Clearing unwanted habits & OCD

Habits are an essential part of living, allowing us to carry out certain tasks automatically with minimal conscious effort, everyday activities from cleaning our teeth to driving a car, leaving us free to think and do other things. However, these patterned behaviours become a problem when they’ve outlived their original purpose yet continue to run, as if beyond our control.

Many people try to overcome their habits through willpower and self-discipline, and whilst this works for some people some of the time, it takes a great deal of energy to overpower our naturally dominant and safety-oriented subconscious mind and body.

Therapy can help individuals break free from unwanted habits and compulsive behaviours such as nail biting (onychophagia), hair pulling (trichotillomania), and skin picking (dermatillomania), as well as provide effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Change is achieved through accessing and releasing the subconscious drivers behind the compulsive behaviour and training in new, positive patterns for long-lasting change.

Please book a consultation to discuss your specific needs and possibilities for treatment.

Understanding OCD

  • OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is when someone feels compelled to carry out a specific action in response to an unwanted thought or feeling.

    The action is usually an attempt to gain control or alleviate distress. For example, someone may believe that if they don’t wash their hands twice before eating, they’ll get sick, leading to compulsive handwashing as a way to feel safe.

  • Compulsive behaviours serve a subconscious ‘positive’ purpose—they act as a coping mechanism for an underlying issue, such as stress, safety concerns, or social anxiety.

    Essentially, OCD behaviours function as a temporary ‘sticking plaster’ to cover an unmet need. When that deeper issue is addressed, the compulsion naturally loses its energy because it is no longer needed.

  • Many people with OCD feel embarrassed or ashamed of their compulsions, fearing they’ll be judged as ‘weird’ or different.

    This fear of social rejection can intensify their underlying anxiety, which, in turn, strengthens the compulsive behaviour, creating a vicious cycle.

    Addressing these fears and reducing shame is an important step in overcoming OCD.

  • When the brain is under emotional stress—whether fear, anxiety, or even love—it becomes more suggestible.

    In OCD, a person might feel scared, develop a belief that a certain action will relieve that fear, perform the action, and feel temporary relief.

    Over time, this cycle reinforces itself, much like a trance or hypnotic pattern, making it harder to break free from the compulsive behaviour through conscious willpower alone.

  • The most effective way to treat OCD is by addressing the underlying emotional or psychological need driving the compulsive behaviour.

    Rather than just stopping the behaviour, therapy focuses on resolving issues related to safety, stress, or social connection.

    Once the root problem is resolved, the compulsive behaviour naturally fades because it is no longer serving a purpose

Tom Carter - Private Therapist & Coach

Integrative Person-Centered Approach

Online or In-Person (Norwich, UK)

Fully Insured & DBS Checked

GHSC Accredited (GQHP)

  • "Tom is excellent, he makes you view smoking for what it really is, a non rewarding, deadly habit and he gives you both the facts and the confidence to remove it from your life...he also follows up with you which is a nice touch and has genuine interest in your success..."

    Simon

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Frequently asked questions

  • A trance is a patterned process that becomes embedded in the mind-body system and operates, at least in part, outside of conscious awareness.

    What we are more aware of are the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that arise from the underlying trance state.

    Notably, trances are shaped by our experiences—while we retain the learning, we often forget the lesson itself. 

  • An initial consultation takes 30-minutes at a cost of £40

    Following this, a standard 60-minute session costs £85

    If at any stage in therapy, a longer 90-minute session is required, such as for EMDR Therapy, the cost for this is £120.

    For people under 16yrs of age, 45-minute sessions are offered as an option at a cost of £60.

    A 10% discount is available on the above session prices (excluding consultation) for:

    • State Pension recipients

    • Blue Light Card holders

    • NUS Card holders

  • Each therapy session is unique, oriented around the client and what they need in that session. My aim always is to provide you with the safety and support to explore your problem in a way that allows for natural and manageable change.

    In practical terms, the in-session experience can include a combination of sitting, standing, talking, reflecting, moving, focusing, imagining, body sensing / feeling, visualising, thinking, feeling, meaning-making, observing, relating, remembering, forecasting and more.

    The use of a therapeutic trance state (aka hypnosis) can also be part of the process though in most cases is not necessary for the pre-existing ‘problem’ ‘trance to be resolved.

  • This depends on many factors, primarily the nature of the problem and the outcome being sought.

    It is worth stating that when working therapeutically with subconscious problems, the old adage of ‘less haste more speed’ applies. The more someone tries to force change, the more resistance they typically encounter - and the slower the process takes overall.

    My commitment to all those I work with is the same, that we will work as quickly as possible but as slowly as necessary.

  • Hypnosis is a state of altered consciousness in which the critical, analytical part of your mind can quieten, allowing you to more easily connect with your subconscious experience.

    The term "hypnosis" comes from the Greek word hypnos, meaning "sleep," which can be misleading—being in hypnosis is not the same as being asleep.

    Although hypnosis is often experienced with closed eyes to enhance relaxation, much like resting, this does not mean the person is asleep. From an outside perspective, they may appear to be sleeping, but internally, they are in a heightened state of awareness.

  •  That’s OK, you don’t need to be. If you find yourself doubtful, skeptical or find difficulty with things such as relaxation and meditation, you can view this as a protective resistance, something we welcome and work with as part of the process.

    The truth is, some people have a natural ability for entering hypnotic states and others take a little longer to familiarise with the process. My role is to meet you wherever you are and help you achieve change in a way that works for you.

  • Therapy is a process of gaining greater awareness and self-control. Whilst entertainment hypnosis gives the impression of people losing control, this is the direct opposite of how it can be used in therapy.

  • On the basis that you attend a one-hour weekly therapy session, that leaves an extra ~110 waking hours in which you can be making progress towards your goal. And as you would expect, those people that are prepared to do the work, typically progress further and faster.

    That said, out of session work is always optional and by no means obligatory. If you feel you want to do out of session work, let me know and I will make it available to you.