Hypnotherapy can be a great option for kids. It can be helpful with anxiety, sleep issues, social stress, & performance enhancement. Most kids have great imaginations and are very creative. This is a huge help with hypnotherapy because the work is done in a meditative dreamlike state. The client goes on an imaginary journey to help shift and improve the emotions and behaviors that need to be corrected. The client is always in control of their thoughts and emotions during the session. As the therapist I could never create the amazing places and journeys that the client comes up with. I simply guide them through their journey to help them find what needs to be healed and give suggestions on how they might facilitate that healing. They get to choose if these suggestions resonate with them and if they don't we collaboratively come up with something that works for them.  

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Hypnotherapy can also be very effective for teens. Once they understand that they are in control of the session and where it goes they may feel a sense of comfort. Many teens desire so deeply to have control during a time in their life where the don't have much. Everything is changing for them both physically and emotionally and although they are growing up, they aren't quite ready to have the responsibility of being in charge of their own lives just yet. Hypnotherapy can give them some of that freedom and control, even if it just energetically.

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I have had the unique experience of teaching kids full time since 2010. Through teaching marital arts, PE at a K-8 School, and kids classes at a local children's fitness center I have taught kids ranging from 2 years old to teenagers. I have discovered that kids respond better when you treat them like people who are capable and intelligent instead of just "little kids" who don't understand. They are already having intense feelings and emotions so it makes sense that they participate in the healing of them. All healing through hypnotherapy is self-healing and with kids and teens it is no different. As long as they believe and desire to get better then there is a good chance that they will. No one can be forced to change a habit, behavior, feeling, or emotion who doesn't want to change.

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I have also had the experience of having anxiety as a child starting in about 2nd grade and growing very intense during my teenage years and early 20's. It can be very scary when you think that you are the only one who is going through it at having these intense fears. It is also challenging to have those feelings at such a young age and have difficulty being able to articulate what is happening inside your head. The anxiety caused me fear and difficulty falling asleep especially at friends houses for sleepovers. I also had the fear that my friends would find out that I had anxiety and they would think that I was weird. This experience gives me a personal understanding of what kids and teens are going through who are experiencing these difficulties at a young age. I take great pride in being able to pull from my own personal struggles to help others who are just trying to understand what is happening to them and to help them realize that they are "normal", they are not alone, and that they can survive and thrive in life.

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While there is no replacement for medication, you may not feel comfortable starting your child with medication before you at least try other alternative options first. Hypnotherapy can work as a stand alone therapy or as a supplemental therapy alongside medication and/or traditional talk therapy. As someone who took anti-depressants for anxiety for 14 years it was my experience that although the medication helped to calm me down I still had the anxiety, fears, and panic attacks. It wasn't until I worked on the actual issues through hypnotherapy that I truly started to regain control of my life.

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I would love the opportunity to be a guide for your child or teen to help regain control of their life.

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Thank you,

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Geoff Mires Jr. CCHT

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