Real change starts
below the surface
Most people understand what they are addicted to. What is harder to see is why — and it is the why that hypnotherapy addresses. Beneath almost every addiction is an unmet need, an unprocessed emotion, or an unresolved experience.
Book a Free ChatWhat addiction really is
Addiction is a compulsive pattern of behaviour involving a substance or an activity that continues despite negative consequences and despite genuine attempts to stop. Common forms include:
Alcohol, prescription medication, cannabis, nicotine and other drugs. Substance addiction can range from dependency that requires medical support to habitual use patterns that are causing harm but do not involve physical withdrawal.
Gambling, pornography, social media, gaming, shopping, exercise or food. Behavioural addictions follow the same psychological patterns as substance addiction — compulsion, escalation, loss of control and continued behaviour despite consequences.
Nicotine addiction has both a physical and a deeply habitual component. Many people have tried and failed to stop using willpower, patches or medication alone. Hypnotherapy is well established as an effective support for smoking and vaping cessation.
The link between addiction and trauma
Research consistently shows a strong relationship between adverse childhood experiences, trauma and addiction. Many people use substances or compulsive behaviours as a way of self-regulating — managing anxiety, numbing emotional pain, or recreating a sense of control that trauma stripped away.
My approach addresses both the subconscious patterns driving the compulsion and, where relevant, the underlying emotional experiences that the addiction has been managing.
The approach
How I work with addiction
Please note: For addiction involving physical dependency — particularly alcohol, opioids or benzodiazepines — medical supervision may be required for safe withdrawal. I always recommend clients speak with their GP where physical dependency is present. My work complements but does not replace medical support where that is needed.
Hypnotherapy reduces the psychological craving and the compulsive pull of the behaviour, addresses the subconscious beliefs and emotional needs that the addiction has been serving, and strengthens the internal resources needed to sustain change.
Developed by Andrew T. Austin, IEMT works with the emotional triggers and identity imprints connected to addictive behaviour — patterns like "I am someone who needs this" or "I cannot cope without it." It is also effective for the shame that addiction so often carries.
Where addiction has roots in trauma, BLAST can help process those underlying experiences, reducing the emotional pressure that the addictive behaviour has been relieving.
Investment
How many sessions will I need?
- Free 30-minute consultationFree
- Two sessions — suitable for smoking, vaping cessation and habit-based behaviours£250
- Four sessions — recommended for addiction with emotional or traumatic roots£450
Your questions answered
Frequently asked questions
Can hypnotherapy cure addiction?
Hypnotherapy is not a cure for addiction — it is a powerful support that addresses the psychological and subconscious components in ways that willpower alone cannot. For many clients it makes a significant difference, particularly when other approaches have not worked.
Do I need to have already stopped before I come to you?
No. Many clients come precisely because they want help stopping.
What if my addiction involves physical withdrawal?
If your addiction involves a substance where stopping suddenly could be physically dangerous — particularly alcohol, opioids or benzodiazepines — please speak with your GP before stopping. My work complements that process but does not replace it.