Phillip Evans Clinical Hypnotherapist

28/01/2026

The science behind hypnosis – what's actually happening in your brain
There's a lot of mystery surrounding hypnosis, so let's look at what the research actually tells us.
You remain completely in control
This is the big one. Hypnosis isn't about surrendering control to someone else – it's about gaining better access to your own unconscious mind. You can't be made to do anything against your will or values. Think of it as a focused conversation with the part of your brain that runs your automatic patterns and responses.
Your imagination is more powerful than you realise
Ever been so absorbed in a book or film that you lost track of time? Or felt your heart race during a tense scene, even though you knew it wasn't real? That's your unconscious mind responding to imagined experience as though it were genuine. Hypnotherapy harnesses this same mechanism to help you rehearse and embed new patterns of thinking and behaving.
It's focused awareness, not sleep
Despite what stage shows might suggest, hypnosis isn't unconsciousness. Brain imaging studies show it's actually a state of heightened focus and concentration. You're aware throughout, often more alert than usual – just deeply relaxed and more receptive to positive suggestion.
Understanding the mechanics doesn't diminish the experience. If anything, knowing there's solid science behind it makes the results even more impressive.
Questions about how this works? Drop them in the comments or get in touch directly.

22/01/2026

Your nervous system believes what your mind shows it.
That’s why I use visualisation with almost every client. A few minutes imagining somewhere peaceful, safe, and grounding? Your body responds like you’re actually there.
Try it: Close your eyes. Picture your calm place (real or created). Feel the shift.
Below is one of mine, what does yours look like? Comment and let me know.

22/01/2026

1. The Cold Contact Reset (Vagal Activation)
When panic strikes: Touch something cold immediately.

Your brain has a built-in safety switch. When you touch something cold—ice, a cold phone, cold water on your face—your nervous system automatically shifts from fear mode to safety mode. This works through the vagus nerve, which can override the panic response within seconds.
Why it works: The cold triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which tells your brain “we’re safe, we’ve escaped the danger.” Your heart rate stabilizes, and the panic cycle is interrupted.
How to use it: Keep ice cubes in the freezer, use a cold water bottle, or run cold water over your wrists. Even holding a cold drink works.

Want to know about the other tips?
Comment YES

13/01/2026

What’s hypnosis like?
Imagine you’re in a work meeting. You’re fully present; you can hear everything that’s being said, you know who’s in the room, and you could speak up at any moment if you wanted to. But today, you’ve decided to sit back and let your colleagues take the lead.
You’re not asleep. You’re not zoned out. You’re simply choosing to observe rather than direct.
Your attention is focused entirely on what’s happening in that room. You know exactly why you’re there and what you want to achieve by the end. The phones ringing in the corridor, the emails piling up, the traffic outside – none of it matters right now. It’s not that you couldn’t notice those things if you needed to, you’re just not interested. Everything outside that room has faded into irrelevance because what’s happening inside is what counts.
You’re aware of the conversation flowing around you, but instead of jumping in with your usual opinions and suggestions, you’re allowing others to contribute; trusting the process, letting solutions emerge without needing to control every detail.
That’s what hypnosis feels like. Your conscious mind, the part that usually runs the show, analyses everything, and loves to interrupt, takes a comfortable back seat. Meanwhile, your unconscious mind gets the space to do its work: processing, reorganising, and finding solutions that your busy, chattering conscious mind often drowns out.
You’re always in control. You could “chair the meeting” again in an instant if you needed to. But by choosing to step back and stay focused on what truly matters, you create the conditions for real change to happen – the kind that doesn’t come from forcing or overthinking, but from allowing your deeper mind the room to do what it does best.

01/01/2026

24/11/2025

Your unconscious speaks in symbols, landscapes, and metaphors - and when we learn its language, transformation happens fast.

Mindscaping is an advanced hypnotic technique developed by Mike Mandel, one of the world’s leading hypnosis trainers who’s trained thousands of hypnotists globally and worked with everyone from Olympic athletes to Fortune 500 executives. I’m now offering this powerful approach as a stand-alone therapy face-to-face in Stoke-on-Trent and online.

What makes it different from standard hypnotherapy?

Instead of using suggestions to tell your unconscious what to do, we explore the actual symbolic landscape where your automatic behaviours are run from. It’s like having a direct conversation with your unconscious in its own language - so change happens naturally, without resistance.

Why is it so effective?

Your unconscious doesn’t think in words - it thinks in images, symbols, and metaphors. That’s why you can “know” something logically but still feel stuck. Mindscaping bypasses the conscious mind entirely and works directly with symbolic representations from where your behaviours are actually stored. When we update the symbol, the pattern changes automatically.

In just 1 hour, we journey into your inner symbolic landscape to find where outdated patterns are stored, and update them at source.
I’ve seen clients resolve issues in one session that traditional talking therapy couldn’t shift in years. Why? Because we’re working directly with the unconscious mind’s natural way of processing - not fighting against it.

Perfect for anything where you feel “stuck” despite knowing logically what you should do.

Want to experience this for yourself?

I’m offering ONE completely free mindscaping session (worth £95) to the first person who comments LET ME TRY IT below. All I ask is that you provide some feedback afterwards. The next 5 after that can have a 20% discount.
Serious enquiries only please - this is a very powerful transformational technique - you need to want and be ready for real change.

18/11/2025

14/11/2025

Exciting News: My Website Has Been Completely Transformed!
After months of careful development, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of my newly redesigned website at: www.innerinsighthypnosis.com

Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, ready to quit smoking, looking to overcome a phobia, or wanting to lose weight, everything you need to know is now just a click away.

What you’ll find on the new site:
Detailed information about each of the specialised services that I offer
The science behind why hypnotherapy works (spoiler: it’s not what you see on TV!)
Free resources to start your transformation journey
Easy online booking for both in-person (Stoke-on-Trent) and online sessions across the UK
Real stories from clients who’ve experienced lasting change

Your unconscious mind already knows how to create the changes you want - sometimes it just needs the right guidance to update those outdated patterns that no longer serve you.

Ready to discover what’s possible when you work WITH your unconscious mind instead of against it?

Visit www.innerinsighthypnosis.com today

Questions? Drop them in the comments or send me a DM. I love helping people understand how hypnotherapy can create the breakthrough they’ve been searching for.

Clinical hypnotherapy in Stoke for anxiety, fears, stopping smoking and weight loss. Free consultation. Free consultation. Online or in-person.