Fear of Dogs
Cynophobia is the fear of dogs. Recently we bought a puppy and I be came acutely aware of how many people out there are terrified of dogs. Even though my dog is a small puppy and in my eyes at least, adorable, I have encountered many people who are not so keen. There are people who recoil in the street, my children’s friends who now refuse to visit my house unless the dog is contained and friends of my own who have confided their worries.
How can hypnotherapy help?
Hypnotherapy is a very effective way of freeing yourself from a phobia. Most phobias start earlier in life usually in childhood. Some people know the incident that triggered their phobia but for others the cause is a mystery.
In the last few weeks I have been working with a young client who is afraid of dogs. She had been helped by CBT to overcome her fear of dogs and as a result her family decided to get their own dog. Unfortunately the fear returned with a vengeance so much so that the girl was afraid to go into her own kitchen for fear that the dog would jump up. After 3 sessions of hypnotherapy the girl was able to stroke her dog (something she had longed to do) and the family felt reunited.
Hypnosis can be used to treat many fears and phobias because it harnesses the power of the subconscious mind. Fear is often created by the subconscious as a way of protecting the individual. A belief that fear and worry is protective in some way can develop and it is empowering to be able to change this belief. It is often possible, although not always necessary to identify the cause of the fear.
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