Mind and emotions · Adelaide and online
Hypnotherapy for Confidence and Low Self-Esteem in Adelaide
Someone says “great job” and you shrug it off. You trip up once and replay it all week. That harsh inner voice runs on quick, automatic habits, and habits can be retrained with hypnosis.
Ernest McLeod, clinical hypnotherapistAdelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012
- 4 sessions + 12 months’ support
- Video, or Adelaide by arrangement
- 4-session program $1,000 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
Do you catch yourself doing this?
- A friend praises your work, and you’ve listed its faults before they’ve finished.
- You agree to things you’d rather not do, then feel annoyed with yourself.
- “Sorry” slips out even when nothing was your fault.
- Things start going well, and somehow you mess them up.
- You practise a chat in your head for ages, then pick it apart for days.
Nodding along? Keep reading. If your mood has been low for weeks, or worry rarely lets up, please see your GP as well. The depression and anxiety pages may also fit you better.
Why self-doubt runs on autopilot
The critical inner voice speaks before you’ve had a chance to think. It’s a fast, learned reaction, not a fact about you.
People pleasing often began as a way to stay safe. Keep everyone happy, and nobody gets upset with you. Holding back can be protective too. If you never give it your all, a poor result can’t prove anything. Researchers call this self-handicapping. These unhelpful thought patterns made sense once. Over time they turn into habits of behaviour that no longer serve you.
How hypnosis helps build confidence and self-belief
Hypnosis is focused attention with deep relaxation. You stay aware and in charge, and you can stop whenever you like. In that calm state, we rehearse the moments that usually throw you. Saying no to a friend, and showing some assertiveness. Hearing praise and simply saying “thanks”.
NLP. This looks at the way you talk to yourself. We notice the words your inner critic uses, then practise a fairer reply.
Symbology. This works with the pictures your mind already uses, like feeling “small” in a room. When the image changes, the feeling often eases with it.
Rewind. Sometimes one old put-down still stings. With Rewind, you picture the memory at a distance, like a film, then run it backwards. You don’t need to share the details.
I find these hypnotherapy techniques useful. We’re not chasing ten out of ten. We’re after a kinder, steadier voice for the days things go wrong.
What happens in your hypnotherapy sessions: video or in person
The program is four one-to-one sessions, after a free 15-minute phone call.
A free chat first
Fifteen minutes on the phone. You tell me what’s going on. I tell you honestly whether I can help. You can also ask me anything about hypnosis, like what it feels like or whether you stay in control.
Your first session
We find where the self-doubt bites hardest and pick a few real situations to work on. Then you have your first trance.
Sessions two to four
Each one starts with a short chat about your week. Then comes hypnosis in a chair, eyes closed, as we rehearse those moments until they feel more normal. You take a recording home, plus a short self-hypnosis routine for before a tough moment.
If you join by video
- Most of my sessions happen by video on Google Meet.
- You need a quiet room, a steady connection and headphones.
- If the call drops, I ring straight back.
- If you live in South Australia and would rather sit in the same room, we can arrange that.
Still deciding? The free call is there to help you decide. Fifteen minutes by phone, at a time that suits you.
Or call 0427 218 092
What the research says about hypnosis for self-belief
The research is small, and it favours real situations over general self-rating. In 2003, Baumeister and colleagues reviewed the evidence on self-esteem. Doing well tends to lift how you feel about yourself, more than the other way round.
Positive thinking has limits too. In a 2009 study, people repeated “I’m a lovable person”. Those who already felt bad about themselves ended up feeling worse.
Studies on the use of hypnosis here are thin. A 2023 pilot trial of 82 people added hypnosis to a weight program. Overall self-worth barely moved, though coping improved. A 2010 study of 59 soccer players found three hypnosis sessions lifted confidence and skill at one drill. The gain lasted four weeks.
So we focus on the moments that matter to you. This work sits alongside your other care, not instead of it.
Is hypnotherapy for low confidence safe?
For most adults, yes. No medicine is involved, and you stay aware throughout. Afterwards you might feel drowsy or emotional for a short while.
Some people should start somewhere else. If you live with psychosis, or a serious mental illness without support yet, please see your GP first. If low self-worth comes with depression, anxiety, a phobia or other mental health concerns, your GP is a good first step. Keep seeing your GP, psychologist or counsellor while we work together. If you ever feel unsafe, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
What confidence hypnotherapy costs in Adelaide: $1,000
One session at a time is $300. Most people take the four-session program: $1,000 paid at the start, which is $250 a session and $200 less than paying as you go ($1,200).
$1,000total · the 4-session program
Paying session by session comes to $1,200.
What’s included
- That covers a 90-minute first session and three 60-minute sessions, by video or in person in Adelaide, with a recording to keep after each one, a follow-up from me and 12 months of support.
