Perhaps you have already put real effort into changing something. You might have seen a counsellor or psychologist, tried apps and self-help books, used patches or medication, or even had hypnosis before. Some of it may have helped for a while. But the anxiety, the habit, the fear or the stuck feeling is still there.
If that sounds familiar, the first thing worth saying is this: it does not mean you have failed, and it does not mean you cannot change. Most people who come to Hobart Modern Hypnosis have tried other things first. Many of those approaches are valuable and work well for many people. But no single approach suits everyone, and sometimes what is needed is not more of the same, but something that works differently.
This article looks at why some approaches do not stick, how to tell when it may be time to try something different, and what a different approach can look like.
Why some approaches don’t stick
When something has not worked, it is easy to blame yourself. More often, the reason lies in the fit between the person, the problem and the approach. Some common reasons are below.
The pattern sits below conscious thinking
Many long-standing problems are automatic. Panic that arrives before you have had a single thought, a craving that takes over, a freeze under pressure: these responses happen faster than reasoning. You can understand a problem completely, and know exactly why it happens, and still find it keeps happening. Insight is valuable, but on its own it does not always change an automatic response.
Only part of the problem was addressed
Most problems are made of several connected threads. If an approach worked on one thread, such as the habit itself, but not the others, such as the stress, emotions or situations that feed it, the untouched threads can pull the old pattern back.
The approach was too general
Standard programs, apps and scripted sessions are designed to suit many people at once. That makes them accessible, but it also means they may not fit your particular pattern, history or way of thinking.
There was not enough time or continuity
Short or spread-out appointments can mean the work stops just as it gains momentum, and each session spends time rebuilding where the last one left off.
The fit was not right
The relationship between a person and their practitioner matters a great deal. A large meta-analysis of 295 studies and more than 30,000 people found that the strength of this working relationship was consistently linked with better outcomes, across many types of therapy. Feeling understood and trusting the person you are working with is not a bonus; it is part of what makes change possible.
The timing was not right
Sometimes people try to change before they are truly ready, or during a period when life is too full to focus on it. An approach that did not work then may work very differently now.
Signs it may be time for a different approach
There is no fixed rule, but these are common signs that trying something different may help:
- you understand your problem well, but understanding it has not changed it
- you have made progress, but keep slipping back into the same pattern
- the problem shows up automatically, before you have time to think
- you feel you have talked it through many times and want something more active
- previous approaches felt too general, rushed or not quite suited to you
- you are ready to commit time and energy to changing it properly.
When to stay with medical or psychological care
Trying a different approach does not always mean leaving your current care. Some situations need medical or registered mental health support first, or alongside anything else. These include:
- thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or any crisis (contact your GP, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or emergency services on 000)
- serious mental illness, such as psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe depression
- eating disorders
- situations needing a formal diagnosis, or a registered provider for Medicare, NDIS, insurance or legal purposes
- withdrawal from alcohol or medication, which can be medically dangerous without supervision.
Hobart Modern Hypnosis screens for these situations and refers people on when another kind of support is needed. In many cases, hypnotherapy can sit comfortably alongside medical or psychological care, and Steve is happy to work in with your GP or other health professionals.
What a different approach can look like
If previous approaches have not shifted things, the answer is rarely to repeat the same thing harder. It is more useful to choose something that works in a different way. At Hobart Modern Hypnosis, that difference shows up in several ways.
Working with automatic patterns directly
Rather than relying mainly on talking about a problem, hypnosis works with the automatic responses themselves. In a focused hypnotic state, people can experience their triggers differently and rehearse new responses until those responses become the new default. This makes it well suited to patterns that persist even when you understand them.
Active work, and deeper states when they are needed
Sessions are active and engaged, not a matter of lying back and listening. When deeper hypnosis is needed, Steve spends time preparing each person’s mind to get there, working through doubts, a busy mind or past experiences that may have got in the way before. For many people who felt ‘nothing happened’ with hypnosis in the past, this preparation makes the difference.
Built around you, not a script
Steve works with the person and the presentation in front of him, adapting each session as it unfolds. With a PhD and decades of clinical experience, he tailors the work once he understands your situation, rather than applying the same approach to everyone with a similar problem.
Time to address the whole problem
Longer sessions allow time to work through every thread of a problem in one sitting, keep the momentum going and integrate the change before you leave. There is more on this in the article Why Our Longer Hypnotherapy Sessions Make the Difference.
