Why hypnotherapy for boys? Because boys face a set of unique challenges.
There’s school pressures. All around the world boys show a concerning trend of underachievement compared to girls, a higher rate of exclusion and lower aspirations for higher education. Factors feeding into this include differences in brain development, the impact of early schooling on boys' natural physical activity, potential teacher bias, and a lack of tailored educational strategies. At an early age hypnotherapy for boys can help address these challenges.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). At the moment more boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls, though this is likely due to how ADHD symptoms present differently and how they are perceived by others. Boys more often display "externalising" behaviours like hyperactivity and impulsiveness, which are more noticeable in a school setting. In contrast, girls with ADHD often show "internalising" symptoms like inattention, which can be overlooked or misinterpreted. This difference in symptom presentation can lead to under-diagnosis of ADHD in girls, especially in clinical and population-based studies.
Sports performance. It’s still a key area for boys. Acceptance in peer groups through being good at sport. It comes with the associated ideas of success and manliness.
Identity. It can be complicated. Issues with boys' identity can stem from social expectations, toxic masculinity norms (you can’t always see what they’re watching on their phones or being shown by others), a lack of positive role models, and societal pressure to suppress emotions (stiff upper lip, ‘Grow a pair” still exist), leading to mental health struggles, inadequacy, and isolation.
In turn, these issues include struggling to conform to outdated stereotypes, facing stigma or being sniggered at for judgment for expressing vulnerability and navigating gender fluidity.
What is therapy?
In modern language therapy is short for psychotherapy. It’s the treatment for mental health problems or emotional distress. It’s always done in a safe and confidential space where you’re not judged and are free to explore all thoughts, behaviours, and emotions, then learn coping skills, and work towards a state of mind where things bother you less and you feel more resilient.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy for boys is a way of relaxing. And in this calm state, talking to the subconscious boys can realise that they don’t have to be bothered by existing thoughts, habits or behaviours. Everything can calmly be changed for the better.
‘Better’ can mean less bothered, more confident, more accepting, less troubled, less stressed, less anxious - it depends wha needs to be overcome.
How does hypnotherapy work?
Put simply, it’s a state of relaxation where its easier for me, the hypnotherapist, to talk to the subconscious and make changes at the deepest level.
Busting myths. What hypnotherapy isn’t.
It’s not mind control. As I talk about above, it’s a therapeutic tool. It only works if you want it to work. You have to believe. You relax, let the message in and accept. At any point you can choose to stop, to not believe. It’s as simple as that.
What is the minimum age for hypnotherapy?
With hypnotherapy for boys the youngest I’ve worked with is aged seven. For any boy aged under 16 I’d also expect the parent/guardian to also be present.
I am DBS checked.
Hypnotherapy for boys. Some typical scenarios.
Anxiety & stress (tests, friendships, family changes, we’re also encouraging healthy self-expression).
Confidence & self-esteem (body image, speaking up, trying new things - Builds resilience and coping skills).
Sports performance (focus, calmness under pressure, recovery - we’re creating a sense of control over their own mind and emotions and providing tools for focus and motivation.).
Habits (nail biting, gaming/screen overuse, overeating).
Sleep problems (nightmares, insomnia).
Pain management (chronic conditions, medical procedures).
A brief idea of the approach & techniques I use.
These are only ‘serving suggestions’ as it were. It depends what the specific challenge is, but successful therapy harness some of the below:
The use of visualisation (e.g., sports scenarios, adventures, superheroes).
Encouraging creativity and imagination. I’m handing control over. They create their own imagery of what success looks like
Involving parents appropriately without pressuring (without making boys feel “watched”).
Who am I to talk?
Everything was going fine for me until I was aged 13. I injured myself playing football and a had. A cartilage taken out and never could play football again. I also missed three months of schooling to recover. No one helped and I didn’t think to ask for help. Come my time sit my exams I had no where near enough knowledge to pass. I was left with no sport and no immediate educational future.
It took a long time to recover and eventually pass an exam and ‘rejoin’ everyone else.
What I’m saying is I was once on the outside trying to look in.
Chat?
If you think you have a son, or know a know a boy who’s out of sorts feel free to get in touch. That ‘boy could be form aged seven to 18 (these are just bigger boys, not fully formed men).
I’m at jamesthomas@thegentlemind.co.uk
