What is trauma?
Trauma can show up in many forms — anxiety, shutdown, emotional numbness, anger, loneliness — and it doesn’t always stem from a major life event. Sometimes trauma comes from what didn’t happen: the emotional needs that weren’t met, the connection that wasn’t there, or the moments when we were unseen, unheard, or unprotected.
Trauma is often described as the nervous system’s response to a situation that was too much, too fast, or too little for too long. It can be physical or emotional, acute or ongoing, and it impacts people in different ways — sometimes even from well-meaning people who were dealing with their own pain.
Natalie offers trauma-informed hypnotherapy from her Carterton clinic. Sessions are approximately one hour, with some clients reporting a sense of relief early in the process. However, many find that deeper and longer-term progress happens over multiple sessions, where each layer can be gently addressed at the pace your system allows.
Disclaimer: Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy and is not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment. Individual results vary. It is not used to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition.
Can Trauma Be Healed?
Many people wonder if trauma can truly be healed. The answer is — with the right support — it’s possible to feel safe again, to reconnect with your body and emotions, and to move forward in ways that once felt out of reach.
Trauma often stems from experiences that were too overwhelming to process at the time. When that process is interrupted, the nervous system may remain stuck in a state of alert or shutdown — sometimes for years. This can lead to symptoms like anxiety, emotional disconnection, or anger. Healing begins when both the mind and body are given what they need to complete that interrupted process.
Techniques like hypnotherapy, somatic approaches, trauma-informed bodywork, and talk-based support can all play a role in helping your system re-regulate over time. Some people also explore energy-based or complementary modalities to support this journey.
There is no one-size-fits-all path. But recovery is possible — and you don’t have to do it alone.
What Techniques Do You Use?
As a trauma-informed hypnotherapist, I focus on supporting recovery through the subconscious mind, recognising that healing involves both mind and body. While my primary modality is clinical hypnotherapy, I may also refer clients to trusted colleagues for complementary body-based approaches that support nervous system regulation and emotional release.
I don't treat trauma as a disorder, but rather as a response to overwhelming experience. I believe that with the right conditions, many people can heal and move forward.
In session, I use hypnotherapy to help the subconscious mind safely revisit and reprocess unresolved emotional material, often stored as implicit memory. The goal is not to relive trauma, but to complete the natural “working-through” process that may have been disrupted at the time of the event.
I also draw on Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Voice Dialogue techniques — which explore the different parts or sub-personalities within the psyche. These tools help clients gently shift protective patterns and reconnect with more compassionate, balanced aspects of themselves.
Additionally, I incorporate elements of trauma narration — supporting clients to give voice to their story in a safe, contained, and respectful way, as part of their personal healing journey.
What to Expect in a Trauma-Informed Hypnotherapy Session
In a trauma-informed hypnotherapy session, we begin with a brief conversation about your week, focusing on any current situations that have caused distress. These moments often reflect deeper, unresolved emotional patterns. Rather than talking about past trauma in detail, we explore how you’re feeling now — and use that as the thread to guide the work.
Natalie uses a technique inspired by the “Golden Thread” process to gently shift the emotional charge associated with these feelings. The goal is to support your mind in reframing how it holds that emotion — helping you feel more grounded, clear, and calm.
You’ll then be guided into hypnosis: a safe, focused state of deep relaxation. This process aims to help your nervous system settle and shift out of “fight or flight” mode. Throughout the session, you remain aware, in control, and free to stop at any time.
You will not be made to recall distressing events or do anything you don’t want to do. Hypnosis in a therapeutic setting is very different from what’s seen in stage shows. Your mind will only accept suggestions that align with your values and intentions.
After the session, many people feel calm and refreshed. Some notice change immediately, while for others, it may unfold gradually over multiple sessions. Either way, reflection and open communication are key to your progress.
Hypnotherapy FAQs
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
Many people worry about this — especially if their only exposure to hypnosis is through stage shows. But trauma-informed hypnotherapy is very different. It’s not about being “under control” — it’s about being guided into a natural state of focused awareness, much like deep relaxation or meditation.
Most people are able to experience this state when they feel safe and supported. Even if you don’t “feel hypnotised,” the process still works. You’ll remain aware and in control the whole time — and your mind will only accept suggestions that align with your values and readiness for change.
Are you able to “fix” my problem ?
No — and that’s a good thing. I don’t view you as broken or in need of fixing. Whatever issue you’re facing — whether it’s emotional eating, sleep disruption, or anxiety — is often your brain’s way of trying to cope with something deeper.
My role is to guide your mind toward understanding what it needs, and to help it find new ways of responding that are more helpful and less disruptive. You already have the capacity to change — I’m here to walk beside you as that process unfolds.
How much does it cost?
Your first session is $130 including GST, which includes an extended trauma-informed hypnotherapy consultation (approx. 75–90 minutes). Follow-up sessions are $95 including GST (approx. 60 minutes).
Many clients find it helpful to come weekly at first, especially when working through complex issues — but how often you attend is completely up to you.
What happens in a session?
Each session starts with a conversation. We talk about what came up for you this week — any emotional triggers, stress, or moments that felt significant. These everyday experiences often point to deeper patterns rooted in unresolved emotional material.
Many people find that symptoms such as reactivity, anger, emotional eating, or relationship struggles can be linked to past experiences the nervous system hasn’t fully integrated. By exploring these patterns together, we can begin to shift the emotional charge that surrounds them.
From there, we may move into hypnotherapy — a gentle, guided process that can help the mind relax and focus. This state allows us to reinforce new ways of thinking and feeling, support emotional resolution, or visualise more helpful behavioural patterns.
Every session is different and tailored to what your mind and body need most that day.
How many sessions will I need?
That’s entirely up to you. Some clients feel a noticeable shift after just one session, while others choose to continue working through multiple layers of trauma or emotional patterns over time.
Sometimes there’s one core experience that needs attention. Other times, the process is more gradual — as one layer is addressed, others may naturally come to the surface. You decide when you’ve reached a place where you no longer feel you need support.
Do I have to think about or relive the traumatic event?
Absolutely not. Trauma-informed hypnotherapy focuses on your present-day emotional responses — not on forcing you to relive painful past events.
Many contemporary approaches to trauma support now recognise that re-experiencing an event isn’t always necessary for healing, and in some cases can be overwhelming. I use methods that allow us to work with your symptoms gently, without revisiting the original event in detail.
The goal is to help your mind and body feel safe again — not to retraumatise you.