Hypnotherapy for teen anxiety

[TeenPlusTwenties]

DD (year 11) is currently off school (effectively since start of lockdown 1) with anxiety/depression.

Has anyone used hypnotherapy for anxiety, or just looked into it at all?
How do you find a 'reputable' person?
How do you get a view on whether it is something worth trying?
Or is it a waste of money?

Hi. My 14 yr old son is also suffering with anxiety and he finds his hypnotherapy sessions extremely beneficial. If your daughter is open to the idea, then I wouldn't hesitate to give it a try. They are quite expensive but definitely worth the investment 💐

Thank you Dee . How did you find your hypnotherapist? Obviously find someone who says they can do teens with anxiety, but beyond that how do you know if they are 'reputable'? (If you are at all near Southampton please PM me the name!) We are lucky in that the money side isn't an issue.

I think it can help with the symptoms of anxiety but it doesn't address the cause.

Little I would imagine you are correct. We are hoping post adoption support might be able to help with some of the causes. however we have the situation now that she is not in school or accessing education and is year 11. I'm desperately trying to find ways that might help her able to attend school without freaking out when she sees other people. (Or even so she can sit a mock exam in a room empty except for an invigilator).

My DS had a few sessions for a similar problem but he was much younger. Before he was accepted by CAMHS, I tried hypnotherapy in an attempt to get him in school for his SATs tests! He's 18 now and at university and, looking back, I don't know why I was so bothered about SATs - but it did seem important at the time.

If Your DD is open to it, and you have funds, I would absolutely go ahead with it- in conjunction with other counselling/ support. Even addressing just the symptoms will be helpful-- but bear in mind, even if successful, it's only short term/ temporary help.

I'm not sure on how to advise you to find a hypnotherapist. There seem to be various 'accrediting' bodies... but who 'accredits' them? It's an alternative/ complementary therapy so I don't know how regulation works. I found my therapist on Google (!) and checked reviews/ how long she'd been in business but had to take qualifications etc at face value. You can often have a free brief consultation.I checked she was happy to treat a young child and obviously I actually sat in the sessions with DS for complete peace of mind ( and a super relaxing half hour!). DS DID get in to school for his SATs but the anxiety continued until CAMHS finally took him on . He is still an "anxious personality" now but functions fairly normally.

TeenPlusTwentie: A close family friend is a Hypnotherapist so we are lucky in that sense. A bit of research online may help you to find a suitable therapist in your area. I also found a great book that he's reading at the moment especially for teens: the anxiety survival guide for teens. There's no magic wand, it will take time but with the right support things can slowly start to get better 💐