Phobias, Fear & The Brain: Why You Can’t Just "Think" Your Way Out of It (And What Actually Works)
- Martin Middleton
- Feb 10
- 3 min read
Overcoming Phobias in Leicester & Online: The Power of CBH
The Invisible Wall
Phobias can feel like invisible walls that trap you in a shrinking world. To your friends or family, the object of your fear might seem small—a spider, a flight, a crowded room—but to you, the reaction is overwhelming and isolating.
The most frustrating part? You probably know it’s irrational.
Most of my clients in Leicester and Hinckley tell me, "Martin, I know the plane isn't going to crash," or "I know the spider can't hurt me." But that logical knowledge doesn't stop your heart from racing, your palms from sweating, or that overwhelming urge to run.
That is because a phobia isn't a problem with your logic. It’s a problem with your alarm system.
Why Willpower Isn't Enough
When you encounter your trigger, your brain's amygdala (the danger sensor) fires the "Fight or Flight" signal before your rational brain has a chance to vote.
This is why "just facing your fears" or "trying to relax" often fails. You are trying to use logic to fight biology.
To truly overcome a phobia, we need to do more than just talk about it. We need to retrain that alarm system. This is where the combination of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and Hypnotherapy becomes a game-changer.
The "CBH" Advantage: Why Add Hypnosis?
Standard treatment often uses Exposure Therapy—gradually facing your fear in small steps. While effective, this can feel terrifying and exhausting if you are forced to white-knuckle through it.
In my practice, I use Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH).
CBT provides the map: We break the fear down into manageable steps and challenge the catastrophic thoughts (e.g., "If I see a dog, I will die").
Hypnotherapy creates the safety: Instead of just imagining the fear, we use hypnosis to imagine facing the fear first and a clam, relaxed confident way.
We rehearse the scenario in your mind while you are in a state of profound calm. This teaches your brain a new association: Trigger = Calm, instead of Trigger = Panic.
By the time you face the situation in real life, your brain has already "practiced" being calm in that scenario a dozen times.
3 Ways to Lower Your "Baseline" Anxiety to Try Today
While professional therapy is often needed to uproot a deep-seated phobia, there are somatic (body-based) tools you can use today to lower your overall stress levels.
Reclaim Your Life
Taking the first step to address a phobia is brave. You don't have to accept a life made smaller by fear.
Whether you are looking for support in-person near Leicester and Hinckley, or you want to access online hypnotherapy from the comfort of your own home, help is available.
We can move you from a place of "avoiding" to a place of "living."
Looking to make positive changes in your life?
If you want to move past the anxiety and embrace your true potential, let's talk. Contact me today for a 15 minuet chat.
I offer a judgment-free space for clients across the UK online, and in-person near Leicester and Hinckley.
References & Further Reading
On Exposure Therapy: Wolpe, J. (1958). Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition. (The foundation of Systematic Desensitization).
On Breathing & Vagus Nerve: Zaccaro, A., et al. (2018). How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing.
On Hypnotherapy Efficacy: Kirsch, I. (1996). Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments—another meta-reanalysis. (Demonstrates the "additive" effect of Hypnosis + CBT).
About Martin Middleton
Martin Middleton is a clinical therapist based near Leicester and Hinckley, specializing in anxiety, shame, and confidence building. He combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Hypnotherapy to help clients silence their inner critic and move from "surviving" to "thriving." Martin offers judgment-free sessions online across the UK and in person.
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