Therapy in West Norwood, south London & online
Brief, modern therapy that changes the thoughts and feelings — not years of talking it through. Most people reach their goal with just a few sessions. Face-to-face with a therapist in West Norwood (Streatham / Dulwich), or online. Rapid treatments include NLP, Hypnosis, IEMT (updated version of EMI) and other methods — all integrated by over 20 years of experience.
01 — The work
Trauma, anxiety and depression are not character flaws, and they are not a life sentence. They are learned patterns in the brain — and what we learn, we can unlearn, often in a handful of sessions. The world stays the same but everything feels different.
01Years of emotional weight dissolved, often in a single sitting.
NLP/Hypnosis or Eye-movement work (IEMT, EMDR and EMI) can undo the emotional conditioning from old memories. Violent or intrusive images, the thing said that you can’t get over, suicidal ideation, and many other thoughts can lose their emotional strength and appear less frequently.
Book treatment
02Reset the over-sensitivity. Restore peace of mind.
When the future feels unjustifiably threatening, the nervous system will not stand down. Cognitive hypnotherapy provides many approaches for reducing anxiety including meta-cognitive or CBT approaches, or rapid psycho-sensory methods. As fear reduces ordinary life becomes available again.
Book treatment
03Depression is a thinking disease, often caused by trauma big or small.
Depression or ‘learned helplessness’ often keeps people from the very actions that would help them, it inhibits us through constant negative (self) thinking. Derivative emotions of guilt, shame, regret, trauma, embarrassment often help to maintain the status quo and there appears to be no fix for these issues. Reduce the thinking and the associated conditioned responses and things get better rapidly.
Book treatmentAlso treated
Soften the memory of the previous attacks and learn how to stop triggering them in the future. Stop pouring petrol on the fire.
Often a single 90-minute session — fear of flying, bugs, dogs, needles, etc. Undo the old emotional conditioning.
Anxiety is the mother of sleepless nights. Treat that, and sleep follows.
Put the emotions of loss, jealousy and betrayal down, and move forward without ties.
Mostly the removal of fear so that our natural confidence emerges. Remove the fear of failure and constant comparisons with others and then get a good idea of what a positive performance would look like so their unconscious mind can practice it joyfully.
I don’t treat over-eating, or gambling or out of control drug use, these are coping strategies for dealing with thoughts and feelings that are out of control. Sort out the real issue and the addictions resolve themselves.
I don’t offer
never-ending therapy.
Three or four sessions are all that’s typically required for most common cases of depression, anxiety or panic attack issues (often less). A single session may be all that’s needed for a more simple issue such as a phobia. Mood measured, so you can see the change — not hope for it.
02 — The approach
In the rare cases that medication such as SSRIs work, they only mask symptoms rather than treat the cause. You stop the medication, the problem comes back. For most people the medication doesn’t work, so they are left with more helplessness. Talking therapies that have the client tell their story in emotional detail is often re-traumatising. Provision of actual, sensible treatments such as CBT are often mis-managed by organisations such as the NHS but always limited in variety. No one treatment works for everybody, a good treatment often requires several integrated approaches to make solid, lasting improvements.
This is a modern style of therapy from the Quest Institute that encourages a flexible use of powerful tools, such as NLP, elements of CBT and hypnosis. It emphasises ‘fit the work to the client’ and encourages flexibility when the current approach doesn’t work.
Eye-movement treatments are extraordinarily fast for trauma, guilt, shame and the emotional charge that keeps a memory ‘on’. Years of a problem can dissolve in a single session. You know it is done before you leave the room. Face to face sessions only for eye-movement work.
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis; when I use this approach, I’m just your guide. Hypnosis is not sleep, and it is not surrender. It is a guided, focused state — close to a daydream — in which the brain is more amenable to consolidate new beliefs, attitudes and responses. Unconscious habits and emotional responses can be rewritten without a fight.
More than each of the above, is what I’ve learned from 20 years of experience, figuring out what works and what doesn’t. I’m not always successful, but I usually am and we’ll know quickly whether I can help you.
03 — What happens
Tell me what is happening. I will tell you honestly whether I think I can help, and how many sessions it is likely to take.
Ninety unrushed minutes. I use the method that fits you — not a script — and you should feel a shift before you leave. Everybody maintains their problems differently, your verbal and body language often reveal what needs to be changed.
Depression and anxiety typically resolve across a short run of meetings, with noticeable change each week. Phobias are often one session. I do not offer never-ending therapy.
I always aim to make the necessary changes in the room. For some clients it may be necessary to record a track for you to listen to to help reinforce the learnings.
04 — Therapist in West Norwood
Therapist in West Norwood · MNCH(Acc) · BSc Cog. Sci. · MNLP
5-star Google rating from real clients
I have over twenty years of hypnosis experience, a degree in cognitive science, and a stubborn preference for work that actually finishes. I help people after abuse, violence, illness, bad break-ups, loss and betrayal — and people who are simply a bit lost. I do not ask you to talk about it for a year and hope you feel better.
Freedom Hypnosis began in Bloomsbury in 2013 and moved to south London in 2021. Since COVID a lot of my work has shifted to an online approach due to client preference and convenience, but you’re welcome to come in person. I offer face-to-face therapy in West Norwood (Streatham/Dulwich area).
My current working style highly influenced by the more ‘fourth wave’ of therapy such as Meta Cognitive therapy which helps more clients and more rapidly, in most cases.
