MUSICIANS
Tailored Care
The beating heart of my practice is caring for musicians (and other performers) who struggle with issues ranging from stage fright and confidence to self-esteem and motivation. There are many reasons why a musician might seek a helping hand and, whatever that reason is, I'm here for you.
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As a classical pianist who used to suffer with hugely debilitating performance anxiety, I understand what you are going through; I know the fear and I know the frustration. And, perhaps more importantly, I know from firsthand experience that it is something which is entirely possible to overcome.
Self-Esteem and confidence
There are many reasons why a musician might struggle with self-esteem issues. From comparing ourselves (and sometimes being compared) to others, to not feeling as though we are where we'd like to be with our playing, musicians and a healthy level of self-esteem don't always go hand in hand.
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As classical musicians, we are exposed - often from a young age - to ongoing critique. Whether this is in the privacy of our lessons from our teachers, or in the public in the form of critics' reviews, critique is often internalised and subsequently forms the basis for negative self-image and an overly harsh inner voice. I often think of this almost like a little devil on our shoulders, telling us the meanest things possible - things we'd never say to anyone else - before, during and after we play. Whilst critique can be helpful and, when given and used appropriately, is something that can really help us grow as musicians, an overly critical inner voice can often totally lack any objectivity and is therefore objectively unhelpful.
Through hypnotherapy, I can help you strengthen an objective but ultimately kind inner voice, one that can help you to be the best musician that you can be whilst allowing you to feel better about yourself in the process.
Exams, auditions and competitions
On the face of it, in terms of stress we might see auditions, competitions and exams in the same vein as any other type of recital, but performances in these settings can often present different and additional challenges. The preparation can be intense and there may be a lot riding on the outcome, which potentially adds whole new layers of pressure.
Perhaps you'd love to study at a particular college or conservatoire (or play with a certain orchestra) and know that you need to do well at the audition to be accepted. Maybe you're preparing for a competition whose previous medalists began long and busy careers based on their success in that competition. The pressure we put on ourselves in these situations can feel overwhelming, and we often find ourselves negatively forecasting the future based entirely on what might go wrong.
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Using neuroscience-based techniques, I can help you to maintain intellectual control during these challenges, which will allow you to cope much better with whatever you're working towards. And, when performance day comes, I will absolutely be cheering you on!
Anxiety and upset around Injury
Sadly, developing an injury as a musician can be extremely anxiety inducing, which can sometimes be harder to cope with than the injury itself. There is often a lot of uncertainty - when will I be able to play again? What if the injury comes back? How can I prepare for upcoming performances when I can't practise? For professionals, there are also potential financial consequences that can significantly add to the stress load. We know that when we experience physical pain, the brain is put into a state of high alert, which can make us feel anxious, worried and upset. It also makes it more difficult for us to access the part of our mind that can objectively assess the situation and see it for what it is, which can leave us in a seemingly constant loop of negative thinking and even catastrophising.
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A physical injury can often tell us that we need to be doing something differently, and so it is important that we don't ignore the pain. However, hypnotherapy can significantly ease the burden that an injury can have on our mental health. Whilst I support you through your injury, I will use a variety of techniques (many of which you can continue to use at home and in the future), helping you to regain intellectual control of the situation and cope with whatever you are facing, feeling calmer and more at ease in the process.
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Shadow Pain
As a hypnotherapist, I will never try to 'cure' an active physical injury (though I do have some useful contacts who may be able to assist in your physical recovery). However, if you are experiencing the phenomenon often referred to as 'shadow pain'; that is, the continued perception of pain from an injury which has physically healed, I can work with you to understand and overcome this often frustrating occurrence.
Performance Anxiety
(also known as Stage Fright)
Playing for others can be daunting, whether it's on a big stage, or simply in your front room for friends and family. Even playing for a teacher or professor can feel overwhelming, and unfortunately when we suffer with performance anxiety, this can have a negative effect on the way we play. Most of us are sadly familiar with the pattern; we get nervous about a performance, that performance is impacted by our anxiety and the resulting experience creates even more fear for future performances. You are now trapped in a vicious cycle which can make failure feel like an inevitability.
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It really doesn't need to be this way. I use a combination of solution-focused psychotherapy and hypnotic trance to help you to break the cycle and turn a new page so that you feel ready (and excited!) to perform, whatever the setting.
Motivation
Being a musician takes grit. And maybe some blood, sweat and tears. Perhaps most of all, it takes motivation; a drive to keep going when the repertoire is hard, the hours are long and practise feels like pulling teeth.
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Often being a classical musician is quite a solitary pursuit; even when you play in orchestras or chamber groups, a lot of the hard work takes place alone in a practise room. Distraction and procrastination can easily creep in, as well as self-doubt and a loss of inspiration.
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When the going gets tough, often we find it more and more difficult to practise properly; scrolling on instagram feels far more enticing and, even when we do spend time with our instrument, progress can plateau.
I can work with you to regain that sense of inspiration; sometimes we need a bit of a reset and hypnotherapy can be a great way of being able to see things in a different light, with fresh eyes. We will focus on your goals and make them feel alive again, allowing you to go back to your instrument with renewed determination and passion.
Goals and Dreams
We often think of hypnotherapy purely as something to 'fix' a problem, but actually hypnotherapy can be a really powerful aspirational tool to help you to realise what you want to achieve, and find a path that guides you there.
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I absolutely love aspirational work; by its nature, it is a very forward-looking process, and it can also be a huge help in staying focused and motivated wherever you are with your playing at the moment. So, if you have (or would like to have!) particular goals as a musician, whether that is to play a particular piece, to reach a particular level, to achieve professional goals, or something else entirely, hypnotherapy can really help in engaging the parts of your mind that can get you there.
Burn-out
You've got so much on your plate; perhaps you have a busy teaching schedule, maybe you're under a lot of pressure preparing to perform. A feeling of general overwhelm has gradually crept (or steamrolled) in and suddenly you feel as if you can't cope, even with things that have nothing to do with the original source of your stress. Sound familiar? If so, you might well be dealing with burn-out, which can be defined as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress.
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Burn-out can lead to feelings of detachment and hopelessness and, without proper help, can potentially spiral. Because of the fact that it generally occurs as a result of a too-busy schedule, or too-full work load, it can sometimes feel as if there is no way out. In solution focused hypnotherapy, we talk about a 'stress bucket', a metaphorical part of the hippocampus in the brain that accumulates and stores negative thoughts and emotions. My goal is to help you to empty this stress bucket, and to restrict what goes in there moving forward. I can also help you to develop an ability to stay calm, even when there is a lot happening around you.
"I've had 6 sessions working with Ellie for hypnotherapy to help with stage fright, and I can't recommend her highly enough! As a concert pianist and Steinway Artist, performance pressure is something I've lived with for three decades. In the past I was not so affected by the pressure of playing in front of others but more recently this has become an issue. Ellie is also trained as a musician and pianist and she immediately understood the specific mental challenges that come with performing at a high level. Her sessions were calm, focused, and incredibly effective. They were not at all abstract or vague, but very practical, bespoke and tailored to my needs. Since finishing the course I have noticed a real shift in how I feel before and during performances; calmer, more grounded, and far less reactive to nerves. Ellie is intuitive, and highly skilled, and I always felt completely at ease in her sessions. Working with her has made a genuine difference to my confidence, not just on stage but in a general sense, too. I would recommend her for treatment to anyone who needs to overcome a mental barrier as the methodology of her sessions and subsequent results are profoundly effective."
(name redacted for privacy)