You don’t have to relive the past
Many people have already spent a lot of time talking about where their problems came from. Modern hypnosis does not require you to go back over every painful experience. The focus is on changing how you respond now and moving forward.
Intensive options for long-standing problems
For problems that have resisted change for a long time, a more concentrated format often makes sense. Hobart Modern Hypnosis offers several levels of intensity, and the right one depends on the person and the problem.
- Breakthrough Sessions run for three to four hours, like a half-day of focused work. They are designed for people ready to make significant change, working with the deeper patterns, beliefs and emotions behind a problem. Some people experience a breakthrough in a single session; others continue over several to work through layers of change.
- Hypno Boot Camp is an immersive, one-on-one program over three intensive days or two weekends, held in person at the Hobart clinic. It is aimed at people who are serious about breaking lifelong patterns. As the program itself notes, it is not for everyone.
- Mastery Level is the most intensive option, for situations where other approaches, including standard hypnotherapy, have not been enough.
After intensive work, ongoing coaching is available for people who want to keep building on their progress.
You do not need to know which option is right before getting in touch. Steve will recommend a pathway once he understands your situation.
Your part in the process
A different approach is not a passive one. Intensive work asks you to be ready, to take part fully and to put the changes into practice afterwards. The people who get the most from it are usually those who have decided they are done with the old pattern, are sick of talking about it, and are prepared to commit the time and energy to changing it.
Questions to ask before trying again
If you are considering a new approach after previous attempts, these questions can help you choose well:
- How is this approach different from what I have already tried? Look for a genuine difference in method, not just a new name.
- How will it be tailored to me? Ask how the practitioner will work with your particular pattern and history.
- How much time is involved? Consider whether the format allows enough time to address the whole problem.
- What will be expected of me? A good practitioner will be clear that your involvement matters.
- What happens if it does not go as planned? Look for honest answers about follow-up and next steps, rather than guarantees.
- What are your qualifications and experience? Hypnotherapy is not a registered health profession in Australia, so look for recognised training, professional memberships and substantial experience.
- Will you work with my other health professionals if needed? This is a good sign of a practitioner who knows the limits of their scope.
Trust your impressions of the first conversation, too. Feeling understood is one of the most consistent signs that the work will go well.
Frequently asked questions
I’ve had counselling or therapy before. Is hypnotherapy worth trying?
It can be. Hypnotherapy works in a different way, by engaging directly with automatic responses rather than relying mainly on conversation. Many people find it helps with patterns that have persisted despite good insight. If you are currently in care, it can often be used alongside it.
I tried hypnosis before and nothing happened. Why would it be different?
Hypnosis varies a great deal between practitioners, from short scripted sessions to longer, tailored work. Many people who felt nothing happened were never fully prepared to reach a deeper state. Taking the time to prepare the mind, and adapting to the person, can make a very different experience possible.
Do I need to stop my current treatment?
No. You should not stop medication or other treatment without talking to your doctor. Hypnotherapy can often sit alongside medical or psychological care, and Steve is happy to work in with your other health professionals.
How do I know if I need an intensive option?
You don’t need to decide on your own. In the free consultation, Steve will talk through what you have tried, what has got in the way, and which pathway fits your situation.
My problem has been there for years. Is it too late to change?
Long-standing patterns can take more work to shift, but having had a problem for years does not mean it cannot change. Often it means the right approach has not yet been found.
Can you guarantee it will work this time?
No ethical practitioner can guarantee results, because so much depends on the person, their readiness and their circumstances. What can be offered is a genuinely different approach, an honest assessment of what is realistic, and a tailored plan.
A different way forward
If you have tried other approaches without lasting change, it is not a sign that you are beyond help. More often, it means the approach did not suit the pattern, did not reach all of it, or did not have the time and tailoring it needed. The next step is not to try harder at the same thing, but to choose something that works differently.
Hobart Modern Hypnosis works with people who have often tried other things first. Steve, who holds a PhD and has decades of clinical experience, uses active, tailored hypnosis, longer sessions and intensive programs to work with the automatic patterns behind long-standing problems. Sessions are held at the clinic at 176 Macquarie Street, Hobart, and online across Tasmania and Australia.
If you would like to talk through what you have tried and whether a different approach could help, a free 30-minute phone consultation is a good place to start. You can get in touch here or call 03 6108 9053.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for medical or mental health advice. If you are in crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or emergency services on 000. Individual results vary.
Sources
- Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316–340.
