Do you feel nervous or uncomfortable in social situations? Do you find it difficult to speak in front of others? Do you feel sick at the thought of doing a presentation or public speaking? Do you avoid going on nights out with family and friends? Do you feel other people are judging what you say or how you behave? Do you hate making small talk or eye contact with strangers?
Social anxiety is one of the most common anxiety disorders with about 13% of the population likely to struggle with it at some point in their life. It can be defined a long-lasting and overwhelming fear of social situations. Sufferers usually have a fear of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, self-consciousness or embarrassment.
There is no one cause of social anxiety, but if you have a family member with social phobia you are more to get it too. There is some evidence that suggests that people with social anxiety have an overactive amygdala – that part of the brain responsible for the fear response. Childhood experience, such as bullying, teasing or abuse can also increase the likelihood of developing social anxiety.
Although symptoms vary you will probably have an overwhelming fear that:
You will also likely experience physical symptoms such as:
Hypno-ACT can be an effective treatment for social anxiety. It combines hypnotic techniques, mindfulness as well as helpful tools from CBT and EMDR. During your sessions, you will develop a range of skills to better handle being in social situations. Rather than trying to stop your thoughts or getting rid of your anxiety, which might help in the short-term but is ineffective in the long-term, Hypno-ACT works by helping you to create a sense of calm acceptance.
During your treatment you will learn:
During your treatment, we will work together as a team to decide on the strategies that work best for you.
You will need to be 100% committed to treatment as in between sessions you will be given tasks to work on and to practice.
Ian has created unique individual sessions for his clients. The course is very informative and has helped me turn my life around in 4 weeks. I could not recommend him enough.
I found the sessions to be relaxing, thought provoking and empowering and having a personally tailored programme of sessions built my confidence in my own ability to confront my fears.
Ian successfully used a range of techniques… I have really appreciated his care, attention to detail and the effort he makes to tap into my inner motivators and tailor sessions to my individual needs, concerns and interests.
To book your consultation, simply chose the type of consultation you want and click on one of the “see times” buttons and select a slot that suits you. Alternatively, you can complete the contact form below if you have any questions or want more information.