Sean Harris

14/08/2025

Think You Had a Good Childhood? Think Again...

Feeling lost, alone is at the heart of every problem, when a child’s fundamental need for connection and safety goes unmet, emotional struggles begin, often unnoticed beneath a seemingly “normal” childhood.

Walk into any therapy session of mine , and you’ll hear a familiar story: client sits down, explains their struggles with anxiety, low self-worth, people-pleasing, smoking , addiction, Weight issues and then casually adds,

“But I had a good childhood, my problem didnt start from there ”

As a global therapist, I have learned to pause here, not to challenge the client’s memory, but to question the lens through which they’re viewing their past.

Because if you’re struggling in adulthood, it didn’t come out of nowhere. In fact, all of your emotional patterns were formed between birth and age seven, during the most sensitive and impressionable stage of your life.

From the moment a child is born, they are biologically programmed to look up to their parents, their mother and father as their sole protectors and sources of safety. This born need to rely on for protection means that when a child feels rejected. alone or isolated, it triggers a fundamental fear,the fear that underlies all emotional, behavioural and habitual problems.

Even if nothing “terrible” happened, that doesn’t mean your childhood was emotionally healthy.

The truth is this: all people have emotional problems. No one escapes childhood without absorbing limiting beliefs, emotional conditioning, or relational patterns. Some adapt by overachieving, others by shutting down. Some become caretakers, others become controllers. The coping strategies differ, but the emotional imprint is universal.

Most adults reflect on their childhood through logic:

“My parents worked hard.”

“They gave me everything I needed.”

“They weren’t abusive.”

These are rational thoughts, and they might even be true. But children don’t perceive the world through reason, they feel it. They don’t interpret emotional absence as, “Mom was stressed,” or “Dad didn’t know how to express himself.”

They internalize it as:

“I’m not good enough.”

“I must of done something wrong "

“It’s not safe to be myself.”

"Something wrong with me " etc etc

To truly understand your childhood, you must view it not through your adult logic, but through the emotional lens of the child you were.

One of the most common ways people avoid emotional truth is through cognitive bypassing. It sounds like:

“My parents did their best.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“They didn’t mean to hurt me.”

“Other people had it worse.”

These statements are all logical and they help us stay emotionally safe by keeping us out of touch with the deeper truth: we were hurt. Not always in visible, dramatic ways, but in subtle, chronic ways that shaped our self-worth, attachment style, and emotional regulation.

Cognitive bypassing is a defense mechanism. It protects you from pain. But it also protects you from healing keeping you stuck , blocking anything the therapsit is trying to do

If you’re still stuck in patterns that don’t serve you, it’s time to move beyond explaining your childhood and start feeling it.
Between the ages of 0 and 7, a child’s brain is in a highly suggestible, emotionally absorbent state. They’re not just learning how to walk or talk they’re absorbing emotional patterns, relational dynamics, and beliefs about themselves and the world.

These core imprints don’t come from what your parents said. They come from what you felt over and over again.

Was love consistent or unpredictable?
Were emotions welcomed or shut down?
Did you feel safe to be fully yourself—or did you learn to adapt, shrink, or perform?

Even in homes with no overt trauma, emotional neglect, perfectionism, conditional affection, and lack of validation quietly shape the nervous system and subconscious beliefs.

And all of it starts with parents. All parents have problems. That’s not a criticism, it’s a reality. Most parents carry unhealed wounds of their own. They may have loved you deeply and done their best, but if they never dealt with their own emotional patterns, they likely passed them on unintentionally but powerfully.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about clarity. When you stop defending your parents’ choices and start witnessing how those choices affected you, everything changes.

The truth is, we’ve normalized emotional dysfunction because it’s so widespread. Many people believe unless there was violence, addiction, or obvious neglect, their childhood was “fine.” But trauma isn’t just what happened to you. It’s also what didn’t happen for you.

It’s the love you didn’t feel. The safety you didn’t have. The words you needed but never heard.

So if you’re asking yourself, “Why do I feel this way when nothing bad happened?” the answer might be this:

"Something important didn’t happen"

People talk about their issues in my therapy, telling me what they think the problem is. But consciously, they often don’t know why they feel this way. And that’s because the conscious mind, the thinking, rational part, was shutdown during the original distressing moment. When the nervous system goes into fight, flight, or freeze, the brain doesn’t record logical memory, it records emotion.

