http://www.mindgardenhypnotherapy.co.uk/

Mind Garden Hypnotherapy UK, Leeds, Leeds (2026)

26/02/2026

DOES HYPNOTHERAPY ACTUALLY WORK?

I get this question a lot.

Usually from people who’ve only seen stage shows…
Or watched someone cluck like a chicken on YouTube and thought, absolutely not.

I was sceptical too.

Before I trained, I’d already tried talking therapy, CBT, self-help, journalling, all of it. I understood my patterns. I could explain my triggers. I was very self-aware.

Still anxious.
Still wired.
Still overwhelmed.

That’s because understanding something isn’t the same as your nervous system feeling safe.

Hypnotherapy isn’t mind control.
You’re not “put under”.
You don’t lose control.

It’s more like guided nervous system regulation.

For me (ADHD brain and all), it was the first time my system actually slowed down instead of me analysing why it wouldn’t.

It didn’t make me a different person.
It didn’t erase anything.

It just helped things land.

And once my body felt calmer, all the insight I already had started to stick.

So does hypnotherapy work?

If you’re expecting stage show stuff — no.
If you’re expecting gentle, brain-based nervous system work — it absolutely can.

And if you’re sceptical? That’s fine.

Most of my clients were too.

23/02/2026

💸 OVULATION & ONLINE

If you’ve ever found yourself adding three new dresses, a supplement you saw on TikTok and a random home organiser to your basket and thinking,

“Why am I like this?”

…have a quick look at where you are in your cycle.

This isn’t about lack of discipline.
It’s about biology.

🧠 What’s happening around ovulation?

Around ovulation:
Oestrogen peaks
Testosterone rises
Dopamine sensitivity increases
Confidence and sociability often feel higher
Risk-taking behaviour can subtly increase

Research shows women tend to:
Spend more on appearance-related items
Be more impulsive with purchases
Feel more optimistic and reward-seeking

Your brain is biologically primed for attraction, novelty and “go for it” energy.

That same dopamine lift that makes you feel magnetic…
can also make “Buy Now” feel extremely justified.

💡 When dopamine is heightened:

The reward feels stronger
The future consequences feel further away
The decision feels exciting, not impulsive

And if you’re already someone who enjoys novelty (hello ADHD brains 👋), this effect can be amplified.

🛒 What Actually Helps

Not shame. Not “just be more disciplined.”

👉 Create gentle friction instead.

Here are practical, brain-friendly strategies:

⏳ 1. The 24-Hour Cart Rule

Add it to basket.
Leave it for 24 hours.
If you still want it tomorrow, reassess.

Ovulation impulses often pass once the dopamine settles.

💳 2. Disconnect Your Card

Remove saved payment details.
Make yourself manually enter your card.

That 30 seconds of effort can be enough for your prefrontal cortex to catch up.

💰 3. Ovulation Budget

If you know you tend to spend more mid-cycle, plan for it.

Give yourself:

A set “fun spend” amount
A beauty/clothes allowance
A no-questions-asked budget

Contain it rather than fight it.

📅 4. Track the Pattern

Notice:

When do you spend most?
What do you buy?
Do you regret it later?
Cycle awareness = power.

Understanding your hormones isn’t about restriction.
It’s about working with your nervous system rather than fighting it.
And sometimes… yes, buy the dress.
Just maybe not three of them at 10:47pm.

17/02/2026

Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year. New moon. Pancake Day.

However you slice it (thin, crispy, or drenched in lemon and sugar) there are a lot of invitations to begin again right now.

Today marks the start of the Lunar calendar and a fresh new moon cycle. If you’re superstitious, red is the lucky colour. If you’re not… it’s still my favourite colour, so I’ll take it. ❤️

It’s said to be the year of the Fire Horse – bold, energetic, forward-moving.
And whether you lean into that symbolically or just enjoy the metaphor, there’s something quite grounding about having a moment in the calendar that says:

You can reset here.
You can start again here.
You can do it differently from here.

The sun’s out (in Yorkshire, no less), the light’s stretching a little longer, and the new moon is doing what it always does, quietly marking a new phase.

Not in a woo-woo way.
Just in a very human way.

We like markers. We like fresh pages. We like reasons to begin again.

