According to Professor Mark Jensen of the University of Washington Medical Center, hypnotherapy is "a form of psychotherapy in which hypnosis and trance are used as therapeutic tools to bring about change in feelings, behavior, or thoughts."

Hypnotherapy is a type of therapy that employs hypnosis to help individuals access their subconscious and make positive changes in their behavior, emotions, or thoughts. It's a complementary therapy that can be utilized to address a wide range of issues such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and addictions. A certified hypnotherapist guides the client into a state of hypnosis and then employs various therapeutic techniques as regression, inner child work or working with parts, to address the specific needs of the individual.

Sometimes people have the notion that they visit a hypnotherapist, explain their problem, after which the therapist asks them to close their eyes, and after an hour their problems are gone. That's not how I operate and if that's what you're seeking, you might be better off looking for a hypnotist rather than a hypnotherapist.

As a hypnotherapist, I certainly utilize hypnosis, or therapeutic trance, but it's more of a means rather than the end goal. For instance, I work with parts therapy while in trance, where you connect with a trauma fragment, your inner critic, or an inner child. I also engage in regression to release unresolved and unprocessed pain from the past and process it in a healthy manner.

Yes, quite often I work with different modailites in therapy sessions. As a certified therapist, I am required to undergo additional training every year. Over the years, I have pursued further education in areas such as EMDR, mindfulness, ACT, and working with the polyvagal theory. Consequently, I employ various approaches, most of which are aimed at effecting change in the unconscious mind.

My name is Erik Willems, a certified hypnotherapist with a private practice in Amsterdam West, and I also serve as an addiction group counselor in Hilversum. I am a member of the NBVH (Dutch professional association for hypnotherapists).

In addition to my therapeutic practice, I have a background in the theater industry, having worked as a director, writer, and teacher. I continue to teach stage performance classes for jazz students at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the Conservatory of Amsterdam. I find great satisfaction in blending my creative and therapeutic pursuits.

A consultation is 70 minutes and costs € 115. After the consultation you can pay with Tikkie or cash and you will receive the invoice by email. If you have additional insurance (aanvullende verzekering), there is a good chance that the health insurer will (partly) reimburse hypnotherapy. 

• There is always a telephone intake before a first meeting, this is free of costs. 
• Appointments are made by telephone and confirmed by e-mail.
• If you want to reschedule or cancel an appointment, this must always be done by telephone (or sms/whatsapp) and at least 48 hours in advance, otherwise the costs will be charged.