Anyone tried hypnotherapy as a treatment for a child?

[GameGirly]

DD2 (9) is scared rigid of bugs, particularly spiders. For the last 9 months, she has kept her bedroom door closed at all times, won't have her window opened and has to have her bed checked thoroughly before she'll get in. She has made herself a bed on the floor in her room as she will no longer sleep on her bunkbed as she once "saw" a spider on the ceiling. Yesterday she saw an ant in the car. Her seat belt was off in a nanosecond and she was belting up and down the back seat trying to avoid it. If she sees a bug, she goes completely white, shakes like a leaf and hyperventilates and I'm at the end of my tether. I've tried being nice about it, I've tried picking up bugs to show her and she's even managed to hold one or two herself. Last night I got completely fed up and smacked her bum (not hard, admittedly - I just caught her as she charged past to get away from "it") and I feel awful because obviously that is completely the wrong reaction. But I'm so tired of all the checking, the constant chat about bugs, the waking up in the night for a bed check. And last night I was really unwell (ok, not serious, heavy cold and really, really tired) so it just tipped me over the edge, but I think I ought to try to sort this problem, only I'm not really sure where to start. Obviously, I'be googled, and hypnotherapy came up, but how do you know that the hypnotherapist is not just a child-abusing con artist?!

[wurlywurly]

I dont know about children, but I had hypnotherapy when I was 15 to cope with my panic attacks. The actually hypnotherapy was fine, you just feel very relaxed and the therapist just talks to you. My father stayed in the room with me. You can ask to see the therapist disclosure form (police check),but if you are still concerned insist on staying in the room with your dd.

[KezzaG]

GG I did this course,and it worked really well. Says they have had people as young as 7 do it successfully. It is predominantly for spiders but it also helped my general panic around all sorts of creepy crawlies. Its also good for kids as it is a group session so you know there is no dodgy hypnosis stuff going on.

london zoo friendly spider course

[GameGirly]

Thank you, both - very much appreciated. Kezza, I've e-mailed the people at London Zoo to see if they have any spaces. It certainly looks interesting and less alarming for a 9-year old than one-to-one, perhaps.