So whether it’s:
✨ a small habit shift
✨ a boundary you’ve been meaning to set
✨ a conversation you’ve been avoiding
✨ or simply wearing red because you can

Take it.

A new year on one calendar.
A new moon in the sky.
A pancake in the pan.

Plenty of ways to start afresh 🌱

16/02/2026

DON’T CHOOSE ME AS YOUR SUPERVISOR IF…

…you want straight lines and colouring inside them.
…you want rigid formulas and a laminated “how to be a hypnotherapist” sheet.
…you’d rather follow a script than find your own voice.
…you don’t want supervision to be fun.
…you’d prefer theory over real-life, messy, busy-practice experience.

If you want someone who’s never had a full diary, cancellations, tricky clients, imposter syndrome, marketing wobbles and “what on earth am I doing?” weeks… I’m not your girl.

I run a busy practice.
I’ve taught.
I supervise.
I’ve built this from the ground up.
Been there. Done it. Got numerous t-shirts (some slightly crumpled).

So if you’re looking for:

✨ Straight-talking feedback
✨ Creative thinking
✨ Permission to colour outside the lines
✨ Real conversations about clients and business
✨ Someone who’ll say “okay, but what’s actually going on here?”
✨ Support that helps you grow into your style, not mine

Then we’ll probably get on very well.

Supervision with me isn’t stiff.
It’s not fluffy either.
It’s practical, honest, and sometimes a bit “oh… that’s uncomfortable but helpful.”

You don’t need another rule book.
You need space to think, reflect, challenge yourself and build confidence properly.

If that’s what you’re after, book in a chat with me and we can go from there

11/02/2026

WINTERING

If you’ve felt slower lately…
Less motivated.
A bit foggy.
Wanting early nights, warm food, quieter days.

You’re wintering.

We forget that we’re mammals, not machines. Our bodies don’t know it’s February-but-still-expected-to-perform-like-June. Less daylight, colder weather, more demand on our nervous system, of course energy dips.

In nature, nothing blooms all year.
Winter is for rooting, restoring, conserving energy.

I’ve written a blog about wintering, the science behind why we feel this way, why pushing harder often backfires, and how small, kind adjustments can help you feel steadier now and more resilient when spring arrives.

If you’re craving permission to slow down (without guilt), this one’s for you.

👉 Read the blog via the link in my bio 🌱

04/02/2026

THERE'S NO RIGHT WAY OR WRONG. JUST YOUR WAY
We’re all wired differently. Our nervous systems, histories, coping styles and brains are unique, so it makes sense that one single approach won’t suit everyone.

Some people do brilliantly with talk therapy or CBT.
Thinking things through, understanding patterns, challenging thoughts, that top-down approach (working from the thinking brain down) can be hugely helpful, especially when life feels noisy or confusing.

But for others, talking and analysing just hasn’t helped.
They understand what’s going on… yet their body still reacts. The anxiety still floods in. The panic still shows up. The sleep still won’t come.

That’s often where bottom-up approaches can be a game changer.

Hypnotherapy and somatic therapies work with the body and the subconscious first – the nervous system, the emotional brain, the automatic responses. Instead of asking “Why do I feel like this?” we start with “How can we help your system feel safe again?”

For trauma, chronic anxiety, phobias, long-standing patterns, or when someone says
👉 “I know all this already but it doesn’t change how I feel”
bottom-up work can reach places talking alone just can’t.

None of these approaches are “better” or “worse”.
They all have a place.
The key is the right fit, at the right time, for the right person.

If therapy hasn’t worked for you before, it doesn’t mean you failed at therapy.
It might just mean you hadn’t found the approach that speaks your brain and nervous system’s language yet.

And that’s something we can work with 🌱

27/01/2026

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY ⚽️⛳️

This little golf ball started life as sports equipment. Today it’s got dog prints on it because I like blank white canvas to decorate (que my dad going mental about the total sacrilege of drawing on a golf ball 😅)

Seriously though, the weather in winter is causing all sorts of problems for sports enthusiasts -
Football off.
Golf rained off.
Plans cancelled.

And it sounds small, but not for some people.

For a lot of people (kids and adults), sport and hobbies aren’t just hobbies.
They’re regulation.
Routine.
Dopamine.
Stress relief.
A way of burning off excess energy and emotion.

