

The sessions are enhanced through the recording of such (there is just one copy, that being for the client). The essential point being that the process is regularly repeated between sessions so as to reiterate and emphasise that undertaken in the "live" session. This repetition speeds up, deepens and enhances the process.

Again this will vary according to the individual and the presenting problem, however David Bonner does undertake to work as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

By way of example, it is often possible to successfully and permanently enable someone to quit smoking in one 90 minute session (that's 1.5 sessions), whereas a person with an eating disorder requiring CBT and, possibly, hypnotherapy can take far longer.

How long does a session last?

The overall session will be one hour, with the hypnotherapy component usually constituting half that time.

David works for permanent change in those areas agreed with the client.
That being requested by the client is, in fact, always of that form and it is essential that these positive changes are in no doubt.

Quite simply, a change of perspective, attitude, will and ability is engendered and then translated into a wish to begin to "bother" again (a semi-slang but powerful word). Without undue over thinking which can, in excess, be a burden, a flow of uninterrupted energy is accessed and enabled.

Can I deal with more than one problem at a time?

Certainly some difficulties can be dealt with together i.e anxiety and stress, but others are so diverse as to deserve their own space and timings.

It is not unusual for David to see someone for a core problem which, when resolved, gives impetus at some later stage for a further concern to be tackled.