Service
Hypnotherapy for anxiety in London
Work with Caroline Silvestre in Marylebone or online to explore anxious patterns and practise different responses.
Anxiety is not always a problem of logic. Often the pattern persists because the body, attention, and expectation system continue to behave as if a threat is present even when the conscious mind understands otherwise.
Anxiety can be generalised or specific to certain situations, and it is often maintained by beliefs, thought-chains, anticipation, and the body’s learned readiness to react. That is one reason people can still feel anxious even when they know, intellectually, that they are safe.
In hypnotherapy, the work is not simply to tell yourself to calm down. It is to create enough steadiness and focus to observe the pattern more clearly, understand what is maintaining it, and begin to respond differently.
When anxiety starts to organise your life
Anxiety can begin to shape decisions in subtle ways. You may over-prepare, avoid certain situations, rehearse conversations in advance, or feel persistently braced without always knowing why. Some people experience racing thoughts. Others notice it more in the body: a tight chest, a sense of dread, difficulty sleeping, or an inability to settle.
Often the most frustrating part is that insight does not automatically change the response. You may know the situation is manageable and still feel as if your system has decided otherwise.
How hypnotherapy may help with anxiety
Hypnotherapy may be useful when anxiety has become repetitive, anticipatory, or difficult to interrupt through understanding alone. In a focused and relaxed therapeutic setting, it can become easier to notice the beliefs, expectations, and internal habits that keep the pattern in place.
The aim is not to suppress feeling or force a person into calm. It is to help create enough safety and clarity for a different response to become possible.
What we may work with
- overthinking and mental rehearsal
- persistent alertness or bracing
- fear of losing control
- anxiety linked to work, performance, relationships, or change
- the gap between knowing and reacting
Is it the right fit?
Hypnotherapy can be a helpful approach for many forms of anxiety, but it is not a substitute for every kind of support. If anxiety is severe, complex, or linked to broader mental health concerns, it may be appropriate to work alongside other therapeutic or medical input.
If you are unsure, that can be part of the first conversation.
What happens in a session?
We begin by discussing what anxiety is like for you: when it arises, what you notice in your thoughts and body, and what you would like to be different. That gives us a specific starting point, rather than an expectation that you should simply “relax”.
Depending on your needs, we may use guided imagery to rehearse a situation, progressive muscle relaxation, self-awareness exercises, or ways of noticing and responding to anxious thoughts. We choose interventions collaboratively and tailor them to your situation. You can ask questions and discuss what feels useful as we go.
If the prospect of hypnosis itself worries you, read what happens if you are afraid of losing control. You can also explore why it can be difficult to relax when you feel anxious.
Your hypnotherapist
I’m Caroline G. Silvestre. I hold a BSc in Psychology and a Diploma in Hypno-CBT®. I am a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society and a Registered Hypnotherapist with the General Hypnotherapy Register and the National Hypnotherapy Society. You can read more about my background, qualifications and approach.
Anxiety hypnotherapy in Marylebone or online
In-person sessions take place at 4 Manchester Square, Marylebone, London W1U 3PD, near Bond Street Station. If you prefer to work from home, online sessions are available across the UK. Choose a private space where you can speak comfortably and have a reliable internet connection.
Fees and the first conversation
Standard session fees start at £120 for 55 minutes, with 75-minute sessions and a three-session option also available. See the full session prices and booking options.
You do not need to decide on a course of sessions before speaking to me. The free 15-minute consultation is a chance to explain what you would like help with, ask questions and discuss whether this approach appears suitable. There is no obligation to book.
The number of sessions depends on your circumstances and goals. We can discuss expectations and review how the work is progressing; a particular result or timescale cannot be promised.