🧠 Minds Like Sponges. How I Support Children with Hypnotherapy

Children are wonderfully imaginative. They learn through play, absorb emotion without needing words, and often move between fantasy and reality with ease. This openness makes childhood a rich time for learning — but also a time when stress, worry, and unhelpful beliefs can take hold without us even realising.

As a clinical hypnotherapist, I’ve had the privilege of working with many children who are experiencing things like anxiety, low confidence, difficulty with change, or unhelpful habits. What I love most is that hypnotherapy doesn’t require children to "know the right words" — we work with imagination, emotion, and play, in a way that feels natural and safe for them.

👋 Who I Am — and How I Work

I’m Teresa Saunders, a qualified clinical hypnotherapist, and I offer a gentle, child-led approach to emotional support. Every session is tailored, because every child is different. I don’t work with scripts or fixed formulas — instead, I meet each child where they are.

My sessions may include

• Imaginative storytelling to encourage new thinking

• Visualisation and guided daydreams

• Breathing and grounding techniques that children can use at home or school

• Interactive play, using toys, drawing, or metaphor

• A calm, supportive environment where children feel heard and respected

  
  

The language I use is always developmentally appropriate, and the work is focused on helping children build inner confidence, calm, and resourcefulness — not “fixing” them.

🌈 Why Hypnotherapy May Help

Children today face many pressures — from academic stress and social challenges, to changes in routine, separation, or worry about things they can’t control. Sometimes, these pressures show up as:

• Sleep difficulties

• Nail biting or other habits

• School reluctance or anxiety

• Emotional outbursts or withdrawal

• Difficulty concentrating or settling

Hypnotherapy may support children in exploring new ways to respond to these challenges, by gently helping them connect with a sense of calm and capability within themselves.

And importantly — hypnotherapy doesn’t require a child to retell painful stories. We work through images, imagination, and metaphor, helping the mind create new associations in a safe, non-invasive way.

🤝 Working Together

Sessions begin with an initial chat — with the parent or caregiver involved — to understand the child’s needs, personality, and goals. From there, I tailor sessions to support the child in their own unique way. Some children enjoy more playful sessions, while others respond to quiet visualisation or sensory-based grounding.

Rather than being a passive process, sessions are engaging and child-centred. Most children leave feeling relaxed, listened to, and often with a new story — about themselves — taking shape in their mind.

🧡 A Supportive Step Forward

As a parent, it’s not always easy to know what your child needs. If you’re noticing patterns that seem to be holding them back — or you simply want to support their emotional wellbeing — hypnotherapy may be a gentle, creative, and empowering way to help.

You’re welcome to get in touch if you’d like to learn more www.teresasaunders.com. I’m always happy to answer questions or have a no-pressure conversation about whether this approach may be a good fit for your child.

Sometimes, it’s the smallest shift in thought that opens the door to calm, confidence, and growth.