Dan’s Blog

School Anxiety

by Dan Regan | Sep 24, 2025 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

School Anxiety

The new term is well under way and whilst for many school is a positive learning experience, for others, the return to school or college means anxiety, worry, low self esteem issues and problems engaging.

Education is important and a school is a place of learning, growth and friendships. Yet for many secondary school and higher education students, it can be a source of anxiety, stress, overwhelm and frustration. There can be pressure to perform academically, friendship issues, fear of social situations, difficulty with focus, or issues such as bullying. Some students struggle with learning due to concentration issues, low self-confidence, academic stress, exam anxiety or motivation and consistency.

Limiting patterns of thinking and feeling can stop a student from doing their best and achieving their potential. For some, school anxiety stops them attending school at all. For others it may be particular subjects, lessons or tasks. When exam season arrives all of the anxiety and stress can feel like too much. I’ve helped so many students, who used to go blank in the exam room, to build calmness and confidence so they can apply what they know. And I’ve also helped many students who were struggling to even get into school or college in the first place due to how bad they were feeling in that environment.

However, rather than being an ongoing struggle, it is possible to feel calm, confident and in control over your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours as you learn. You can boost your focus and concentration. You can calm anxiety and stress. You can feel more confident in class and within your studies. Rather than being distracted, hypnotherapy can help you to overcome these obstacles so that you can get on with your learning and reach your potential. If you are struggling with school anxiety then don’t let that stress, doubt or anxiety hold you back any longer than it already has.

High Anxiety Levels in Cambridgeshire

by Dan Regan | Sep 18, 2025 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

High Anxiety Levels in Cambridgeshire

Whether it is you, or someone you love, mental health and anxiety levels in Cambridgeshire remain high.

The 2025 Cambridgeshire County Council Quality of Life report has now been published. There are some positives with reported happiness levels remaining high. However, nearly a third of people reported mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Loneliness issues were also reported and are likely to be a contributing factor, as well as a potential consequence, of anxiety and mental health issues.

Younger people were more likely to report mental health issues but, of course, anxiety and depression can affect anyone at any age and at any stage of life.

Having helped thousands of people with anxiety, and having been there myself, I know how limiting and debilitating it can be. Anxiety can take over your life. You overthink and feel physically unwell. If anxiety levels are high then you may not feel like doing anything at all. Everything is too draining and feels too overwhelming.

These figures only renew my determination to keep helping as many people as I can to feel better, whether through hypnotherapy sessions or from my hypnosis downloads (or both!).

If you are struggling right now then it may seem like you could never feel better. However, it certainly is possible to start feeling more calm, confident and in control again. You can break the negative spiral and start feeling better and better in yourself.

Post Separation Abuse Awareness Week

by Dan Regan | Sep 17, 2025 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Post Separation Abuse Awareness Week

Post separation abuse awareness week takes place in September.

Whilst some relationships end amicably, many do not. It’s not uncommon for there to be some resentment, upset and bitterness when two people separate. It can be quite natural that no one has a good word to say about the other person for a while. But over time, these feelings subside and everyone gets on with their life. The past relationship becomes just an episode in your history.

However, post separation abuse goes way beyond this. Unless you or a loved one have experienced it, you may not even appreciate the levels of control, power, anger and upset that it is designed to generate against the targeted person.

This form of abuse refers to the continued control, intimidation and manipulation by one partner towards the other after the relationship has come to an end. The two people may not share the same room anymore, but the exertion of power and control continues as the perpetrator seeks to cause chaos in the other person’s life.

In many instances, the abusive power and control is something that was also a common theme in the relationship itself. Even if it wasn’t, the end of a relationship can generate all sorts of changed behaviour, emotions and mindset from the abuser as they move into the new dynamic and circumstances. It’s particularly common where there are ongoing shared responsibilities, such as children, property or finance, that mean that the abuser and survivor remain linked in some way.

I’ve helped many clients who are seeking help to find the assertiveness, resilience and confidence to deal with the abuse and to move forward within their lives. By calming the mind and emotions, you can find the inner strength you need to make decisions, remain resolute and find inner peace. It’s something that I have also experienced personally, where the only goal appears to have been to exert control and create a trail of fear, upset and pain.

Hypnotherapy for Horse Riders

by Dan Regan | Sep 16, 2025 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Hypnotherapy for Horse Riders

Hypnotherapy for horse riders can help you to overcome riding anxiety, increase confidence and rediscover your love of riding.

I’ve helped many riders over the years to overcome issues around riding so they can feel calm and confident in the saddle. Some have had a fall and then worry about a repeat, especially if they were hurt when they fell. It may be that someone has a fear around going faster or galloping or there was a time when your horse got spooked and you felt powerless until they calmed down again. For others, their general tendency for worry and anxiety starts to spill into their relationship with their horse. And there are those who have struggled with performance anxiety around competing that stops them riding to their best.

