Mind and emotions · Adelaide and online
Hypnotherapy for Complex Trauma in Adelaide
Trauma may have happened again and again, or gone on for years. The effects of trauma can touch everything. A trauma-informed psychologist or psychiatrist should lead your care. Hypnotherapy for complex trauma can sit beside that, with their agreement. It’s part of my work with trauma and PTSD.
Ernest McLeod, clinical hypnotherapistAdelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012
- Usually 6 to 12 sessions
- Video, or Adelaide by arrangement
- Your treatment plan $1,500 to $3,000 total
Or call 0427 218 092
Free · 15 minutes · no obligation
Adelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012
- 4.6from 30 Google reviews ↗, opens Google
- 14 yearsin practice, since 2012
- Top 3in Adelaide, 9 years running (ThreeBest Rated)
- FellowAustralian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists
What is complex trauma, or complex PTSD?
In crisis, or not safe right now? Call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency. For family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Complex trauma is trauma that is repeated or ongoing. Blue Knot Foundation notes it usually happens between people, and often involves being or feeling trapped. It can happen to a child, a young person or an adult.
Complex PTSD, or CPTSD, is a mental health condition that can result. healthdirect says it can follow traumatic events that happen again and again. The World Health Organization first recognised it in 2018. It’s similar to PTSD, but separate.
Complex PTSD symptoms
CPTSD can include PTSD symptoms. You may re-experience the traumatic event as flashbacks. You may avoid reminders, or feel always on alert. healthdirect also describes changes in three areas:
- Feelings: strong emotions that are hard to control. Some people dissociate, losing track of time or feeling cut off from their surroundings.
- Self-worth: feeling worthless, helpless, guilty or ashamed.
- Relationships: feeling on edge around others, so closeness and trust are harder.
It can be hard to diagnose, healthdirect adds, so a doctor or mental health professional needs to assess it.
Complex PTSD therapy: why a psychologist or psychiatrist leads
healthdirect says the main form of care for CPTSD is psychological therapy. This is also called psychotherapy. It suggests finding a psychiatrist or psychologist with experience in trauma care. That person should lead your care, not me.
Blue Knot Foundation puts it simply: just as people are harmed in relationship, people also recover in relationship. A steady, trusted therapist matters a great deal here. Some call this the therapeutic alliance.
I only work with you alongside that care, and with your therapist’s agreement. No therapist for complex trauma yet? Your GP is the place to start. You’re still welcome to call me first. I’ll ask who is supporting you.
Where hypnotherapy for trauma can fit beside your therapy
Think of hypnotherapy as a side support, not the main work. With your therapist’s OK, we focus on the here and now:
- feeling a little steadier when certain triggers or trauma symptoms flare
- a calm, safe place in your mind, built with visualisation, that you can return to
- sleep, deep relaxation and winding down at night
- a short self-hypnosis routine for hard days
In each hypnotherapy session, you rest in a relaxed state. Some call it a hypnotic trance. We don’t go looking for traumatic memories. You never need to tell me what happened. You choose the pace. We can pause or stop at any time. If a session stirs up more than you can manage, we slow down. I’ll also suggest you talk it through with your therapist.
Self-hypnosis and NLP, which looks at thought patterns, are some of the tools I’ve found useful here. Already in trauma therapy? Hypnotherapy can be one small part of a bigger plan.
How complex trauma hypnotherapy works: video or in person
Most of my sessions happen by video on Google Meet, and in-person sessions are by arrangement. Here’s how it unfolds.
A free 15-minute phone call
Share only what feels comfortable, and tell me who already supports you. I’ll be straight about whether this fits. You can also ask me anything about hypnosis, like what it feels like or whether you stay in control.
First session: your plan
We look at your triggers, sleep and support. You leave with a tailored plan and a suggested number of sessions.
Your follow-up sessions
Typically 6 to 12. Each is a short chat, then hypnosis in a chair, eyes closed. We check how you’re going every time. You take a recording home and learn a short self-hypnosis routine for the days between.
