Hypnotherapy for Anxiety in Croydon & Caterham
Overcome Anxiety with Evidence-Based Hypnotherapy & CBT in Surrey
Understanding Your Anxiety
Anxiety is today’s real pandemic – and if it’s affecting your life, you’re far from alone. As a specialist hypnotherapist and CBT practitioner in Croydon, Caterham and South London, I use evidence-based Hypno-CBT to help you understand and overcome anxiety at its root. Whether you’re in a dark place, struggling with overthinking, hampered by social anxiety or need help overcoming health anxiety, there is real hope. Anxiety can show up in many ways — as panic attacks, sleep problems, chronic stress, physical symptoms, or a constant background hum of worry that never quite goes away. Understanding what’s happening is the first step to overcoming it, and I’ve written extensively about anxiety on the DOCwellness blog — including practical guides on calming social anxiety, understanding the difference between social anxiety and shyness, managing social anxiety at work, and breathing techniques for instant calm.
How Hypnotherapy & CBT Help with Anxiety
We will look at your thoughts, emotions and behaviours and how they interact to create and sustain your anxiety. Using cognitive behavioural therapy, we identify and challenge the thinking patterns that fuel anxious feelings — the catastrophic predictions, the “what ifs”, the constant scanning for danger. Then, through clinical hypnotherapy, we work at a deeper level — rewiring your brain’s neural pathways to form new, calmer responses. A landmark meta-analysis by Kirsch et al. found that combining hypnosis with CBT significantly enhanced treatment outcomes, with clients receiving the combined approach improving more than at least 70% of those receiving CBT alone. We may also use mindfulness, breathing techniques and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) — always tailored to your individual needs.
Hypnotherapy for Anxiety in Croydon, Caterham, South London and Surrey
Anxiety can take a variety of forms – around exams, sleep, presentations and interviews, relationships, health and worries about the environment and the future. You’re welcome to contact me to discuss more, and you can find some FAQ’s and testimonials below. I work in person or, if you’re further afield from my clinic in Caterham, I work on Zoom and other platforms.
Remember, you’re not alone and help is available.
Anxiety Disorders and Specialist Help I Offer
- Social anxiety hypnotherapy — helping you feel confident and at ease in social situations, from parties to meetings
- Health anxiety treatment — breaking the cycle of worry about illness, symptoms and physical sensations
- Sleep anxiety help — calming the racing mind that keeps you awake at night
- Teenage anxiety therapy — age-appropriate Hypno-CBT for young people struggling with pressure and overwhelm
- Presentation anxiety solutions — overcoming the fear of speaking in front of others at work or in public
- Overcoming anxiety at night — reducing nocturnal anxiety, restlessness and early waking
- Exam anxiety hypnotherapy — building calm focus and peak performance under pressure
- Anxiety and fatigue — addressing the exhaustion that chronic anxiety creates
- Self-hypnosis for anxiety — techniques you can use independently at home, yours to keep for life
- Hypnotherapy for intrusive thoughts — learning to let unwanted thoughts pass without engaging with them
- Hypnotherapy for overthinking — breaking the cycle of rumination and mental spiralling
- CBT for social anxiety — evidence-based cognitive techniques for managing fear of judgement and rejection
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Hypnotherapy
I have experienced problems swallowing. Is this Anxiety related?
I need to be near a toilet all the time. Is there something wrong with me?
Anxiety can take many forms. I have helped many people who feel they often need to go to, or be near, the toilet. The stomach and digestive system is one of the first to react to stress and anxiety and has been called our ‘second brain’. When we register a fear or threat – imagined or real – our body releases chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol which regulate other functions. This may well affect your digestive system and cause you to feel discomfort – or wanting to go to the toilet. Whilst it feels very real, uncomfortable and upsetting, it is just the body doing its thing. Contact me and we can work with this using CBT and Hypnotherapy for toilet issues and digestion. Hypnotherapy is effective for IBS too, which is also known to be stress related.
How does hypnosis for anxiety work?
What’s the difference between anxiety and stress?
While they often overlap, stress is typically a response to external pressure — work deadlines, relationship difficulties, financial worries — and tends to ease when the situation resolves. Anxiety is more internal and persistent, often continuing even when there’s no obvious external trigger. You may feel anxious without knowing why, or your worry may seem disproportionate to the situation. Both are highly treatable with Hypno-CBT, and I work with stress and anxiety regularly.
Can hypnotherapy help with panic attacks?
Absolutely. Panic attacks sit at the extreme end of the anxiety spectrum, and I treat them regularly using Hypno-CBT. If you’re experiencing panic attacks, you may find my detailed blog post on what really happens during a panic attack helpful. I also have a dedicated panic attacks service page with more information about how I can help.
Is there evidence that Hypno-CBT works for anxiety?
Yes — and the evidence is strong. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that combining hypnosis with CBT significantly enhanced treatment outcomes compared to CBT alone. An updated 2021 meta-analysis by Ramondo et al. confirmed these findings, showing statistically significant advantages for the combined approach — particularly in managing anxiety, depressed mood and pain. The British Psychological Society recognises cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy as an evidence-based approach, and my qualification from the UK College of Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy is the only hypnotherapy diploma currently accredited by the BPS.
My son/daughter is an adult and struggling and I hate to see it. But I’m not sure if it’s my business to help.
Is hypnosis and hypnotherapy effective for anxiety and stress?
Yes, when done with motivation and intent, hypnotherapy is highly effective for anxiety. And when combined with CBT it is even more effective and longer lasting. The hypnotherapy techniques are relaxing, centering and bring you into the safety and beauty of the Now. It can be immensely gratifying and releasing.
All the processes I do with you are recorded and are yours to use for life.
What are the best ways to deal with anxiety?
How many sessions will I need for anxiety?
Typically 3–6 sessions. Hypno-CBT is targeted, outcome-driven therapy — we’re not talking for years about your past. In the first session we’ll assess your anxiety in detail, understand your triggers and patterns, and set clear goals. Many clients notice a shift from the very first session, with each subsequent session building and deepening that progress. I also provide recorded hypnotherapy processes that are yours to keep and use for life, so the benefits continue long after our work together ends.
Can anxiety therapy be done online?
Yes — I offer hypnotherapy and CBT for anxiety via Zoom, Teams and FaceTime, and the results are just as effective as face-to-face sessions. Many of my anxiety clients actually prefer online sessions as they feel more relaxed in their own environment, which can help the therapy work more effectively. I’m based in Caterham, Surrey, and see clients from across Croydon, South London and further afield.
Contact DOCwellness - Hypnotherapy in Croydon & Caterham
Ask a question or book an appointment below. For emergencies call 111 or 999, or visit your nearest hospital
Ready to take the first step? Whether you're looking for help with anxiety, stress, insomnia, stopping smoking or any of the other issues I treat, I offer a free 20-minute consultation to discuss whether Hypno-CBT is right for you. I'm based at 20 Westway, Caterham CR3 5TP, serving clients across Croydon, South London and Surrey. I also offer online sessions via Zoom and other platforms. Fill in the form below, call me on 07778 613268, or email help@docwellness.co.uk.