Hypnotherapy for OCD In London
Hello, I’m Susannah. I am a fully qualified clinical hypnotherapist and coach with over 22 years of experience, specialising in OCD treatment. I support clients with a wide range of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, including contamination, checking, Pure O, symmetry and ordering, intrusive thoughts and hoarding.
Working across London and online, I use a combination of NLP, coaching and OCD hypnotherapy. I have been awarded the Senior Qualification of Hypnotherapy Practice (SQHP) from the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC), and the HPD from the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH). If you are seeking obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment and would like to explore how I might be able to help, please get in touch.
I have a specialist interest in obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I adopt a holistic approach to help you find a sustainable, long-term solution. Many people experience intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviours from time to time, but with OCD, they can become overwhelming and begin to dominate day-to-day life. OCD can take many forms, from constant checking and cleaning to distressing thoughts, repetitive mental rituals or a need for symmetry and order.
While it can feel isolating, OCD is more common than most people realise, and it often develops as the brain’s way of trying to manage anxiety or regain a sense of control. Over time, the compulsions that were meant to relieve stress can end up fuelling it, creating a cycle that feels impossible to break.
Hypnosis for OCD helps calm the part of the brain that triggers these urges, and retrains the mind to respond in a calmer, more balanced way. I offer a gentle, non-judgemental approach, combining coaching, NLP and clinical hypnotherapy for OCD to help you regain control and feel free in your thoughts and actions.
If you would like to learn more about my obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment programme or explore how OCD hypnosis could help you move forward, get in touch.
Common Reasons to Seek Hypnotherapy for OCD:
- Compulsive checking or cleaning habits
- Intrusive or distressing thoughts
- Constant need for reassurance
- Fear of contamination or illness
- Counting, tapping or ordering rituals
- Health anxiety and fear of harm
- Feelings of guilt, shame or fear of losing control
- Obsessive perfectionism or control
- Rumination or mental repetition
- Avoidance behaviours and rituals
- Relationship OCD and overthinking
- Religious or moral obsessions (scrupulosity)
- Pure O OCD
Susannah Saunders
Hello, my name is Susannah. I am a clinical hypnotherapist and life coach in London with over 20 years of experience helping people to enjoy a happier, more fulfilling life. Get in touch to find out more or book an appointment in London today.
NLP, Coaching and Hypnotherapy for OCD
OCD is linked to how the brain processes threat, emotion and control. When you experience an intrusive thought, the subconscious part of your brain that keeps you safe, misfires. It sends out an alarm signal as if something dangerous is happening, even when you know it’s not.
This false alarm creates anxiety, which pushes you to do something – like checking, cleaning or repeating a phrase – to make the feeling stop. For a moment, the brain feels relief, and it learns that the action must be keeping you safe. Over time, this reinforces the same response, so the alarm keeps sounding even when there’s no danger.
Through OCD hypnotherapy, we help calm that threat system and activate the more rational part of the brain that can tell the difference between real and imagined danger. As this shift takes place, the anxiety reduces and you regain intellectual control.
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Over time, the brain begins to relearn that intrusive thoughts are just thoughts, not warnings, and that you don’t need to act on them. And when those thoughts receive less attention, they naturally start to reduce.
In my sessions, I use a blend of coaching, NLP and hypnotherapy to help you shift the behaviour and the trigger behind it. NLP identifies and corrects the obsessive thoughts that lead to the compulsive or repetitive behaviour. Coaching offers practical guidance, helping you take small, achievable steps towards leading a more controlled and calmer life. And hypnosis works at the subconscious level to reduce obsessive thoughts and strengthen your motivations to stop the urges.
OCD hypnotherapy and coaching can help you:
- Get to the root of what’s driving your OCD
- Regain control over your thoughts and actions
- Reduce anxiety and overthinking
- Sleep better and think more clearly
- Ease the urge to repeat certain behaviours or routines
- Learn how to respond differently to triggers
- Rebuild trust in your own judgement
- Learn simple, practical tools to ease stress and worry
- Feel calmer and more confident in everyday life
How Does Hypnotherapy for OCD Work?