You already know that your horse can pick up on your anxiety, doubt and tension. You stop feeling like you are the one in charge and in control. It all adds to the worry and overthinking as you find yourself making excuses not to ride and spending less and less time in the saddle.

That connection between rider and your horse becomes clouded by fear, anxiety and a lack of confidence. You might feel nervous every time you mount up, worry about falling or find yourself overthinking every movement. Everything around riding becomes flavoured with unhappiness and joylessness.

Whether something specific has happened when riding, or however anxiety and doubt have crept in, it is possible to interrupt the unwanted thoughts and feelings so that you feel calm, confident and in control when riding. You very much can get the fun, enjoyment and love back into your horse riding.

Hypnotherapy for horse riders can help you to take back control over your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions. You can reconnect to your horse and your riding. You can reignite the inner confidence, trust and calm that helps makes riding enjoyable and rewarding for you again.

Hypnosis For Golf

by Dan Regan | Sep 11, 2025 | Sports Improvement

Hypnosis For Golf – Dan Regan Hypnotherapy Ely & Newmarket

Could hypnosis for golf help you to play better?

You’ve invested in your clubs and kit. You’ve worked on your technique, read about the strategies of the great players and maybe even had some golf coaching. However, if your mindset is not in the right place then you probably find that things still unravel out on the course.

It could be some nerves that derail your playing when the pressure is on, in competition or around certain other players. Perhaps you find that one bad shot leads to more and more wayward playing and your performance tanks for a few holes. It could be that you choke when faced with a tough shot or putt. Maybe you feel a fear of failure or even a fear of success. And any other number of negative thoughts and feelings, before or during a game, can stop you relaxing, enjoying your game and performing to your best when you want to.

It may not even always be golf related thoughts and feelings that interfere with your game. General life stress and busyness, overthinking, self criticism, self doubt and just about anything else can follow you out onto the course. And, of course, you have plenty of time between shots and while waiting for others, for a stray thought or distracting idea to take root and grow within your awareness.

The end result is the frustration of failing to play as well as you know you are capable of playing. The psychology around the game is the difference between performing to your best and getting better, or finding that your enjoyment, performances and confidence drain away.

Hypnosis for golf can help you to boost performance by taking charge of your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions in ways that help you to play to your potential.

Quit Vaping Hypnotherapy

by Dan Regan | Sep 10, 2025 | Addiction Help

Quit Vaping Hypnotherapy

If you are feeling stuck with your vaping habit, then hypnotherapy can help you to quit.

Just like with smoking, vaping becomes habitual. You vape in the same places and environments and your habit can become more and more intertwined with your day. You carry your vape around with you and you can find yourself mindlessly reaching for it more and more often. Because of how your mind works, the more you vape in a situation, the more you find yourself wanting to vape when you are next in another similar situation. The associations and patterns become more and more embedded each and every time.

Just like with cigarettes, those vaping thoughts, feelings and behaviours can be hard to break away from. You may have used your vape hundreds, even thousands of times, in similar places, moments and environments. Your brain links vaping to the situation and there is a psychological expectation that it will happen that is stronger than any amount of willpower or simple decision to quit.

One of the main challenges with vaping is that it is often regarded as being acceptable in situations where smoking a cigarette would not be allowed. I’ve worked with clients who sit at their desk and vape all day. People vape in their houses, in their cars and around other people. It gets linked to way more people, places, times and situations than smoking. Whether you ever smoked, or whether there is even any nicotine involved, vaping can be hard to quit. As with all habits the same thoughts, feelings and behaviours go around and around.

And, of course, whilst vaping is considered to be a better choice than cigarettes, that doesn’t mean that it is totally free of health risks.

As with smoking and other habits, hypnotherapy can help you end the habit, take back control and quit vaping for good.

World Suicide Prevention Day

by Dan Regan | Sep 10, 2025 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

World Suicide Prevention Day

Every year on September 10th, World Suicide Prevention Day is observed to unite us all in raising awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding suicide. It’s an opportunity for promoting mental health care and support. Far too many people each year reach a point where they can see no other way forward, leaving a trail of loss and devastation behind them.

We all have a role to play in breaking the silence and stigma, and in showing others that they are loved and cared for and that there is hope. Every conversation, message, call, gesture or act of kindness has the power to change, and even save, a life.

When someone is suffering and in turmoil, they can feel isolated and alone with their thoughts and feelings. They may feel like a burden and not feel worthy of someone else’s time. That’s why we all need to be proactive in reaching out to others, checking in and investing a few minutes of time. As well, we can all continue promoting the help and support that is there and that can make all the difference for someone in emotional or psychological pain.

According to the World Health Organisation, more that 700,000 people die by suicide each year. Behind these numbers is a name, a person, a story and a life tragically cut short. Suicide affects the individual and the tragedy reaches to families, friends, colleagues and communities.

