Habits can be powerful forces in our lives, shaping our behavior and impacting our well-being. Some habits, like exercising regularly or eating a healthy diet, can promote physical and mental healthy positives. Other habits, however, can be harmful or destructive, such as smoking, overeating, procrastinating, and even Mobile phone, and social media addiction. Breaking a habit can be difficult, and many people turn to therapy for help.
What is a Habit
Habits are deeply ingrained patterns of behavior that we develop over time, often without even realizing it. They can be helpful or harmful, depending on the habit, and breaking them can be a challenge. Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can be used to stop unwanted habits and create new, healthier ones.
2 Session Therapy – Habit Reversal Program
I have developed a 2 session program that includes in a 1 to 1 setting, a full assessment of the problem, treatment planning, treatment with relaxation skills, hypnosis, homework, and a personalised follow-on plan to stick to. There are also options to book a follow-up maintenance session
Therapy can be an effective tool for stopping habits, but it requires effort and commitment from the individual seeking to make a change. I have designed a rapid 2 session
Habit Reversal Therapy Package Includes:
- 2 Sessions
- 1 – 1 Session (either) in the comfort of your own space online (popular option – later booking availability)
- 1 – 1 Session (or) in the therapy room, Blackheath and Chislehurst London (booking availability dependent)
- Assessment and Problem Definition
- Explanation of Therapy
- Goal setting and objectives
- Relaxation skills training – Mindfulness technique or Breathing Skill
- Therapy session – from a range of Habbit stopping strategies
- Reinforcement through Hypnosis
- Homework setting
- Repeatable personalised plan post therapy
- Option
To Book, Your Interest, click the Contact button in the header and reach out today – Select ‘STOP Habit’, to begin your journey.
Typical Habit Strategies in Therapy
- Identify Triggers The first step in breaking a habit is to identify the triggers that prompt the behavior
- Replace with Positive Behaviors
- Set Realistic Goals
- Develop Coping Skills
- Maintain Accountability Finally, maintaining accountability is key to stopping habits in therapy. Clients can benefit from regular check-ins with their therapist to review progress, discuss challenges, and revise goals as necessary. Additionally, support from family or friends can be helpful in staying on track and avoiding relapse.
Measuring Success
The first challenge is, of course, to define what success looks like, we do this using SMART goals, and a framework for collecting data. The second consideration is to appreciate the multiple factors that drive success in therapy.
There is one reality that should be understood, there is no therapy, or for that matter even in medicine, that comes with a 100% guarantee. We are all complex beings, functioning in complex environments. While some folks are not quite ready for therapy, there are some folks that endure a life-changing moment and move forward with new or renewed goals in their life.
The Efficacy of Habit Therapy
In therapy we refer to the efficacy of treatment, in other words, what does the research suggest the level of a successful outcome to be? Researchers, often run meta-analytical reviews of multiple test samples, apply stringent criteria for data sampling, and produce some form of generic view. There are a lot of these types of studies. I have extracted one such study on the efficacy of therapy, using habit reversal against a defined set of habits.
References
One particular study, linked below, quoted the author’s conclusions; “The findings provided substantial support for the efficacy of habit reversal therapy for disorders that it was commonly used to treat. The findings were consistent with recent arguments for the classification of habit reversal therapy as a well-established treatment for tic and habit disorders“
Bate KS, Malouff JM, Thorsteinsson ET, et al. The efficacy of habit reversal therapy for tics, habit disorders, and stuttering: a meta-analytic review. 2011. In: Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. York (UK): Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK); 1995-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK81987/
Closing Thoughts
Breaking a habit can be a challenging but rewarding process. Therapists can help clients stop harmful habits by identifying triggers, replacing negative behaviors with positive ones, setting realistic goals, developing coping skills, and maintaining accountability. With the right strategies and support, anyone can work towards overcoming their harmful habits and improving their quality of life.
If you are interested in seeking therapy, reach out using the contacts on this page, will be glad to discuss further
