Phobias & Fears

---

Afraid of Something Others Don’t Understand?

Phobias aren’t “silly” or “irrational” — they’re deeply rooted emotional responses that can feel overwhelming, even when you know the fear isn’t logical.

Whether you’re avoiding certain places, people, animals, or situations, or even just the thought of them triggers anxiety, living with a phobia can be exhausting. You might find yourself going out of your way to stay safe or avoid embarrassment, and over time, this can shrink your world.

You’re not alone. Phobias are one of the most common anxiety disorders in the UK, affecting millions of people in different ways — and the good news is: they’re highly treatable.

What Living With a Phobia Feels Like

Phobias come in many forms, but they tend to share one thing in common: an intense fear response that feels out of proportion to the situation. This can include:

• Racing heart, breathlessness, or shaking when faced with a trigger
• Avoiding specific objects, animals, situations, or places
• Panic or dread just thinking about the phobia
• Feeling embarrassed or frustrated that you “shouldn’t be scared”
• Shame, isolation, or avoiding talking about it
• A growing sense that your fear is interfering with your life

It’s important to understand: phobias are not weakness. They’re learned responses - and what’s learned can be unlearned.

Common Phobias

Phobias can develop around almost anything, but here are some of the most common ones I work with:

• Fear of Flying – Aviophobia
• Fear of Public Speaking – Glossophobia
• Fear of Heights – Acrophobia
• Fear of Enclosed Spaces – Claustrophobia
• Fear of Open Spaces/Crowds – Agoraphobia
• Fear of Spiders – Arachnophobia
• Fear of Vomiting – Emetophobia
• Fear of Needles – Trypanophobia
• Fear of Driving – Vehophobia
• Fear of Dogs – Cynophobia
• Fear of Social Situations – Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)
• Fear of Being Sick or Ill – Nosophobia or Hypochondriasis
• Fear of Germs or Contamination – Mysophobia
• Fear of Thunderstorms – Astraphobia
• Fear of the Dark – Nyctophobia

Even if your fear doesn’t have a formal name, or it feels too “weird” to talk about, please know that it’s valid, and you’re not alone. Whatever the fear is, there is a path forward.

My Approach to Treating Phobias

As a Clinical Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist, I offer a gentle but highly effective approach that helps you safely reduce and often eliminate phobic responses for good. My therapy combines neuroscience, subconscious work, and practical strategies for rapid and lasting results:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - We’ll identify the patterns that keep your phobia in place, and reframe the thoughts and beliefs that trigger your fear. This helps reduce the intensity and frequency of your reactions
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) -Rather than getting stuck in the “why,” we’ll focus on your goals and strengths, finding practical ways to move forward and feel more confident.
• Clinical Hypnotherapy - In a relaxed state, we can work directly with the subconscious, where phobic reactions are stored, to rewire those associations and replace them with calm, balanced responses.
• NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) - We’ll use proven techniques to break the emotional pattern of fear and teach your brain a new, more helpful response.
• Neuroscience - Phobias may feel hardwired, but your brain is always capable of change. I’ll show you how neuroplasticity can help reprogram fear responses and create safety and calm where there once was panic. I'll teach you not only how your mind works, but how to make it work for you.

Why Hypnotherapy for Phobias?

Phobias bypass logic, which is why simply “thinking your way out of it” rarely works. Hypnotherapy speaks the language of the emotional brain. By working directly with your subconscious, we can:

• Desensitise the trigger
• Reframe emotional responses
• Replace fear with calm
• Create lasting, automatic change

This approach is safe, rapid, and backed by clinical research; it requires no "exposure therapy", and many clients report significant improvements in just 3 sessions.

You Don’t Have to Live in Fear

If your phobia is holding you back, affecting your freedom, or causing you distress, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Whether it’s flying, needles, dogs, driving, public speaking, or something less common, help is available.

You deserve to feel calm, in control, and free to live your life without fear. And with the right tools and support, that’s entirely possible.