For video, you need a quiet room, a steady connection and headphones. If the call drops, I ring you straight back.
Not sure yet? Talk it through with me first. It’s free and takes fifteen minutes.
Or call 0427 218 092
What the research says about hypnosis for complex trauma
Honest answer: I haven’t found a trial of hypnotherapy for complex PTSD itself. Research on hypnosis for trauma and PTSD in general is thin and mixed. My trauma and PTSD page sets it out.
Complex PTSD has only been recognised as its own condition since 2018. So hypnotherapy stays in a support role here, beside a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is never the main care.
Is hypnotherapy for complex trauma safe?
It can be, when it’s gentle, slow and alongside a therapist. You stay aware the whole time, and you can stop when you like. Afterwards you might feel tired or emotional for a while.
It isn’t the right fit for now if:
- you often lose time or feel unreal, and don’t yet have a therapist for this
- you’re in crisis, or having thoughts of ending your life (call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000)
- you’re still in an unsafe situation (call 000, or 1800RESPECT)
- you live with psychosis or severe depression
Please keep seeing your psychologist, psychiatrist and GP. Never change a medicine without your doctor. Sessions are for adults 18 and over.
What complex trauma hypnotherapy costs in Adelaide: $1,500 to $3,000
Your first step is a 90-minute session for $300. In it we build your treatment plan together, and you hear the full cost before you commit to anything.
$1,500 to $3,000total · your treatment plan, agreed before you start
A treatment plan is usually 6 to 12 sessions. Paid at the start, that’s $250 a session: $1,500 for six, $3,000 for twelve. Paid as you go, it’s $300 a session: $1,800 to $3,600. Your $300 first session counts towards the treatment plan either way, and two instalments can be arranged.
What’s included
- Every session comes with a recording to keep, and the plan comes with follow-up from me and 12 months of support. Prepaid sessions last 12 months; anything unused can go to another issue or to someone you know.
Card or bank transfer, no surcharge. Prices in Australian dollars, no GST. Not covered by Medicare; some health fund extras pay a small benefit, so check with your fund.
Move a session with 24 hours’ notice at no cost. With less notice, the session comes out of your treatment plan, or a cancellation fee may be charged. All prices and terms · Terms of Service
You work with me, Ernest McLeod, start to finish: 14 years in practice and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists.
Or call 0427 218 092
Free · 15 minutes · no obligation
Your therapist leads, I support
Your GP can refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist experienced with trauma. Psychologist sessions can attract a Medicare rebate under Better Access. The Blue Knot Helpline on 1300 657 380 supports adults affected by complex trauma, every day from 9am to 5pm AEST/AEDT. It isn’t a crisis service. In an emergency, call 000.
Who you’ll be working with
Ernest McLeod
Clinical hypnotherapist, Adelaide and online
I’m Ernest McLeod, a clinical hypnotherapist with fourteen years in practice. I’ve been The Hypno Coach in Adelaide since 2012. These days I see people by video across Australia, and in person by arrangement.
This work is personal for me. Years ago a car hit me, and I was left with PTSD, severe anxiety and nightmares. I came to rely on sleeping pills. I saw a hypnotherapist as a sceptic, and it helped me move on. My mind no longer felt like a prison. That’s why I take great care with this work, and why I’m honest about where it fits.
Fellow, Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (ASCH) · Certified NLP Practitioner · Time Line Therapy® Practitioner · Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
What I’m not: I’m not a psychologist or a counsellor, and I’m not registered with AHPRA. Hypnotherapy isn’t a registered profession in Australia. My memberships are voluntary. I also teach other hypnotherapists. The Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association has approved my smoking, vaping and gambling cessation courses for professional development (CPD). More about me
What clients have said
I was petrified of being hypnotised but I found Ernest to be easygoing and friendly … he really helped me to relax.
