Phobias · Adelaide and online
Hypnotherapy for Emetophobia (Fear of Vomiting) in Adelaide
Many people with this fear aren’t scared of being ill. They’re scared of the moment before, in public, with nowhere to go. Emetophobia hypnotherapy in Adelaide or by video lets us work on it privately. No one else has to know.
At a glance: a 4-session program with me. By video anywhere in Australia, or in person in Adelaide by arrangement. $1,000 for the program when you pay at the start. Paying session by session comes to $1,200.
Or call 0427 218 092
A short phone chat, no pressure to book. I ring back within 24 hours. See the prices
- 14 years in practice
- 4.6 ★ from 30 Google reviews
- ThreeBest Rated listing, Adelaide 2018 to 2026
- Fellow, ASCH
Ernest McLeod, clinical hypnotherapistAdelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012, fourteen years in practice. Sessions by video anywhere in Australia, or in person in Adelaide by arrangement.
Everyday signs of a fear of vomiting
A Dutch study found 8.8% of people reported a fear of vomiting, so you’re far from the only one. Emetophobia is a specific phobia: the fear drives everyday behaviour, from what you eat to where you sit.
- Leftover rice, prawns, oysters and buffets are all off your menu.
- You read the use-by date, put the tub back, then read it again.
- If someone on the bus coughs or looks pale, you get off early.
- A tummy bug at work or school takes over your whole week.
- Before a dinner out you feel queasy, then barely eat.
- You’ve lived with this for years and hardly anyone knows.
If several of those fit, read on. If your list of safe foods has shrunk a lot, or you’ve been losing weight, see your GP first. The safety section explains why.
Why emetophobia feels so convincing
Anxiety itself causes nausea, because fear slows your gut. It can also bring panic attacks, with breathlessness and a racing heart. So you feel a bit sick and take it as a sign you’ll vomit. You get more scared, and feel sicker. When you leave and nothing happens, it feels like a close call. Years of close calls make a very convincing story that was never true.
Ask what the worst part would be, and many people describe where it happens. In public. With no warning. With no way out. At its heart, it’s an intense fear of losing control. The avoidance spreads too: restrictive eating, selective eating, skipped outings, endless hand-washing. Each avoided meal feels safer and keeps the phobia going.
How hypnosis helps with emetophobia
Hypnosis gives you a calm, aware state to practise reading a queasy feeling without the panic that follows. You stay in charge the whole time. We also rehearse the places and foods you avoid, starting far away from the thing itself. We map your emotional triggers first, so every step feels like safety and comfort rather than a test. Over time your ability to relax around food and other people grows, and you regain control of the choices the fear made for you.
Alongside hypnosis I use Rewind, a gentle technique for taking the sting out of a frightening memory or fear. Sometimes I use Symbology, which works with the pictures and metaphors your mind already uses. Hypnosis and NLP work well together here, and Time Line Therapy comes in where it fits. These are some of the tools I’ve found useful.
Between sessions you take small steps that we plan together, gentler than you might expect. Nobody will ask you to look at vomit, or imagine being ill, until you say you’re ready.
How emetophobia hypnotherapy works: video or Adelaide
The program is four sessions, and it starts with a free 15-minute phone call.
- Free phone call, 15 minutes
Tell me what this fear has changed in your life. Share only what you’re comfortable with. I’ll be honest about whether I can help. You can also ask me anything about hypnosis, like what it feels like or whether you stay in control.
- First session
We map the foods and places you dodge, the checks you do, and what you’d most like back. Maybe a restaurant meal, or a flu season that doesn’t scare you. Then we start, with hypnosis and tiny first steps.
- Sessions two to four
We build on each step and review how you’re going every time. There’s no waiting room and nobody needs to know where you’ve been. You take a recording home and learn quick self-hypnosis to use when the queasy feeling starts.
For video you need a quiet room, a steady connection and headphones. We use Google Meet. If the call drops, I ring you straight back. If you’re in Adelaide and would rather meet in person, we can arrange that.
Still weighing it up?Ask me anything on a free 15-minute phone call. If I don’t think I’m the right fit for you, I’ll say so.
Or call 0427 218 092
What the research says about hypnosis for emetophobia
There’s no good research yet on hypnosis for the fear of vomiting. The fear itself is well documented. A 2012 Dutch study by van Hout and Bouman found 8.8% of people in a community sample reported it. Women outnumbered men about four to one. An earlier online survey, by Lipsitz and colleagues in 2001, asked 56 people. Around three in four had eating rituals or ate a narrow range of foods.
Cognitive behavioural therapy, with step-by-step exposure, has the strongest backing. So small, steady steps are the core of what we do. Hypnosis is how I make each one easier. It works alongside your GP’s care, not instead of it.
Is hypnotherapy for emetophobia safe?
For most adults, yes. No medicine is involved. You might feel a little drowsy or emotional for a short while afterwards.
Some people should start with their GP. That includes anyone who eats only a few safe foods, skips meals before outings, or is losing weight. Restricting food out of fear can be part of ARFID, an eating disorder that needs its own specialist help. Ongoing nausea deserves a medical check too. If checking or hand-washing feels impossible to stop, a psychologist suits you better. If you live with psychosis, or a serious mental illness without support yet, see your GP first. Keep seeing your GP while we work.