When winter rolls in and those outlets disappear, we often see:
• more irritability
• restlessness
• low mood
• boredom that tips into frustration

There’s science behind this.
Movement and novelty increase dopamine and serotonin, chemicals involved in motivation, mood and emotional regulation. When our usual outlets are suddenly removed, the nervous system can feel unsettled.

This is where redirection matters.

Not forcing productivity.
Not “finding something better”.
Just… different.

Creative pursuits can really help:
🎨 drawing, painting, doodling
🧩 puzzles, Lego, model-making
🎵 music, playlists
✍️ writing, journalling, messy notes
💪 indoor sports

Creativity uses a different pathway in the brain, it offers focus without pressure and helps regulate the nervous system.

So if winter has cancelled the usual thing (yours or your child’s), and everyone feels a bit off , you’re not imagining it.

Sometimes the answer isn’t pushing through.
It’s picking up something unexpected… and rolling with it.

16/01/2026

GO SHAWTY, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAYS 🎂

It’s my birthday tomorrow.
I’m off to one of my favourite places, Whitby – and tonight I’m celebrating another friend’s big birthday amongst friends.

And the bit I become most aware of is how loved I am. How thoughtful people can be. How lucky I am to have good humans around me.

But birthdays are funny things, aren’t they.

They can hold joy and gratitude and a bit of weirdness all at the same time.
They remind us we’re getting older. (I've lost count of the greys and wrinkles now)
They remind us of who isn’t here anymore.
All the things that have changed since last year.
They can bring up expectations, spoken or unspoken and that quiet pressure to “enjoy it properly”.

Not having my mum here still shows up more loudly around birthdays. I also remind myself that getting older is a privilege not everyone gets… even if it feels bittersweet sometimes.

For a lot of neurospicy brains, birthdays can feel especially uncomfortable:

All the attention suddenly on you

Being watched while people sing

Social rules you didn’t ask for

Unmet expectations

Old childhood stuff quietly tapping you on the shoulder

The pressure to feel happy on cue

There’s science in this too. Anticipation ramps up dopamine, social attention can activate the threat system, and when our internal experience doesn’t match how we think we should feel, the brain can read that as “something’s wrong”. Even when it isn’t.

So if birthdays feel awkward, heavy, flat, or confusing, you’re not broken. Your nervous system is just doing its thing.

The bit I really want to say today is this:
you’re in control of how you do birthdays.

Big plans. No plans. People. No people. Cake. No cake. A seaside escape. A quiet day under a blanket. No pressure to feel grateful, joyful, emotional, or anything else on demand.

I’m choosing Whitby, good company, and letting the day be whatever it needs to be.

And if birthdays bring mixed feelings for you too, you’re not alone.

13/01/2026

Meet Tabasco 🌶️🐶

Not quite a therapy dog just yet… but very much a professional snuggler already.

She’s settling in beautifully and discovering all the good stuff she missed out on before, sofas, warmth, company, and most importantly… the heated blanket. Absolute scenes of joy. She's a horizontal girly, like me.

She used to live in an outdoor kennel at her old home where she was bred from, so watching her relax, stretch out, and properly switch off has been a bit emosh. Turns out she was always meant for soft blankets and indoor life.

Who knows what the future holds, maybe one day she’ll be joining me in sessions but for now her main job is feeling safe, loved, and very cosy. And she’s smashing that role already 💛

Welcome home, Tabi.

12/01/2026

HYPNOTHERAPY & PERFORMANCE - MORE THAN JUST “MINDSET”

Hypnotherapy isn’t just for anxiety or sleep… it’s genuinely brilliant for performance, physical, mental, and everything in between.

Over the years I’ve worked with:
⚽️ Footballers and other sports people tuning up their focus
🏋🏼‍♂️ HYROX and gym athletes wanting that extra edge
🧠 Clients rehabbing after MS flare-ups
🧱 People recovering from falls or strokes
💫 Those working on healing, pain, coordination and confidence
… and plenty who simply want to feel more in control of their body again.

