TRIED AND TESTED - Could Hypnotherpay be the wayto a less alocholic existence?

‘YOU’LL FEEL SAFE, comfortable and you’ll zone out temporarily. That’s hypnotherapy,’ explains Tim Smale as I recline in his extremely comfy chair. I’m here primarily because I want to curb my over-enthusiastic boozing, but also because someone recommended Tim for a general ‘refocussing and uplift’ (he helped Alastair Campbell do a triathlon, so he’s obviously pretty good).

My first session is tough – I want to succumb, but while Tim speaks gently to me about feeling calm and giving myself permission to relax my overanalytical mind is in overdrive and I’m thinking about what I’ll write. Still, when he counts to five to wake me I’m so chilled I find myself thinking ‘oh, not yet, this is lovely!’ I definitely feel chirpier and more relaxed in the days that follow, as Tim predicted, but it’s not until session two that we get specifi c about my goals – rediscovering an off switch (not drinking to incoherent babbling), being more in the here and now and generally being less critical of myself. This time I sink much deeper into not-quite sleep (but never so deep I’m not aware of what’s going on), and Tim gives me a CD of the session to listen to at my leisure. In the weeks that follow I make time to listen to the recording (downloads are available on Tim’s site too, for giving up smoking, weight loss and more) and I definitely notice a shift. I feel lighter somehow, more focussed and much more ‘present’. And I do seem to spend less time beating myself up about things (you know: you fool, why did you do that!?!/ don’t eat that/oh, get a move on). And am I drinking less? Well, last night I turned down a glass of wine with supper. That’s really saying something.

Steven Short. Editor Fabric Magazine