John Sackett

Welcome to my personal profile page. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I consider working as a therapist to be a great privilege, but with that privilege also comes a responsibility to do the best I can to help you to achieve your goals. Whether you are considering counselling, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy or coaching, all of which are explained on the relevant pages of our website, I feel confident that I can give you the best possible treatment to help resolve whatever is troubling you. I first started my training in 2007 and have never stopped learning since then, both by the experience of working with many clients and also continuing to attend many courses and workshops as well as reading and researching new and different ways to enhance my core skills. How does this help me to help you? By having a wide range of tried and tested skills, my aim is to support and help you in the best possible way. I feel that I have a friendly, confident and professional manner and would like to assure you that I am happy to discuss and explain any suggested treatment to make sure you are comfortable with it before proceeding.

And because it is so important for you to choose the right therapist for you, I offer:

Free 20 min telephone consultation prior to your first session

Free first 20 mins of your initial 60 min session, which is at a reduced rate of £35. The first session will involve a thorough assessment to identify and clarify your requirements. A proposed treatment plan and timescale and a useful ‘tool’ for you to take away, such as a relaxation technique to help you to feel calmer between the sessions.

Please note that my sessions are for a full 60 mins as I like to give you value for money. Most therapists provide only 50 min sessions which means that you will receive 6 sessions for the price of 5!

Why did I become a therapist?

It was my daughter’s arachnophobia, an irrational fear of spiders, that brought about my first contact with hypnotherapy. I had tried for over twenty years to convince her that spiders were harmless but without success. When a hypnotherapist cured her phobia in just 3 one hour sessions I was astounded and I just had to learn more about this amazing treatment!

I already had a long-standing belief in the healing power of the mind and when I started to study hypnotherapy, a lot of things seemed to fall into place. I was totally absorbed by the many different methods that can be used to treat such a wide variety of problems that affect all of us at some time in our lives.

I eventually gained my diploma and as often happens, the more I learned the more I wanted to know! I went on to study counselling, which seemed a natural progression to further build my knowledge and skills in this fascinating field. It soon became apparent to me that the effectiveness of these two separate disciplines could be so much greater when they are combined.

The value of that formal extended training cannot be overestimated, however it is probably true to say that I have learned as much from my clients themselves and working with them, each with their own unique experiences, personalities and ways of responding to therapy. I feel very privileged not only to have been part of their healing process, whatever form that may have taken, changing the negative aspects of their lives into positive empowerment, but to have had the opportunity to learn something from each of them.

My continued training and development as a hypnotherapist has led to my becoming an NCH accredited hypnotherapy supervisor. This means I am registered to supervise fellow hypnotherapists on behalf of the GHR and the National Hypnotherapy Society.

Swans Therapy Therapies

My Special Areas of Expertise

Pain Management
Prior to becoming a hypnotherapist, I spent some time in the Ambulance Service. My experiences in that service led to me taking a special interest in pain management. I have studied the ways in which therapy can work alongside medical treatment in helping both sufferers and their carers to accept and take control of their situation, often giving them increased mobility and improving their quality of life.

Phobias
My original motivation for studying hypnotherapy has led me to undertake extensive training and research in the treatment of phobias and I have worked successfully with many people with a wide variety of fears and anxieties. People often feel embarrassed to admit to their phobia. They may have been teased and even ridiculed by family, friends and work colleagues, but to the sufferer the fear is very real. The solution needs to be specifically tailored to suit them and their particular situation.

Bereavement
I have been a volunteer bereavement support worker since 2008 at Forest Holme, a palliative cancer care unit associated with Poole Hospital. The specialist training, ongoing support and supervision I receive there has always been amazing. This has provided me with the skills and experience needed when working with people who have suffered the loss of a loved one.

End of Life Care (Palliative Therapy)
When we are born, the only thing that is certain is that one day we will die. It is a well-researched and documented fact that people who are prepared for death will die much more peacefully and I see my role as supporting, informing and helping you to prepare for that time as much as possible.

My Qualifications

  • Certificate in Hypnotherapy Supervision
  • Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy
  • Advanced Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy
  • Diploma in Counselling &Psychotherapy
  • Certified CPD (Continuous Personal Development) in various aspects of counselling and hypnotherapy
  • Certified Reiki Practitioner

Membership Associations

  • Senior Practitioner with the General Hypnotherapy Register
  • Accredited Hypnotherapy Supervisor with the National Council of Hypnotherapy
  • Accredited Member of the National Hypnotherapy Society
  • Accredited Member of the National Counselling Society

From Our Blog

Dreams and Hypnotherapy

Blog Swans Therapy November 2020 Dreams and Hypnotherapy When we dream, we are in an altered state of awareness, the alpha state of sleep is

Sympathy vs Empathy

On Empathy Day, it seems like a good time to clarify the difference between sympathy and empathy, which many people seem to mistakenly regard as the

The Physical Side of Stress

The Physical side of Stress As the dreaded lockdown continues to affect all our lives, it is not surprising that so many people are seeking

Coping with grief at Christmas

Christmas can be a painful time whether it’s your first year without someone who has died, or you were bereaved long ago. I wanted to

Importance of Self Care 2020

When we talk about self care, many people seem to link it with being selfish, which is an entirely different thing. “I’m too busy at