You might not remember the moment your needs were dismissed. Or when you learned it wasn’t safe to cry. Or when you had to become the “easy” child to avoid upsetting a stressed parent. But your body does. Your nervous system does.

And your adult self is still operating under those old survival patterns.At the core of all emotional struggles is a younger version of you who felt stuck.

Not necessarily traumatized in the dramatic sense, but overwhelmed. Alone. Misunderstood. Unseen. And without the adult support or emotional presence that would have helped you process it.

That’s how deep emotional wounds form, not always through trauma, but through distress that had nowhere to go.
My Therapy helps you go beyond the surface. It helps you get to the root of your problem and reprocess those experiences where the child within you never got closure. Who never got to speak. Who had to make sense of pain with the limited tools of a developing mind.

When you reconnect and reprocess , the child then finding safety, compassion, validation, you begin to rewire your nervous system. You soften the inner critic. You stop reacting from old fear and begin responding from new clarity.

You stop living the life you built to survive. And you start living from who you really are with the raw confidence you was born with.

So if you're struggling and still believe your childhood was “normal” or “good,” ask yourself this:

Are you remembering it with adult logicor are you willing to feel it through the child’s heart?

Because all people are still carrying emotional imprints from childhood, shaped by environments that didn’t meet their needs, even if no one meant to cause harm.

Your parents had their own trauma. Their own blind spots. Their own pain.And unless they healed it on a subconscious level , they passed it down. That’s not your fault.

But if you want freedom, it is your responsibility.
You don’t need to stay stuck in patterns that were never yours to begin with.

You can break the cycle.

You can feel again.

You can finally become who you were before you learned to be what others needed.

And it starts not with blame, but with truth.

Sean 07858 112643

13/08/2025

05/08/2025

ADHD? Or Trauma in Disguise?

Why Most Diagnoses Miss the Real Story

What if everything we’ve come to believe about ADHD is actually a misunderstanding?

What if the restless mind, scattered attention, and impulsive behaviour’s aren't signs of a neurological defect but natural responses to trauma experienced during childhood?

I believe and their are emerging insights from neurobiology and neuroscience suggest exactly that, many people diagnosed with ADHD are coping with the lasting effects of trauma.

When a child experiences chronic stress such as emotional neglect, instability, or unsafe environments, their nervous system enters a state of hyperarousal. This is a survival mechanism in which the brain floods the body with over 30 different stress chemicals, including adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. Known as the fight, flight, or freeze response, this keeps the brain and body constantly on alert, ready to respond to danger.

In this state, critical brain areas, especially the prefrontal cortex, which governs attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation are hijacked. The freeze response can also kick in, leading to shut down, dissociation, or withdrawal. These survival responses make it difficult to concentrate or sit still. Children in this state often appear impulsive, distracted, or fidgety and are quickly labelled as having ADHD.

But here’s the key distinction: these behaviour’s may not reflect an inherent neurological disorder. They may be the brain’s adaptive response to overwhelming environments that lacked safety, support, and connection.

The Problem with Labels...

Too often, individuals with trauma-related symptoms are diagnosed with ADHD without any real investigation into their early life experiences. These quick diagnoses lead to medications aimed at controlling behaviour, rather than addressing the root cause: unprocessed trauma and a dysregulated nervous system.

What’s worse is how easily labels like “ADHD” stick. Once applied, the diagnosis can become part of a person’s identity difficult to challenge or outgrow. For children who felt unseen, unheard, rejected, or abandoned, the label can paradoxically bring a sense of acceptance. Finally, someone notices them. Even if it’s for the wrong reasons, the attention feels validating.

This creates a dangerous loop: the label provides belonging, even while the root pain remains untreated.

Neuroscience confirms that true ADHD typically involves neurodevelopmental differences, particularly involving dopamine regulation and attention networks in the brain. But trauma causes chronic hypervigilance, disrupting these same circuits and creating behaviour’s that mimic ADHD.

This pattern can also be seen in people diagnosed with Asperger’s or autism spectrum conditions. Many individuals on the spectrum, particularly those who are late-diagnosed or misdiagnosed, also have complex trauma histories. Sensory overwhelm, emotional shutdowns, and social difficulties can sometimes stem not only from neurodivergence but also from environments that lacked safety, attunement, or understanding. In some cases, trauma may look like autism and in others, people with autism have also endured trauma that’s never been addressed. The overlap is real, and without trauma-informed care, many autistic individuals may be further misunderstood or mistreated.

