Like many wellness centres (beauty and otherwise), my first session began with an in-depth consultation. This was a really important chance for me to open up in a safe and comfortable environment – something which at first can seem a little daunting.

I’ve always felt silly when anyone asks why I have my concerns about flying, but speaking with someone who was entirely impartial, she helped me to realise that no fear is irrational if it’s important to you. And that we shouldn’t be afraid to, well… be afraid.

Remember, girls, your therapist isn’t there to judge.

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My first impressions of hypnotherapy have always come from movies where willing audience members are brought on stage and ‘hypnotised’ into clucking like chickens and crawling around on all fours. And then on the flipside, clients are lying on a couch while flashbacks of their childhoods play on screen. Okay, so the laying on the sofa part is true, but there’s much more to hypnosis than watching dramatic parts of your life play before your eyes.

You’ll find yourself listening to your therapists’ carefully worded language and sinking into a peaceful state of mind, going even deeper into a relaxed and comfortable space – but you’re not asleep, just at ease. It was here that I found myself answering questions and allowing any memories to surface. Sure, I was prompted, but I was surprised at my own willingness and ability to make deeper connections to past events (as insignificant as they once seemed)  – something I never would have ordinarily complied with.

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Across my six sessions I worked with Sonia to create positive affirmations and learn a series of simple yet effective calming techniques that I could apply whenever the thought of travelling made me antsy. I was admittedly a little skeptical in the relevance of creating these mantras, but they quickly became my go-to calming techniques in the build up to pre-planned trips.

Instead of allowing myself to stew over the thought of getting on a plane, I rolled with it and applied this small change to my daily routine, only to see even bigger changes.

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At no time did I feel out of control. I was always aware of my surroundings and never felt pressured to craft an ‘ideal’ answer or to dive into uncomfortable territory. The sessions progressed at my own pace and I was always given the time I needed to absorb or explore something a little further.

Tapping deep into my subconscious, I felt entirely in control of my own journey, and ‘came to’ with a sense of achievement and understanding – which led me to acknowledge that I should then also have power over my conscious on a day to day basis.

Sure, that may sound obvious to some of you, but it was all clicking in to place – I have control over my fear of flying, it doesn’t have control over me.

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After each session, it felt like a weight had been lifted! I felt emotionally lighter and far more equipped to address my ‘fear’ each time the door shut behind me.

The results you can achieve using hypnotherapy varies from person to person, and I can’t tell you that I’m cured and now fly free from anxiety, but my perception of that concern is constantly changing and I’ve had some really positive flight experience since. It’s a work in progress, but it’s started to became much less about ‘my fear’ and more about me.

A 60-90 minute hypnotherapy session with Sonia Samtani costs $1,750 (click here for more info on packages and pricing). 

All About You, 10A Wing Cheong Commercial Building, 19-25 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, Tel: 2992 0828, www.allaboutyoucentre.com