Fear of flying
What it involves
Fear of flying is one of the most common phobias — and rarely a single fear. It often weaves together fear of heights, of enclosed spaces, of turbulence, or of panic itself, and it can appear even after years of comfortable flying.
How sessions help
The work begins by taking the fear apart. Flying anxiety is not one thing: research describes it as a blend that differs from person to person — for some, the core is turbulence and the idea that the aircraft is in danger; for others, it is being enclosed with no way out, or the fear of having a panic attack in front of strangers. The first sessions map your particular blend: the thoughts, the body sensations, the moments in a journey where the anxiety spikes, and everything that has quietly been reorganised to avoid flying.
From there, the work follows the approach with the strongest evidence for specific phobias: gradual, structured exposure. You learn how the anxiety curve actually behaves — it rises, peaks, and falls again even when you stay — and you approach flying in agreed steps: images, film, aircraft sounds, sitting with the sensations, then a real journey when you are ready. Alongside, we work on the interpretations that fuel the fear, such as what turbulence actually is, and on breathing and body-regulation tools you can use in the cabin. Each step is agreed before it is taken — nothing is sprung on you, and no step is left behind until it feels settled.
Medical hypnosis can complement this work when appropriate — rehearsing the journey in a calm, focused state so that calm becomes easier to find on the day. Sessions last about an hour. The goal is not to make you love flying; it is to return the choice to you, so that a trip is something you decide — not something the fear decides for you.