Services with Frances Holder - Solution Focused Hypnotherapy

Online support for anxiety, ADHD, OCD patterns, phobias and overwhelm

If you feel caught in a cycle of worry, overwhelm or unhelpful patterns, Frances offers a supportive and practical space to help you understand what is happening and begin moving towards meaningful change.

Frances is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and ADHD Coach who works with adults experiencing anxiety, ADHD-related difficulties, OCD patterns, phobias, reduced confidence and persistent overwhelm. Her approach combines Solution Focused Brief Therapy with hypnosis, helping clients focus on strengths, resources and the small changes that can make everyday life feel more manageable.

Frances also brings lived experience of ADHD to her work. She understands that change rarely comes from simply being told to try harder. Sessions are collaborative, neurodiversity aware and shaped around the person in front of her rather than a one-size-fits-all programme.

All sessions are delivered online, allowing you to access therapy from a familiar and comfortable environment.

Is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy right for you?

Frances may be a good fit if you are an adult looking for support with:

Anxiety, persistent worry or overthinking
Stress and feeling unable to switch off
Overwhelm or emotional overload
ADHD-related patterns and difficulties
OCD-related thoughts, habits or patterns
Phobias or specific fears
Low confidence or self-belief
Sleep difficulties linked to stress or a busy mind
Motivation and moving towards personal goals
Understanding the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviour
Feeling stuck despite knowing what you would like to change

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy looks at where you want to go rather than asking you to repeatedly revisit everything that has gone wrong. You will still have space to explain what is happening, but sessions place greater emphasis on your preferred future, existing strengths and the steps that could help you move forward.

This approach may not be suitable for every presentation. Your intake information and initial consultation will help determine whether Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is appropriate for you or whether a different form of support should be recommended.

What is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy?

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy combines elements of Solution Focused Brief Therapy with hypnosis. It is a forward-focused approach that helps you identify the changes you want, notice the skills and resources you already have and develop more helpful patterns of thought and behaviour.

Rather than concentrating only on the problem, sessions explore questions such as:

What would feel different if things were beginning to improve?
What is already working, even in a small way?
When do you cope better and what helps make that possible?
What would be a realistic next step?
How can we help your brain rehearse and strengthen more useful responses?

The hypnotherapy element uses guided relaxation and focused attention. This can create the mental space to step away from constant problem-solving, practise calmer responses and reinforce the changes discussed during the talking part of the session.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is not a magic cure. It is a collaborative process that requires your involvement, reflection and willingness to practise new ways of responding. However, because it is structured and future-focused, many people find it more manageable than approaches that require prolonged analysis of the past.

How Frances can help

Anxiety, worry and overthinking

Anxiety can leave the brain constantly scanning for danger, replaying conversations or predicting everything that might go wrong. Even when you know logically that you are safe, your body may remain tense and alert.

Frances helps you understand the anxiety response and develop ways to reduce the overall level of pressure. Sessions focus on building a sense of control, noticing what supports calmer periods and creating small, achievable changes.

Possible areas of work include:

Understanding the brain's threat response
Reducing unhelpful cycles of worry
Feeling calmer in situations that currently trigger anxiety
Improving confidence in your ability to cope
Building more balanced routines and responses
Learning relaxation skills that can be used outside sessions

ADHD and overwhelm

ADHD can affect attention, motivation, emotional regulation, sleep, confidence and the ability to begin or complete tasks. Years of being misunderstood or told to try harder can also create shame and a belief that change is impossible.

Frances's lived experience of ADHD allows her to work in a way that recognises these differences. Therapy is not about making you more neurotypical. It is about reducing overwhelm, understanding your own patterns and helping you move towards the outcomes that matter to you.

Sessions may support:

A constantly busy or noisy mind
Feeling paralysed by too many demands
Negative self-talk and reduced self-belief
Emotional overwhelm
Motivation and confidence
Building realistic routines or habits
Recovering from repeated experiences of feeling that you have failed

Where practical executive-function coaching is the main need, we may recommend Alison's neurodiversity coaching instead of, or alongside, hypnotherapy. We will help guide you towards the best fit.

OCD-related patterns

Intrusive thoughts and repetitive patterns can feel frightening, exhausting or difficult to explain. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy may help some clients reduce general anxiety, develop a different relationship with thoughts and focus on how they would like life to feel and function.

Frances does not provide a formal diagnosis, and this service is not a substitute for specialist medical or psychiatric care. If symptoms are severe, create a significant risk or require specialist OCD treatment, we may recommend speaking with your GP or an appropriately qualified specialist.

Phobias and specific fears

A phobia can create an intense response even when part of you knows the situation is not genuinely dangerous. Therapy can help you understand that response, build a calmer mental rehearsal and gradually feel more confident around the feared situation.

The exact approach will depend on the nature of the fear, its impact and your individual needs. You will not be forced into a situation or asked to give up control.

Confidence and personal goals

You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Frances can also support adults who feel stuck, have lost confidence or want help moving towards a personal goal.

The solution-focused approach helps identify what progress would look like, recognise strengths that may have been overlooked and turn a broad goal into achievable next steps.

What happens during a session?

A typical session has two connected parts.

Solution-focused conversation

You and Frances explore what has gone well, what has felt even slightly easier and what you would like to be different. The conversation helps move attention away from repeatedly rehearsing problems and towards noticing strengths, possibilities and practical next steps.

You do not have to disclose every detail of your past or retell distressing experiences unless you choose to and it is relevant to your goals.

Hypnosis and guided relaxation

Frances then guides you into a relaxed, focused state. You remain conscious and aware throughout. The experience may feel similar to becoming absorbed in a book, film or daydream while still knowing where you are.

During this part of the session, Frances uses relaxation, guided imagery and carefully chosen suggestions linked to the goals discussed.

The intention is to help the brain rehearse calmer, more helpful responses.

Sessions are delivered online, so you will need a private, comfortable space where you can sit or lie down safely without being interrupted. You should not listen to or take part in hypnosis while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention.

What happens in sessions?

Step 1 - Complete the intake form (optional)

The intake form gives us an overview of you/ your child's current tics, anxiety, wider needs and the impact on everyday life. We review this information before recommending the most appropriate clinician and starting point.

Step 2 - Initial consultation with Sarah (compulsary)

The initial appointment explores your history, current symptoms, goals and readiness for therapy. Parent or carer input is important, but Sarah will also make space for the young person's views and priorities in the second half of the assessment. (if this is for a child)

Step 3 - Individual therapy programme

Sessions are structured around your goals using Solution Focused Mthods

Step 5 - Review and future plan

Frances will review progress with you/ the family, consider which strategies have been most useful and agree whether further sessions, a period of independent practice or other support would be appropriate.

Sessions take place online.