What emetophobia 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).
Most people choose: the 4-session program, $1,000 in total
- 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.
You work with me, Ernest McLeod, start to finish: 14 years in practice and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists.
Book my free 15-minute callOr call 0427 218 092
Your GP is part of this tooYour GP can rule out a physical cause for nausea. They can also arrange a psychologist with a Medicare rebate through Better Access. Hypnotherapy can sit alongside that.
Who you’ll be working with
I’m Ernest McLeod, Adelaide’s Hypno Coach since 2012, so fourteen years now.
I grew up near Vienna and have called Adelaide home since 1991. Before hypnotherapy I wrote software for twenty years. I still like things to be clear, simple and useful. Many people now see me by video on Google Meet, wherever they live in Australia.
- Fellow, ASCH
- Certified NLP Practitioner
- Time Line Therapy® Practitioner
- Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
What I’m not: hypnotherapy isn’t a registered health profession here. I’m not AHPRA-registered, and I’m not a psychologist. 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
Clients write a short note after their sessions, and these two agreed to share theirs.
“I’m feeling relaxed and very calm. I’m ready to embrace my inner energy”
MF, phobia
“Today’s session was my first time and it was lovely. I feel relaxed, calm and will definitely practice these techniques whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or too stressed.”
TR, stress
Written by clients after sessions with Ernest in Adelaide, shared with their written permission. Individual experiences vary. Read the Google reviews.
Questions about emetophobia hypnotherapy in Adelaide
These are the questions people ask me on the free 15-minute call.
Does hypnotherapy work for emetophobia?
Hypnotherapy can help some people make the small steps feel easier. No trial has tested hypnosis for this fear yet, as the research section explains. Some clients feel calmer after a session. That’s welcome, but it is not a success rate.
What’s the success rate for emetophobia hypnotherapy?
I don’t quote one. There’s no research to base a figure on, so any number would be invented. We track your own progress instead, like a meal out or a calmer bus trip. See the research section above for what is known.
Will I lose control in hypnosis?
No, and that matters here, because losing control is what this fear is about. You stay aware, you remember everything, and you can open your eyes and stop at any moment.
Will you make me watch someone vomit?
No. We begin a long way from that. The first step might be a single word on a page. You decide when you’re ready for the next one.
What does hypnotherapy cost in Australia?
Fees vary between practitioners. With me it’s $300 for a single session, or $1,000 for the 4-session program, paid at the start ($250 a session). Prices are in Australian dollars with no GST. See all prices and terms.
How do I choose a hypnotherapist for emetophobia?
Look for someone open about their training and memberships, not someone making big claims. Ask how they work with this fear, how gently they pace it, and the total price. A short free call is a good test of fit.
Can I have hypnotherapy for emetophobia online?
Yes. What matters is your attention, and a screen doesn’t get in the way. Video is also very private. In Adelaide, we can meet in person by arrangement.
This fear has made me put off having a baby. Is that unusual?
No. Nearly half the women in the Lipsitz survey had put off or avoided pregnancy. A choice that big is worth talking over with your GP or a midwife.
Is it covered by Medicare?
No, and you don’t need a GP referral to see me. Some health funds pay a little back under extras, so check with yours.
What happens if it isn’t helping?
Say so. We check in at the start of every session and change tack when something isn’t working. If hypnotherapy isn’t right for you, I’ll tell you, and suggest where to go instead. Unused prepaid sessions are still yours for a year.
Let’s have a chat
Leave your number and a good time to ring. I’ll call you within 24 hours. Fifteen minutes, free, and no pressure to book.
Book a free 15-minute callOr call 0427 218 092
Or email info@thehypnocoach.org
Related
- Phobias in AdelaideThe full list of fears, and how my program works.
- Agoraphobia hypnotherapyWhen you stick to places you can leave in a hurry.
- Health anxiety hypnotherapyWhen every twinge in your body feels like a warning.
- Fear of flying hypnotherapyWhen being stuck on a plane for hours feels impossible.
- The Hypno Coach homeHypnotherapy in Adelaide and by video with Ernest McLeod.
Free and confidential, open now. Tap to call.
Where these numbers come from
van Hout WJ, Bouman TK (2012). Clinical features, prevalence and psychiatric complaints in subjects with fear of vomiting. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 19(6): 531-539. doi.org/10.1002/cpp.761. The 8.8% is self-reported fear of vomiting in a Dutch community sample, with four women for every man.
Lipsitz JD, Fyer AJ, Paterniti A, Klein DF (2001). Emetophobia: preliminary results of an internet survey. Depression and Anxiety 14(2): 149-152. doi.org/10.1002/da.1058. 56 members of an online support group (50 women, 6 men). They were already seeking help, so they may not represent everyone with the fear.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy. It is not medical care, a diagnosis, or a replacement for your doctor or a psychologist. If your symptoms are strong or don’t ease, please see your GP. Sessions are for adults 18 and over. Last updated 7 October 2026.