19/01/2026
Rae’s Sunday Sermon
When I tell people I’m a hypnotherapist, most of them don’t actually know what that means. This usually results in strange looks, nervous laughter, and someone announcing they’re “not going to look into my eyes in case I do something!” In the words of St Kylie “They should be so lucky!” By now you’ll realise that I like a laugh 😆 lol. Or at least as much as I can without offending anyone. Humour is the gold dust of therapy in my opinion.
No but seriously…as Frankie said… Relax!
If I had that kind of power, I’d be living somewhere warm and not explaining myself in Tesco.
I’ve even had tradespeople joke that they’re worried I’ll hypnotise them so I don’t have to pay. Honestly – if that was a real skill, I’d be booked solid, debt-free, and on a beach and it wouldn’t be Blackness beach!
Most people’s idea of hypnosis comes from stage shows, pub acts, or watching Paul McKenna, Little Britain and Derren Brown on TV. Great entertainment… but about as close to real hypnotherapy as The Bake Off is to running a Michelin star restaurant.
A proper clinical hypnotherapist is really more like a “creative therapist”. We train in loads of different approaches and then blend them together to suit the actual human sitting in front of us – not a bloke pretending to be a chicken. We are also into Ethics. It’s the only way! I’m on a roll, don’t stop ne now.
Over the years I’ve trained in counselling, psychotherapy, NLP, CBT, energy psychology, Eye Movement Integration… and some other weird and wonderful stuff that sounds like it should come with a cape.
You don’t need to remember any of these names btw. What matters is this: a good therapist doesn’t try to “fix” you like Coldplay. We help you remember who you are under the fear, the coping, the armour, the stories you’ve had to tell yourself to survive.
And I’ve seen some things. Big things. Lifelong stuff soften. People breathe differently. Cry and laugh in the same session. Let go of things they’ve carried for decades. Sometimes it’s quick. Sometimes it’s slow. Sometimes it’s messy. But it nearly always brings movement.
And movement is hope.
So over the next few weeks, I’m going to share a few wee thoughts from the therapy front line – about the human mind, how it can be our best friend, and how it can also be a complete pain in the arse.
Basically: your brain is amazing… and also occasionally a total menace.
Have a gentle week.
Sleep deeply.
You’re going to be okay.
x Rae