If you are dealing with OCD, you understand the frustration of feeling compelled to act on thoughts that you know don’t make sense. Traditional therapies often work with the conscious, logical part of your mind, whereas OCD hypnotherapy works with the subconscious, the part that causes the intrusive thoughts and compulsive urges.
In our sessions, I will guide you into a calm, focused state. This relaxed awareness allows us to gently address the underlying anxiety that fuels your OCD. Instead of fighting the thoughts, which just drives their intensity, we change the way you respond to them. Once your mind can observe and let the thoughts go, they no longer trigger the cycle of anxiety and compulsion. I have extensive experience using hypnotherapy for OCD. If you’re experiencing intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviour, or panic attacks and are looking for OCD treatments, please get in touch to find out how I can help.
If you would like to find out how I can help, let's talk
What Causes OCD?
OCD doesn’t have just one cause. It’s usually a combination of factors, including how your brain works, your personality, life experiences, and sometimes family history. Some people are naturally more anxious, meticulous or prone to overthinking, and this can make the mind more likely to get stuck in loops of fear and reassurance-seeking.
OCD often starts during times of stress or change, like a breakup, illness, bereavement or new responsibility, when your brain is trying to make sense of uncertainty. For some people, it’s been there since childhood. For others, it seems to come out of nowhere.
What’s clear is that OCD is your brain’s way of trying to protect you, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. It latches onto whatever feels most important to you and convinces you that something bad will happen unless you act. Hypnotherapy is an effective obsessive–compulsive disorder treatment, as it helps calm this false alarm system and retrain the brain to respond in a more balanced, reassuring way.
Types of OCD
Obsessive–compulsive disorder can show up in lots of different ways. Some people experience compulsions that you can see, like repeated handwashing or checking things over and over. Others experience mental compulsions, like constantly reviewing conversations, repeating phrases in their head, or trying to “neutralise” unwanted thoughts with counting, praying, or reassurance-seeking. This is sometimes referred to as Pure O.
Common types of OCD that hypnotherapy can help with include:
Contamination OCD
Contamination OCD, where there’s a fear of germs, illness, or things feeling “unclean”
Checking OCD
Checking OCD, such as repeatedly checking doors, plugs, switches, or messages
Harm OCD
Harm OCD, where the fear is around accidentally hurting someone or being a danger
Religious or Moral OCD
Religious or moral OCD (also called scrupulosity), which creates fear around sinning, blasphemy or being a bad person
Symmetry and Ordering OCD
Symmetry and ordering OCD, where things need to feel “just right”
Relationship OCD
Relationship OCD, which creates obsessive doubts about a partner or a relationship
Sexual orientation or Identity OCD
Sexual orientation or identity OCD, which causes intrusive thoughts about who you are or what you want
Health OCD
Health OCD, often involving fears of serious illness or death
Hoarding
Hoarding, where the idea of throwing things away creates anxiety
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Many people experience a mix of themes that can change over time. It’s not the content of the thoughts that defines OCD; it’s how much distress and disruption they cause and how much reassurance or relief you need to feel better.Sexual orientation or identity OCD, which causes intrusive thoughts about who you are or what you wantIs OCD Treatable?
OCD is treatable, and for many people, the symptoms can be significantly reduced or even disappear with the right approach. While some therapies focus on managing the condition long term, I aim to help you feel genuinely more free in your day-to-day life, not just coping with OCD, but moving past it.
That doesn’t mean there’s a magic fix. If you’ve had OCD for a while, those thought processes and reactions will have become well-rehearsed. But because the brain is constantly rewiring, it is possible to unlearn those responses and create new, healthier ones in their place. That’s where OCD hypnotherapy can help.
Using a combination of clinical hypnosis for OCD, coaching and NLP, we calm the threat system in the brain, challenge the beliefs that have been fuelling the anxiety, and build a new sense of confidence and control. The goal isn’t just symptom relief. We’re addressing what is fueling the OCD to provide a sustainable solution.
