Does this sound familiar?

Fear of flying and flight anxiety can show up in many different ways.

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You may experience:

• anxiety days or weeks before your flight

• fear of turbulence

• fear during take-off or landing

• panic while boarding the aircraft

• fear that something will go wrong

• fear of losing control

• feeling trapped once the doors close

• a racing heart or physical sensations of panic

• difficulty sleeping before travelling

• constantly watching or listening for signs that something is wrong

• avoiding holidays or business trips because you would have to fly

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For some people, the fear has always been there. For others, it develops after a difficult flight, strong turbulence or another stressful experience.

Whatever its origin, an automatic fear response can change.

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How can hypnotherapy help with fear of flying?

When you are afraid of flying, the problem is usually not a lack of information.

You may rationally know that flying is safe while still experiencing intense anxiety. There is a more automatic part of your mind may have learned to associate flying with danger.

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A sound, turbulence, take-off, or simply hearing the aircraft doors close can then trigger an automatic alarm response: tension, a racing heart, anxious thoughts or even panic.

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Simply telling yourself “Flying is safe” may not be enough.

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Hypnotherapy works with these automatic responses, helping your mind develop a different reaction to the experience of flying.

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Depending on your situation, we may work on:

• anticipatory anxiety before your trip

• fear of turbulence

• fear of take-off or landing

• physical sensations of anxiety or panic

• fear of losing control

• feeling trapped inside the aircraft

• aircraft sounds and movements

• a difficult experience during a previous flight

• your ability to return to a calmer state when you need it

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The aim is not to force yourself to control your fear.

It is to help your mind no longer respond to flying with the same level of alarm.

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Client story: 4 flights in 4 days

A client came to see me because his  fear of flying made travelling particularly difficult.

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A few days after our work together, in just four days, she took four flights​. And the first journey was not an especially easy one.

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There were strong winds on departure, turbulence during the journey and a challenging landing.

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But something was different.

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He later told me that he had remained calm, with very little anxiety, despite the turbulence.

One small detail particularly stayed with me: he was even able to calmly eat her sandwich during the flight, something that had previously been difficult when she was anxious.

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On his return flights, he described herself as incredibly calm.

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Four flights in four days.

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The same aircraft. The same possibility of turbulence. The same sensations associated with flying.

But a very different response.

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Your fear of flying is personal. Your session should be too.

There isn't just one type of fear of flying.

One person may feel perfectly comfortable until the first turbulence begins.

Another may start worrying weeks before departure.

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Someone else may be relatively calm during the flight but panic during take-off or when the aircraft doors close.

That is why we first explore your individual experience of flying.

• What triggers your anxiety?

• When does it begin?

• What thoughts go through your mind?

• What happens in your body?

• Is turbulence the main problem?

• Is it the lack of control?

• Do you feel trapped?

• Did a previous flight change the way you feel about flying?

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We can then adapt the hypnotherapy to your specific reactions and the change you want to achieve.

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Fear of turbulence, take-off or losing control?

For many people, the aircraft itself is not really the problem.

It is a particular part of the experience.

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Fear of turbulence

You may understand that turbulence is a normal part of flying, but the moment the aircraft starts moving, your body reacts.

Hypnotherapy can focus specifically on the sensations, thoughts and automatic responses associated with turbulence.

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Fear of take-off

Acceleration, engine noise, the angle of the aircraft and the sensation of leaving the ground can create a powerful physical response.

If take-off is your main trigger, we can focus specifically on this stage of the journey.

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Fear of losing control

Flying requires you to place control in someone else's hands.

For people who feel safest when they understand or control what is happening around them, this can become a major source of flight anxiety.

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Feeling trapped or claustrophobic

Sometimes the fear is connected to knowing that you cannot simply leave the aircraft.

In this situation, the work can also address the feelings of confinement and loss of freedom associated with flying.

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How many hypnotherapy sessions are needed for fear of flying?

Fear of flying is often a relatively specific issue.

For some people, one or two sessions can already lead to an important change. Others may benefit from additional work, particularly when flight anxiety is connected with claustrophobia, fear of losing control, panic or more general anxiety.

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Everyone is different, so I prefer to adapt the approach to the individual rather than promise a specific number of sessions or a guaranteed result.

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Fear of flying hypnotherapy in Zurich and online across Switzerland

You can have your hypnotherapy session:

• In Zurich - individual sessions in a calm and confidential setting.

• Online throughout Switzerland and around the world

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Whether you live in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Bern or elsewhere in Switzerland, sessions can also be conducted online.

Sessions are available in English, French and Spanish.

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What if your next flight felt different?

Imagine arriving at the airport and noticing that something has changed.

You board the aircraft.

You sit down.

The doors close.

The aircraft begins to move.

Then comes take-off.

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You notice the sensations of flying, but your body remains much calmer.

Some turbulence begins and, instead of immediately being pulled into catastrophic thoughts, you breathe and allow the aircraft to continue its journey.

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And perhaps at some point you realise:

“I'm on the plane... and I'm okay.”

Fear of flying should not decide wher

e you can travel, who you can visit or which experiences you can have.

Your next flight can feel different.