Hypnosis for anxiety and phobias.
You know it doesn't make sense, and still your body sounds the alarm. In the car, at the dentist, near a spider or up high. You can't reason anxiety away, but you can change it. With hypnotherapy you work on the automatic reaction itself. Often in three sessions, even if it has been bothering you for years.
Complimentary intro call
Fully confidential
“I know nothing is going to happen, but my body just doesn't believe me.”
At its core, fear is a good thing. Your body wants to protect you. It's just that somewhere along the way, the alarm got set too sensitive. Sometimes it's one scary moment, like a near accident or a painful procedure. Sometimes it creeps in, and you don't know where it started. The result is the same: your heart races, your breathing speeds up and all you want is one thing, to get out.
Maybe you've started avoiding things. You stay off the highway, put off the dentist or say no to plans. That gives you some relief for a moment, but your world gets smaller. And the longer you avoid, the bigger the fear often feels.
Why you can't reason your fear away.
Everyone around you says it already: that spider won't hurt you, the bridge is safe, nobody is judging you when you speak. You know it yourself, too. And still nothing changes. That's because anxiety doesn't start in your thinking mind. It starts in a fast, automatic reaction of your nervous system. That reaction is faster than any thought. Before you can tell yourself it's safe, your body is already on high alert.
That's why good arguments help so little, and why forcing yourself often backfires. In hypnosis you reach the part of you that drives that reaction. That's where the alarm can be reset. Your body learns that it is safe in that moment, so you can stay calm in places where you used to panic.
What I can help you with.
Anxiety can show up in many ways. These are the fears and phobias people come to me with. Fear of flying? I have a separate page about that.
Fear of driving
You'd rather not drive on the highway, you avoid bridges and tunnels, or since an accident you barely dare to get behind the wheel. Maybe you'd rather sit in the passenger seat than drive yourself. We look at where the fear started and your body learns a new reaction, so driving becomes normal again.
Performance anxiety
You prepare well, and still you freeze during an exam, a presentation or an important conversation. Or you don't even start, afraid it won't be good enough. In hypnosis you work on the tension and on the belief underneath it, so you can show what you're capable of.
Social anxiety
A birthday party, a meeting or a phone call can already make you tense. You think everything through beforehand and replay it all afterward. You're afraid of blushing, saying the wrong thing or being judged. Together we work on more calm in your body, so you can feel relaxed around people again.
Fear of the dentist
The appointment has been on your calendar for weeks and you're sleeping badly because of it. Or you've been putting it off for years. Often it started with a bad experience in the chair. With hypnosis you learn to stay calmer in the waiting room and during the procedure, so you get the care you need.
Animals and fear of heights
Spiders, dogs, wasps or heights: a phobia can really limit your daily life. You check every room, walk around the block or stay at the bottom of the stairs. With this kind of phobia, three sessions are often enough, even if the fear goes back to your childhood.
Panic and fear of going out
Sometimes the world keeps getting smaller. Busy places, the grocery store or even just leaving the house feels unsafe, out of fear of a panic attack. I help you calm your nervous system and make room again, step by step. In this case the longer program is sometimes a better fit.
Where your fear began.
Many fears have a starting point. A dog that jumped up at you when you were little. A moment of panic on the highway. A teacher who made fun of you in front of the class. Often you still remember it, sometimes you don't. In that moment, your subconscious drew a conclusion: this is dangerous. And it keeps faithfully warning you about it, even now that you're an adult and it hasn't been true for a long time.
In hypnosis we can go back to that starting point if it helps, in a safe and calm state. You look at it through the eyes of who you are now. You don't need to relive it to change it. Then, in hypnosis, you experience the situation that makes you nervous today, so your body notices it can be different. That way the new reaction becomes your own.
Tailored to you, through conversation.
I work with Ericksonian, conversational hypnotherapy. There is no fixed script: I tailor every session to you and your fear. I work from my connection with you and use the techniques I've learned with purpose, without being tied to a protocol. Every person already has many inner resources, like calm, courage and trust. They're just unconscious and not easy to reach. I help you find them and use them in the moment your fear comes up.
From intro call to calm.
Intro call
In a complimentary 30-minute online call, you tell me about your fear. Together we see whether hypnosis is a good fit for you.
Intake
You fill out a short questionnaire beforehand. In the intake we make it concrete what you want to be able to do again.
Sessions
In three online sessions you work on the origin of your fear and on a new reaction.
Practice
Between sessions you try out the new reaction in daily life. You can reach me on WhatsApp or by email.
What can change.
01
Your body stays calmer in moments that used to scare you
02
You spend less time worrying about what could go wrong
03
You say yes to places and plans again
04
You know what to do when the tension comes up
The focused program.
For most fears and phobias, three sessions are often enough, even if you've struggled with them for years. If your fear has a deeper origin, or if panic shows up in many situations, the in-depth program may be a better fit.
Intake with a clear goal
3 online sessions
Support via WhatsApp or email in between
Rather try a single session first? You can, see below.
Hypno-Matters · Single session
Want to experience it first?
Book one online session of about 60 minutes and notice for yourself what hypnosis does for you. If you choose a program within two weeks, this session is fully credited.
