Eating Disorders and Food Addiction Therapy Birmingham

15/10/2025

Insomnia, Sleep Issues , Misophonia
Client referral posted today ,
" Great, and effective hypnotherapist. Stuarts techniques really work and will change you're life for the better.
Hi my name is Neil. I came across Stuart Downing when I found myself seeking out hypnotherapy to treat problems I was having with my sleep due to living next door to previous neighbours who were very noisy and whom had kept me awake. Thankfully, after a couple of months, the neighbours had moved on, but unfortunately as a result, I developed an anxiety about getting to sleep, which in turn lead to me developing an insomnia which was caused by the anxiety. I had also developed Misophonia as a result, and had become hypersensitive to certain noises, such as any bangs or thuds. Even though the neighbours had left, my anxiety still persisted, which only caused me even more anxiety as I couldnt understand why I just couldnt relax as I knew the neighbours were no longer there. It got too the point where the anxiety around my sleep was so bad, that it really started to have a profound effect on my life. I felt I couldnt enjoy life anymore, I just wasnt happy. I had felt like I had lost the ability to relax, as a result it really started to effect my relationships with my family as I just wasnt me anymore, so to speak. Thats when I knew I had to do something as I felt it was destroying my life. I researched hypnotherapy. I was curious as to how it worked, and researched whether or not it would be beneficial for the issues that I was going through. I sought out a few hypnotherapists, thats when I came across Stuart Downing. I did my research on him, and discovered that he could treat issues around sleep/anxiety. I read his reviews, which were all positive. I booked a consultation with Stuart, who was very friendly and reassuring and explained how hypnotherapy worked and the methods he was going to deploy in helping to heal me. In the consultation, Stuart told me that I would only require three to four sessions at the most, which I was surprised about to be honest, as I felt so afflicted by my issues. What can I say? Well, after just one session, I already noticed a vast improvement in my sleep quality. I was sleeping longer and deeper, and waking up totally refreshed. Over the last few weeks of the sessions , my sleep and anxiety has just got better and better. I feel much less anxious, and lot more relaxed, like a weight has been lifted. I am so glad that I decided to invest in the sessions with Stuart, and would recommend it to anyone who is considering hypnotherapy. Stuart helped me learn that a lot of fear is irrational and totally unnessacary, and that I can rationalise with myself that I do not need to feel that fear. I have also learnt extremely effective relaxation techniques, which have really helped me. I f I ever experience any difficulties in the future, I will be sure to utilise these techniques. So, if you have any issue that is effecting you to the point where it is having a profound effect on you're life, then I would highly recommend that you book yourself a consultation with Stuart Downing, it can and will change you're life!
Neil 14/10/25

If you need help with sleep issues , contact Stuart 07825 599340
stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-sleep-disorders-Sleep Disorders and Insomnia Therapy Birmingham
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/reviews

Stuart Downing is a trusted hypnotherapist helping clients overcome their issues across the UK and worldwide. Read his reviews here.

08/10/2025

10/02/2025

Insomnia and Sleep Issues
Lying awake at night, staring at the ceiling, feeling wired but exhausted?
If that sounds familiar , there’s a good chance your cortisol levels are out of control.
And here’s the deal: high cortisol is more than just a bad night’s sleep—it’s a serious roadblock to your health, energy, and your ability to hit the flow state.
Cortisol is your body’s built-in alarm system.
It’s meant to help you handle stress, but when it sticks around too long—especially at night—it can wreak havoc on your sleep.
Studies show that elevated evening cortisol is one of the biggest culprits behind tossing and turning, disrupted sleep cycles, and that feeling of being “tired but wired”.
When your cortisol levels are too high in the evening, your body stays in a state of alertness, making it nearly impossible to relax and fall asleep.
And poor sleep doesn’t just affect your mood—it drags down your entire health, energy, and performance.
The Cost of High Cortisol:
1. Disrupted Sleep
High cortisol messes with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. You wake up feeling drained, no matter how long you’ve been in bed.
2. Increased Stress and Anxiety
Cortisol is linked to heightened stress responses. If your cortisol stays high, your body is constantly in “fight-or-flight” mode, which leads to more stress, anxiety, and mental fog during the day.
3. Blocked Flow State
Cortisol doesn’t just affect your sleep—it blocks your ability to enter the flow state. The flow state is where you’re fully focused and performing at your best, but high cortisol keeps your brain stuck in overdrive, making it impossible to focus deeply or think creatively.
Now, imagine what happens when you cut evening cortisol by 25%.
You’re not just lowering your stress—you’re giving your body the green light to relax, sleep deeply, and wake up energized.
Lowering cortisol improves your sleep quality, reduces anxiety, and opens the door for you to finally access the flow state.
When cortisol comes down:
1. Deep, Restorative Sleep
Lower cortisol allows your body to enter its natural rest-and-recover mode, improving sleep quality and helping you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
2. Reduced Anxiety, More Clarity
When your cortisol levels are balanced, you’ll notice less anxiety, better mental clarity, and an increased sense of calm. This sets you up for a more productive, focused day.
3. More Consistent Flow State
With cortisol in check, your mind and body can work together, making it easier to slip into the flow state—where creativity, focus, and high performance come effortlessly.
You don’t have to spend another night staring at the ceiling, trapped in a cycle of poor sleep and high stress.
Lowering your evening cortisol naturally is possible, and it’s the key to better sleep, more energy, and consistent access to the flow state.
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss your insomnia issue in more detail
Email - stuart .co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/.../hypnotherapy-for...
Client reviews - https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/reviews

Stuart Downing is a trusted hypnotherapist helping clients overcome their issues across the UK and worldwide. Read his reviews here.