So, What Actually Helps?

One of the most effective treatments for trauma and the attention, anxiety, and emotional challenges it causes is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Originally developed for PTSD, EMDR has shown remarkable results in helping people overcome anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and trauma-induced ADHD-like symptoms.

Here’s how it works: EMDR guides individuals in recalling distressing memories while using bilateral stimulation, typically eye movements, taps, or sounds. This process helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories and release their emotional charge. Essentially, EMDR helps the brain do what it couldn’t do at the time of the trauma: integrate and move on.

The result? A reduction in the fight-or-flight chemical storm, calming the nervous system and restoring emotional balance and focus.

Unlike medications that suppress symptoms, EMDR addresses the core trauma that drives them. It’s non-invasive, adaptable, and highly effective, for any problem.

To truly support people struggling with emotional and cognitive challenges, clinicians must move away from outdated, behaviour-focused approaches and go down the route of holistic treatments that look at the whole person, not just the behaviour.
And yet, there’s a cruel irony at play.

Despite the growing body of evidence, institutions like the NHS and the World Health Organization publicly acknowledge the importance of trauma, but often fail to provide real trauma-informed care. If they truly delivered on what they endorse, the world would be a far healthier, more emotionally grounded place.

Millions of people wouldn’t be misdiagnosed, misunderstood, or medicated for conditions that aren’t the real problem. They’d be heard, supported, and offered treatments like EMDR that actually help them heal, not just survive, but thrive.

What looks like ADHD is often something deeper, a nervous system overwhelmed by the past, still searching for safety.

The solution isn't another label, another pill, or another behavioural chart.
It’s compassion.
It’s science.
It’s listening to the full story.
And it’s time for doctoros and clinicians to stop using archaeic outdated systems because real healing starts when we stop mistaking survival for dysfunction.

If your suffering contact me and will discuss more

Sean 07858 112643

21/07/2025

Are you fed up being on the therapy hamster wheel and want to be fixed for good ?...

No problem is too big

Sean Harris 07858 112643

16/07/2025

The Silent Saboteurs: How Self-Limiting Beliefs Shape Our Lives and How to Break Free

We all have an internal dialogue that helps us navigate the world, but for many, that voice is more critical than compassionate. It repeats old narratives like, “You’re not good enough,” “You will fail" "Your not loveable etc etc .” These are not objective truths. They’re self-limiting beliefs, mental scripts formed over time that quietly govern our behavior, block our potential, and keep us stuck in cycles of fear, self-doubt, or procrastination.

These beliefs don’t appear overnight. They take root early, often in childhood, when the brain is most impressionable. A single negative experience with a parent , whether careless or intentional can create a lasting imprint. The same situation being repeated often enough, combined with emotional intensity hardwire these statments into your subconscious. As adults, we may not remember the moment they were formed, but we live out their consequences every day.

The question is: If these beliefs live beneath conscious awareness, how do we overcome them? Deeper change is needed, going beyond the rational mind and into the subconscious, where these beliefs were originally stored. That’s where methods like Hypnosis, EMDR, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) come in.

Hypnosis
Works by bypassing the critical, analytical mind and accessing a deeply relaxed, receptive state where the subconscious is more open to suggestion. In this state, the mind can revisit the original moments that seeded a self-limiting belief and begin to reframe them. For instance, a person who has always believed they’re “not enough” may, under hypnosis, recall the first time they felt that way, a moment in childhood when a parent ignored their achievements. By revisiting this scene with adult awareness, the emotional weight of the belief can be released, and a new, healthier narrative introduced. Hypnosis doesn’t erase the past; it rewrites the emotional and cognitive patterns associated with it.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Originally developed to treat trauma, is another powerful tool. It involves guided eye movements or bilateral stimulation while focusing on a painful memory or negative belief. This technique helps “unfreeze” memories that have been stuck in the emotional brain (the amygdala) and reprocess them in a way that feels safe and integrated. When a memory loses its emotional charge, the belief tied to it can then shift dramatically. EMDR is especially effective for beliefs rooted in trauma or highly emotional events.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Operates from the premise that our thoughts and language patterns shape our reality. By identifying and altering these patterns, we can create new mental and emotional outcomes. NLP techniques might include visualizing a limiting belief as an image or movie, then shrinking or altering it to reduce its power. Another approach may involve modeling the behavior and mindset of someone who doesn’t share the same limiting belief. NLP is dynamic and often experiential, allowing people to “feel” the difference immediately when a belief is shifted.

