Phobia hypnotherapy in Penzance and online
Gradual, structured Hypno-CBT to help you face what scares you.
A phobia is a fear that has learned to fire faster than thought. You can know, completely rationally, that the spider is harmless or the plane is safe, and still find your body reacting as though it is not. That gap between what you know and what you feel is not a character flaw. It is how fear learning works.
I use cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, or Hypno-CBT, which combines CBT with hypnosis. Sessions run online across the UK, at your home within 10 miles of Penzance, or outdoors in West Cornwall.
Can hypnotherapy help with a phobia?
Hypno-CBT works on what keeps a phobia going rather than on where it came from. That usually means the avoidance, the images your mind runs before the feared thing happens, and the beliefs about what would happen if you could not escape. Change tends to come gradually and at your pace. No responsible therapist can promise you a cure, and I will not.
Phobias I work with
Fear of flying. Driving anxiety, including motorways and bridges. Needles, dentists, and medical procedures. Spiders, dogs, and other animals. Heights. Enclosed spaces. Vomiting. Public speaking and performance fear, where the phobia sits close to social anxiety.
If yours is not on that list, it does not mean I cannot help. The approach is the same whatever the trigger.
How does Hypno-CBT work for phobias?
We start by mapping what actually happens: the trigger, the thought that follows, the physical response, and what you do to escape or avoid. Avoidance is usually the part keeping the fear alive, because it never lets your mind gather evidence that the feared outcome does not arrive.
From there we work on the mental imagery, since a phobic response is often driven by a vivid internal picture running faster than conscious thought. Hypnosis is used to rehearse a different response in a calm state, so that when you meet the real thing, your system has something else to draw on.
Between sessions there is usually something to practise. Nothing dramatic, and nothing you have not agreed to.
What does a session look like?
Sessions last an hour. The first one is mostly talking, so I understand what you are dealing with and we can agree what we are working towards. Later sessions typically combine discussion with a period of hypnosis, which is a state of focused relaxation rather than anything like stage hypnosis. You stay aware throughout and you cannot be made to do anything you do not want to do.
How many sessions will I need?
Specific phobias often need fewer sessions than something like generalised anxiety, but it varies with how long the fear has been in place and how much of your life it now shapes. I will give you an honest view at the free 20 minute consultation rather than a number chosen to sell you a package.
Sessions and fees
- Free 20 minute phone consultation
- £85 for a one hour session
- 8 session package: £675
- 12 session package: £999
About me
I’m Kathy Brewerton, HDipCBH, CPT, MNCIP. I hold a Level 5 Higher Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy from the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy in London, I am a registered member of the National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists, and I work in regular clinical supervision. I bring the same structured, evidence-based approach to every phobia I work with, whatever the trigger.
A note on seeking support
If your fear is severe enough to be affecting your daily life, your work, or your health, it is worth speaking to your GP as well. Hypno-CBT sits alongside medical care rather than replacing it, and I will say so if I think you need something I cannot offer.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose control or say things I don’t want to say?
Absolutely not. Clinical hypnosis is nothing like “stage magic.” You are in a state of deep, focused relaxation, similar to being totally absorbed in a great book or a movie. You remain fully aware of your surroundings and in complete control of your actions and speech throughout the session.
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
Almost everyone can enter a state of hypnosis, provided they are willing. It is a natural state of mind we actually enter several times a day (like when you’re “zoning out” while driving). My job is simply to help you find that state intentionally so we can do the work.
Will you make me face my fear straight away?
No. Change tends to come gradually and at your pace. Between sessions there is usually something to practise, but nothing dramatic, and nothing you have not agreed to.
Can I do this online?
Yes. Sessions run online via Zoom, at your home within about 10 miles of Penzance, or outdoors in West Cornwall. Sessions cost the same wherever you choose.
Ready to talk?
Book a free 20 minute consultation and we can work out whether this is right for you. Get in touch. You may also want to read about anxiety hypnotherapy or how I work.
Phobia hypnotherapy in Penzance and online
A phobia is a fear that has learned to fire faster than thought. You can know, completely rationally, that the spider is harmless or the plane is safe, and still find your body reacting as though it is not. That gap between what you know and what you feel is not a character flaw. It is how fear learning works.
I use cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, or Hypno-CBT, which combines CBT with hypnosis. Sessions run online across the UK, at your home within 10 miles of Penzance, or outdoors in West Cornwall.
Can hypnotherapy help with a phobia?
Hypno-CBT works on what keeps a phobia going rather than on where it came from. That usually means the avoidance, the images your mind runs before the feared thing happens, and the beliefs about what would happen if you could not escape. Change tends to come gradually and at your pace. No responsible therapist can promise you a cure, and I will not.
Phobias I work with
Fear of flying. Driving anxiety, including motorways and bridges. Needles, dentists, and medical procedures. Spiders, dogs, and other animals. Heights. Enclosed spaces. Vomiting. Public speaking and performance fear, where the phobia sits close to social anxiety.
If yours is not on that list, it does not mean I cannot help. The approach is the same whatever the trigger.
How does Hypno-CBT work for phobias?
We start by mapping what actually happens: the trigger, the thought that follows, the physical response, and what you do to escape or avoid. Avoidance is usually the part keeping the fear alive, because it never lets your mind gather evidence that the feared outcome does not arrive.
From there we work on the mental imagery, since a phobic response is often driven by a vivid internal picture running faster than conscious thought. Hypnosis is used to rehearse a different response in a calm state, so that when you meet the real thing, your system has something else to draw on.
Between sessions there is usually something to practise. Nothing dramatic, and nothing you have not agreed to.
What does a session look like?
Sessions last an hour. The first one is mostly talking, so I understand what you are dealing with and we can agree what we are working towards. Later sessions typically combine discussion with a period of hypnosis, which is a state of focused relaxation rather than anything like stage hypnosis. You stay aware throughout and you cannot be made to do anything you do not want to do.
How many sessions will I need?
Specific phobias often need fewer sessions than something like generalised anxiety, but it varies with how long the fear has been in place and how much of your life it now shapes. I will give you an honest view at the free 20 minute consultation rather than a number chosen to sell you a package.
Sessions and fees
A single session is £85 for one hour. Blocks of eight sessions are £675 and twelve are £999. The full pricing page has the detail. Sessions cost the same online, at your home near Penzance, or outdoors.
A note on seeking support
If your fear is severe enough to be affecting your daily life, your work, or your health, it is worth speaking to your GP as well. Hypno-CBT sits alongside medical care rather than replacing it, and I will say so if I think you need something I cannot offer.
Ready to talk?
Book a free 20 minute consultation and we can work out whether this is right for you. Get in touch. You may also want to read about anxiety hypnotherapy or how I work.