Emotional health
Hypnotherapy for weight loss
Not another diet. Hypnotherapy can help you manage cravings, stop comfort eating and stick to the healthy plan you have chosen.
How hypnotherapy helps with weight loss
Hypnotherapy can help you manage cravings and stick to a calorie-controlled diet and exercise plan. Research supports adding it to a structured programme: in a 1996 analysis of controlled trials, people who had hypnosis alongside a cognitive-behavioural weight programme lost more weight on average than those who had the programme alone, and the gap widened at follow-up (Kirsch, 1996). A re-analysis published the same year found the extra benefit was smaller, but still pointed the same way (Allison & Faith, 1996).
Your own commitment still matters. Hypnotherapy works with your willpower, not instead of it, and it makes the changes you have decided on easier to keep.
Why diets stall
A diet is a set of conscious rules laid over an automatic habit. That is why it often goes well for a few weeks and then quietly falls away. For most people, eating is not a knowledge problem. Some people slipped into habits they never chose. Some eat for comfort, out of boredom or as a reward. For others it is tied up with low self-esteem, or eating is doing a job, such as offering a sense of protection, that goes back a long way. Hypnotherapy works on that underlying driver, so you are not just policing the food.
What we work on
- Emotional and comfort eating
- Evening snacking and grazing
- Sugar cravings and the foods that undo your good intentions
- Portion sizes, eating on autopilot, and noticing when you have had enough
- Motivation to move more and keep going past the first few weeks
- A more positive picture of yourself and your future (see confidence)
How sessions work
After a free 15–30 minute consultation, you work with Tim in person in Farringdon, central London, or online. There is no one-size-fits-all programme: sessions are tailored to you, using Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP, and you learn self-hypnosis for the moments that used to derail you. After 7 hours (usually five sessions), any further sessions for the same issue are £97.50 an hour: see the halve-fees promise. For other patterns, see habits.
Why Tim
Tim Dunton has over 20 years' experience and has been training since 2004. He is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), an Advanced and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and a Master Practitioner of NLP trained by its co-founders, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. He has helped celebrities, film producers, sportspeople and business leaders. More about Tim.
Is this a hypnotic gastric band?
No. Tim works on the habits, emotions and motivation behind how you eat, alongside a healthy eating and exercise plan.
Do I still need to watch what I eat?
Yes. Hypnotherapy helps you stick to a sensible, calorie-controlled plan and keep moving; it does not replace one.
What if I have a medical condition?
Check with your GP first, especially if you take medication that affects your weight.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Typical course | Usually around five sessions (7 hours) |
| Session length | 1 hour |
| Format | In person in Farringdon, London EC1, or online |
| First step | Free 15–30 minute consultation |
| Fee | £150 an hour online, £195 in person; see prices |
Hypnotherapy works alongside medical care. Please see your GP about any medical condition, and keep taking prescribed medication unless your doctor advises otherwise.
The research
- Kirsch I (1996). Analysis of hypnosis added to cognitive-behavioural weight-loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64(3):517–519. PubMed 8698945
- Allison DB, Faith MS (1996). Re-analysis of hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioural therapy for obesity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64(3):513–516. PubMed 8698944
Individual experiences vary. See all psychological problems Tim works with.
Related treatments
A free, no-obligation 15–30 minute call by phone or video. Or call 07975 653893.