Meet Our Expert Team
Each Team Member supports different areas of Sydney and has different specialties.
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65+
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
6200+
CLIENTS SEEN
120+
CONDITIONS TREATED
500+
5 STARS REVIEW
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Balgowlah
India DrinanSpecialisations:
My experience is in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Strategic Psychotherapy (2021), specialising in all types of anxiety, depression, dependency, insomnia, and weight loss/ health. At Mind Hypnotherapy, I use a modern, individualised approach to guide clients toward lasting change and improved well-beingQualification:
Diploma in Clinical HypnotherapyStrategic PsychotherapyNLP PractitionerPhone:
0431 898 181Website:
www.mindhypnotherapy.com.auBlue Mountains
Aneta Zydzik-PlucinskaExperience:
3+ years in wellness10+ years international managementQualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Psychotherapy, The Institute of Applied PsychologyNLP Practitioner, The Institute of Applied PsychologyNLP Level 1 Coach, The Institute of Applied PsychologyTime-Based Therapy Practitioner, The Institute of Applied PsychologyEmotional Intelligence Practitioner, The Institute of Applied PsychologyTouch For Health Kinesiology Practitioner, International Kinesiology CollegeTouch For Health Goal Setting and Metaphors, International Kinesiology CollegeReiki Master – original Japanese Usui Reiki Ryoho in the Gendai Reiki styleMaster of Strategic Marketing, University of WollongongPhone:
0411 894 630Bondi Junction
Houng LauEmail:
houng@hounglau.comExperience:
20 yearsQualification:
B. Sc. (Traditional Chinese Medicine)Diploma of Strategic PsychotherapyDiploma of HypnotherapyNLP MasterPhone:
0459523599Website:
www.mindliving.com.auCampbelltown
Sarah ChemaissemExperience:
Assisting individuals dealing with mental health challenges and complex trauma since 2020Qualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyCertified Clinical Hypnotherapist & TrainerQualified Trainer in Time Line Therapy®Master NLP Practitioner & TrainerLicensed Neuro-encoding SpecialistCertified Axiatonal Alignment Therapist & TrainerPhone:
02 4606 4994Website:
www.beyondnlpcoaching.com.auCollaroy
Deb AgnewExperience:
Anxiety Expert - Adults, Parents, Children, Teens & FamiliesQualification:
Bachelor of Science Degree, PsychologyDiploma of Strategic Psychotherapy & Clinical HypnosisPhone:
1300 861 261Website:
www.betteranxietyhelp.comHawkesbury Region
April VigursExperience:
Calm Therapy was launched in 2019 with the intention of providing a private and welcoming space for clients looking for a strategic approach to therapy.April has extensive experience in the therapeutic space having run a successful Holistic Counselling business, prior to Calm Therapy, since 2009.She also brings to her therapy sessions vast life experience having also run successful small businesses, worked in the finance sector and has held various leadership roles in business throughout her career. April continues to advance her skills by keeping up to date with industry training in new techniques and approaches in the mental health field. This willingness to learn and her lived experiences bring a warm, authentic, and professional service to her clients.Qualification:
10791NAT IAP Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyIAP Diploma NLP Strategic CoachingLSSCH Certificate in Ego State Therapy and Healing the Fractured SelfLSSCH Certificate in EMDR and Psychological TraumaLSSCH Inner Child Masterclass TrainingASIST Suicide Intervention TrainingWSU Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies)Phone:
0459 904 461Website:
www.calmtherapy.com.auHaymarket
Jonathan SmithEmail:
jonathan@newdaysp.com.auSpecialisations:
Anxiety, Depression, Anger Management, Insomnia, Dependencies, Smoking and Vaping CessationQualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical HypnosisStrategic PsychotherapyNLP Master PractitionerPhone:
0455 249 584Website:
https://www.newdaysp.com.auMenai
Stephanie Karst-McGrath (InTrance Therapy)Experience:
2021Qualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyNLP PractitionerTimeLine Therapy PractitionerPhone:
02/9543.4433Website:
intrance.com.auMount Annan
Joanne GrahamExperience:
Helping clients with physical and mental health since 2015Qualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyMaster NLP PractitionerCert 3 & 4 in Personal TrainingPrecision Nutrition Certified Nutrition CoachPhone:
02 7209 6273Mulgoa
Margaret Muscat CHTExperience:
Since 2020 practicing Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy for Anxiety, Depression Behavioral Modifications, Dependency-Alcohol and Gambling, Self Esteem, Grief and Neuro Linguistic Programming to relieve CPTSD2003 MIEA-Mental Illness Education Australia -Presenter at Secondary Schools2023 Co-Author of “Making A Difference”-How to Achieve Freedom from Mental Chaos to Mental Clarity and Inner PeaceQualification:
