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Can hypnotherapy help with anorexia?

Hypnotherapy for anorexia

In my experience, hypno-analysis is more helpful with anorexia than hypnotherapy. Anorexia is generally regarded as a control issue. The client takes an excessive control of their eating habits because of a perceived lack of control in other areas of their life. The lack of control may be felt because of excessively controlling parents, or because of one or more unexpected life events. It is also suggested that, at a subconscious level, there may be a desire to stay child-like. But how can hypnotherapy for anorexia help?

I believe that any behaviour, including phobias, obsessions, compulsions and addictions, which is not what the client consciously wants to do, is driven at least in part by the subconscious mind. Most anorexics want to be well, but they feel a compulsion to control their food intake. At a subconscious level, they will know why this is, but consciously they do not.

Under hypnosis the client has access to their subconscious thoughts, and these can be very revealing. Hypnosis is nothing more than a state of deep relaxation, and in this state the anorexic client can address the issues which triggered the behaviour, and resolve them. There are also simple practical steps which can be taken to aid and speed up their recovery.

I have recently helped an anorexic client who I will refer to as Sally. In just six sessions she felt that she had really got to the bottom of the life events that triggered her eating disorder, and she now feels well on the way to recovery. Read her story in the testimonials on my front page.