Beyond Willpower: How Hypnotherapy at Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic Can Help You Change Your Relationship with Alcohol

For many people, alcohol begins as something harmless—a way to unwind, socialise, or take the edge off daily stress. But over time, it can quietly take up more and more space in your life. When cutting back or stopping starts to feel impossible, even with strong willpower, it’s a sign that something deeper may be going on.

At Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic, we understand that alcohol use is rarely just about the drinking itself. It’s often about why you drink: the emotional patterns, subconscious beliefs, and past experiences that sit beneath the surface.
Hypnotherapy offers a gentle but powerful way to explore and transform these underlying factors.

All sessions are guided by Mary Nathan, an experienced hypnotherapist with over 20 years helping clients reduce or quit alcohol and reclaim a healthier, happier life.

What Hypnotherapy Is — And What It Isn’t

Hypnotherapy uses a natural state of focused relaxation—sometimes referred to as a “trance” state—to help you access deeper levels of awareness.

You remain:

• Fully awake and conscious

• In complete control

• Able to remember everything

Hypnosis is not mind control. Instead, it helps quieten the busy, analytical part of the mind so you can access the beliefs, emotions, and motivations that influence your drinking habits.

Why Stopping Drinking Can Feel So Difficult

If you’ve tried to quit or cut down and struggled, it’s not because you lack willpower. There are often deeper reasons, such as:

• Drinking to cope with stress, anxiety, or emotional pain

• Long-term habits that are hard to break

• Social expectations or pressure

• Low self-esteem, guilt, or shame

• Trauma or unresolved emotional experiences

Hypnotherapy doesn’t just target the symptom (the drinking).
It helps uncover and heal the cause.

The Therapeutic Journey: What Sessions Look Like

Hypnotherapy at Setanta is a structured, supportive process tailored to your unique needs. Though every client is different, the journey often unfolds in four stages.

1. Initial Exploration — Understanding Your Story

Early sessions involve gentle, open conversation to understand your relationship with alcohol. Mary may explore questions such as:

• When did you first start drinking, and how has it changed over time?

• What role does alcohol play in your life now?

• Have you tried to stop or cut back before?

• What do you feel you gain from drinking?

• Are there specific triggers that cause you to drink more?

These insights help build trust and form the foundation for deeper therapeutic work.

2. Exploring Emotional and Subconscious Motivations

Once you feel more comfortable, the conversation naturally shifts to what lies beneath your habits:

• How do you feel before, during, and after drinking?

• Are you using alcohol to escape or soothe difficult emotions?

• Is past trauma influencing your drinking patterns?

• How do stress, anxiety, or loneliness affect your desire to drink?

• How do you feel about the idea of living without alcohol?

In a relaxed hypnotic state, honest insights often emerge more easily.

3. Understanding Internal and External Pressures

Mary will also help you explore the wider context of your life:

• How do others respond to your drinking?

• Do you feel judged, misunderstood, or pressured?

• Are work pressures or social expectations contributing?

• Do you have any health concerns linked to alcohol?

• Have there been times when drinking felt completely out of your control?

This helps identify all the forces that influence your relationship with alcohol.

4. Building Readiness for Change

Hypnotherapy supports you in discovering your own motivation for change. This might include:

• What would help you feel ready to stop or reduce drinking?

• What fears come up when you imagine life without alcohol?

• What could you gain by changing your habits?

• How committed do you feel to change—today, right now?

From there, Mary tailors the programme to your goals—whether that’s complete abstinence or a more manageable, balanced relationship with alcohol.

What Happens During Hypnosis?

Once trust and clarity are established, more of each session may be spent in a comfortable, relaxed hypnotic state. Mary may guide you to:

• Revisit significant memories related to drinking, safely and calmly

• Release unhelpful beliefs (e.g. “I can’t cope without alcohol”)

• Strengthen confidence, resilience, and self-worth

• Rehearse new, healthier responses to old triggers

• Visualise a future where you feel free, balanced, and in control

All therapeutic suggestions align with your personal goals and values.

Many clients report reduced cravings, greater self-awareness, and a shift in mindset that feels natural and empowering.

Hypnotherapy: A Journey, Not a Quick Fix

Hypnotherapy is not an instant cure—it’s a process of understanding, healing, and transformation.
Some clients experience shifts quickly, while others progress more gradually.

The goal is lasting change, built from the inside out.

Working with Mary Nathan at Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic

With over two decades of experience, Mary offers:

• A safe, confidential, and compassionate space

• A non-judgemental approach, no matter your starting point

• A pace that suits your comfort and readiness

• A focus on healing the whole person, not just the behaviour

If you are physically dependent on alcohol, it is important to consult your GP or medical professional before stopping suddenly. Hypnotherapy can support your emotional and psychological journey alongside any medical advice you receive.

Book Your Free Consultation

If you are ready to explore whether hypnotherapy can help you change your relationship with alcohol, we invite you to arrange a free consultation with Mary.

📧 setantahypnotherapy@gmail.com
Or visit the Contact page on our website.

You don’t have to face this alone.
Change begins with one conversation—and we’re here when you’re ready.