Habits & Addictions

Habits are behaviours that develop over time. There are a lot of habits that can be beneficial like exercising daily, healthy eating and good sleep hygiene. However, sometimes unwanted, bad habits set in like nail biting, teeth grinding, hair pulling, stuttering as well as other negative behaviours. 

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Unwanted habits can be hard to break as the more they are repeated, the more they become ingrained in the psyche. I use well-evidenced techniques such as Habit Reversal Training (HRT) to help clients break the cycle of bad habits and get back to a normal healthy lifestyle. HRT works by installing ‘counter-habits’ or 'competing responses’ and is highly effective with an average of 90% reduction in the frequency of the habit following a single two hour session. In addition I use hypnotherapy at the end of the session to reinforce these new positive behaviours.

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Stop Smoking

Please see my Stop Smoking page for more information on how to become a healthy, happy non-smoker or give me a call anytime to discuss how best I can help you.

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Alcohol Moderation

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There is nothing wrong with an occasional glass of wine after work but when a glass turns into a bottle every night our relationship with alcohol can take a turn for the worse. Binge and heavy drinking can create a multitude of health, social, and emotional problems, not the least of which is alcohol dependence and the potential for alcohol addiction. 

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I help clients moderate their alcohol consumption by working collaboratively to uncover and address the triggers behind their excessive drinking. I use CBT and Mindfulness Techniques and Hypnotherapy to help clients spot the negative thought patterns and early warning signs which lead to this unwanted behaviour. Once established I teach coping strategies to make the choices that follow these thoughts more positive and healthy moving forwards. In addition I use a wide variety of hypnotherapy techniques to help embed these new positive beliefs and behaviours deep in the psyche. 

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I also help clients moderate and eliminate recreational drug use, gambling and shopping addiction.

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Alexander James is a Mindfulness-Based Therapist and Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist helping clients overcome addictions, stress, anxiety and depression.

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Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person.