Rachel tells her story about her experiences with hypnotherapy here for weight loss and also for stopping smoking (see link at the bottom of this piece):

"Today is 27^th February 2009. I am 34 and I have just crossed a huge psychological barrier. Having just finished my hypnosis CD (a Stress Relief CD given free to all clients) I felt it was time to share my latest hypnosis experience.

I am not new to Julie’s work. I first visited her 2 years ago to stop smoking and I am now a non-smoker and I’ll be a non-smoker the rest of my life.

I visited her 6 months after that for confidence hypnosis and felt great again, especially as I had been dreading my brother’s wedding. I hated having my photo taken. However, this hypnosis did not solve the underlying problem.

As a child I was very thin and a faddy eater. I had been bullied at school from a very early age because my mother was morbidly obese. At 10 years old everything changed. I became severely ill and nearly died. I weighed less than 3 stone. One of my strongest memories was when a nurse left a shepherd’s pie in my room while she checked if I was still nil by mouth and then took it away again. This is where the issues began and as I recovered I ate and ate and was encouraged to do so.

I am now a mum with a history of obsessive exercising and dieting that resulted in my weight swinging from between 7.25 and 16 stone. I now have polycystic ovaries and recently injured my spine resulting in surgery, which makes exercise painful. With medical problems I figured that I was going to have to just put up with being 'The fat one'. I was desperately miserable. Just after Christmas this year I phoned Julie again and I knew within minutes I was doing the right thing.

I went to Julie six weeks ago a binger; someone who always finished off the kids’ meals and ate when I was bored or upset. I was really sceptical despite having stopped smoking. I wanted it far more than stopping smoking but thought that nothing would change my love-hate relationship with food. We talked about all of my habits. I felt emotional but felt that maybe I was turning a corner. Initially I said I’d be happy at 12 stone but then realised 10 stone was where I really wanted to be. The best thing about going to Julie is that she NEVER lays any judgements on you and knows exactly what questions to ask so you don’t leave important things out.

I always find hypnosis a very intense (and immensely relaxing) experience and that day was no different. Afterwards I floated back through town, still very sceptical but really relaxed.

This morning I weighed myself and nearly fell through the floor when I saw my weight BELOW 12 stone for the first time in 10 years.

So what is different?

I love food and hate exercise. I told Julie I didn’t want to give up my pleasures (wine and nice things to eat) and that I hated the gym. I still eat the things I like but in small portions, in fact, often I serve myself a (smaller) portion and then end up passing some of it to my husband because I don’t really want it. If I fancy something naughty I have a very small amount and feel happy at that.

I can have crisps and sweets in the house and don’t touch them even when I am getting my period!!

I drink loads of water and have given up coffee (that was my choice not part of the hypnosis). My skin feels soft.

I get full very quickly.

I go to bed on a night and realise I have watched TV and not eaten anything.

I walk all over the place and I made a playlist for my MP3 of my favourite dancing tunes and I dance around the lounge for ½ hour if I haven’t done anything much for the day. This has the added bonus of boosting my mood too.

If I feel a bit low I listen to the CD Julie gave me.

My sense of guilt towards food is dissipating.

When I drink with friends I don’t stuff myself with food when I get back or try to mop up the hangover with carbs and grease.

I could go on but there seems to be too many changes to list . . .

Now, 6 weeks on today, I passed the 12 stone hurdle and did a little victory dance to myself again. Don’t get me wrong, I still can’t quite believe it’s this easy some days, but the longer it goes on the more I believe I might achieve my goal of 10 stone. I have finally begun telling friends (the results are clearly visible now) and I feel confident again. I don’t know when I will phone Julie for my free follow-up. I might keep going a while yet.

I write this account for anyone that feels they have too many medical reasons or emotional hurdles for it to work and can hand-on-heart say my life is immeasurably different now thanks to Julie. I am Rachel again and it feels like the sun is shining. So have a little faith.  I’m really glad I did."

Rachel

Link to Rachel's stop smoking testimonial:

http://www.smokingtestimonials.breakthehabit.co.uk/Rachel_of_Leeds.html