10450NAT Diploma of Strategic Psychotherapy and HypnosisPractitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming and Time-Line Based TherapyPhone:
0409 701 303Narellan
Amanda McFaddenExperience:
Business started Mid 20236 + years in the Disability and Mental Health SectorsExperience Working with at Risk YouthLived Experience of Situational Anxiety and DepressionQualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyGraduate Certificate of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith UniversityBachelor of Arts - Psychology and English Literatures majors from University of WollongongPhone:
0479065071Website:
www.equilibriumtherapies.com.auPenrith
Lucilla HowisonEmail:
lucillahowison@gmail.comExperience:
Extensive experience coaching in corporate and in my own business.Qualification:
Diploma of CounsellingDiploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Psychotherapy (To finish end Dec 2023)Phone:
0493 461 738Website:
www.penrithhypnotherapyclinic.com.au (coming soon)Sydney CBD
Joel AnnesleyExperience:
Empowering lives as an experienced coach since 2017Clinical Hypnotherapist since 2021Specialising in overcoming anxiety and fostering confidence for transformative growthQualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Psychotherapy (2021)Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming from The Institute of Applied Psychology. (2021)Accredited Life Coach (Dip. 30968QLD) from Estrada College. (2017)Licenced Strategic Hypnotherapist Practitioner (200126) and Accredited Practitioner of The Gordian Pillars (110118)Accredited Practitioner and Founding member of the International Strategic Psychotherapists AssociationMember Hypnotherapy Council of AustraliaPhone:
0433570538Website:
https://mindpathmakers.com.auTelehealth
Jeremy MaddisonExperience:
I have over 30 years experience supporting people in both the UK and Australia who have experienced difficulties with their mental health and have been offering hypnotherapy since 2021.Qualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyMaster Coach of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)Somatic Trauma TherapyCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Solution Focused TherapySolution Oriented HypnotherapyPoly Vagal TheoryThe Rewind TechniquePhone:
0434 597 035Telehealth
Lauren HeaydonExperience:
20 years – Teacher and Tutor6 years – Coach2 years – Clinical Hypnotherapist and Strategic PsychotherapistQualification:
Diploma of Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy – Institute of Applied PsychologyMaster Practitioner of NLP and Diploma of Strategic Coaching – Institute of Applied PsychologyDiploma of Counselling – Australian Institute of Professional CounsellorsBachelor of Education – University of SydneyCertificate IV in Training and Assessment from Plenty TrainingCertified Hypno-Birthing Childbirth Education Practitioner – Hypno-Birthing AustraliaCertificate Three and Four in Fitness – Fitness Network AustraliaPilates matwork and reformer instructor – Studio PilatesPhone:
0405 475 906Website:
www.laurenheaydoncoaching.com.auTelehealth / Newton
Deborah PetluengExperience:
My Life Empowerment Therapy is a unique combination of psychotherapy and hypnotherapy. It is future and outcomes focused, effective, time efficient, safe and relaxing. I specialize in working with women of all ages. I have worked with women aged 50+ for 10 years, supporting them in their holistic wellness (health and mind) so they can live this phase of life with joy, meaning and purpose. More recently women aged 20-50 have sought out my therapy to help them with general life, health, relationship, and career challenges.Qualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyMasters of Art (Education)Therapeutic Crisis Intervention PractitionerPhone:
0403068169Waverley
Claire Addis (The Bondi Hypnotherapist)Experience:
2 yearsQualification:
10791NAT Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic PsychotherapyNLP Practitioner CertificateHeartMath CertificateEFT CertificatePhone:
0404767774
“For years I struggled with a persistent pattern of binge eating. Together we unpacked how I was running my pattern and the emotional drivers behind it. With the counselling and hypnotherapy combined I have now stopped bingeing.”
“I booked to see Leona because I couldn’t stop grinding my teeth while sleeping. I then developed TMJ with severe facial pain. I saw Leona for three sessions of hypnotherapy. The sessions were extremely relaxing and after each session I gradually noticed a reduction in my grinding at night and overall better sleep. I would highly recommend Leona as a therapist and am now a firm believer in the power of hypnotherapy!!!”
“Today, I am a changed person. I no longer feel as stressed or anxious as I was; I recognize what matters to me and that my own needs are important without feeling guilty.”
“I went to see Leona as I was suffering from short-term insomnia. Leona is a true healer and provided immense and ongoing support to me. Within just two sessions I was feeling so relaxed and with the help of her recordings, I have been able to sleep again. Thank you so much Leona!”
