PLEASE NOTE: APPOINTMENTS CAN BE HELD FACE TO FACE AT MY OFFICE IN SOUTHSEA OR VIA ZOOM

Fears & Phobias

Fears and phobias are one of my favourite areas to work with as eliminating them is usually a fast process – and can be life changing for so many of my clients.

Fear is an emotional response to a real or perceived threat. When we sense danger, our fight, flight or freeze response kicks into action to help us prepare in case of attack. Our hearts beat faster, blood pumps to our muscles and we become exceptionally alert. Once our brain has reassured itself that all is safe, it gives the signal that all is ok and we can get back to normal. This fear response is useful to warn us of impending risks such as being close to deep water when you’re not a swimmer, or being alert when walking home along a dark street. A fear becomes abnormal when you start spending too much time thinking about it and when it affects your lifestyle.

Phobia presents as an intense and seemingly irrational fear which is out of proportion to the threat – like spiders or needles, heights or flying. A phobia will cause rapid and very uncomfortable physiological changes such a sweating, palpitations, hyperventilation and dizziness and those frightening reactions can cause a person to change his usual lifestyle to avoid being in a similar situation.

For some people, their fear or phobia has a huge impact on their daily life. Agoraphobia, claustrophobia, emetophobia, social phobia, public speaking to name just a few can be incredibly debilitating and cause problems within relationships and work life.

Dental phobia and fear of hospitals/needles/procedures prevent some people from having urgent and sometimes life-saving treatment.

There are many techniques which can reduce or eliminate fears and phobias. Usually one session is enough to eliminate your phobia – occasionally two sessions are needed for reinforcement.

DRIVING PHOBIAS

Driving phobias and anxieties have become a regular occurrence in my office and so I now work in collaboration with a local driving instructor Liam Greaney of www.driving-pro.com which means you can have a full session with me followed by a drive with Liam (or one of his excellent instructors) in a dual controlled car to test out your new calm responses. Please contact me for further details.

“Thanks Sarah for seeing me so quickly. The drive up north was painless and even though I was prepared to grit my teeth and face the enormous lorries on tTexthe motorway which used to scare me senseless, gritting my teeth wasn’t necessary as I breezed through the drive so easily.”