“Close your eyes and relax”: everyone has a – sceptical or perhaps positive – idea about hypnotherapy. Many expats seek some form of solution to the anxiety that comes with the huge change of environment and the cultural shock of moving country. Who can benefit from this method? Is it suitably safe and efficient?
These questions are answered by Viktória Bryan, cognitive hypnotherapist, who has struggled with life’s challenges herself and has spent more than 10 years as an expat.
What are the most important questions that are often asked by your clients, and what are they most sceptical about?
Most of my clients ask me how safe hypnosis is. I always advise them that what you see on TV is not therapy, it is just a show for amusement which is very well planned and designed. Hypnotherapy is safe, wonderful, healing and transforming. Nothing is done without your consent and you are in full control.
The other important question they ask is how much I get into their head and how much damage I can possibly do with their mind? My answer to that is that I am not in their head and there is no damage as they are the one who is in charge of what is happening inside their minds. I am only asking the right questions and leading them to the core issue, which is what we can then work with.
What does this method mean exactly, what training is your know-how based on?
Cognitive Hypnotherapy (Cog Hyp) is a ground-breaking, scientific approach to therapy. It combines and integrates well-researched and successful approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Positive Psychology and traditional Hypnotherapy.
The course is 18 months long, which includes theory and practical study. As I was learning, I tried and tested all the techniques on myself as well as my colleagues in order to know what works and how it works.
Why did you opt for this profession? Any personal reason?
I was struggling for many years with my worries and insecurities, and after some time it was really starting to affect my work and private life. It was at this time that I decided I needed to look for someone who could help. I decided to give hypnotherapy a try and decided to book myself in for 3 sessions, and I can comfortably say that those 3 sessions changed my life. Hypnotherapy doesn’t take months of repetitive sessions – it changed my life in just three. I do not want my clients to be dependent on me for years, no one has got the time or the money for that.
Whom did you learn the profession from?
I have learned and studied from the founder of Cog Hyp, Trevor Silvester, who runs Quest Institute in London. Trevor has also been a hypnotherapist for more than 25 years and as such, has a wealth of experience and knowledge to pass on. Rebecca Silvester is an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) specialist who lends supports on the course and also taught us EFT.
What is it based on?
The basis of Cognitive Hypnotherapy is to work with the unconscious mind, which is where all our emotions and life events are stored. Most of what we do is unconscious from previous programming, beliefs and patterns we have learnt throughout our lives. Hypnotherapy helps bring the unconscious forward in order to find the trigger and the source of your problems.
We also believe that all people are unique. Everyone arrived at their problem differently; there is not one same phobia, anxiety or even anorexia, for example. Therefore, I use a bespoke treatment plan that is tailored specifically to the client and his/her thinking.
Whom do you recommend hypnotherapy for?
Most of my clients come to me as they really wish to make changes in their lives, and they are ready and willing to dive in to get to the root of their issues. They want a short-term therapy and they realise hypnotherapy can provide that.
What have you achieved, what was your greatest success?
For me success is when my clients come back and tell me all the things that have changed for the better since the last time I saw them. One of my clients told me that after our session, the very next day, they got up, walked the dog in the rain, cleaned the house and got themselves together after weeks of in-house depression. All changes no matter how big or small, are successes, and these successes need not be prioritised, only celebrated.
Why do your clients believe in you?
The reason why my clients are drawn to me is because I am honest about my struggles and my path. With my authentic approach, I always say therapy is just another conversation. We are all fellow strugglers in life therefore I am not only serving my clients, but they are helping me too. This can only be done by having trust and a good rapport.
Brief bio:
Viktoria Bryan is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist and Mindfulness Coach, trained and educated in London. She was born in Budapest then moved to UK for her studies, where she spent 10 years of her life. Her journey started in 2014 after years of struggle with self-confidence, self-worth and anxiety. She has a passion to help and serve people, first working in Events and Wedding Management and now as a therapist, mindfulness coach and a tantra yoga teacher. She recently came back to her place of birth and settled in Budapest again. Her mission is to help and guide you to your happiest, healthiest and best self.
Check on Viktória’s Website
or visit her Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn page.