Catherine Spence
Hypnotherapist in London

I'm an accredited and registered psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and mindfulness coach based in Hackney, N16, London. I combine hypnotherapy and psychotherapy to help with anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, relationship problems, self-esteem or self-control issues

Background & Hypnotherapy Qualifications

I have over ten years of experience and thousands of client hours, with high success rates of supporting clients to transform their lives and reach their goals.

I have a Master's degree from the University of Oxford in Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology and an Advanced Diploma in Hypno-Psychotherapy from the National College of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy. I'm a full clinical member of the UK Council for Counselling and Psychotherapy (UKCP), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Society of Talking Therapies. I'm also a qualified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance.

My Specialisms

Areas I work with include:

Anxiety 
Stress 
Panic
Relationship or attachment issues 
Adapting to changes in life
Overwhelming emotions
A general feeling of dissatisfaction that is hard to pinpoint
Difficult childhood experiences
PTSD or similar trauma symptoms
OCD
Limerence
Insomnia and other sleep issues
Phobias, including fear of flying or public speaking
Social anxiety
Diagnoses or suspicions of neurodivergence
Developing healthy habits
Developing a meditation practice

Please note that I work only with those over 18.

Approach to Hypnotherapy & How I Work

II tailor my approach to suit you rather than trying to fit you to a standard therapy script and I use only evidence-based techniques. My academic background included neurophysiology and the study of neuroplasticity which underlies all my techniques and approaches. I also have my own personal daily yoga and meditation practice which borrows heavily from compassion-focussed and mindfulness-based philosophies. I believe that we are what we practice, and that with calm focus, self-compassion and a bit of time, we can all shift the neurological patterns that are our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and relationships, so as to live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

A typical session with me would be half spent talking about your week or your feelings, and then the other half in a deep relaxation session, during which we can walk through situations you find tricky, as well as learn to be more relaxed in body and mind. The relaxed state is also excellent for developing focus and directing your energies on areas of your life that you feel would benefit from that. We can also use lighter trance states to desensitise and reprocess feelings and memories from your past which are not yet resolved.

You will remain fully conscious and in control during hypnosis, and will not, under any circumstances, be made to cluck like a chicken! You may find, however, that change is surprisingly easy, once your subconscious is involved in the process. The trick is to find the sweet spot between relaxation and sleep, where your imagination is at its peak and you feel completely safe to explore new ideas. The positive associations that you form in this state will stay with you after the session.

Psychotherapy can help you explore your personality, attachment styles and boundaries so that you can better understand yourself in relationships, and to help you develop your communication and relating styles. Learning how to identify and process different emotions can be done at any stage in life. 

I also offer trauma-informed therapy, such as EMDR (eye movement desentisation and reprocessing), where there is traumatic tension stored in the body. Bad experiences can cause us to shut-down or dissociate, or leave us in a high state of anxiety or panic. Therapy can help to release that so that you can move forwards with clarity and vitality.

Another technique we may use is IFS (Internal Family Systems) where we learn to understand your different internal parts, some may be protective, some vulnerable or dissociated, and they may be in conflict with each other. We would work to allow your core self to take a healing and leadership role within all your different parts.

Therapies & Rates

Please note the rates detailed below are there to give you an idea of the therapists standard rates, we strongly advise you contact the therapist for more detailed rates and any offers they may have.

Therapy	Appointment Type	Rate
Hypnotherapy	In Person	£80 per 60 minutes
Psychotherapy	In Person	£80 per 60 minutes

Additional Rate Information

My fees are £80 per session, which are normally 60 minutes but sometimes come to a natural end a few minutes earlier. Unfortunately, I'm not offering discounted rates at this time. If you prefer, before committing to a session we can speak on the phone, via zoom or in person for 30 mins for no charge. My cancellation policy is to charge the full fee for a no-show or cancellation within 24 hours. This is because it has prevented another client having that slot and it is standard practice for therapists.