‘Confidence’, as defined within confidence hypnosis, is not just a positive feeling in the body; it is also a state of mind, an approach to life, which tends to lead to self-knowledge, self-acceptance and success. It encompasses focus, effort, motivation and commitment as well as the ability to both accept and learn from mistakes made along the way.

Nobody comes into the world lacking in confidence; low self-confidence is not a personality trait. Such self-perceptions develop over time, largely as a result of life experiences; what happened in the past, interpretation of those events and the nature of the emotions around the stored memories of those events.

Whatever the causes, the symptoms of low self-confidence can be severe. At a physical level, the state of high alert that results from not feeling confident in a given situation, typically stimulates the internal fight or flight response, releasing detrimental stress hormones, creating breathlessness, tension, reddening of the face, shaking, sweating and so on. Low self-confidence also affects a person at a cognitive level, encouraging negative, self-defeating thinking; at an emotional level, often leaving people feeling depressed, weak, feeling unworthy; and, at a behavioural level, constraining choices and opportunities, ultimately influencing work, relationships, success and overall enjoyment of life.

The confidence hypnosis treatment programme offered by Christine Woolfenden represents a holistic, dynamic approach to helping individuals uncover, release and develop their true confidence potential.

No matter how lacking in confidence a person may feel, everyone has experienced feeling confident at certain times in their life; so it’s not that people feel completely lacking in confidence all of the time. With this in mind, it’s vital at the outset of therapy to identify and address each person’s unique experiences of low self-confidence. The initial consultation of the confidence hypnosis treatment programme identifies and explores the causes, symptoms and triggers of low self-confidence as they exist from the client’s perspective. The physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural ramifications of that self-perception are also explored in depth.

The confidence hypnosis programme employs deep relaxation hypnosis to counteract the damaging physical side effects of stress created by low-self-confidence. Through anchoring the physical and psychological sensations of deep relaxation, people are taught how to re-create those feelings whenever desirable or necessary.

Direct positive suggestion and post hypnotic suggestions are used to adapt the cognitive responses to feelings of low self-confidence, and to instil alternative, more effective ways of dealing with specific stressors / situations as they arise, so extending the confidence comfort zone whilst also challenging self-defeating thoughts and beliefs.

Past experiences that are interfering with the present are re-evaluated through confidence hypnosis. Memories from the past that are interfering with the present are re-visited and re-framed, the emotional and cognitive influence on the present and future challenged and de-sensitised.

The confidence hypnosis treatment programme also applies techniques such as mental rehearsal, creative imagery, future pacing and pseudo-orientation in time to further develop confidence in the present, and both establish and cement understanding of future success and acceptance of self.