Your hypnotherapy questions, answered by Ernest

Yes. I’ve been Adelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012. These days most of my sessions happen by video, because people like working from home. I’m still here in Adelaide, and I still see people face to face when we set it up.

Yes, by arrangement. Mention it on the free call and we’ll sort out a time and place. In-person sessions cost the same as video ones. See the prices

Of course. I see people by video right across Australia, from Darwin to Hobart. The price doesn’t change with your postcode.

Hypnosis runs on your focus and on the work we do together. A screen carries both of those. Lots of people find they settle more easily on their own couch. Studies that compare video and face-to-face hypnotherapy head to head are still few, so I won’t give you a number. What a video session looks like

A phone, tablet or computer with a camera, a steady internet connection, and a quiet room where no one will walk in. Sessions run on Google Meet.

Completely. Think of the way you get lost in a great movie. That’s the kind of calm focus we use. You can hear me, you’ll recall what happened, and you can open your eyes and end it whenever you like. Nobody can make you say or do something against your wishes.

Ever reached home and had no memory of the drive? Or looked up from a book to find an hour had gone? Then you’ve already been there. Some people drift deeper than others, and either way is fine. There’s no pass mark, and I fit my approach to you.

For most adults, yes, it’s very safe. It’s gentle, we talk as we go, and you’re aware the whole time. You might feel a bit sleepy afterwards, so sit quietly for a few minutes before you drive. If you live with a serious mental illness such as psychosis, please speak with your doctor and with me before we begin. Hypnotherapy may not suit you.

A hypnotist is usually an entertainer, like the ones you see on stage. A hypnotherapist works one to one, in private, with your permission, on something you want to change. In Australia neither title is regulated. So do ask any practitioner about their training and memberships. You’ll find mine on my About page.

Hypnotherapy is the core. Alongside it I may use Rewind, a gentle way of taking the sting out of upsetting memories and fears. I also use Symbology, which works with images and metaphors, plus Time Line Therapy and NLP. I’ll explain anything we use in plain words first.

No. It’s a complementary therapy. It can work well next to medical care, but it doesn’t replace it. If I think you should get something checked by a doctor, I’ll tell you.

Here’s what I’m not. I’m not AHPRA-registered, and I’m not a psychologist. My professional memberships are voluntary. I’m a clinical hypnotherapist with fourteen years in practice. My training and memberships are listed on the About page.

You choose a part of the day (morning, afternoon, evening or anytime), and I phone you within 24 hours. You fill me in, I ask a few things, and then I give you my honest view on whether I can help and what it would cost. No pressure, no obligation. Book your free call

For many issues, four sessions. Anxiety, panic attacks, stress and burnout, trauma, depression and OCD tend to need a treatment plan, often 6 to 12 sessions. For quitting smoking or vaping, it’s a single 90-minute session backed by 12 months of support. These are usual ranges, not promises.

Yes. After sessions I give you an audio recording to play at home. I also teach you some easy self-hypnosis to use by yourself.

Usually not. Just tell me what you take when we talk. And please never stop or change a medicine unless your doctor agrees.

Yes, it stays between you and me. There’s one exception, and it’s the same for every practitioner. If I thought you or another person faced a serious risk of harm, I would have to act. I’ll go through this with you before we start. Privacy policy

No, sorry. I only work with adults, 18 and older.

Four sessions for $1,000 paid at the start, or $300 a session as you go. Plans for ongoing worry, trauma or low mood run 6 to 12 sessions at $250 each prepaid, $1,500 to $3,000 in total. Free 15-minute call first. Quitting smoking or vaping is $590 in total, and the gambling program is $1,000 paid at the start. Every price and term

No. Medicare rebates go to psychologists and psychiatrists when you have a GP referral, and there is no item for hypnotherapy. You do not need a referral or a treatment plan to see me, nothing goes on your Medicare record, and there is no yearly cap on sessions. If the rebate matters more to you than that, I will tell you so on the free call.

Some extras policies pay a benefit for hypnotherapy, usually a small one and only on some levels of cover, and a few funds only pay when the hypnotherapist is also a psychologist. Check with your fund before you book. I am a Fellow of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists, which is one of the associations funds look for.

Use the ones left on another issue, or give them to someone you know, any time within 12 months.

Card (through Stripe, with no surcharge) or bank transfer. On a 6 to 12-session plan, two instalments can be arranged. All eleven price questions, answered