I’ve called this blog ‘The true cost of hypnotherapy’.
Really what I’m asking you to do, dear reader, is to see hypnotherapy as a missed investment.
An opportunity cost. The hidden price of staying stuck as it were.
I’m going to try and stick to the observable fact throughout so it feels grounded in reality, not salesy.
Although I am trying to get you to think differently.
“How much does hypnotherapy cost?” is the wrong question.
Let me back track for a moment.
Initially, when I started as a hypnotherapist, I was seen as:
- woo woo (there’s plenty of science that’s shifted the idea of hypnotherapy from a stage act to an evidence-based clinical tool)
- like the character from Little Britain, Kenny (really?)
- like the snake in Jungle Book (I wish)
- an on stage entertainer (hypnosis for fun exists, but I’m a clinical hypnotherapist. I’m not interested in you dancing the funky chicken, or eating a raw onion)
- someone with a large pocket watch (thanks, Hollywood).
That’s all pretty much fizzled out now.
The most common objection is, “It’s too expensive”.
I want to flip this and make you think about what’s the cost of staying the same?
The True Cost of Hypnotherapy - what People Think They’re Saving
What we’re looking at here is the visible cost versus the invisible one. The cost of sessions with me as opposed to the change for the better: the long-term benefit.
Or to put it another way, why us humans naturally avoid upfront investment in ourselves.
The Real Costs of Not Taking Action
There maybe a comfortable feeling of being the same. Nothing changing. No boat rocking. You know this ‘version of you and can live with it, although it’s not cheap.
Let me give you some top line examples:
There’s a financial cost. You’ll have habits like smoking, drinking, comfort spending. Then there’s the lost productivity and missed opportunities. And the broader effects like chronic stress
The lost time cost. You can spend years stuck in the same loop. You tell yourself, “I’ll deal with it later” and that never happens.
Mental and emotional cost. There’s that nagging thought, always with you. You know you need to do something, but you don’t. This leads to anxiety, low confidence and overthinking.
Life cost. You miss out because you can’t move on, get over things. You miss experiences like travel, relationships, or career moves.
AND THE BIG ONE. In your life you’re playing smaller than you could. You’re not getting the most out of things. And remember for all of us the clock is ticking.
Why you delay - even when you know?
This is basically known as the psychology of staying stuck. And where I work at ‘freeing you’. We need to stop
- Your fear of change
- Your skepticism about what I do - hypnotherapy
- Your current belief that “It’s not that bad yet”
- Your thoughts about short-term comfort versus long-term cost.
What Hypnotherapy Actually Changes
This isn’t just “talking about problems”. And thee’s nothing mystical
What you and me are focusing on is changing your habits for the better.
With your permissions I’m accessing your subconscious to change your hurtful habits and thought patterns that aren’t your best friend.
Most people find it’s a faster shifts than willpower alone.
A cost comparison: hypnotherapy versus staying stuck.
I’d like to take a look at some numbers so you can reflect on where you are now and how much better off you mind body and bank balance would be if you change now
Cocaine.
There isn’t a single “official” number (because it’s illegal and varies a lot), but UK data gives a fairly consistent rough range you can work from.
A typical street price is about £70–£120 per gram in recent years. Lower-end deals can be from £40–£50 (usually lower purity, a problem in ittself)
And how does this translate to a “weekly habit”? It depends hugely on your usage, but here are realistic rough scenarios:
Light/social use of 1–2 grams per week works out at £70–£240 per week.
Moderate/regular use of 3–5 grams per week comes in at £210–£600 per week.
If you’re a heavy user/dependent of 7+ grams per week (1g/day or more) that’s £500–£1,000+ per week. Believe me the true cost of hypnotherapy, in real terms, is a lot less.
And these are the big variables that change your costs
- Purity (cheap coke is often heavily cut)
- Location (London vs smaller towns)
- Your connections/bulk buying
- Frequency of use (binging, or spreading it out)
The reality check is that a cocaine habit easily run into thousands per month. And beyond cost, there are significant health risks (heart issues, addiction, mental health problems) and legal consequences (your job, driving under the influence, dealing).
And it’s worse for ketamine (the body harm) and cannabis (the greater chance of psychosis, read Horatio Clare’s Heavy Light).
A phobia, like flying
The “true cost” of a flying phobia (clinically called Aviophobia) goes way beyond just money. It tends to show up in three big areas: financial, professional, and personal/psychological.
The financial cost is both direct and hidden.
You have to make alternative travel plans. Trains, ferries, or long drives instead of flights, for example London to Europe by rail can be two - five times more expensive and much slower.
The deals you miss. Flights are often the cheapest option. Avoiding them raises your overall travel spend.
Last-minute cancellations. You lose money on booked trips you can’t take when you wobble about flying.
Over time, this can easily add up to thousands per year, depending on your lifestyle.
The career cost is often the biggest hidden impact. As you turn down roles that require travel and miss promotions, or international opportunities. You avoid conferences, networking events, or global team meets. In some industries (consulting, tech, academia), this can quietly cap earnings and progression.