If you’re looking for an OCD hypnotherapist who offers more than just surface-level OCD treatment, or want to explore whether OCD hypnosis could help you move forward, get in touch, and I’ll be happy to explain how I work.
Is OCD Hypnosis A Quick Fix?
Everyone is different, so it depends on how long you’ve been experiencing symptoms and what kind of support you’ve had before. For some people, things start to feel easier within the first few sessions. For others, it takes a bit longer, especially if the obsessive–compulsive behaviours have been going on for years.
When I work with OCD, I don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. I’ll tailor your sessions around your specific fears, triggers, and goals. Most of my clients work with me for 3 – 6 sessions initially, and then we review things together. Some people are ready to stop there. Others choose to continue for a bit longer to really embed the changes and build long-term confidence.
Hypnotherapy for OCD works best when it’s consistent, so you’ll get the most out of it by committing to the process and listening to the hypnosis recordings I give you between sessions. Over time, these small changes can make a big difference in helping you feel less anxious and more in control.
OCD Hypnosis in London & Online
My private London hypnotherapy practice was founded in 2003. I have been awarded the Senior Qualification of Hypnotherapy Practice (SQHP) from the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC) and the HPD from the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
For more information on my OCD treatment programme and how I can help you overcome your OCD using hypnosis, either in my London hypnotherapy clinic or online, get in touch. We can talk through your particular concerns, and I can explain how I can help.
What My Clients Say
Contact me today to book a session
FAQs
What is the difference between OCD and everyday worrying?
It’s completely normal to worry or double-check things from time to time, but OCD goes further than that. With OCD, the thoughts often feel intrusive and constant, and the urge to act on them can be overwhelming. Even if you know the fear doesn’t make sense, the anxiety can still take over. That’s why reassurance and logic don’t always help. Hypnotherapy for OCD works by calming the part of your brain that is driving these responses so that you can feel more in control.
Can hypnotherapy really help with OCD?
Yes. Many people find that OCD hypnotherapy is a gentle and effective way to ease anxiety and change the way their mind responds. It works by helping the subconscious mind feel safe, so that the thoughts no longer trigger panic or compulsive behaviour. If you’re looking for a different approach or haven’t found relief with other OCD treatments, hypnosis for OCD could be a helpful option.
How many sessions of OCD hypnotherapy will I need?
Everyone is different. Some people feel a shift in just a few sessions, while others need longer to feel the changes settling in. It depends on the type and severity of your OCD, and how long you’ve been living with it. I’ll always tailor your treatment to suit you. If you’re looking for a flexible and personalised approach to OCD treatment, we can create a plan that works for you.
Is OCD curable?
While OCD is often considered a long-term condition, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel better. Many people experience huge relief with the right help. With consistent support, including obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment using hypnosis and coaching, your brain can relearn how to respond more calmly. So while we can’t claim to cure OCD, hypnosis can help you feel freer, calmer, and more in control.
Can hypnotherapy help with Pure O?
Yes. Hypnotherapy for OCD is just as effective for intrusive thoughts and mental rituals as it is for physical compulsions like checking or cleaning. In fact, many of my clients come to me for help with hidden symptoms such as rumination, silent counting, or fear-based thoughts. Hypnosis for OCD works by helping the subconscious understand that these thoughts are not dangerous and do not need to be acted on.
Do I need a formal diagnosis to begin treatment?
Not at all. If you’re experiencing symptoms that sound like OCD and you’re ready to try something different, you are very welcome to get in touch. I don’t require any medical paperwork or diagnosis before we begin. OCD hypnotherapy can help whether or not you’ve already explored other forms of support.
Do you offer hypnotherapy for OCD near me?
All of my sessions are online via Zoom, so I can offer hypnotherapy for OCD near me, wherever you are. You don’t need to travel or worry about finding a clinic nearby. As long as you have a quiet, private space and a reliable internet connection, we can work together from anywhere.
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