Unlock your potential
Do you want to be free from anxiety and stress?
Do you want to be free to achieve your potential and goals?
Do you want more confidence, motivation, inner calm and self-belief?
Do you want to finally overcome the things that are holding you back?
If so, I can help.
I blend cognitive behaviour therapy, hypnotherapy, mindfulness, coaching and problem-solving techniques to tailor the perfect support for you.
You will learn the skills to effectively manage your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
We will work together using scientific, evidenced based approaches to address the issues and barriers you are experiencing to help you achieve your goals.
What I can help you with:
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Anxiety
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Stress
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Feelings of overwhelm and burnout
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Perfectionism, procrastination and fear of failure
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Low self confidence
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Lack of assertiveness
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Fear of public speaking
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Performance improvement e.g. job interviews, exams or sports
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Specific fears or phobias
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Pain management
If any of these stop you from being who you want to be, doing what you want to do and you are ready to make a change, get in touch for an initial free 30 minute consultation by phone or online.
My practice
As a cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist, I draw on cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnotherapy, mindfulness, problem solving and coaching techniques to help my clients achieve long lasting change.
I specialise in helping people like you to unlock their potential, whether that be in the workplace, studies or hobbies. I can support you to overcome the work related issues many of us experience - stress, anxiety, lack of assertiveness, fear of failure, imposter syndrome and public speaking. I also work with people to improve their performance in sports, entertainment, job interviews or exams. And I have a strong interest in enabling clients free themselves from perfectionist tendencies that often lead to procrastination, low confidence and self-doubt.
As someone who had a long senior leadership and management career before working as a therapist, I particularly enjoy helping clients overcome career challenges, whether you are just starting out or you are a Senior Exec. And, as a trail runner and climber, I also work with clients to help them achieve sporting goals.
Whatever you need help with, my approach is always solution-focused, personally tailored to you and time-efficient. There’s no one size fits all approach in effective therapy. My aim is simply to get you where you need to be as quickly as possible. I love to help clients of all backgrounds move forward with their lives, but it’s important you can make an informed decision and get answers to any questions you may have. I never ‘hard sell and if I think you might be better served through another approach, or working with another coach or therapist, I will always be honest with you.
I also know that starting a course of therapy or coaching can be daunting, It requires facing head-on the very challenges you often attempt to avoid. That’s why I offer a free, confidential, and completely without-obligation, telephone consultation. If you are ready to unlock your potential, why not drop me an email and we can start taking action today.
My story
I have always had an interest in the ability we all have to train our minds to achieve our goals but also how long held beliefs and behaviours can hold us back and derail our plans.
I'm Howard Hunt and during a successful management and senior leadership career, I was passionate about supporting and coaching organisations and individuals to perform better to reach their potential. I undertook training as a Neuro-linguistic Programming practitioner with one of the creators of NLP, Richard Bandler, and continued to learn and refine the skills which got me and others the results we craved. Somehow I even found the time to also become an award-winning television scriptwriter.
Working in high pressure environments, success didn’t always come easily but I had a strong work ethic and knew I had all the tools I needed to continue to excel in my career and help others do the same.
And then I realised I didn’t.
A series of bereavements, redundancy, life-threatening illness and working in two toxic workplaces led me to burnout. The work focussed, high achieving, goal driven perfectionist I took pride in being was replaced by someone overwhelmed with depression, anxiety, procrastination, self-doubt and low confidence. I was left feeling I couldn’t be myself at work and wasn’t even sure who that was anymore. With a lack of support, I felt I was the problem and that maybe the problem (me) couldn’t be fixed at all.
Ultimately the problem solver within me kicked in and I went on my own therapeutic journey of self discovery. Firstly, I discovered I wasn’t the problem. Secondly, I learned it was possible to conquer the problems that were holding me back. You can do the same.
I know when I speak to people about my experiences how it resonates with others. Like me they often believe it is only them experiencing the same difficulties. It’s just not the case.
We all face anxieties, fears and doubts. It’s normal. Unhelpful thoughts, feelings and behaviours are often caused by automatic responses we have learned over time. The good news is we can change and navigate past these, return to balance and spend our energy doing what we want to do, becoming who you want to be, and achieving what you want to achieve.
Having learned approaches that made a massive difference to my own life, I wanted to share that knowledge with others. I went on to train with the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy and have a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy accredited by the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the General Hypnotherapy Register, the Register for Evidence-Based Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy and approved by the British Psychological Society. I have carried out further study in mindfulness and the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for depression and perfectionism. I also hold two degrees including an MBA. I now combine the scientific evidence-based techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnotherapy and mindfulness in my practice as a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist.
My approach
Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy
Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH) is an integrative and evidence-based approach which combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles with hypnotherapy and mindfulness to produce lasting positive changes for individuals wanting to address emotional and psychological challenges. It places emphasis on relaxation, mental focus, imagination, and expectation.
