Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Hypnotherapy in Cheltenham

PTSD & C-PTSD Hypnotherapy with a Specialist You Can Trust

Living with PTSD or Complex PTSD can feel like being trapped in the past, haunted by memories, emotions and physical sensations that your mind and body can't seem to let go of. 

If you're struggling with flashbacks, hypervigilance, emotional numbness or a constant sense of dread, you're not broken. You're responding to experiences that were genuinely overwhelming. And with the right support, healing is absolutely possible.

I'm Lesley Ford, a specialist-trained clinical hypnotherapist based in Cheltenham, working with clients online across the UK. Trauma, PTSD and C-PTSD are my focus, not an add on to a general practice, and I use hypnotherapy to help you process what happened at a deeper level, so you can finally move forward.

What is PTSD and how is C-PTSD different?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after a single traumatic event such as an accident, assault, medical trauma or bereavement. 

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) typically develops in response to repeated or prolonged trauma, childhood abuse, domestic violence, or sustained neglect, for example.

While the two conditions share many symptoms, C-PTSD often also involves deep difficulties with self-worth, emotional regulation and the ability to trust others.

Both PTSD and C-PTSD are serious conditions, but both respond well to the right therapeutic approach. 

Common experiences include flashbacks and intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, avoidance, panic attacks, shame, sleep disturbance and a profound sense of disconnection from yourself and the people around you. If any of this feels familiar, you are far from alone, and you don't have to keep managing it on your own.

How does hypnotherapy help with PTSD and C-PTSD?

Traditional talk therapy asks you to consciously revisit and narrate your trauma, which for many people can feel retraumatising in itself.

Hypnotherapy works differently. In a deeply relaxed state, your conscious mind steps back, allowing us to work directly with the unconsciousmind, the part of the mind where traumatic memories, emotional responses and unhelpful patterns are stored. 

This means we can gently process and reframe what happened without you needing to relive it in distressing detail.

Hypnotherapy for PTSD works by reducing the emotional charge attached to traumatic memories, breaking the cycle of flashbacks and intrusive thoughts, and helping to regulate your nervous system so that you feel calmer and safer in your own body. Over time, clients find that they're able to rebuild a sense of identity and self-worth beyond the trauma, restore healthy sleep, and develop tools they can draw on every day.

Sessions draw on specialist techniques including parts therapy and timeline therapy, each tailored to your unique experience of trauma.

What does a PTSD hypnotherapy programme involve?

Every client's experience of trauma is different, so no two programmes are the same. After a free initial consultation to understand your background, symptoms and goals, I design a personalised programme built entirely around you. Most clients work with me across six sessions, with each one building on the last. Because sessions take place online via video call, you can access support from the comfort and privacy of your own home, wherever you are in the UK.

Your programme includes a free 45-minute consultation, six tailored 1.5 hour hypnotherapy sessions, recordings of each session to listen back to between appointments, bespoke audio recordings to support your progress, and WhatsApp support throughout. You can find full pricing details here. 

Why work with Lesley Ford for PTSD hypnotherapy?

I am specialist trained in both PTSD and Complex PTSD, and this is where my clinical work is focused. 

I understand that reaching out takes real courage, particularly when trust has been damaged by past experiences. My approach is always gentle, non-judgmental and paced entirely around you and you will never be pushed further than you are ready to go.

Many of my clients come having already tried other therapies that didn't quite reach the root of what they were carrying. 

Hypnotherapy often gets there when other approaches haven't, because it works at the level where trauma actually lives, beneath conscious thought, in the body and the unconscious mind. 

Clients work with me from across the UK, and for many, the online format makes it easier to access that support without the added pressure of travelling or sitting in a waiting room.

Testimonials

"Fantastic, kind, knowledgeable lady
I’m an army veteran with complex PTSD and she has done wonders to help me please understand my needs
Highly recommend
A++++" MW

"Hypnotherapy was a revelation for me. I never imagined that I could find such profound relief from my PTSD symptoms. With each session, I felt lighter and more in control of my emotions." Emily S.

"I was sceptical at first, but hypnotherapy has been a game-changer. I'm finally able to sleep peacefully and approach each day with renewed hope." Alex M.

Ready to take the first step?

You don't have to keep living in survival mode. A single conversation could be the beginning of something genuinely transformative. 

Book your free 45-minute, no obligation consultation today there's no obligation, no pressure, and no need to share more than you're comfortable with.

We'll talk through what you're experiencing, what you're hoping for, and whether hypnotherapy feels like the right fit for you.

Book your free consultation here 

If you're reading this, you're probably exhausted from trying to feel better. Maybe you've tried other things that haven't worked and this feels like your last attempt. 

You might be nervous, overwhelmed, or anxious about even reaching out, and that's completely okay.

Most of my clients feel exactly the same way before their first session.

What they tell me afterwards is different. They sleep better. They feel more confident. They go on that holiday, take that flight, get behind the wheel without even thinking about it. It just becomes their natural way of being.

I'm Lesley Ford, a multi award-winning clinical hypnotherapist based in Cheltenham, registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) and specialist trained in PTSD and C-PTSD. 

I have a sense of humour which helps more than you'd think, and I take time to really understand what's going on for you. 

I get to the heart of issues quickly and I don't keep people in therapy longer than they need to be. I'm here to get you results.

My Awards 

Holistic Hypnotherapy Practice of the Year 2026 South West England by GHP

Gloucestershire's Most Trusted Hypnotherapist 2025 

Best Hypnotherapy Service South West England 2025

 

Most Transformative Hypnotherapy Service South West England 2025 

Quality Business Award 2025 with a 95% quality rating 

Best Rated Business Award Cheltenham 2025

I offer a free 45 minute consultation, no pressure and no obligation. Just a chance to ask questions, tell me what's going on, and see if we're the right fit.

Find out more about Lesley and how she works here

Related reading

The Unseen Battle: How PTSD, Emotional Trauma and Anxiety Impact Your Mind and Body

 

Coping vs Healing Why Just "Getting By" Isn't Enough 

Why Change Can Feel So Hard (And Why It's Not About Willpower) 

What Is PTSD and How Can Hypnotherapy Help With Emotional Trauma? 

Understanding Emotional Trauma: Symptoms and Pathways to Healing