Hypnotherapy for PTSD

The event may be in the past, but sometimes your mind and body can continue responding as though the danger is still happening now.

After experiencing trauma, you may find yourself reacting to situations in ways you don’t fully understand or feel able to control.

A sound, smell, place, conversation, image or seemingly insignificant situation can suddenly trigger a powerful emotional or physical response.

You might know logically that you’re safe, yet another part of you seems to be saying:

“Something isn’t right. I need to protect you.”

For some people, this can mean flashbacks, nightmares or intrusive memories. For others, it may show up as anxiety, anger, avoidance, feeling constantly on guard, difficulty sleeping or becoming emotionally disconnected from people and situations.

Sometimes people don’t even immediately connect what they’re experiencing now with something that happened in the past.

Trauma isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s about what your mind and nervous system learned they needed to do to protect you.

At Soul Solutions Hypnotherapy in Leicestershire, I use a tailored approach to working with trauma and PTSD. Depending on your individual circumstances, this may include hypnotherapy and techniques such as the Rewind Technique, helping you work towards feeling safer, calmer and more able to move forward.

Does PTSD or Trauma Feel Like This?

Trauma can affect people in very different ways. You don’t need to recognise every one of these experiences for something to be having a significant impact on your life.

You may experience:

✓ Unwanted or intrusive memories
✓ Flashbacks or feeling as though you’re reliving an experience
✓ Nightmares or disturbed sleep
✓ Feeling constantly alert or watching for danger
✓ Being easily startled
✓ Avoiding particular places, people or situations
✓ Strong reactions to certain sounds, smells or reminders
✓ Anxiety or panic
✓ Irritability or sudden anger
✓ Difficulty concentrating
✓ Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
✓ Finding it difficult to trust or feel safe
✓ Feeling uncomfortable in situations you logically know are safe
✓ Trying not to think or talk about what happened
✓ Feeling that part of you is still stuck in the past

You may also find yourself wondering:

“Why am I still reacting like this when I know it’s over?”

That difference between what you consciously know and the automatic response you’re experiencing is something we can explore together.

Why Can Trauma Continue to Feel So Present?

When something frightening or overwhelming happens, your brain’s priority is survival.

It isn’t concerned with calmly analysing everything that’s happening. It is trying to protect you.

Afterwards, most memories naturally become part of our past. We can remember what happened without responding as though it is happening again.

With traumatic experiences, however, reminders associated with what happened can sometimes continue to trigger powerful reactions.

That’s why you may consciously know:

“I’m safe now.”

while your body appears to be responding:

“But what if we’re not?”

Treatment isn’t about pretending the experience didn’t happen or erasing your memory of it.

The aim is for the past to increasingly feel like the past.

The Rewind Technique for Trauma and PTSD

For some clients, I may use a technique known as the Rewind Technique as part of our work together.

One reason I value this approach is that it can allow us to work with traumatic memories without requiring you to describe every detail of what happened to me.

For somebody who finds repeatedly talking about an experience distressing or simply doesn’t want to recount everything, that can be particularly important.

During the technique, I guide you through a structured process designed to help change the way the traumatic memory is being responded to.

The aim isn’t to remove the memory.

You’ll still know what happened and recognise that it was part of your life. Instead, the aim is to reduce the intense emotional response associated with reminders of the experience, so that remembering something from the past doesn’t have to feel as though you’re experiencing it all over again.

Not every technique is appropriate for every person, which is why we’ll always discuss your circumstances first and decide together what approach is most suitable.

Learn More About the Rewind Technique

How Can Hypnotherapy Help with PTSD and Trauma?

When you’ve experienced trauma, simply telling yourself “it’s over” or “I’m safe now” may not be enough to change the automatic reactions you’re experiencing.

That’s because those responses aren’t always something you’re consciously choosing.

Our work together can focus on helping you feel safer and more in control, while changing some of the patterns and responses that may have developed following what happened.

Depending on your individual circumstances, we may work on:

✓ Reducing anxiety around reminders or triggers
✓ Feeling safer in everyday situations
✓ Reducing hypervigilance and constantly looking for danger
✓ Developing calmer responses to situations that previously felt threatening
✓ Improving confidence and trust in yourself
✓ Reducing avoidance
✓ Feeling more grounded and present
✓ Building healthier ways of responding to difficult emotions
✓ Improving your ability to relax and switch off
✓ Reconnecting with people, places and experiences you’ve been avoiding
✓ Beginning to imagine a future that isn’t defined by what happened in the past

There is no expectation that you should simply “get over” what happened.

And our aim isn’t to erase your memories or pretend an experience wasn’t important.

What happened can remain part of your story without having to control what happens next.

woman walking on a lane with fields and sunset

What Could Life Feel Like When the Past Feels More Like the Past?

Imagine noticing something that once triggered an immediate reaction — and realising you’re responding differently.

Perhaps you visit somewhere you’ve been avoiding.

A sound catches your attention, but your body doesn’t immediately go into high alert.

You notice that you’re no longer constantly checking who’s around you, where the exits are or what might go wrong.

Maybe you’re sleeping more peacefully.

You’re more present with the people around you rather than part of your attention always being somewhere else, watching and waiting.

And perhaps you begin doing things you’ve avoided for months or even years.

The memory hasn’t disappeared.

You still know what happened.

But there’s a growing sense that it belongs back there, rather than happening all over again in the present.