This isn’t something that is done to you. In fact, for it to be successful you need to take an active role. Combining relaxation with thinking positively and visualising your goals can transform negative feelings and behaviours.
Fundamental to Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy are psychoeducation and self-hypnosis - you gain an understanding of why you feel, behave and think the way you do and then learn how to do so in a more positive way, in essence becoming your own therapist. Research indicates that adding hypnosis to CBT can increase treatment success compared to CBT alone.
Mindfulness
For many of us with busy lives, our focus is often on the next task on our to do list, catastrophising about things that haven't happened yet or ruminating about events in the past. Our lack of focus on the present moment can often be at the heart of many anxiety, stress and performance based problems. Mindfulness is simply being fully present in the moment without judgement. The benefits of this include enhanced creativity, clarity, and concentration, improved self-control, reduced anxiety, stress and depression, better relationships, and a strengthened brain.
Mindfulness helps you to develop a greater understanding of yourself, embrace and accept thoughts and emotions, and improve your emotional regulation.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a cognitive state of focused attention, absorption, concentration, and heightened suggestibility. Hypnosis enhances the mind-body connection by promoting cognitive flexibility and enabling the shifting of perspectives with ease.
It is often quicker than conventional psychotherapy methods and enables a deep exploration of emotions. To be successful, it requires a positive mindset and a willingness to participate actively in the experience.
Hypnotherapy has a robust scientific framework, and is an effective method for managing pain as well as treating anxiety and stress-related disorders.
We have all seen stage hypnotist acts and often people ask if a therapist has control over their client during hypnosis. Definitely not, in fact the exact opposite - hypnosis is used to enable the client to have far greater self-control over their own thoughts, feelings and actions. Put simply, you cannot be made to do something you do not want to do. The flip side is that if you are motivated to achieve your treatment goals, hypnosis can be a hugely powerful enabler.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a well established evidence-based form of psychotherapy particularly effective for wide range of mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias including social phobia, eating disorders, OCD, insomnia, difficulties with anger and many other issues.
It is a structured, active form of therapy that focuses on the interconnection between thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviours, helping us recognise and challenge negative or irrational thoughts and replace them with more balanced and rational ones.
Online
I schedule online sessions to suit your commitments. The research shows that online is just as beneficial as in-person therapy, if not more so, as well as it often being the most convenient way of accessing therapy.
How many sessions?
The length of therapy can vary depending on several factors, including your specific goals and the progress you make. Together, we will assess what you want to achieve and determine the number of sessions required. Relatively straightforward issues may require only a limited number of sessions, whereas more complex issues may require more extended treatment. Some clients also choose to attend therapy for a certain period, take a break, and return later to address other concerns. Ultimately, it’s up to you how much you want to work as therapy is a collaborative process, and the relationship between us is key to the healing process and the success of therapy.
Ready to make a change?
Through therapy, which usually takes between 6 and 20 sessions, clients can better understand their thinking patterns and learn to modify them to improve overall emotional and behavioural well-being
I offer a free 30 minute consultation to help you determine if I am the right therapist for you. My aim is to provide you with a beneficial and fulfilling therapy experience that helps you achieve your goals.
I look forward to hearing from you to discuss your needs.
Working together
Your first appointment
During your first appointment, we will discuss your current situation, the factors that have caused the problem you are seeking help for as well as your strengths and resources, and your therapy expectations. We usually timetable this for an hour.
Based on this, we will work together to establish clear, attainable goals and an action plan tailored to your unique needs. I say “together” because your role will be as important as mine in our relationship. Successful therapy is definitely a team effort.
During our initial session, we will roughly determine the number of sessions needed to accomplish your goals, depending on your needs. As we move through future sessions, we’ll assess progress and make any necessary adjustments to the plan to ensure that we stay on track towards achieving your goals.
Your following appointments
Subsequent sessions last 50 to 60 minutes. Clients usually choose to have sessions every other week, but the frequency can be tailored to your specific treatment goals. We will track your progress from one session to another and implement practical techniques for change. My aim is to create a lasting impact which empowers you with practical skills to become self-reliant. It's important to be honest about what is or isn't working so we can continue to refine your treatment plan. Don't be afraid to ask questions or express any concerns.
To maximise therapy outcomes, I will assign you various activities between sessions. They have the role of helping you to learn to cope at any time and to speed up the therapy process. Think of it as personal training for the mind, the more reps you do, the quicker you will see lasting results.
A therapeutic alliance
During the ongoing process of therapy we will foster what in therapy is known as a therapeutic alliance. This means that we will both be active participants in the process - working on the same team for the same goals. This involves openness and an environment of trust and complete acceptance and non-judgement where you can work through your issues and make the changes you want.