“Hypnotherapy for business women” I really shouldn’t be writing this in 2025, but I am.
Fact. The world of work is still not a level playing field.
I can’t change that. But what I can help you with is your mindset. Cracking on. Not doubting yourself. Giving all business women the self-confidence to believe. Why? Because it's been found that women who endure work place sexism face a greater mental toll.
But before I talk about how we can work together I thought I’d outline some of the issues I’ve come across. These are in no particular order.
Micro aggressions. Three examples.
What Im talking about here are comments or actions that can appear innocuous, but imply a subtle (or blatant) judgment or bias. For example:
(1). Soft skills & admin tasks falling to women. It’s more likely that women not men are asked to take meeting notes, make the tea of coffee etc. It’s the expectation that women do more of the ‘admin’ in work which then subtly places them a little lower on the food chain. Forbes calls this ‘office housework’ and gives some suggestions on how women can avoid doing this so much.
(2). Bloke chat. During the small talk before a meeting starts. “Did you see the match last night?”, “How was the golf on Saturday?”. Because it’s assumed to be boys talk they all lean in and look at each other assuming women have no interest in sport, or that it’s an appropriate topic of conversation. It’s a way of lads self-selecting before business starts. Same with banter - a word that supposedly justifies sexist comments.
(3). Mansplaining. Men know best. Really? Men (usually the insecure ones) feel the need to talk down to you. For example:
As a woman opens up about an experience she had and a man interrupts her to inform her that he's “faced worse.”
During a conversation a woman discusses a current event and a man cuts her off to say she's mistaken, or doesn't know what she's talking about.
Here’s one doing the rounds on social media. Listen to the off screen comments.
Sexual harassment.
While the #MeToo movement helped shed light on the issue, you may still have to deal with it. A survey conducted in January 2018 by the nonprofit Stop Street Harassment found 38 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
Work-life balance.
The double burden. You want to work, but have to juggle a family too. Your hours are longer. You’re tired. You feel guilty. You’re aware of statements like a women needs less money if they have a husband who is the ``breadwinner.’' You’re expected to get the kids from school when one of them is sick, it always falls to you. Being a mum means seniors doubt your ‘commitment’.
The industry you work in
For example engineering. All through university men are in the majority and this carries through to the workplace. Men have little appreciation of your skills.
Promotion
US research has found that women are promoted less often than men. Despite being more educated than men and making up nearly half of the workforce, women are promoted at work far less often than men. Women make up less than 5 percent of CEOs and less than 10 percent of women are top earners in the S&P 500.
“Believe in yourself and own your own success.” -- Sheryl Sandberg
Fear of asking to be paid what you’re worth
Women often struggle with asking for higher pay in a job. While related to the issue of unequal pay, fear of discussing money is a separate issue that affects women more significantly than men. For women, negotiating pay is often viewed as being greedy or desperate, which leads to hesitation when it comes to asking for their worth in the workplace.
New research from Glassdoor found women negotiated their pay less often than their male counterparts. The poll found nearly 70 percent of women accepted the salary they were offered without negotiating, while only 52 percent of men did the same.
How can Hypnotherapy for business women help?
Let’s work on your confidence to go and get what you’re worth. Don’t hide.
Assertiveness
Let’s get your voice heard. Stop being talked over or feeling like your ideas are ignored. We can role model this until it becomes second nature. It's still hypnotherapy for business women, just another part.
The menopause
The flushes, the foggy thinking, the feeling that you’re too and old past it. No. I won’t have it. You’ve experience. You can see answer quicker. Prioritise
Self belief/imposter syndrome
Drop it. Back yourself. Men do. Even when they don’t have the skillset. Women typically apply to a job when they meet 100% of the critera, whereas men will go for a job when they meet 60%. Make the jump. I’ll show you how.
The above is in no way definitive, but is based on my experience.’
What’s my interest in women succeeding?
My mother was bought up on a small tenant farm. Her brother was ‘expected’ to take on the farm.
Mum’s choices were marry a farmer or become a dairy maid. Welcome to 1950s rural England.
She wasn’t having any of it. The farm didn’t have electricity so she studied for her A levels by gas lamp. She went to university and got two degrees in medicine and one in physics.
I also have two daughters. They have worked in business, the civil service and the military and from each field have tales of discrimination and being passed over.
So if you feel you’re a woman who’s being held back please feel free to get in touch. With hypnotherapy for business women let’s work on lowering the barriers for you.
My full title is Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist. I have rooms in Leeds, York, Lincoln and Louth. You can email me at jamesthomas@thegentlemind.co.uk or call me on 07787563099
