Clinical & Forensic Hypnosis Melbourne
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Clinical & Forensic Hypnosis Melbourne
School refusal and school anxiety can be a difficult issue to navigate for parents concerned about their children’s education, social life, and emotional well-being. The issue however, is relatively common, but all reasons for school anxiety and refusal stem from different particular issues. Alpha Hypnotics provides professional hypnotherapy to help children and teenagers overcome school refusal and school-related anxiety. Whether it appears as fear, avoidance, or emotional overwhelm, school refusal is a sign that a young person is struggling at a deeper level. Our approach uses hypnotherapy to address the unconscious patterns behind the anxiety, build confidence, and support a return to learning and wellbeing. Often the confidence tapped into through hypnotherapy results in improvement in a multitude of other facets of life. With clinics in Bundoora, Brunswick and Mitcham, we offer a safe and compassionate space for families seeking lasting solutions.
Before delving into therapeutic approaches, it’s essential to grasp the complexity of school refusal and its potential underlying causes. Despite previous attempts with various professionals, your child’s school refusal may persist due to deep-seated emotional issues, unresolved traumas, or complex psychological challenges. School refusal is an emotional problem that affects some children and teenagers who feel unable to cope with going to school. It can cause distress, anxiety, physical symptoms and interfere with their social and educational development. (Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited, 2006-2023).
There are different reasons why a child might refuse to go to school, such as fear of failure, bullying, family issues or mental health problems. (Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd 2023., 2013) As a parent, you can help by being supportive, understanding and patient with your child. You can also work with the school and seek professional help if needed.
School refusal is more than simply “not wanting to go to school.” It is often a powerful emotional response, rooted in anxiety, overwhelm, or underlying stress that a young person may struggle to put into words. It can appear as stomach aches, morning meltdowns, or simply a refusal to leave the house. For parents, this can feel frustrating and worrying, especially when traditional approaches don’t seem to work.
Hypnotherapy is a powerful therapeutic technique that can facilitate profound changes in your child’s mindset. By guiding your child into a state of focused relaxation, hypnotherapy can help them explore the root causes of their school refusal. This therapy encourages positive behavioural changes by addressing subconscious fears and anxieties that traditional methods may not have effectively reached. Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic tool that uses hypnosis to access the subconscious mind and create positive changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Hypnotherapy provides a gentle way to work with the unconscious mind, where fears and anxieties are stored. In a relaxed and safe state, children and teens can explore the feelings behind their resistance to school and begin to reframe them. By building calmness, confidence, and resilience at a subconscious level, hypnotherapy offers practical tools that support long-term change — beyond quick fixes or surface strategies.
Ego State Therapy offers a unique and valuable approach to tackling school refusal. EST can offer a unique approach to tackling school refusal by helping a child identify and communicate with their ego states that are responsible for their anxiety, fear, anger, or resistance to school.
EST can also help a child access their resourceful ego states that can provide support, confidence, motivation, and coping skills by working with different aspects of your child’s personality, this therapy aims to understand and heal fragmented emotions and memories contributing to their avoidance of school.
The integration of these ego states can lead to improved coping mechanisms and a sense of emotional balance. “Ego states are different aspects of a person’s personality that have their own memories, feelings, thoughts and behaviours. They are formed by various experiences in life, such as trauma, attachment, learning or socialization. Some ego states may be more dominant or active than others, depending on the situation or context. Ego states can also conflict or cooperate with each other, creating internal harmony or discord.” (Nursalim, 2020
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of self-help therapy that involves tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on negative emotions or thoughts. It is based on the idea that emotional distress is caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system, and that tapping can restore the balance and reduce stress.
“Emotional freedom technique (EFT) is a form of energy psychology that combines acupressure with cognitive interventions. EFT is based on the premise that emotional distress is caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system, and that tapping on specific meridian points can restore the balance and reduce stress. EFT has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, phobia, and trauma symptoms in various populations, including children and adolescents.” (Church, 2013/01/01)
Self-hypnosis is a state of focused attention and relaxation that can help people access their subconscious mind and change their beliefs, habits, or feelings. It can be done by listening to a recorded script, using imagery or affirmations, or following a self-guided process.
School refusal is a term that describes when a child or adolescent experiences high levels of anxiety or fear about going to school and avoids or refuses to attend school as a result. It can be caused by various factors, such as academic pressure, social problems, family issues, bullying, trauma, or separation anxiety.
EFT and self-hypnosis can be combined to overcome school refusal by helping the child or adolescent to:
Some studies have shown that EFT and self-hypnosis can reduce anxiety, improve self-esteem, enhance academic performance, and increase school attendance in children and adolescents who struggle with school refusal.
At Alpha Hypnotics, our focus is always on authenticity. That means we don’t dismiss the child’s resistance as “misbehaviour” but recognise it as a meaningful signal of struggle. Sessions are designed to meet each young person where they are, helping them feel understood and safe while gradually re-establishing their sense of agency. Parents are supported in this process too, with guidance on how to create an environment that encourages steady progress.
Let’s integrate the use of self-hypnosis and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) into each milestone to enhance the process of overcoming school refusal for your child:
Milestone 1: Acknowledgment and Acceptance
Example: EFT and even self-hypnosis to explore underlying emotions and beliefs related to school refusal issues, allowing for a deeper understanding of your child fears and misgivings.
Directions: (1) Practice self-hypnosis sessions to enter a relaxed state, then explore past experiences and emotions related to fear of going to school. (2) Utilize EFT tapping to address any guilt, shame or fear associated with your child’s, school issues thus promoting self-acceptance and self-esteem.