More about hypnosis for anxiety.
A phobia is a strong fear of something specific: an animal, heights, a certain situation. You know the fear is out of proportion, and still you can't get around it. Other fears are broader, like performance anxiety or social anxiety, and color more moments in your life. For my work, the label doesn't matter much. Whether you call it a phobia, a fear or just a lot of tension, we look at how it works for you and where it began.
You mostly feel anxiety in your body. A pounding heart, shaking hands, a dry mouth, a tight feeling in your chest. That's your nervous system switching into survival mode. In hypnosis you experience the opposite: deep relaxation while your attention stays clear. From that calm, you can think about the situation that scares you without the alarm going off. That's how your body learns that this combination is possible.
Avoiding is very human. It gives instant relief, and that teaches your brain that the situation really was dangerous. That's how anxiety keeps itself going, and often grows. The goal of hypnosis is not to force yourself through your fear. The goal is for the fear itself to get smaller, so getting in the car, going to the dentist or showing up at the party feels easier on its own.
With panic and fear of going out, it's often a bit different. Then the fear isn't tied to one thing, but to the fear itself: what if it happens to me again? It helps to first bring more calm to your nervous system, and then make your world bigger again step by step. Because the sessions can be online, you don't even have to leave the house at first.
What I do and don't do.
I'm not a doctor or a psychologist, I don't cure anything and I don't offer EMDR. Hypnotherapy is an addition to the care of your doctor or psychologist, never a replacement. Do you have intense panic attacks, are you already being treated for an anxiety disorder, or does your fear severely limit your daily life? Then please talk to your doctor as well. If you're already working with someone, I'm happy to coordinate with them.
Before we start, I'll send you a short questionnaire, including questions about medication. If there's something deeper going on medically or psychologically, I'll ask for a referral letter from your doctor. That way we start with a clear picture, and you know this step is right for you at this moment.
Online, wherever you are.
I'm based in the Netherlands and most of my sessions are online, in English or Dutch, with people all over the world. With anxiety that has an advantage: you're at home, in your own familiar surroundings. For anyone who finds it hard to go out, that's often the easiest way to begin.
Prefer to meet in person? That can be arranged. In the intro call we decide together what works best for you.
Questions about hypnosis for anxiety.
Does hypnosis work for anxiety and phobias?
Hypnotherapy works at the level where anxiety starts: the automatic reaction of your subconscious and your nervous system. That's why it's a good fit for phobias and fears you can't reason away. I don't give guarantees, because everyone is different. After every session we talk about what you notice and what the next step is.
How many hypnosis sessions do I need for a phobia?
Three sessions are often enough, even if you've struggled with it for years. That's why for anxiety and phobias I usually work with the focused program. If your fear has a deeper origin or panic shows up in many situations, the in-depth program with six sessions may be a better fit. We decide that together in the intro call.
How do I get over my fear of driving with hypnosis?
Not by forcing yourself onto the highway anyway. With fear of driving, we first look at where the fear started, for example an accident or a moment of panic behind the wheel. In hypnosis your body learns a new reaction, and in your mind you experience the drives that make you nervous now. After that you try it for real, at your own pace.
Can hypnosis help with performance anxiety?
Yes, performance anxiety is one of the fears people come to me with. It can be about exams, presentations, job interviews or the feeling that you're not good enough. In hypnosis we work on the tension in your body and on the belief underneath it. That way you can show what you're capable of, instead of freezing up.
Does hypnosis help with fear of the dentist?
Fear of the dentist often starts with a bad experience, sometimes a long time ago. In hypnosis we work on that memory and on how your body reacts in the waiting room and in the chair. You also learn how to keep yourself calm during the procedure. If you can, start a few weeks before an appointment, so you have time to let the new reaction settle in.
What if I panic during a hypnosis session?
You're conscious the entire time and you stay in control. We only go as far as feels right for you, and you can stop at any moment. The goal of hypnosis is relaxation, not reliving your fear. If the tension does build up, I'll first help you calm down again.
Does hypnosis also work for fear of flying?
Yes. I work on fear of flying the same way: we look at where the fear started and your body learns a new reaction. Because there's often a departure date with flying, I pay extra attention to the timing. I have a separate page about it, including when it's best to start.
Is hypnosis the same as EMDR?
No. EMDR is a different method, and I don't offer it. I work with Ericksonian, conversational hypnotherapy: we talk, you go into a deeply relaxed state and in that state we work on your fear. If you're looking for EMDR specifically, ask your doctor or a psychologist what's possible.
Can I do hypnosis sessions for anxiety online?
Yes. Most sessions are online, in English or Dutch, wherever you are in the world. That's nice if you find it hard to go out, because you don't have to leave the house. Prefer to meet in person? That can be arranged.
What does hypnosis for anxiety cost?
We'll talk about that in the complimentary intro call. Together we look at your question, what suits you and the investment. Want to try it first? Then book a single session of about 60 minutes. If you choose a program within two weeks after that, the session is fully credited.
Also helps with.
Hypnosis helps with more than one question. Perhaps you recognize yourself here too:
Your world can get bigger again.
Book a complimentary 30-minute intro call. No obligation and online, and you'll hear from me within two working days.