Little by little, your world can begin to feel bigger.

More choice.
More confidence.
More connection.
More freedom to move forward.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

You don’t have to tell me everything that happened before you even know whether you feel comfortable working with me.

Your free initial consultation gives us an opportunity to talk about what you’re experiencing now, what you would like to change and whether I feel my approach could be appropriate for you.

BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION

What Happens During a Hypnotherapy Session for PTSD?

We’ll begin by talking about what’s happening for you now and what you would like to be different.

I won’t automatically ask you to recount every detail of a traumatic experience. In some approaches, including the Rewind Technique, we may be able to work without you describing the full content of the memory to me.

Before using hypnosis or any other technique, I’ll explain what we’re going to do and give you the opportunity to ask questions.

You remain in control throughout.

Our sessions will be tailored to you rather than following exactly the same process with every person who has experienced trauma.

We’ll work at an appropriate pace, and if I believe you would be better supported by a different professional or service, I’ll tell you.

Hypnotherapy for PTSD in Leicestershire & Online

I offer hypnotherapy for PTSD and trauma from Soul Solutions Hypnotherapy in Leicestershire, as well as online sessions where appropriate.

For some people, being able to access support from their own familiar surroundings can feel more comfortable. For others, coming into the therapy room provides a separate, private space in which to focus completely on themselves.

We can discuss which option feels most appropriate for you during your initial consultation.

You don’t have to allow something that happened in your past to become the author of your future.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy for PTSD & Trauma

Can hypnotherapy help with PTSD and trauma?

Hypnotherapy may be used as part of a therapeutic approach to help with some of the thoughts, feelings and automatic responses associated with trauma.

Our work might focus on feeling safer in the present, reducing anxiety around triggers, building confidence, changing unhelpful patterns and helping you respond differently to reminders of past experiences.

Depending on your individual circumstances, I may also use other approaches I’m trained in, including the Rewind Technique.

Every person and every experience is different, so we’ll discuss what you’re experiencing and decide what approach is appropriate for you.

Hypnotherapy isn’t a replacement for medical or specialist mental-health care where that is needed.

Will I have to tell you everything that happened?

No. You don’t necessarily have to describe every detail of a traumatic experience for us to work together.

Some people want to talk about what happened, while others find the thought of explaining everything uncomfortable or overwhelming.

With approaches such as the Rewind Technique, it may be possible to work with a traumatic memory without you telling me the full details of the event.

We’ll always discuss what you’re comfortable with, and you remain in control of what you choose to share.

Will hypnotherapy make me relive my trauma?

The intention isn’t to make you relive a traumatic experience or overwhelm you with difficult emotions.

Trauma work should be approached carefully and at an appropriate pace. I’ll explain what we’re doing before we begin, and you can ask questions or stop at any point.

When I use the Rewind Technique, the process involves creating psychological distance from the memory rather than simply asking you to repeatedly describe what happened.

The aim is to help the memory increasingly be experienced as something that happened in the past, rather than something your mind and body need to keep responding to as though it is happening now.

What is the Rewind Technique?

The Rewind Technique is an approach that may be used with certain traumatic memories, fears and phobias.

During the process, you’re guided through a structured exercise while in a relaxed state. One of its advantages is that you may not need to tell me all the details of what happened.

The aim is not to erase the memory, but to help reduce the intense automatic response that may have become associated with it.

I have a separate page explaining this in more detail.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REWIND TECHNIQUE

Can hypnosis erase a traumatic memory?

No — and that isn’t what we’re trying to achieve.

Your experiences are part of your history, and hypnotherapy isn’t about deleting memories or pretending something never happened.

Instead, we’re working towards changing how you respond to the memory.

Ideally, something can become a memory that you know happened without automatically producing the same level of fear, distress or physical response that it once did.

The aim isn’t to forget the past. It’s to help the past feel more like the past.

What if I don’t remember everything about what happened?

That’s okay. You don’t need to force yourself to remember missing details in order to have hypnotherapy.

Memory isn’t a perfect recording of events, and hypnosis shouldn’t be used to try to prove whether a particular memory is accurate or to uncover supposedly hidden facts.

We’ll work with what you’re experiencing now and what you would like to change, rather than trying to force memories to emerge.

How many sessions will I need for PTSD or trauma?

There isn’t a set number because trauma can affect people very differently.

The amount of support someone needs can depend on what they’re experiencing, how long it has been affecting them, whether there have been multiple traumatic experiences and what else is happening in their life.

We’ll discuss this together and review how you’re progressing as we work.

I wouldn’t want to promise that PTSD will disappear in a particular number of sessions. The focus is on working appropriately for you rather than racing towards a predetermined number.

Can I have hypnotherapy for PTSD online?

Online sessions may be appropriate for some people, while for others I may recommend working face-to-face or accessing a different form of specialist support.

We’ll discuss your circumstances during your initial consultation so that we can decide whether online hypnotherapy is appropriate for you.

If I don’t believe I’m the right person to support you, I’ll be honest about that.

Ready to Feel Different?

Something may have happened to you, but it doesn’t have to define everything that comes afterwards.

You don’t need to arrive ready to tell me your entire story. We can begin with what’s happening for you now, what you’d like to change and whether working together feels right for you.

The goal isn’t to erase your past.

It’s to help you have more freedom in your present and your future.

BOOK YOUR FREE INITIAL 30 MINUTE CONSULTATION