Client Case Study

This beautiful client came to me with really debilitating anxiety, this is her experience of a single round of RTT in her own words, I am so grateful to her for sharing this and allowing me to share it with you:

Where I was and where I am now

Before starting my journey with Rachel, I was constantly on a high state of alert. It was almost as if I was in ‘fight or flight’ mode. My anxiety ruled my life and I was always worrying, about everything. Often things that I had absolutely no control over. I would replay conversations in my head wondering if I had offended someone.

I was also replaying a lot of events that happened in my past. Things that really were traumatic but they had happened many years a go and were still ruling my life. I would find myself constantly saying that ‘once I get through X,Y,Z’ I will be able to do ‘A,B,C’. I seemed to dwell in the past and worry about the future and this meant that I had no capacity for the present.

I did recognise this and in turn that would cause me to worry about what I was missing out on, especially with my children. It was a cycle of depression and anxiety. I knew that I needed to make a change.

My initial conversation with Rachel made a huge difference, albeit a 20 minute ‘chat’. I felt I had found someone that I could talk openly with and I also felt that I was ready to make the change, that I no longer wanted to live the life that I had been living for so long. I found the idea that this form of hypnosis was a rapid one with changes being felt immediately suited me. I also didn’t want to go over and over past events and Rachel explained that the discussion would be once and then we would move forward. Even after that first conversation, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. It was amazing.

The first session was very emotional but it felt so good to get it out. I remember telling Rachel that I did not know which way to turn. Rachel asked me to imagine a life without anxiety and I simply couldn’t. We talked and explored and Rachel asked me what I wanted to get out of the sessions. I simply wanted to be able to live my life in the moment and enjoy my family and cope with what life threw at me without crumbling.

After that first formal session I felt completely different. Again, it was if more weight had been lifted from my shoulders. That I was starting to reclaim my life. I was proud that I had taken this step to move forward and make that change. My husband said that he had already noticed a difference and that I seemed calmer. I felt so much calmer than I had done in years. It was incredible.

The second session was the actual hypnosis. Again, it was very emotional and I discovered things that I hadn’t really known about that were causing my anxiety. Rachel worked with me to go through the scenes and helped me to reshape the anxiety that I was holding on to. Once again, I felt like yet more weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt different in my head and physically I felt different too.

I have met with friends who had no idea that I was taking this step to do RTT and they have commented that I seem calmer, not as agitated, listening and engaged with the situation. Also that I look lighter.

Since I have started the sessions with Rachel and continued to listen to the transformation audio that she produced for me I have dealt with the following in ways I could not before:-

• I had to have an ultrasound scan, anything health related would usually send me into a spiral. This time, I felt anxious on the morning of the scan rather than for weeks in advance, when it would be all I could think about. I also did not constantly chatter about it. It was as if I knew it was coming and there was simply no point in worrying until it was here.

• There has been a lot of change in one area of my life and although it has been upsetting, I have coped with the change rationally and not catastrophised the situation.

• I have got on with things without procrastinating. For instance, sorting out my office. I have just got on with it and got it done. I have decorated our ensuite without worrying in case I got it wrong. I have hung pictures without asking the opinion of everyone I know to make sure that everyone was happy with where I was hanging them!

• I have set boundaries for this Christmas. I am making sure that my family comes first and that others fit in with us rather than the other way round. In turn this has made my family feel happier.

• I have been drawing and creating more. Perhaps not quite as much I would like but definitely more than usual.

• I have been out part way through the day without feeling guilty that I should be at home. I have always had this ‘rule’ that I should be out early, after the school run, and back by lunch to ensure that I ‘got things done’. I am trying to stop creating unnecessary ‘rules’ for myself.

• I have come off of my anti-depressants and I feel great.

Besides all of these things there are many more that are occurring on a daily basis. I often remind myself that I have ‘excellent coping skills’ and that I cannot control everything. These two phrases help me so much when I start to spiral over something.

I cannot believe where I was a month ago in comparison to where I am now. I am lighter, more able to cope with situations that arise, I don’t feel the need to plan everything to the nth degree. My family have seen a difference in me, so have my friends. I feel that I am able to live in the moment and give myself more fully to that moment. Not always worrying about what comes next or what I should be doing instead.

These sessions have undoubtedly been life-changing for me.