05 — In their own words / Testimonials
5-star Google rating from real clients
5-star Google review
“After 10 years of suffering extreme anxiety when flying I visited Simon after a google search on the advice of a friend. In one 90 minute session with Simon my life has changed. I got to the core of my fear and unlocked a trauma that I wasn’t aware had impacted me so deeply. I fly frequently now with ease and have processed my phobia in a logical way that connected with me. I recommend Simon to anyone and everyone.”
“What kind of sorcery is this? I had been struggling to overcome certain past events and suffering with low self-esteem and terrible bouts of anxiety that I felt I had no control over. I had done CBT in the past with only temporary relief. After the first session, the negative emotions that were so debilitating had vanished as soon as he told me to open my eyes. I cried happy tears. Months later, they’re still gone.”
“Simon is an excellent therapist. He offers a wonderful combination of excellent technical knowledge with genuine compassion. As a highly experienced therapist myself I know what to look for when choosing someone to help me resolve my own issues — and Simon is absolutely who I choose.”
“I received very good care from Simon who helped me with my childhood trauma. It was interesting to see my problem approached from two different angles and resolved in two sessions. He went the extra mile during the second session and increased the time to finish the treatment.”
“Thank you for 3 fantastically transformative, and importantly fun, sessions. I now see and experience the world in an entirely different way, am more at ease with those I love and myself, and feel more confident about the future than at any other time in my life.”
“I’ve been seeing psychologists over a year. I feel I’ve benefited more over the last 3 weeks seeing you.”
06 — Questions
Straight answers. If yours is not here, book a free twenty-minute conversation where I can clarify any issues you have.
07 — Fees
£135 · West Norwood or online
The same fee as a typical London hour — I simply refuse to rush the work.
Fourth session complimentary
When there’s more to do, buy the ‘4 for 3’ pack which brings the average below £100 a session.
20 minutes · free
To see whether I think I can help, and how many sessions it is likely to take.
08 — Notes
Helping people to see cultural and institutional mistakes supporting the worsening mental health of our adults and children. Mass over-prescription of SSRIs, mis-understanding of psychiatric diagnosis, dangers of endless therapy and occasionally something positive to comment on.
Simon Bates
13 September 2026
Justin Garson
There's only one true mental disorder: the compulsive need to classify everybody that you find different, weird, disturbing, unpleasant, or difficult — and to derive some kind of perverse satisfaction when you find just the right label.
One of the most important and often difficult issues to remove are the labels our clients have been assigned or have chosen for themselves. Labels occur at an identity level of personality which trickle down into beliefs, behaviours and capabilities. Negative labels, negative outcome. One more thing that keeps people paying for endless psychiatry or therapy.
Read on XSimon Bates
3 September 2026
The HighWire
Lindsey Clancy was placed on a psychiatric drug with no FDA approval for postpartum depression. In under four months she went from one prescription to 13 drugs.
Prima facie case of medical negligence here which tragically led to the death of three children and two adult lives ruined. There are no psychiatric drugs that treat postpartum depression. When a psychiatrist’s response to one drug not working is just more drugs (13 in this instance) it’s clear the whole thing needs to be torn down. The correct therapist and support could have prevented this catastrophe.
Read on XSimon Bates
20 July 2026
Dr. Roger McFillin
Mental health is getting worse by multiple metrics. Suicide rates have risen by about 30% since 2000. What else is rising? The amount of people we drug for mental health. The cure is the disease.
One day people will get angry about this. Until then, they can always take more meds.
Read on XSimon Bates
27 June 2026
Some doctors still believe in the chemical imbalance theory of depression. It’s depressing. It’s harmful. You have to identify the right cause to resolve a problem. SSRIs are no cure.
Read on XSimon Bates
12 May 2026
Sama Hoole
Doctor: “Your LDL is still high. I’m adding a second statin.” Patient: “I don’t want to be on twelve medications.” Doctor: “Anxiety is common at this stage. I’ll add sertraline.”
Drs see drugs as the solution because of their training. This is especially true for spiritual issues such as loss, depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. Drugs should be a last resort not a first. If you’re struggling, get in touch. Short therapy interventions are often all that’s needed.
Read on XSimon Bates
27 April 2026
Dr. Josef
Are SSRIs evidence based treatments?
This is really important. Drs really believe the drugs they prescribe help their patients and are safe. They still believe in the chemical imbalance theory of depression and anxiety. This is the biggest medical malpractice story in our history. Just wait and see. All this when just a handful of good therapy sessions can restore mental health for most clients without drugs.
Read on XSimon Bates
21 April 2026
Strawman argument. The psychiatric guild isn't being criticised for what it does in managing psychosis and mania, it's being criticised for the mass over-prescription of SSRIs and anti-anxiety meds for minor emotional issues best treated with a handful of sessions by a proven therapist.
Read on XSimon Bates
21 April 2026
Dr. Bob Beare
Carl Jung's 5 factors for happiness. From a 1960s interview.
Add, perhaps, a daily ritual of gratitude and you’re mostly there.
Read on X09 — Articles
Longer notes on phobias, anxiety, sleep and the treatments that actually move them.
10 — Take action now
Most of the conditions mentioned above can be improved greatly with a few sessions and a flexible, experienced therapist. Tell me what’s happening and I’ll reply within 24 hours. WhatsApp is a great way to book a 20min free chat too.
West Norwood, Streatham, Dulwich · Online
Tuesday to Saturday. Occasional evenings by arrangement.