All three of these Revolutionary Therapies share one thing in common: they go beyond simply understanding what we believe to address how those beliefs were formed and where they live in the mind and body. They give us access to the subconscious, the operating system beneath the surface, and allow us to update it, much like reprogramming outdated software.

Breaking free from self-limiting beliefs isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about reconnecting with who you were before the world told you what you weren’t. Hypnosis, EMDR, and NLP don’t implant new ideas; they help remove the blocks that have been standing in the way of your natural confidence, clarity, and strength.

The truth is, many of the beliefs holding us back were never ours to begin with. They were inherited, absorbed, or misunderstood. With the right tools, you don’t just change your mind, you change your life.

Sean 07858 112643

13/07/2025

https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/hypnotherapists/sean-harris

20 yrs experience helping people rapidly eradicate Anxiety, Fear, Panic, Trauma ,Smoking & more, for good. Specialist in getting the results you desire in 4 hours or less. Become calmer, more confident & live a happier heathier, more successful life.

05/07/2025

We often talk about smoking in terms of addiction, habits, and willpower. We count the ci******es, scold the lungs, and praise the ni****ne patches. But what if the real reason you can’t quit smoking has nothing to do with the cigarette at all?

For many, smoking begins long before they ever hold a lighter. It starts in childhood — not with to***co, but with trauma. Stress. Loneliness. Fear. Watching adults cope through smoke. Feeling unseen. By the time a teenager picks up a cigarette, they’re not looking for ni****ne. They’re looking for relief. For a way to feel grounded, accepted, soothed.

And this is the root most hypnotherapists miss.

If you don’t confront the original wound, the emotional pain, the coping mechanisms learned early from childhood, you may quit smoking, but you’ll still feel the pull. You might turn to va**ng, overeating, overworking, or drinking or go back smoking again . Because the smoke was just a symptom.

To truly quit for good, you have to work on th subconscious root cauSe of your smoking problem on a subconscious level. By doing this through advanced hynptherapy you will quit for life. Not only that but you will handle stress in a much more postive way , becoming more confident in your life for genera

Want to quit for life?

Sean 07858 112643

30/06/2025

We live in a world that loves logic. Think harder. Analyze more. Fix it with facts. Self Help Courses, Books, Counselling , CBT etc. But if you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, trauma, fear, or addiction, Smoking etc then you know, you can’t logic your way out of your problem.

All our problems don’t live in the rational part of your brain. They live deeper. the subscious mind in the limbic system, especially the amygdala, which is built for survival. You might know you're safe now, but your body still remembers a time when you weren’t. Logic can’t reach that far down.

Most of our problesm are just a coping mechanism , a way to regulate stress, anxiety, or emotional pain. We can understand and learn about our problem but what if your brain’s logic center isn’t the answer, what is? Permanent Healing comes from working direct with your subconsious mind , thats why hypnotherapy and other therapies such as NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming ) EMDR, Havening, Thought Field Therapy etc that all work direct with this part of the mind , can be so succesful in helping people remove their problem for good and where lasting positive change takes place.

Sean Harris 07858 112643

28/06/2025

Yes You Can....

Many people who struggle with negative thoughts, emotions, beliefs, behaviours etc find themselves overwhelmed by feelings that seem to come out of nowhere. A racing heart, tight chest, or sudden fear might appear without warning. But often, these reactions aren’t really about what’s happening right now. They’re often linked to past experiences memories that are stored in the subconscious mind that have never fully been processed.

This is where EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, can make a big difference. EMDR is a type of therapy that helps people go back to distessing memories and reprocess them in a safe and controlled way. It was first used to help people with trauma and PTSD, but today it’s also widely used to treat anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression and so much more.

In fact, EMDR is now recommended by the NHS in the UK and the World Health Organization as a highly effective treatment for trauma related issues and emotional distress. These leading health organizations support EMDR because of the strong research showing how well it works.

