More and more people are accessing hypnotherapy as a way to deal with anxiety, unwanted behaviours, make changes and regain control of their lives.

Paola Hinojosa is a clinical hypnotherapist living in Bannockburn. She says the number of people accessing her services this year has increased, but what had surprised her was the number of children and teens.

“I was initially surprised by the increase in demand, especially from young people,” she says.

“Everybody went through so much in one way or another last year, but 2020 also brought a lot of awareness to people of all ages about how important it is to be doing what you really want to do, stop doing what you don’t like doing, be connected in your community and be happy in yourself.

“People have been affected by so much, they want to start this year in a better place, lighter, but often don’t know how to do it on their own.

“We try to rationalise why we feel this way, why we behave a certain way - that’s our conscious mind.

“And sometimes we get stuck - it's hard to get past that on your own and you keep doing those things, and nothing changes.

“Maybe you can’t find your voice, or can’t speak out, maybe you have chronic pain, or maybe you keep behaving a certain way and can’t seem to change that.

“When you go into a hypnotherapy session, you are able to bring your subconscious mind out, and that’s when people realise what started this, what triggered this.

“With that understanding of why you created that pattern, you can fix it.”

Paola has an office at home in Bannockburn, and also sees clients via Zoom.

Paola said 2020 served as a wake-up call for many of us, and it just takes one person she said, to help set us on the right path.

“This could be someone you know, or someone you don’t know like a trained health professional.”

Paola said as a trained hypnotherapist, she guides clients to access their subconscious mind and discover those things hidden from the conscious mind that could be causing certain behaviours.

“It’s not like you see on TV; it is science-based, it is safe, you are in control at all times and you remember everything.

“It is a natural, drug-free process of being deeply relaxed, allowing you to access your subconscious mind.”

Paola said through guided hypnosis, clients experience a state of focus, similar to being completely absorbed in a book, or meditating in your own thoughts.

“Clients can turn their attention completely inward to find and utilise the natural resources deep within themselves that can help them make changes or regain control in certain areas of their lives.

“It’s about giving the client the power back, understanding why you behave or think a certain way, choosing what you want, starting on a journey to change the dialogue you have with your mind and then creating new habits.”

Paola said hypnotherapy had a wide range of applications, from anxiety, phobias, substance abuse and bad habits through to pain management.

Anxiety was something she was seeing more of in all age groups, but she had noted increasing numbers of children and young people with anxiety issues.

Paola said her own experience of the benefits of hypnotherapy at a difficult time in her life had been the original catalyst for her to train and use the therapy to help others.

Since graduating, she had been practising in Queenstown, but moved to Bannockburn in July last year.

“I lost the international students I worked with, and then left behind the business I had built up there,” she says. “It was a pretty intense time.”

“But clients followed me, and word of mouth has seen my practice build up quickly again.”

Paola said 2020 also showed her that distance could be overcome through technology.

“I use Zoom very successfully; you just need two hours of uninterrupted time, and good internet so I can see you on the video throughout the session.

“I treat my overseas clients this way, and also people who live in other areas of New Zealand, or who can’t come and see me for whatever reason.”

Paola said due to the increase in children and young people coming to her, she is undertaking further studies targeted to working with these age groups.

“I am studying the ways mindfulness can help, and also furthering my studies in hypnotherapy for children.

“The changes children make now take them through to a better adulthood.

“It’s about being able to try different strategies for different people.

“I want to help as many people as possible.”

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