Here’s why hypnotherapy helps;

✨ Your brain can upgrade patterns faster than your muscles can.
Hypnosis helps you access the subconscious motor programmes that control timing, coordination, accuracy and flow. Studies show visualisation in trance activates the same neural pathways as physical practice — meaning you’re literally rehearsing success in your brain before you step on the pitch, track or stage.

✨ It reduces performance anxiety.
That fight-or-flight response? Great for running away from a bear, not so great when you’re about to take a penalty or walk into a gym class. Hypnotherapy helps shift you back into your prefrontal cortex, the part that handles decision-making, accuracy and calm — instead of the panic-y “oh no I’m messing this up” loop.

✨ It boosts neuroplasticity.
Research shows hypnosis increases neuroplastic changes, basically, it helps your brain rewire more efficiently. That’s why it pairs so well with injury rehab, MS, stroke recovery and chronic pain work. We’re helping the brain rebuild confidence, strength, communication and movement pathways.

✨ Your body follows your mind.
If your inner dialogue is saying “you’re going to fall again” or “you’ll mess this up,” your nervous system reacts accordingly. But when we shift that narrative into one that’s calm, confident, focused and regulated, your body follows suit. A calmer nervous system heals better, moves better, and performs better.

And the best bit?
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit from it. You just need a goal… and a brain. Luckily you’ve got both.

08/01/2026

NEW YEAR, STILL ME
I don’t really do resolutions.
Living with chronically debilitating ADHD, they tend to turn into another stick to beat myself with by about day four.

One thing I do know I did better last year though?
I was kinder to myself.
My inner monologue is softer. More understanding. Less “why can’t you just…”.

And my clients have helped me massively with that.

When you spend your days gently reminding people they’re human, not lazy, broken, or failing, it starts to sink in.
Now when I catch myself spiralling, I pause and think:
What would I say to a client right now? Or one the kids or friends?

Consistency is hard with ADHD.
So, instead of pressuring myself to be consistent every day, I focus on being consistent in the intention, doing things that support my goals, even if it looks different day to day.

✨ Systems, not routines. ✨

I’m just trying to look after my physical and mental health a bit better.

Hydration is a big one for me and yes, it really is an ADHD thing.
Many people with ADHD struggle with interoception (our awareness of internal body signals), so thirst cues can be weaker or get drowned out (not in the water I'm not drinking obviously)
My body will happily accept pints… but plain water? Apparently not.

So hydration has to be conscious.
Smaller glasses have helped.
Leaving water where I can see it helps.
And a lot of gentle self-talk.
(And no, it’s not weird. Your therapist said it’s fine.)

Walking every day isn’t realistic for me either.
Transitions are the hardest part.
So instead of creating a whole new routine I’ll lose interest in, I walk around the park when I arrive at work.
Same transition. I’m already out of the car. I just take the long way to the door.

Flowing with what’s already happening, rather than fighting myself, is where things actually stick.

No perfection.
No pressure.
Just a bit more care, a bit more compassion, and a system that works with my brain, not against it.

If this resonates, you’re not doing life wrong, your brain just needs a different approach 🤍

02/12/2025

PUBLIC APOLOGY

I break the rules 🤫🫣

Therapy with me isn’t cold or clinical, and it’s definitely not the “sit quietly while I nod” vibe.
My sessions aren’t perfectly scripted. They’re human. They’re responsive. They’re tailored to you because that’s how people actually change.

On an overstimulated day, I’ll be in casual clothes.
If something in my own life helps you make sense of yours, I’ll share it.
If you need a gentle push, I’ll give it to you straight.
If a meme reminds me of you, I’m sending it.
If a “hot topic” is relevant, we’ll talk about it.

Small talk matters.
Laughing matters.
Honesty matters.
Connection matters.

I’m not a textbook therapist.
I’m not pretending to be neutral and blank.
I’m a human who shows up with skills, experience, intuition, and a huge heart for the people I work with.

So yes, this is my public apology.
I’m a rule breaker.
But that’s exactly why my therapy works for the people it’s meant for.

💛 If you want cold and clinical, that’s not me.
If you want real, tailored, grounded, and actually helpful?
I’ve got you.

Mind Garden Hypnotherapy UK

26/02/2026

23/02/2026

17/02/2026

16/02/2026

11/02/2026

04/02/2026

27/01/2026

16/01/2026

13/01/2026

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02/12/2025

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