World Suicide Prevention Day is our opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma about talking about mental health and suicidal thoughts and to encourage others to seek help and be able to find it.

If you are struggling with your mental health and need some support then do call the NHS 111 number immediately to get support. There is more information here: NHS Mental Health Services. You can also reach the Samaritans on 116 123. Most importantly, please do reach out and talk to someone right now.

Hypnotherapy for Stress and Worry: New Review Video

by Dan Regan | Sep 7, 2025 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Hypnotherapy for Stress and Worry: New Review Video

Today, I’m delighted to be sharing with you my latest hypnotherapy review video.

My passion is to help you to overcome your anxiety, stress and worry and to learn how to manage your own thoughts and feelings for life after your hypnotherapy sessions. When someone first comes to meet me for their free consultation, they tell me all about how anxiety and worry dominate their life. It can impact upon work, friendships and relationships. And most of all it impacts on your ability to feel comfortable in your own skin and to enjoy life.

There are the endless stressful thoughts about what might happen and whether you can cope with it. These thoughts can start to become more and more consistent and habitual until you struggle to switch off from them even when nothing is happening. You’ll already know all the tension, chest tightness, stomach issues and other physical sensations that you battle to live with. And it can impact upon your sleep, appetite, ability to make decisions and anxiety just stops you feeling happy, confident and in control of yourself.

I love when, after our hypnotherapy sessions together, people tell me how they feel so much better in themselves. You can see it in your eyes, in the smile on their face and in their more positive demeanour and conversation. By learning to orchestrate and direct your own thoughts, feelings and actions, you learn how to navigate life feeling better in yourself. You can nip things in the bud, focus on the positive and trust in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

Some people struggle at the outset to believe they could get some amazing results from a few sessions of hypnotherapy with me. That’s why it’s so great to be able to show them the review videos and feedback from so many people who have successfully been through the journey. I’m always massively grateful to anyone who is kind enough to record a quick hypnotherapy review video as I know it inspires others who are currently struggling to take that first step towards feeling better.

Anxiety and Worst Case Scenarios: My Ely Standard Column

by Dan Regan | Sep 4, 2025 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Anxiety and Worst Case Scenarios: My Ely Standard Column

Anxiety drives our mind to think in worst case scenarios. You imagine all sorts of potential future catastrophes, and the fear of these happening feeds back into your anxiety.

Your thoughts re-enforce your anxious feelings. And those anxious feelings drive your thoughts to think the worst. It becomes a self perpetuating loop that can be difficult to break free from. Hypnotherapy can help you to interrupt those habitual experiences that go on inside of you. You can take back control over your own thoughts and feelings so that you feel better and better in yourself.

My latest column for the Ely Standard is all about anxiety and worst case scenarios. By interrupting, diluting and changing the things going around and around inside your head, you can weaken the grip of anxiety, get a handle on things and start seeing things more clearly.

My article about anxiety and worst case scenarios is on the Ely Standard website for you to read here:

Anxiety: Facts and Imagination

by Dan Regan | Sep 1, 2025 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Anxiety: Facts and Imagination

When it comes to anxiety, there is often the clash between facts and your imagination.

Your anxiety will have you conjure up all sorts of possibilities about things that could go wrong and how bad that would make you feel if it were to happen. Very often clients will tell me that they know what they are thinking is irrational or unlikely to happen in the catastrophic way they are thinking. Yet that doesn’t stop the unpleasant cycle of anxious thoughts and feelings from going around and around inside your head and body.

You feel anxious and that drives your mind to seek the threat. After all, to your mind if you are feeling that anxious then there must be something to be worried about. Your imagination will flow into all sorts of scenarios about what might happen in the future. There may be one specific thing that you are thinking the worst about. Or you may find that your anxiety can flow from one thing to the next with a sense of restlessness and dread.

As humans we are generally pretty rubbish at predicting the future and what will happen. I mean, just look back at science shows from thirty years ago who were predicting robots in every home and flying cars. We tend to lose sight of all the times we have worried that something bad was going to happen, only for things to turn out ok. We are only ever just taking a guess at how things will turn out.

Take the dentist for example. Who hasn’t stressed a bit before some upcoming treatment, only to leave thinking how it wasn’t as bad as expected. Or maybe you have a speech coming up and worry about freezing, or you worry about standing at an upcoming social occasion with no one wanting to talk with you. And despite these things generally going ok when they actually take place, the next time they come around, the same worry, anxiety and dread kicks back in. It’s like our brains don’t update and we forget that we are often mistaken in our predictions.

You feel anxious and imagine the worst. You scare yourself inside your own imagination. Your brain frantically responds to all of these perceived threats that go around inside your own head. Anxious thoughts lead to anxious feelings that leads to more anxious thoughts. The cycle continues to fuel itself again and again.

Yet it is very possible to break the pattern of anxiety, to start thinking more clearly and logically and so to feel calmer and more in control.

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