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Stamford cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist sets out to tackle mental health pandemic




A therapist hopes to tackle mental health problems in young people by bringing new coping strategies into schools.

Aishling Doyle believes the UK is experiencing a “mental health pandemic” and wants to equip children and teenagers with the tools they need to thrive in the modern world.

Having previously worked as a teacher and suffered from bouts of depression herself, Aishling has experienced firsthand a number of techniques which can be combined to have the maximum impact.

Aishling Doyle
Aishling Doyle

She has been offering them online and is now working face-to-face at the Broad Street Practice in Stamford, while also putting together a mental health workshop to be delivered in schools locally.

Aishling said: "My own mental health was up and down as a teenager. I tried lots of things but it was a combination of hypnosis, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and meditation which brought me out of it completely. Lots of people have used it and experienced a feeling where the veil of depression has lifted.

"I became fascinated with how it could have such an impact. I started to use the CBT tools to address any negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours I was having and within a few months it was like night and day.”

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Aishling went on to study at the Harley Street Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy College and is registered with the General Hypnotherapy Council. She set up an online business, Exist Better, before joining the Broad Street Practice in November.

She said: "Once I started training I realised these techniques should be available to everyone and that has driven me to draw up a workshop for schools.

"If we can bring these tools to children and teenagers at a young age, we can address the mental health pandemic we are going through. I think it's so important to get these things into school. There is a lot of focus on exercise and nutrition but we need to focus on healthy minds too.

“You see a lot more anxiety now and I'm sure some of it is related to phone use, but we need to learn to live with technology.

"Fifty per cent of mental health conditions are established in children under 14 and 75% in people under 26. We need to do more to help children before it gets out of hand. You can get yourself out of it.”

Cognitive behavioural therapy analyses someone’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Aishling says the outcomes are better when it is combined with hypnosis, and tools for life can be learned within a few sessions.

"People can be nervous of hypnosis because they think it's about someone controlling their mind, but you are always in control. It's just a relaxed state and you become more receptive to positive changes," Aishling explains.

This month she hopes to lead a workshop on self-hypnosis at the Blonde Beet in St Paul's Street. The techniques can be used to address a range of issues including anxiety, low mood, habits and phobias.

Aishling added: “I've worked with people who are sceptical but I don't think it's a barrier to the techniques working. All you need is an open mind and be willing to work collaboratively with me.”



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