A slight-looking man in spectacles, dressed in a red fleece and brown cords, came out to greet me once I’d been buzzed inside to a musty-smelling hall and had climbed up the carpeted stairs. He looked to be in his forties. ‘Simon Jenkins,’ he said as he gave me a strong handshake. ‘Come on in.’

I followed him through into a room that was sparsely furnished. It had two chairs, one reclining, one upright, and a small table displaying leaflets and brochures. On the wall, there were several framed certificates, and a Japanese painting showing a blossom tree by a lake. There was also a window, but at a height where one would have to stand on tiptoe to see out.

Simon indicated that I should take the reclining chair and he sat opposite me.

‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.

‘Bit nervous to tell the truth.’

‘Is this your first time?’

I nodded.

‘A lot of people are anxious in their first session – it’s only natural when trying something new – but I think you’ll find that the apprehension will soon go away. Most people’s concern is that they’re going to be out of control and that something may be suggested that they don’t want to go along with. That can’t happen. If you decide to go ahead with the hypnosis, your body will be relaxed but your mind will be alert. I couldn’t suggest something that you disagreed with.’

‘Like make me do the chicken dance on my way back to the tube?’

Simon smiled. ‘Exactly. I can assure you that won’t be happening. So. How can I help?’

I filled him in on my sleep problems and he nodded and took a few notes. ‘I think I can help with that. Can you tell me if you’re a visual person or someone who responds more to sound or touch? It will help me to know when making suggestions.’

‘Oh … visual, I would say.’

‘OK, so let me tell you a bit about what I do, then you can tell me if you want to go ahead. First of all, hypnosis is not sleep; it is a state of heightened relaxation when certain commands can be accepted by the subconscious. Your subconscious accepts programming from your conscious mind and that can be positive or negative. With me so far?’

‘I think so.’

‘Under hypnosis, the subconscious can accept suggestions that otherwise have been unaccepted. In order to do that, you must desire change, and also have confidence in me.’

‘And what sort of things do you change?’

‘I can programme in new beliefs, like how to become successful, to relax, stop smoking, lose weight, accelerate learning and healing. Hypnosis is a way to bypass the conscious mind and whatever patterns are already programmed there but are having a negative effect.’