The lifestyle and relationship cost. For example, missing weddings, holidays, or family trips abroad, as well as reduced spontaneity (no quick getaways). Basically you’re shrinking your world.
Psychological cost. You worry about flying for weeks before you fly. Then ether’s the relief of not flying, what’s called ‘ the relief-avoidance loop’ - you feel better only because you avoid flying, which reinforces the fear.
This is also an example of where the true cost of hypnotherapy can easily be measured. It’s usually quite easy to go from avoiding planes entirely to flying comfortably in three sessions.
Stress
The financial cost of stress is one of those things that rarely shows up as a single bill, but over time, it can be surprisingly large and persistent.
When stress becomes chronic, it tends to drain money across several areas at once.
Lost income & productivity. This is usually the biggest hidden cost as your sick days or burnout-related leave goes up, your performance nose dives and you can miss raises or bonuses. Even turning down opportunities or promotions because you feel they’ll only bring more stress. Even a small dip in performance (say 5–10%) can mean thousands per year in lost earnings over time.
Health-related expenses. Stress is strongly linked to issues like anxiety disorder insomnia and high blood pressure and heart problems.
Your “coping” spending. To deal with your stress your behaviour changes. For example:
- You eat more takeaways
- Alcohol, nicotine, or other habits increase
- Impulse purchases/quick fix “retail therapy” increases - and you don’t really enjoy it)
This can quietly add £20–£100+ per week, that’s £1,000 - £5,000a year
The hidden money loss of time inefficiency. Time is money - especially for freelancers or high earners. This can mean:
- Missed billable hours
- Lower output for the same salary.
Why? You’ve developed a procrastination mindset or poor focus. So you take longer to complete tasks.
And when you lose confidence in yourself you have reduced decision-making quality.
Career trajectory impact. Chronic stress can lead to job changes or quitting without a plan
- Avoiding high-responsibility (higher-paying) roles
- Burnout cycles that stall progression
Over years, this can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands in lifetime earnings.
So what’s a rough annual “true cost”? For a typical working adult in the UK a lower- is between £1,000–£3,000 a year. What’s considered a moderate impact come sin at £3,000–£10,000 a year. Whilst a high impact (things like burnout, stalling career) is between £10,000 –£50,000+ over time. This is ChatGPT’s answer. Yet again the true cost of hypnotherapy makes life way cheaper.
What to consider. The key insight, unlike a visible expense, stress compounds over time and affects multiple areas simultaneously. You don’t notice the impact as it often goes unnoticed until the costs are large. Another example of the true cost of hypnotherapy.
An example. Four areas where overeating/comfort eating will make you pay in the long term
The “true cost” of overeating isn’t just one thing. It’s a mix of physical, mental, and even financial effects that build up over time. Here’s the real picture:
1. Physical health costs. Regular overeating can lead to:
- Weight gain, even obesity
- A higher risk of type 2 diabetes
- Increased chances of heart disease
- Digestive issues (bloating, acid reflux, discomfort)
- Lower energy levels and poorer sleep - even occasional overeating can leave you feeling sluggish for hours or days.
2. Mental and emotional costs. Overeating easily leads to guilt or shame after eating too much and a loss of control around food.
You can also create your own stress cycles where overeating leads to regret, that leads to a restriction until you feel the need to repeat. In some cases, this contributes to binge eating disorder
This part is often the hardest because it affects how you feel about yourself.
3. Habit and lifestyle impact. You can negatively rewire hunger cues, making it harder to recognise when you’re full. Then you may start relying on food for comfort rather than hunger.
And feeling like this typical reduces motivation to move or form healthy routines.
4. The more direct and measurable financial cost. You end up spending moire on food the your body actually needs - extra takeaways, snacks, or impulse purchases add up quickly
What I’m saying here is that overeating once in a while is completely normal - everyone does it. The real “cost” comes when it becomes a regular pattern that affects your health, mood, and your daily life.
If this is something you’re dealing with, it’s not about willpower - it’s usually about habits, environment, and sometimes emotional triggers. Those can be worked on step by step.
Now let’s flip this - the upside. Because stress affects behaviours and thinking, even small changes (sleep, workload boundaries, exercise, therapy) can produce real financial returns, not just wellbeing gains.
So, if you want, I can help you figure out why it’s happening for you specifically and how to get it under control without extreme dieting.
Am I making you uncomfortable? Good.
Your unease is you recognising your need to change.
Hopefully I can help.
On the other side is a calmer, happier, more confident version of you.
Email me at jamethomas@thegentlemind.co.uk or call 07787563099.
Come and see me in Leeds, York or Harrogate.
Take control. Invest in yourself. Speed up your rate of change and quality of life.
In other words think of hypnotherapy as giving you a long-term return, so the question isn’t, “Can I afford hypnotherapy?”, it’s “How long can I afford to stay the same?’”