Milestone 2: Goal Setting
Example: Use self-hypnosis to reinforce your commitment to your child’s recovery goals and promoting your child’s self-visualization of successfully achieving them.
Directions: (1) Before sleep or during focused relaxation, encourage your child to visualize achieving short-term and long-term school acceptance goals. (2) During EFT tapping, encourage your child to affirm a determination to overcome school refusal and fear, tapping on acupressure points while repeating empowering statements.
Milestone 3: Visualization and Positive Reinforcement
Example: Practice self-hypnosis to vividly imagine the benefits of living a stress-free, happy school life, enhancing motivation and confidence.
Directions: (1) Engage in self-hypnosis sessions that emphasize the positive outcomes of school attendance, such as improved mental health, stronger relationships, and increased happiness. (2) Use EFT tapping to reinforce positive affirmations about your child’s journey, releasing any doubts or fears that may hinder progress.
Milestone 4: Mindfulness and Meditation
Example: Incorporate self-hypnosis techniques to deepen your child’s mindfulness practice and increase self-awareness of negative emotional triggers and fears.
Directions: (1) During self-hypnosis, focus on building mindfulness skills, such as observing thoughts without judgment and acknowledging emotions related to not attending school. (2) Use EFT tapping as a grounding technique during mindfulness practice to redirect attention away from the negative thought of school and maintain present-moment awareness.
Milestone 5: Seeking Professional Support
Example: Use self-hypnosis or EFT to address any anxieties or reservations about seeking professional help, making the process more comfortable and approachable.
Directions: (1) Practice self-hypnosis to reduce any fears or worries associated with support groups, fostering a sense of openness and willingness to seek help. (2) Utilize EFT tapping to release any negative associations with therapy or seeking support, allowing for a more positive mindset about seeking professional assistance.
Milestone 6: Cultivating Healthy Habits
Example: Reinforce the commitment to healthy habits through self-hypnosis and EFT, making the transition to a healthier lifestyle away from doing nothing more seamless.
Directions: (1) Utilize self-hypnosis to allow the child to visualize self fully embracing and enjoying healthy school habits, such as exercise and friendship, personal achievement through study. (2) Use EFT tapping to address any resistance to change, tapping on points while affirming your readiness and excitement for a healthier social and scholastic lifestyle.
Milestone 7: Identifying Underlying Issues
Example: Use self-hypnosis or EFT to explore and release any emotional triggers contributing to school refusal, allowing for deeper healing and personal understanding.
Directions: (1) Engage in self-hypnosis sessions to access subconscious memories and emotions related to failings and fears, facilitating a deeper understanding of underlying issues. (2) Use EFT tapping to address specific emotional triggers, tapping on acupressure points while acknowledging and releasing associated negative emotions.
Directions: (1) Engage in self-hypnosis sessions to access subconscious memories and emotions related to failings and fears, facilitating a deeper understanding of underlying issues. (2) Use EFT tapping to address specific emotional triggers, tapping on acupressure points while acknowledging and releasing associated negative emotions.
Milestone 8: Celebrating Progress
Example: Use self-hypnosis or EFT to reinforce a sense of accomplishment and celebrate each milestone in your recovery journey.
Directions: (1) Practice self-hypnosis to boost self-esteem and self-confidence, recognizing and celebrating the progress made in your recovery. (2) Use EFT tapping to anchor positive emotions associated with achievements, tapping on acupressure points while acknowledging and celebrating your success.
By integrating self-hypnosis and Emotional Freedom Technique into each milestone, you can tap into the power of your mind to overcome the fears and misgivings of school attendance more effectively. These techniques can help you explore underlying emotions, visualize success, enhance mindfulness, seeking professional support with confidence, and cultivate positive school feelings. Moreover, self-hypnosis and EFT can be valuable tools for addressing emotional triggers, celebrating progress, and embracing a life of scholarly excitement exploration and achievement.
While school refusal can be a daunting road to navigate, embracing hypnotherapy and Ego State Therapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique as viable options can bring new hope to your child’s journey towards overcoming their challenges. The journey may not always be smooth, but with your love, support, and openness to alternative approaches, you can empower your child to build resilience and discover the strength needed to flourish in the face of adversity. Remember that every child’s path is unique, and by embracing these therapies, you open doors to potential breakthroughs that may lead to a brighter and more successful future for your child.
In conclusion, EFT and self-hypnosis are two self-help techniques that can help children and adolescents overcome school refusal by reducing their anxiety and fear and increasing their confidence and motivation. However, parents also play a crucial role in supporting their child’s recovery by avoiding negative behaviours that can worsen the problem, and by adopting positive behaviours that can facilitate the change. School refusal is a complex and challenging issue that requires collaboration and communication between the child, the parents, the school, and the mental health professionals.
Remember, hypnotherapy is just one approach, but it can be a valuable aid on your path to overcoming school refusal.
In Australia, resources to support your child’s return to school include consulting a qualified GP or seeking mental health services. A mental health plan can provide subsidized therapy under Medicare, but Hypnotherapy is not covered. Organizations offering psychological support for school refusal include:
With offices in both Brunswick and Mitcham, Alpha Hypnotics offers families across Melbourne convenient access to this specialised service. Each clinic provides a calm, welcoming space where children and teenagers can begin to release their fears around school and rebuild their confidence step by step. Our aim is to make support accessible locally, so families don’t have to travel far to get the help they need.
References: Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd 2023., 2013. understanding school refusal. [Online] Available at: https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/supporting-a-young-person/school-refusal/ Nursalim, M., 2020. Ego State Therapy (EST) and Systemic Desensitization (SD) to Reduce School Refusal among Senior High School Students. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development. Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited, 2006-2023. School Refusal. [Online] Available at: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/school-refusal/school-refusal
