Clinical Hypnotherapy
Clinical Hypnotherapy in Alexandria, Sydney
I use clinical hypnotherapy to help you explore underlying patterns, thoughts and responses in a focused, collaborative and personalised way.
In-person in Alexandria · Telehealth available
Understanding clinical hypnosis
A focused state, with you still in control
Clinical hypnosis is a natural state of focused attention. It can feel similar to becoming deeply absorbed in a book, a film, a creative activity or a daydream.
You are not asleep, unconscious or giving up control. You remain aware throughout the process and can speak, move or stop at any time.
I use hypnotherapy therapeutically to help you explore thoughts, emotions, beliefs and automatic patterns that may sit outside your usual awareness. For some people this can create another way of approaching experiences that have been difficult to shift through conscious understanding alone.
There is no single “correct” way to experience hypnosis. You may feel relaxed or deeply focused, while others simply notice that their attention feels quieter and more absorbed.
Research evidence
What does the research tell us?
Hypnosis has been studied across a range of health and psychological concerns. The research below provides examples from the wider evidence base rather than guarantees of how any individual will respond.
- 17
Anxiety research
A 2019 meta-analysis examining hypnosis for anxiety included 15 studies and 17 trials. Across those trials, hypnosis was associated with greater reductions in anxiety than control conditions, with stronger results when it was combined with other psychological interventions.
- 58%
Sleep outcomes
In a systematic review of 24 studies examining hypnosis and sleep, 58.3% reported a benefit for at least one sleep outcome. The review also identified mixed and non-beneficial findings, which is why the result should not be interpreted as an individual success rate.
- 71%
Gut-directed study
In a long-term study involving 204 people with irritable bowel syndrome, 71% initially responded to gut-directed hypnotherapy. Among those initial responders, 81% maintained improvement over time.
- 48%
Preliminary smoking study
In a small preliminary smoking-cessation study, 21 participants received a three-session hypnosis intervention. At 12 months, 48% reported continued abstinence. The researchers described the findings as preliminary and recommended further evaluation.
Research outcomes vary depending on the concern being treated, the intervention used and the individual. These figures describe specific studies, not guaranteed outcomes from therapy at Chapter One Counselling.
A collaborative process
How clinical hypnotherapy works
Hypnotherapy uses focused attention, imagery and therapeutic communication to explore internal experiences more closely, while you remain in control and the work is integrated with psychotherapy where appropriate.
- 1
We understand what you want support with
We begin with what is happening for you now, what you would like to change and what you hope therapy might help you move towards.
Clinical hypnotherapy is not automatically the right approach for every person or every concern, so we can decide together whether it feels appropriate.
- 2
We create a focused therapeutic state
I use guided therapeutic communication and attention-focusing techniques to help you become more absorbed in your internal experience.
You remain conscious and in control throughout.
- 3
We explore patterns differently
Within that focused state, we may work with imagery, beliefs, emotional responses, automatic patterns or mental rehearsal, depending on what is relevant to you.
- 4
We integrate the work
Hypnotherapy can sit alongside other therapeutic approaches rather than existing separately from them. What we use will depend on your goals, responses and preferences.
Areas we may explore
What can clinical hypnotherapy support?
I may use clinical hypnotherapy where it fits within the wider therapeutic work we are doing together. Depending on your needs, this may include working with areas such as:
Anxiety & stress
Using focused therapeutic work to explore automatic responses, internal patterns and ways of responding differently to stress or anxious experiences.
Habits & automatic patterns
Looking beneath behaviours that can feel difficult to change through willpower or conscious reasoning alone.
Confidence & self-belief
Using imagery, reflection and mental rehearsal to explore beliefs about yourself and practise responding to situations differently.
Emotional patterns
Creating space to notice and work with emotional responses that can feel automatic, persistent or difficult to understand.
Chronic pain
Hypnosis can form part of psychological work around chronic pain where appropriate, alongside Malak’s wider therapeutic training and approach.
Sleep & relaxation
Focused attention and relaxation-based work may sometimes form part of therapy where sleep, arousal or difficulty switching off is relevant.
Integrated care
Hypnotherapy as part of personalised psychotherapy
I don’t believe one therapeutic approach is right for everyone.
Sometimes clinical hypnotherapy may be useful on its own within a particular part of our work. At other times I may integrate hypnosis with approaches such as Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
My wider work also draws on EMDR and Brainspotting where appropriate.
The aim is not to fit you into a particular technique. It is to choose approaches that make sense for what you are experiencing, what you hope to change and how you respond to therapy.
Alexandria · Telehealth
Clinical hypnotherapy in Alexandria and via telehealth
I offer clinical hypnotherapy from my therapy space in Alexandria, Sydney, close to Green Square and the surrounding inner-south area.
The Alexandria practice is close to Green Square and accessible from surrounding inner-south areas including Waterloo, Zetland, Rosebery and Beaconsfield.
If attending in person does not suit you, I also offer telehealth appointments Australia-wide, where clinically appropriate.
- Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
- Clinical Hypnotherapist
- In-person therapy in Alexandria
- Telehealth available Australia-wide
Professional support
Professional support, integrated with psychotherapy
I’m an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist, with a Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy.
I bring clinical hypnosis into a wider psychotherapy framework rather than treating it as an isolated technique. My role is to understand what is happening for you first, then consider whether hypnotherapy, or another therapeutic approach, best supports the work we are doing together.
Safety, collaboration and your autonomy remain central throughout.
Professional Memberships & Credentials
Frequently Asked Questions
A little more clarity before you begin.
Hypnosis is usually described as a state of focused attention or absorption. It can feel similar to becoming engrossed in a book, film or daydream. Some people feel very relaxed, while others simply notice a stronger sense of focus.
Ready to take the next step?
Curious whether clinical hypnotherapy could be right for you?
You don’t need to know which therapeutic approach you need before getting in touch. Tell me a little about what has been happening, and we can consider what kind of support may fit best.
In-person in Alexandria · Telehealth available