Frequently Ask Questions
Not sure yet? Here are the answers to some common questions
Strategic Hypnotherapy Differs from other forms of hypnosis because it addresses the perceptual filters that create the problem. Most hypnosis involves guided visualisations to calm you down and teach you how to relax.
There are plenty of forest themes and floating in calm blue oceans. While pleasant, it does not address the cause. It only addresses the symptoms. Strategic Hypnosis will address the way you see risk.
If you are hyper-vigilant, we will help you reality check. If you are overthinking a situation, I will help you recognise what is useful analysis and what is not.
The old chestnut that people believe they may not be hypnotisable is a hangover from traditional forms of hypnosis. Traditional or authoritarian Hypnosis tended to be scripted and to tell you what to do.
Modern forms of hypnosis will not tell you to do anything. I will offer you possibilities, and you can cherrypick what you want from the session. Because you have nothing to fight, there is no resistance and no concerns about not being able to be hypnotised.
Sydney Clinical Hypnotherapy offers a unique approach to mental well-being compared to traditional meditation and relaxation techniques. While meditation aims to bring calm to the mind and achieve a state of peaceful focus, hypnosis diverges significantly in terms of brain activity. The brain operates on various electrical wave frequencies, such as beta during alertness, alpha during relaxation with awareness, theta during somnolence, and delta during deep sleep. Hypnosis induces a distinct brainwave pattern that is neither akin to normal waking, sleeping, or meditation. Instead, it shares similarities with the alpha state, characterised by physical and mental relaxation combined with heightened awareness of one’s surroundings.
In contrast to the misconception of hypnosis as a zombie-like trance, it aligns more closely with meditation, albeit with a purpose beyond relaxation and inner peace. Hypnotherapy can harness the alpha state’s enhanced mental clarity and creativity to facilitate therapeutic changes. This approach demonstrates that hypnosis is not a mystical realm but a scientifically understood process that taps into the brain’s natural rhythms, offering unique benefits for those seeking to address various mental and emotional challenges through clinical hypnotherapy in Sydney.
In summary, clinical hypnotherapy in Sydney diverges from traditional meditation by reprogramming your cognitive patterns, helping you regain control of your mental and emotional state. This approach dispels the misconception of hypnosis as a trance-like state and instead emphasises its therapeutic potential for addressing a range of mental and emotional issues.
One common misconception about hypnosis revolves around the mistaken belief that the hypnotherapist holds control over the client’s actions and thoughts. This misunderstanding likely stems from portrayals of hypnosis in TV shows and performances by stage hypnotists. However, in reality, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth. All hypnosis is essentially self-hypnosis, and individuals cannot be hypnotised against their will. People under hypnosis will not do or say anything that goes against their normal behaviour or moral values.
Research conducted at the University of NSW by Dr. Amanda Barnier highlighted that hypnotized individuals do not transform into mindless robots or become powerless subjects of planted post-hypnotic suggestions in their subconscious. Some individuals genuinely experience a change in their persona during hypnosis, while others may convince themselves of it, and a small percentage may even fake it. To address clients’ fears related to this misconception, hypnotherapists often use questions like, “Could anyone talk you into doing something against your moral or ethical values, like robbing a bank or public indecency?” This helps clarify that hypnosis doesn’t override one’s principles or control their actions. Additionally, it’s pointed out that people can deviate from their moral values without the need for a hypnotherapist, such as engaging in drug use, theft, or cheating, illustrating the independence of individuals’ choices and behaviours.
Any person suffering from any degree of emotional or physical “dis-ease” can benefit from Clinical Hypnotherapy. The problems treatable through hypnosis are equally diversified. Although hypnosis is commonly associated with habit cessation (losing weight, quitting smoking, etc.), almost any area treatable by conventional means can be enhanced through the use of hypnosis. The well-trained clinician, using hypnotherapy can help clients suffering from the following –
Alcoholism, Anger, Anxieties, Asthma, Bed Wetting, Blood Pressure, Blushing, Breathing Disorders, Bulimia, Burns, Chronic and Acute Compulsions, Confidence, Dentistry, Depression, Eczema, Exam Nerves, Exam performance, Gambling, Gastro – intestinal Disorders, Goal Setting, Grief, Guilt, Habit Control, Headaches, Hostility, Insomnia, Memory Enhancement, Mood Swings, Nail Biting, Obsessive / Compulsive Behaviours, Obstetrics (hypnobirthing), Over Eating, Pain Control, Assertiveness, Communication, Pain management, Panic Attacks, Personal Growth, Phobias, Psoriasis, Public Speaking, Relationships, Relaxation, Releasing the Past, Resentments, Sexual Dysfunction, Skin Problems, Sleep Disorders, Smoking Cessation, Sports Motivation, Stress relief, Study Recall, Stuttering, Warts and Worry, even some forms of schizophrenia and multiple personality(DID) have been treated with hypnotherapy.