25/01/2025

Recent Client Review- Disordered Eating
"Experience of Treatment Sessions for: disordered eating and anxiety
Before I came to see Stuart, I was really struggling with disordered eating which was becoming an increasingly unsustainable way to live. I often felt consumed by thought patterns which would loop between the what's and if's of eating. This left me feeling frightened of the contents inside my fridge. Which was far from ideal.
The decision to invest in treatment sessions both financially and energetically was definitely a good one for me. Of-course there is no magic cure to the anxiety that drove my disordered eating. However, the sessions were surprisingly effective in helping me work through both the mechanism of disordered eating and some of the stuff underneath that. I also think it is important to note that I found the therapeutic process very challenging, and did wish that I had more time and space in my life to process what came up.
Ultimately, I now have a much more peaceful relationship with food which is a world away from what it was before. I also suspect my general self-awareness has improved which could, at least in part, explain why I feel more of a sense of clarity when problem solving across a wide range of areas in my life." -E.h.k 19/5/19
If you have any issues around disordered /binge eating -Call Stuart -07825 599340 for a free 30 minute telephone consultation to discuss how therapy can help .
stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com

04/06/2022

Separation and attachment anxiety
If your child has separation anxiety, he/she might have recurrent and excessive distress about anticipating or being away from home or loved ones, he/she might refuse to go to school, get repeated nightmares about separation, or even have headaches, stomach aches or other symptoms when he/she separates from you or other loved ones. There is a danger in not treating separation anxiety in children, as it can be misread by teachers as a lack of ability to focus in the classroom.Hypnotherapy for separation anxiety for children is effective as it trains the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Within a few hypnotherapy sessions, they will be able to adapt themselves to the new situation. Many parents have reported that it is far more effective than conventional talk therapy, which doesn’t treat the problem where it arises
Early attachment interactions are thought to shape people’s attachment patterns later on in adult life. For example, a secure adult has a similar relationship with their romantic partner, feeling secure and connected, while allowing themselves and their partner to move freely. On the other hand, a loss of a romantic partner such as divorce may trigger depression among people high on attachment anxiety, because their anxiety relates specifically to separation and abandonment. Those who suffer from panic attacks often have a history of childhood separation anxiety. The sudden arousal of the social separation can lead to panic attacks. The panic attacks and separation anxiety make one feel as if the center of one’s comfort or stability has been abruptly removed.

It's not unusual to have some degree of separation anxiety as an adult at certain points in your life (e.g., after the death of someone close to you or when experiencing other losses). This would be considered episodic separation anxiety. However, adult separation anxiety disorder is a recurrent and persistent problem that is not linked to anything objective that is going on in a person's life at the time.

Typical symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorder are:
Recurrent excessive worry about separating from a place or a person that you are close to (like a spouse)Persistent and recurring fear about losing people close to you or that something bad will happen to them (when there is no objective reason for feeling this way)Recurrent reluctance to go to school or work or go elsewhere due to fear of separating from someone close Persistent and excessive fear of being alone Persistent and excessive fear or reluctance of going to sleep without having someone who is close to you in the house or nearbyRepeated complaints about headaches and other physical symptoms when you are separated from the person or people that you are close to Recurrent nightmares about separationThis anxiety causes significant impairment in one or more major areas of your life (e.g., your relationships, work life or in other significant areas).These symptoms last a month or more, and they are not attributable to any other physical or emotional causes.

There are many ways to treat adult separation anxiety. Clinical hypnosis is a safe and effective form of therapy. It allows you to relax enough to get to the unconscious causes of the problem. You maintain a dual awareness of the here-and-now as well as whatever comes up in the clinical hypnosis session. It also allows you to discover if you are being triggered by other prior events in your life.
Fortunately, research shows that a person’s attachment system, along with his or her sense of security, can be changed for the better. For example, a relationship partner who acts as a reliable security figure can restore a sense of felt-security and help the person function more securely. Effective treatment via reflective awareness and cognitive re-appraisal can facilitate neuroplasticity changes in the patient’s non-conscious mind and increase capacity for secure attachments.
With Clinical Hypnotherapy, I will help you to break down the walls of this self-created prison – with rapid results.
You will achieve all that you desire, no more living in the shadows of life.
You’ll release your mental block, laugh more often and become the person you knew you could always be.
You will grow greater self–confidence, self assurance ,create opportunities, express yourself, realize your ambitions, goals and dreams… become the person you always knew you could be.
Become the Person You Always Knew You Could Be.

Zoom online appointments

Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss how neuroplasticity can rewire your addictive issues
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-anxiety-disorders

What our clients say - https://stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

29/05/2022

Binge Eating and Bulimia
Binge and restricting cycle can be emotionally draining , affect mood and have a great impact on your life .
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss your issues around binge eating and bulimia and how specialist eating disorder therapy can help you break free .
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-eating-disorders
https://www.eatingdisorders-uk.co.uk
What our clients say - https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

29/05/2022

Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy
Fear of dentist, doctors , hospitals
Pain management, recovery and preparation regarding surgery .
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 for a free confidential call to see how hypnotherapy can help you
Zoom online appointments available
Member of International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA)
stuart .co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk
What our clients say - https://stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

24/05/2022

Food Restricting
Restricting by calories, food type and food intake can create disordered ,binge and avoidance eating patterns .
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 for a confidential phone call to discuss how specialist eating disorder therapy can help your issue .
Zoom online appointments available
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-eating-disorders
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-eating-disorders
https://www.eatingdisorders-uk.co.uk
What our clients say - https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews