Sudbury HypnosisBelow is the text of an article published in the Suffolk Free Press on Thursday, March 28, 2019 titled “Hypnotherapist teams up with driving school students” by Thomas Malina. The original article can be seen here
How can learner drivers overcome the nerves that they so often encounter before they take their driving test? A new business collaboration believes hypnotherapy could be the answer.
Aquarius Driving School in Great Cornard announced a new partnership with Sudbury-based professional hypnotherapist Benjamin Ryan, with the goal of providing driving students with the skills to stay calm in the high-pressure circumstances of a test.
Driving instructor Tarah Mcintyre stated she decided to team up with Mr Ryan, who runs Sudbury Hypnosis in Gainsborough Street, after observing significant positive changes in a number of her pupils who used the hypnotherapy service.
“I first heard of Benjamin because one of my students went to see him after a mock test illustrated her nerves were going to hinder her during the actual test,” she said.
“The change was dramatic and I was surprised when she told me this turnaround was because she saw a hypnotherapist.
“I subsequently sent another six students his way and every single one passed on their next test, with an exceptionally confident drive. Some of the changes were remarkable.
“As a fully qualified driver, they will never be assessed in the same way they are on the test and therefore work on test nerves can provide a huge advantage.
“The pairing between our two business has proved instantly successful in every case thus far and we are looking forward to working together much more in the future.”
The two companies have now created a targeted and coordinated strategy for student drivers, aimed specifically at developing a strong frame of mind and coping with large amounts of information under pressure
Mr Ryan, who has trained with several key figures of modern hypnotherapy, said the process did not mean people were driving under hypnosis-rather, he explained it is about preparing them for the test environment.
“I’ve helped quite a few drivers in the time I’ve been doing this, both learners and those who have a full license, but still get nervous about some aspects of driving,” he said. “When they get into the test situation, they are fully aware and awake.
“Partly, they will be acting on a post-hypnotic suggestion to remain calm,but mostly the change is because they have a much better internal dialogue, helping them instead of hindering them.
“Most students can drive exceptionally well during lessons or with accompanying adults by the time they book their test.
“However, the test is an unreal environment where they know their every move is assessed, and therefore, they sometimes suffer from overload.
“Sometimes, they may be looking, but miss the obvious due to the sheer amount of information they are processing under pressure.
“Reassurance that the examiner is simply looking for a safe and legal drive doesn’t always help the more anxious students, but hypnotherapy seems to be a very effective approach.”
Mor information on this service can be found at www.sudburyhypnosis.co.uk/driving-test-nerves