Client
Such a wonderfully fulfilling experience. Ernest has a beautiful voice that I could listen to with ease to be taken to where he lead me. I really enjoyed this session!
Tamara, letting go and moving on
Written by clients after sessions with Ernest in Adelaide, shared with their written permission. Individual experiences vary.
Questions about complex trauma hypnotherapy in Adelaide
These come up most on the free 15-minute call.
Can hypnotherapy help with complex trauma?
It may help some people feel steadier day to day, as a support beside their therapist. There’s no trial of it for complex PTSD, as the research section explains. So I can’t promise a result, and I won’t act as your main care.
Do I need a psychologist as well?
Yes. For complex trauma, a psychologist or psychiatrist experienced with trauma should lead your care. I work alongside them, with their agreement. If you don’t have one yet, start with your GP.
Is there a test for complex PTSD?
Online checklists can help you put words to things, but they can’t tell you. A doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist can assess you. healthdirect says they’ll ask about your symptoms and how long you’ve had them. They’ll also ask how they affect your life.
What is complex relational trauma?
It’s a term for trauma that happens within close relationships, often over a long time. Blue Knot Foundation notes complex trauma usually happens between people. A trauma-informed psychologist can help you make sense of it.
Do I have to go over what happened?
Not with me. We work with your feelings and behaviour now, not the story of what happened. Your psychologist is the right person for that part, if and when you’re ready.
Can people recover from complex trauma?
Blue Knot Foundation says people can and do recover from complex trauma and its effects. It also says it is never too late. Everyone’s path to healing from trauma is different, and I can’t promise how yours will go.
How is complex trauma different from childhood trauma?
Complex trauma is about how it happened: again and again, or over a long time. Childhood trauma is about when. The two often overlap, and my childhood trauma page speaks to that.
What’s the success rate for complex trauma hypnotherapy?
There isn’t a figure I could honestly give, so I don’t quote one. Instead, we check in each session. If it isn’t helping, I’ll say so.
Is it covered by Medicare?
Hypnotherapy isn’t, and you don’t need a referral to see me. Psychologist sessions can attract a rebate under Better Access, through your GP. Some health fund extras pay a little towards hypnotherapy.
Ready to talk?
Tell me a good time to ring. I’ll call within 24 hours, free, for fifteen minutes.
Or call 0427 218 092
Free · 15 minutes · no obligation
If things feel heavier than this page can hold
Free and confidential support. Tap to call.
- Lifeline, crisis support, 24 hours, every day: 13 11 14
- Blue Knot Helpline, for adults affected by complex trauma, 9am to 5pm AEST/AEDT, every day: 1300 657 380
- 1800RESPECT, sexual assault and family violence, 24 hours: 1800 737 732
- Beyond Blue, 24 hours, every day: 1300 22 4636
- Open Arms, veterans and families counselling, 24 hours: 1800 011 046
- 13YARN, First Nations crisis support: 13 92 76
- Emergency, if you or someone else is in danger: 000
Where these numbers come from
- healthdirect Australia. Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Source of CPTSD developing after repeated or long-running traumatic events, WHO recognition in 2018, the PTSD and CPTSD symptoms, it being hard to diagnose, what an assessment covers, psychological therapy as the main form of care, and looking for a psychiatrist or psychologist experienced in trauma care. - Blue Knot Foundation. What is complex trauma? (fact sheet)
Source of complex trauma being repeated or ongoing, usually between people and often involving feeling trapped; recovery in relationship; and people recovering, with it never being too late. - Blue Knot Foundation. Blue Knot Helpline.
1300 657 380, 9am to 5pm AEST/AEDT, 7 days. Trauma specialist support for adults affected by complex trauma; not a crisis service. - Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Hypnosis.
Source of severe depression and psychosis as reasons to avoid hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy. It is not medical care, a diagnosis, or a stand-in for your psychologist, psychiatrist or doctor. For complex trauma it is only ever an extra, alongside a trauma-informed therapist. Adults 18 and over.
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