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From Panic to Peace: Proven Support to Bring Back Control
Find lasting relief from Panic Attacks with Hypnotherapy in Cirencester, Stroud and Online
If you’ve had a panic attack (sometimes called an “anxiety attack”), you’ll know it doesn’t feel like “just anxiety.” You might recognise some of the following:
- Your heart suddenly races or pounds, seemingly out of nowhere
- You feel a wave of intense fear or dread, even when nothing is obviously wrong
- You struggle to catch your breath, or feel like you’re choking
- You feel shaky, sweaty, dizzy or detached from what’s happening around you
- Afterwards, you start to dread the next one — checking exits, avoiding certain places, or replaying it in your mind
It can be frightening, exhausting, and hard to explain to people who haven’t experienced it. If it’s starting to shrink your world — the places you’ll go, the things you’ll do — that’s completely understandable, and it’s also very treatable.
Hypnotherapy for Panic Attacks in Cirencester, Stroud & Online
I offer hypnotherapy for panic attacks and panic disorder from my practices in Cirencester and Stroud, as well as online sessions across the UK and beyond.
So whether you’d prefer to:
- attend sessions in person locally, or
- work together from the comfort of your own home
you can get the support that works best for you.
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How I Can Help You
I specialise in helping people reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks, and regain a sense of control using solution focused hypnotherapy.
Rather than just talking about the panic, we work with the part of the mind where these patterns actually get triggered — so change can feel more natural and longer lasting, rather than something you have to consciously fight through each time.
Clients often begin to notice:
- Fewer attacks, and less intense ones when they do happen
- Less time spent anticipating or dreading the next one
- A greater sense of control over their body’s stress response
- More confidence going to places or doing things they’d started to avoid
- Calmer, steadier days in general
What’s Actually Happening in a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is your brain’s alarm system firing when there isn’t a genuine threat to respond to — a false alarm, essentially, but one your body reacts to as if it were completely real. That’s why the physical symptoms (racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness) can feel so convincing and so frightening.
The good news either way: solution focused hypnotherapy works with the underlying stress and hypervigilance that keeps this alarm system on a hair trigger, rather than just managing each attack as it happens.
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What Happens in a Session?
One of the biggest questions people have is: “what will actually happen?” Here’s what to expect, whether it’s in Cirencester, Stroud, or online.
1. The “talking” part
We’ll gently explore:
- what’s already going well for you, even if it’s only very small things to begin with
- what you’d like to change
You’ll also come to understand, in simple terms, why your brain and body react the way they do — which on its own is often a relief for clients who’ve been left wondering “what’s wrong with me?”
2. Hypnotherapy
You’ll be guided into a calm, relaxed state (similar to daydreaming). In this state:
- your general stress levels reduce, which makes the alarm system less likely to misfire
- your mind becomes more receptive to a calmer, steadier way of responding
- you build a stronger sense of being back in control
You remain in control throughout. Each session lasts 50 to 60 minutes.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
This varies from person to person, but many clients notice a real difference within the first few sessions — sometimes even a reduction in intensity straight after the Initial Consultation, simply from starting to understand what’s happening. Most clients having sessions for panic attacks have between 8 and 12 sessions in total, to help the changes become properly established. Some want more, some fewer — we’ll review progress together as we go.
Who Might This Approach Help?
This tends to help people who:
- Have panic attacks that seem to come “out of nowhere,” with no obvious trigger
- Notice they’re starting to avoid places or situations in case they have another one
- Feel constantly braced for the next attack, even between episodes
- Have physical symptoms (racing heart, breathlessness, chest tightness) that have been checked by a GP and found not to be a medical emergency
- Find their panic attacks are tangled up with wider anxiety rather than being an isolated issue
If you’re not sure which of these describes you, that’s completely normal — it’s exactly what an initial conversation is for.
Panic Attacks and Hypnotherapy FAQ’s:
Will I lose control during hypnosis, or be made to do something against my will?
No. This is a common myth, often based on stage hypnosis. In a clinical setting you are always in control — you can open your eyes, speak, or end the session at any time. Hypnosis is simply a state of focused, relaxed attention, and my role is to guide you into it, not to take over.
Do I need to talk through what caused my panic attacks in detail?
No, not if you don't want to. Some clients find it helpful to talk through specific triggers, but many panic attacks don't have one obvious cause, and we don't need to dig through the past to make progress. We focus much more on how you'd like to feel and respond going forward.
What if I have a panic attack during a session?
That's completely fine, and not something to worry about. If it happens, we simply pause, and I'll help you settle again before continuing. Sessions are a safe space to be exactly where you are — you don't need to be "calm" to start.
I've had panic attacks for years — is it too late for this to help?
Not at all. I see clients who've dealt with panic attacks for a few months and others who've lived with them for decades. Solution focused hypnotherapy works with how your brain is responding now, rather than how long the pattern has been there, so it's never too late to start.
Can I have sessions online, and are they as effective as in-person?
Yes. I offer sessions both at my clinics in Stroud and Cirencester and online via Zoom. Online hypnotherapy is just as effective as in-person sessions, and for many clients, being in a familiar space actually makes it easier to relax. As long as you have a quiet, private space and a stable connection, you'll get the same benefit either way.
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Panic Attacks Affect Everyone Differently
This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. Because the physical symptoms of a panic attack (chest pain, breathlessness, a racing heart) can closely resemble those of a genuine medical emergency, it’s important to have any new or severe symptoms checked by your GP first, particularly if this is the first time you’ve experienced them. Once medical causes have been ruled out, hypnotherapy can be a very effective part of your recovery.
Take the First Step
Reaching out can feel like the hardest step — but it’s also the most important one.
- Book a free call with me
- Ask any questions you may have, or I can simply explain further how it all works
- If it feels right, book an Initial Consultation
Local and Online Hypnotherapy Sessions
Many clients I work with come from:
- Cirencester
- Stroud
- surrounding areas in Gloucestershire
I also work with clients online across the UK, which can be just as effective as in-person sessions.
Registered with the Hypnotherapy Directory
Alex Brounger is a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist, Hypnotherapy Supervisor and Lecturer, and a Fellow of the AfSFH. He runs busy practices in Stroud and Cirencester in Gloucestershire, and works extensively with clients online.