about pauline roberts

Pauline Roberts graduated with an Honours Degree in Psychology at Greenwich University after which she studied Clinical Hypnosis at Imperial College, University of London on a course organised by LCCH. LCCH stands for London College of Clinical Hypnosis and is considered to be one of the best colleges of its kind in the UK. The LCCH also trains Psychiatrists and Doctors and teaches medical students at Universities such as Oxford.

Paulines approach to hypnotherapy is very eclectic and she uses techniques based on the theories of cognitive behavioural, behavioural, psychoanalytical and Solution Focus Therapy. The technique used will be the one perceived to be the most beneficial for the patient and Solution Focus Therapy enables the patient to look forward to the solution to the problem rather than looking backwards to the problem itself. This helps to focus and motivate and creates a more positive mindset.

Pauline is very approachable as she has a friendly, caring and non judgemental manner. Pauline is governed by the Code of Conduct and Ethics of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has BACP Professional Indemnity Insurance. Pauline is also a member of the National Phobic Society.

Hypnotherapy can be used to help and alleviate many symptoms such as anxiety, lack of confidence, phobias, stress, stop smoking and much more.

What is hypnosis

Hypnosis is simply being in an altered state of awareness. It is when we enter a very relaxed state where our minds are just drifting quite happily. This is when the conscious mind has handed over control to the unconscious mind because it realises nothing of importance is occurring. This is how the unconscious mind is accessed directly without the intervention of the conscious, critical mind. The ability to access the unconscious mind directly without the conscious mind saying why, what, who, how all the time is how new positive, beneficial thoughts and ideas are accepted. This relaxed state stimulates the right hemisphere (the creative, visual side) and reduces the activity of the left hemisphere (the logical, critical, language side). Being in this relaxed state increases the level of serotonin (the good feeling hormone) flowing around our bodies and decreases the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. In other words hypnosis influences the chemical reactions inside our bodies. Everything stems from a thought so changing the thought will change the behaviour and emotion.

What does hypnosis feel like

Hypnosis is a trance like state which we all access quite naturally every day. Imagine yourself in bed, just before you fall asleep at night or just before you are fully awake in the morning. Picture yourself just lying there completely content and so comfortable you just do not want to move. Aware of where you are and everything around you but with thoughts just drifting easily in and out of your mind. That is being in a trance state. Or do you remember those times when you have been driving down a road that you know really well and suddenly you realise you are at the end of the road but were not aware of driving down it. This is a trance like state when your mind is working on automatic pilot. It is a behaviour which you are so used to doing you do not need to be consciously aware of it. All the time this is happening your unconscious mind is aware of everything going on and is protecting you. If anything unusual or sudden happened you would immediately switch back to using your conscious mind again.

What is hypnotherapy and how can it help you?

Hypnotherapy is the direction of the clients resources towards the goal which the client desires. The client is NOT under the control of anyone else. This is a complete myth and the client is in full control the whole time and can get up and walk out of the room whenever they want too. The therapy really starts from the first stage of going into a relaxed state. This is because the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol are reduced and serotonin is increased which immediately increases the activity of the immune system which fights off infection and disease. It is useful to do just this on a daily basis and is similar to meditation. Anyone can be taught to do self hypnosis which can then be used at times that are deemed to be stressful. The more self hypnosis is practiced the easier it becomes.

The next stage is when the beneficial suggestions are made to the unconscious mind. Each persons unconscious mind is there too protect them and will only accept beneficial positive suggestions in keeping with that individuals personality. Anything else will be rejected. These suggestions are made as direct suggestions or indirect suggestions which could be in the form of visualisations and images or by regressing back to the first event and changing how the person perceives that event by, for example allowing them to view it through adult eyes instead of a childs eyes. Being in a very relaxed state while all of this is happening enables these directive suggestions to be accepted at a very deep level and at a faster rate. Even though the techniques used are similar to those used in counselling and psychotherapy, which can go on for years, the deep level of relaxation is the reason why Hypnotherapy is known as Brief Therapy.