Hypnosis can be utilised in the treatment of most disorders, whether mental or otherwise, where the relaxation response promotes the person’s attitude. For example, with a physical injury, the person’s mental resources can be enlisted to aid in managing the subsequent discomfort, allow for some rest and lessen the associated emotional trauma. It must be noted that Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for medical treatment from a doctor. The most important determinant of the eventual success of the therapy is the true desire to get well.
A Clinical Hypnotherapist uses hypnosis to enable the client to achieve a state of mental, physical and emotional relaxation. When in hypnosis, the conscious mind (that busy, critical, analytical part of the mind) takes a rest. Hypnosis allows people to tap into the storehouse of information that lies in the subconscious, sometimes referred to as the unconscious, mind and make positive changes to thought patterns, habits or the effects of traumatic incidents that are having a negative impact either mentally or physically.
Each client may experience hypnosis differently relative to the technique being used and the psychology of the client. For some, it is a heightened awareness; for others, a profound relaxation. Sometimes the client hears every word the hypnotist says, and other times the voice fades in and out or becomes completely inaudible. In Ericksonian work, the client is never put under the “control” of the hypnotist. The client is always free to alter the hypnotic experience or awaken at will.
Hypnosis is a normal, naturally occurring, healthy state of mind. It is totally DRUG FREE. There has never been a single documented case of harm resulting from the use of hypnosis that I know of.
Leslie Le Crone, psychologist and authority on hypnosis, states: “As to self-induction, many thousands have learned it and I have yet to hear a report of any bad results of its use”.
In his book Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Dr William S Kroger states: “Platonof, an associate of Pavlov, who used hypnosis for over fifty years in over fifty-thousand cases, reports as follows: ‘We have never observed any harmful influences on the patient which could be ascribed to the method of hypnosuggestion therapy, or any tendency toward the development of unstable personality, weakening of the will, or pathological urge for hypnosis”.
Dr David Cheek, MD, who has vast experience in the field, writes, “We can do more harm with ignorance of hypnotism than we can ever do by intelligently using hypnosis and suggestion constructively”.
Psychologist, Rafael Rhodes, in his book “Therapy through Hypnosis”, writes: “Hypnotism is absolutely safe. There is no known case on record of harmful results from its therapeutic use”.
Clinical Hypnotherapist, Gil Boyne, who I have had the pleasure of training with, states, “In almost forty years of practice and more than 40,000 hours of hypnotherapy, I have never seen or heard of any harm resulting from hypnosis”.
However, at this point I would like to bring up poker machines. Briefly, Progression of Emotions and Coping Strategies
Understanding the way the emotions progress is important. It is important that we develop appropriate coping strategies when we are first hurt. An example can be:
HURT: A man goes to work and his boss tells him that he may be losing his job.
PAIN: He gets a headache.
FEAR: He starts to worry about his bills, can he get another job.
ANGER: He is driving home and yells at an old lady who is driving too slowly.
DEPRESSION/SAD: He gets home and just sits and feels very sad – life is not worth living, why does this always happen etc.
DISASSOCIATION: He feels numb, sleeps all day, watches TV or drinks excess alcohol, plays poker machines etc.
Examples of good coping strategies – going for a walk, calling a friend, doing breathing exercises, seeing the funny side or other person’s side etc.
Just take note of a poker machine room, it is perfect for trance. Very rarely do they have window, and only just recently did a law come in to say a clock had to be in clear view. The hypnotic sound of the machines, how now you only have to slide money in to the shoot, no breaking state to get more change etc. The hypnotic pattern of the left right eye movement. Remember the watch. Very good place to get away from pain, except when the money runs out and you have to come back to reality.
What hypnotherapy does is to help bring out the best in you. This means that you will change by leaving behind any habits or baggage you no longer need or want and thereby become a stronger and happier person. Hypnosis will not put something into you that was not there in the first place. It just helps you to uncover your strong and good qualities, which you may not even have known you have.
The feeling when in hypnosis is of being physically and mentally relaxed. It has been likened to the feelings we experience just before waking completely from sleep or just as we drift off to sleep. Some people say it feels like daydreaming. When in hypnosis, people experience a state of complete mental, physical and emotional relaxation. In itself, this is a very healing state. Dr Milton Erickson, a leading American Hypnotherapist, described the process of clinical hypnosis as “a free period in which individuality can flourish”.
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