What is cognitive hypnotherapy?

Cognitive Hypnotherapy is a solution focused approach that combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and hypnosis. Cognitive Hypnotherapy is designed to help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave, as well as providing you with the tools to deal with your problems in a positive way.

Quest Cognitive Hypnotherapy draws on neuroscience, positive psychology, evolutionary psychology and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), and offers a range of techniques that create a personal and tailored approach so you can fulfil your personal goals, values and needs.

How does Cognitive Hypnotherapy work?

Cognitive Hypnotherapists believe your problems are a result of imbalances between your conscious and unconscious mind systems.

On one hand you have a conscious mind that is in charge of logical thinking and will try to find meaning in what it experiences. On the other hand you have an unconscious mind that is in charge of emotional intelligence, controlling your instincts and habits, and uses your past experiences to help you understand present situations. The main job of the unconscious mind is to protect you, which can cause strong emotional responses such as stress and anxiety, and can encourage reactive behaviours such as anger, when the conscious mind thinks it’s being threatened. While all behaviour has a positive intention, not all responses to our experiences are good and can therefore cause problems in your life. 

Your mind becomes ‘hypnotized’ into seeing, feeling and reacting to things in a particular way. Cognitive hypnotherapy focuses on ‘de-hypnotizing’ you to change the way you think and behave toward a particular problem. 

By de-hypnotizing you, Cognitive Hypnotherapy ‘syncs’ your unconscious mind with your conscious mind and its understanding of reality. This helps you regain control over the problematic aspects of your life. This approach positively influences emotional, behavioural, cognitive and symptomatic change so you can live a more productive, happy life. 

What if I can’t be hypnotized?  

Hypnotism is not done to you. Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of mind, and is something you do to yourself every day without realizing, like when you daydream or zone out while you are driving. 

Within our sessions, you will be entirely in control and will relax to the level that is right for you. My job as a Cognitive Hypnotherapist is to be your guide.  A bit like driving a car.  You are in control of the vehicle and you have given me (the passenger) the directions of where you want to go.  My job is to use your directions to get you there.  Offering you a unique approach that meets your needs and desired outcomes.

HOw i can help

During our 60 to 90-minute sessions, we’ll work together to re-wire and re-educate your brain with the aim to desensitize past memories and allow for new perspectives, as you work towards a positive future. In addition, you'll learn tools and techniques to help you manage everyday problems when they arise.

Watch Trevor Silvester, founder of Cognitive Hypnotherapy, explain what Cognitive Hypnotherapy is, how it works and how it could help change your life in this 3-minute video.  

“Michelle was able to help me with some anxiety I was experiencing around sports and day to day life. She is a great listener, her feedback and techniques proved to be very helpful to me and I had immediate and lasting results. She is a natural in this field and I highly recommend The First Step to Freedom.” —- Google Review