Prepaid sessions last 12 months. If you do not need them all, use them for another issue or give them 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 program, or a cancellation fee may be charged. No change-of-mind refunds on prepaid programs. 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
Check in with your GP too
Thinking badly of yourself can be a sign of depression. If you’ve felt low, hopeless or flat most days for two weeks or more, please see your GP. They can refer you to a psychologist with a Medicare rebate under Better Access, and hypnotherapy can run alongside that. If someone at home or work puts you down every day, the problem isn’t you. It’s worth talking to someone about how they speak to you. In an emergency, call 000.
Who you’ll be working with
Ernest McLeod
Clinical hypnotherapist, Adelaide and online
Hi, I’m Ernest McLeod, a hypnotherapist based in Adelaide. I’ve been The Hypno Coach since 2012, fourteen years in practice. Before this I was a software developer and a fashion photographer. Behind the camera, I saw confident people freeze once the lens turned their way. I believe life’s challenges can be overcome.
Fellow, Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (ASCH) · Certified NLP Practitioner · Time Line Therapy® Practitioner · Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
To be clear about what I’m not: I’m not AHPRA-registered, and I’m not a psychologist or counsellor. Hypnotherapy isn’t a registered profession here. 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). Read more about me
What clients have said
After my first session I felt happy & excited about what changes I may experience in the future
KS, confidence
Amazing. Was aware of the whole time, but feel like I’ve just had a sleep. Feel relaxed & charged up.
JW, assertiveness
Written by clients after sessions with Ernest in Adelaide, shared with their written permission. Individual experiences vary.
Questions about confidence hypnotherapy in Adelaide
Does hypnotherapy work for confidence?
It can help with the moments that knock you, like speaking up or taking praise. The research is small, and it fits real situations better than overall self-worth. I can’t promise a result. We work on your own goals and check in each session. Feeling better after a session is welcome, but it is not a success rate.
What’s the success rate for confidence hypnotherapy?
I don’t quote one. There aren’t enough good studies to give an honest figure, and every person is different. Instead we track your own progress, like saying no without a week of guilt. The research section above sets out what is known.
How much does a hypnotherapy session cost in Adelaide?
With me, a single session is $300. The program is four sessions for $1,000 upfront, or $1,200 as you go. The free call costs nothing.
What is the average cost of a hypnotherapy session?
Fees vary between practitioners, so I can only speak for mine. My sessions are $250 each in a prepaid program, or $300 on their own. Always ask for the total before you start.
Is hypnotherapy covered by Medicare?
No. You don’t need a GP referral to see me. Some health funds pay a little back under extras, so check with yours.
How many sessions will I need?
We plan for four. That’s a usual plan, not a promise. Some people come back later for a top-up.
Will I lose control in hypnosis?
No. You stay aware, you can hear me, and you’ll remember the session. You can open your eyes and stop at any time.
Is video as good as meeting in person?
Hypnosis depends on your focus, and a screen doesn’t get in the way. Many people settle more easily at home. If you’d rather meet face to face, we can arrange it.
What if I’m not getting anywhere?
Tell me, and we’ll change tack. If hypnotherapy isn’t right for you, I’ll say so and suggest where to go next.
Let’s have a chat
Tell me when suits you, and I’ll ring within 24 hours. It takes 15 minutes and costs nothing.
Or call 0427 218 092
Free · 15 minutes · no obligation
Or email info@thehypnocoach.org
Not ready to talk to anyone yet?
Prefer to start on your own? A self-hypnosis track for self-worth you can play tonight, at hypnotherapyaustralia.store.
If things feel heavier than this page can hold
Free and confidential, open now. Tap to call.
- Lifeline, 24 hours, every day: 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue, 24 hours, every day: 1300 22 4636
- 13YARN, First Nations crisis support: 13 92 76
- Emergency, if you or someone else is in danger: 000
Where these numbers come from
- Baumeister RF, Campbell JD, Krueger JI, Vohs KD (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest 4(1): 1-44.
- Wood JV, Perunovic WQ, Lee JW (2009). Positive self-statements: power for some, peril for others. Psychological Science 20(7): 860-866.
- Untas A, Lamore K, Delestre F, et al. (2023). Psychosocial effects of hypnosis in patients with obesity: a pilot randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 65(4): 281-298.
The self-image measure was secondary in this trial of 82 people. - Barker J, Jones M, Greenlees I (2010). Assessing the immediate and maintained effects of hypnosis on self-efficacy and soccer wall-volley performance. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 32(2): 243-252.
This study of 59 players measured belief in one soccer skill, not self-worth overall.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy. It is not medical care, it doesn’t diagnose anything, and it doesn’t replace your doctor or a psychologist. If your symptoms are severe or don’t go away, please see your GP. Adults 18+ only.
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