If you’ve been looking into therapy, you’ve probably come across lots of different approaches, each with its own terminology and way of working. It can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming trying to understand the differences and decide which might be right for you.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a modern therapeutic approach that combines Solution Focused Brief Therapy with relaxing hypnosis. Rather than spending lots of time analysing problems from the past, it helps you understand how your brain works, build on your existing strengths and resources, and move towards the future you’d like to create.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is based on the belief that people are far more than the problems they may be experiencing. While it’s important to acknowledge that difficulties are real, it’s also important to recognise that everyone has strengths and can take steps towards making the changes that are right for them.
Through the therapeutic process, we work to identify the changes you’d like to make and that feel possible for you. The hypnosis element of sessions helps the mind relax and focus on thoughts and suggestions that might be helpful.
The history of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
The solution-focused approach has its roots in Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), which was developed during the late 1970s and early 1980s at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by psychotherapists Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg.
Rather than asking why problems developed or spending long periods analysing them, they became interested in what helps people move forward. Through their clinical work, they developed an approach that focuses on people’s strengths, resources and preferred future to help them work towards meaningful changes.
Here in the UK, psychotherapist David Newton recognised the natural fit between Solution Focused Brief Therapy and the gentle, permissive style of hypnosis developed by the American psychiatrist Dr Milton H. Erickson. By combining these complementary approaches, he developed what is now known as Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and went on to establish Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training (CPHT), which has trained thousands of Solution Focused Hypnotherapists across the UK.
I completed my own training with CPHT, and this remains the approach that underpins the way I work today.
How is it different from some other types of therapy?
Every therapeutic approach has its own strengths, and different people will find different approaches helpful.
One of the things that makes Solution Focused Hypnotherapy different is that, while we acknowledge the difficulties that have brought you to therapy, we don’t spend session after session revisiting problems or analysing every detail of the past.
Instead, we focus on understanding how your brain responds to stress, recognising what’s already working well in your life, identifying your existing strengths and resources, and exploring the small, achievable steps that will help move you towards the future you want.
That doesn’t mean ignoring difficult experiences or pretending everything is fine. Rather, it means spending more time exploring possible solutions rather than focusing solely on the problems.
Where does hypnosis fit in?
For many people, the word hypnosis can bring to mind stage performances or a kind of mysterious process, but therapeutic hypnosis is very different.
Hypnosis, sometimes called trance, is a naturally occurring state of focused attention and deep relaxation. Most of us drift into similar states every day – perhaps when we’re absorbed in a good book, driving a familiar route or daydreaming.
During therapeutic hypnosis, people generally remain aware of what is happening and can respond to their surroundings. You can’t be made to do anything against your wishes, and you remain in control. You can communicate with your therapist if you feel uncomfortable or want to stop.
The style of hypnosis used in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is influenced by the work of the psychiatrist Dr Milton H. Erickson, whose gentle, conversational and permissive approach influenced modern clinical hypnosis. Rather than giving direct commands and instructions, this style of hypnosis uses relaxation, positive imagery and suggestions to encourage reflection and allow you to explore helpful ideas in a way that feels natural and comfortable.
Many clients describe this part of the session as one of the most relaxing parts of their week.
How can Solution Focused Hypnotherapy help?
People seek Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for a wide range of reasons, including anxiety, stress, low mood, panic attacks, confidence, sleep difficulties, fears and phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic pain and unwanted habits.
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is tailored to you and your individual goals. Together, we’ll explore what you’d like life to look like if things were better, and work towards that future in manageable, realistic steps.
As you begin to understand more about how your brain works and why it responds in certain ways under stress, many people find it easier to view their experiences with greater self-compassion. This understanding, combined with practical solution-focused techniques and relaxing hypnosis, is intended to support you as you work towards feeling calmer, building confidence and dealing with life’s challenges.
Is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy right for everyone?
Like any therapy, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy isn’t the right approach for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay. Choosing a therapist and a therapeutic approach is a personal decision, and it’s important that you find something that feels right for you.
If you’re curious about whether Solution Focused Hypnotherapy might be suitable for you, a free introductory call provides an opportunity to ask questions, find out more about how I work, and decide whether it’s the right fit for your needs.
