Hypnotherapy tackles ADD/ADHD

This article previously published at Holistic Alternatives, by Darlene Cheek.

One of the most common problems children who have ADD/ADHD are faced with is low self-esteem. This is a major area where hypnotherapy can help. A child who feels positive about him or herself is able to accomplish anything that they want to, but that is often difficult with the outside influences surrounding ADD/ADHD. Any adult who suffered from one of these disorders as a child well knows how cruel other children can be when they recognize that another child is different from them. If you are a parent who is interested in learning more about how hypnotherapy can help with ADD/ADHD, here are some things to look for in a therapist and some things that your therapist will be able to work on with your child.

Rapport: Rapport is that feeling between the client and therapist where there is mutual trust and harmony. It's that feeling where we "click" with one another. As adults, we know right away whether or not we like someone. It is the same for children, sometimes even more so. One of the first lessons in hypnotherapy classes is how to develop rapport with your client. If you don't have it, the sessions will be a waste of time. Look for a hypnotherapist who is used to working with children and who has experience with ADD/ADHD clients. I can't stress how important it will be for your child to like their hypnotherapist in order to have success with the sessions.

Let the child know that they are perfectly fine just the way they are: Be sure to let your child know that you are NOT trying to change them. Let them know that the sessions will help them feel better about themselves, help them having a positive attitude, and relieve some of their symptoms. By letting the child know that they, like us, are experiencing exactly what they are meant to experience at this moment in time, they will have permission to accept themselves. It will also help them to be open and honest about what they are experiencing because they know that it is okay to be experiencing these things.

Don't expect your child to do this alone: It is just as important for the parents of a child with ADD/ADHD receive treatment as it is for the child. Do you think you feel frustrated? Imagine how you would feel if you were experiencing the same symptoms as your child. I highly recommend joining a parents' support group, too. It will be important for you to have someone to talk to who understands what you're going through. That will take a lot of stress, anxiety, and resentment out of the relationship you have with your child, too.