So, how does it work?

When something upsetting happens, especially in childhood or during a very stressful time, the brain sometimes doesn’t process the memory properly. Instead of storing it like a regular memory, it keeps the emotions and sensations “stuck.” That’s why even years later, small things, a smell, a sound, a sight, touch or a certain situation can trigger intense fear, sadness, panic, anger etc from nowhere.

EMDR helps to "process" those memories. During a session, the therapist asks you to think about a difficult memory while guiding you through left-right eye movements (or taps or sounds). This bilateral stimulation helps the brain reprocess the memory ,like how it processes experiences during REM sleep. Over time, the memory becomes less upsetting, and the emotional charge fades.

You don’t have to talk in detail about the memory, and you stay in control throughout the session. Many people describe feeling lighter, more calm, and more at peace after just a few sessions. They stop feeling triggered by things that used to set off anxiety or panic.

What makes EMDR unique is that it doesn’t just help you cope ,it helps your to remove your problem for good. Negative beliefs like “I’m not safe” or “I can’t cope” are often replaced with more balanced, positive ones like “I am strong” or “I am safe now.”

With growing support from doctors, psychologists, and health services around the world, EMDR is no longer seen as an alternative or unusual therapy. It’s a well-researched, trusted method that helps people move on from the past and feel more in control of the present.

All our problems arent about what’s wrong with you, it’s about what happened to you. And with the right kind of help your brain can finally think differently and break frree from your problem for good

EMDR (Eye Movement Densittisation Reprocessing) is a unique and one of the most recognosed & powerful therapies in the world
today .
Sean Is a Certified Practitioner of EMDR.

26/06/2025

1. What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness, often called a trance. This state allows individuals to explore thoughts, feelings, and memories that may be hidden from their conscious minds and to make positive changes in behaviour or mindset.

2. Is hypnosis the same as sleep?

No, hypnosis is not sleep. While it may appear similar, individuals in a hypnotic state are actually in a focused and heightened state of awareness. They are generally aware of their surroundings and can hear and respond to the hypnotherapist’s suggestions.

3. What can hypnotherapy help with?

Hypnotherapy can assist with a wide range of issues, including:

Stress and anxiety
Phobias and fears
Smoking cessation
Weight loss
Sleep disorders
Chronic pain
Confidence and self-esteem
Trauma and emotional healing
Habits and addictions

4. Is hypnotherapy safe?

Yes, hypnotherapy is safe when conducted by a trained and certified professional. It is a non-invasive therapy. However, it is not recommended for individuals with certain mental health conditions, such as severe psychosis, unless advised by a medical professional.

5. Will I lose control during hypnosis?

No. During hypnosis, you remain in control and aware of what’s happening. You cannot be made to do anything against your will. Hypnosis is a collaborative process between the therapist and the client. You will be able to itch, scratch, cough, sneeze and be able to hold a normal conversation, and hear everything. Eyes can be
closed or open.

6. Can everyone access hypnosis

All people access hypnosis to some degree. The ability to enter hypnosis varies from person to person and the willingness of the client wanting to access, as fear can stop.

7. How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions needed depends on the individual and the issue being addressed. Some clients may see results in just one or two sessions, while others may benefit from ongoing work over longer periods.

8. What does a typical session look like?

A typical session may include:
An initial discussion about your goals
Relaxation techniques to induce hypnosis.
Guided suggestions or imagery tailored to your needs.
A gentle return to full awareness
Sessions usually last 90 minutes.

9. Do I get hypnotised?

No, a hypnotherapist isn’t a hypnotist, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis meaning you will need to focus and do the techniques to the best of your ability to then access the trance states that you experience on a daily basis

10. Why do hypnotherapy prices vary?

The cost of hypnotherapy can differ from one practitioner to another. While some therapists may offer lower rates, it’s important to consider what you're getting for the price. Factors like the therapist’s training, experience, range of techniques, and overall confidence can all influence pricing.

Not all hypnotherapists receive the same level or type of training—some may only have basic qualifications or a limited toolkit, which can affect the quality of the sessions. In some cases, lower prices may reflect a therapist’s efforts to gain experience or build their confidence and practice.

Ultimately in this field, the right choice isn’t the cheapest, it’s the practitioner who can offer the skills, trust, and results you’re looking for.