Hypnotherapy for English speakers

 

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy which is used for changing certain behaviours, thoughts and feelings. This is done under the guidance and with the help of a professional certified hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy is not classic talk therapy and uses a wide variety of exercises and techniques to connect you with your unconscious mind. 
 

What is hypnotherapy

Examples of methods are visualisation, regression, inner child work and working with parts. With regression you go back to an earlier moment in your life to process the unprocessed pain in the right way. Working with parts allows you to make contact with your inner critic, the perfectionist, the addiction part of your inner child. Besides hypnosis I also use EMDR and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and solution focussed therapy in my practise. I have a private practice in Amsterdam west (Bos en Lommer) and over the years i've specialised in working with addictions and anxiety problems. 

 

Addiction 

Addiction may include substance abuse such as alcohol or cocaïne but also behaviour addictions like eating, sex, porn or gambling. I also work as an group counselor for people with addiction problems at ITMYS addiction care in Hilversum. I combine my therapeutic expertise with extensive lived experience expertise, having overcome addiction myself.  Please make sure to understand that working with addictions and anxiety problems is not a matter of one or two sessions, where you simply reprogram your unconscious mind and all is well. 

 

Is hypnotherapy different in English?

I've done quite a lot of training in the US and England so hypnotherapy in English is no problem at all. As a therapist I work in the tradition of the American psychiatrist Milton H. Erickson,  which is also called Ericksonian hypnotherapy. Here we use language as an important tool, to guide someone in hypnosis. And working with language patterns in Ericksonian hypnosis is easier in English compared to Dutch

 

What is hypnotherapy

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.

What hypnotherapy is not

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.

Do you use more modalities besides hypnotherapy

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.

 

Who is the therapist

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.

What are the costs and how does it work

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.


Please not that I'm currently not taking on any new clients, due to a long waiting list.