Sharon Clare

Sharon Clare

I work with people whose nervous system has learned to respond to situations with fear, anxiety, or physical symptoms that are getting in the way of the life they want to live. That might be anxiety around a medical procedure, a fear that has grown into avoidance, stress that is showing up in the body, or a general sense of being stuck on high alert. I’m passionate about helping people understand that what the brain has learned, it can also learn differently — and that change can happen more quickly than most people expect.

My approach is neuroscience-based and solution-focused. Rather than spending sessions analysing the past, we focus on helping your nervous system settle, building a practical toolkit you can use day to day, and gently shifting your brain and body toward a calmer, more confident baseline. Sessions typically include a blend of psychoeducation (understanding what’s happening and why), solution focused conversation and clinical hypnosis. Most people find the sessions calming from the very first appointment — and begin to notice changes in sleep, mood, and reactivity before they have consciously “worked through” anything. I work at a pace that feels right for you, and everything we do is explained clearly before we begin.

Special Interests

• Medical procedure anxiety — including surgery, MRI and scan anxiety, radiotherapy, needle phobia, and treatment-related fear
• Fear templates and phobias — where the brain has learned a specific fear response that is now affecting daily life or limiting choices
• Stress-conditioned physical symptoms — including bladder urgency, jaw tension, teeth grinding, and other responses driven by nervous system overload
• Anxiety and nervous system regulation — including sleep difficulties, low mood, and the physical and emotional impact of prolonged stress
• Supporting people through cancer treatment — helping patients feel calmer, more in control, and more able to access the care they need

I hold a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma (HPD) and a Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (DSFH), both Level 4 qualifications and the recognised professional standard for hypnotherapy practice in the UK. I trained with CPHT (Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training), one of the UK’s most respected hypnotherapy training providers.

I’m registered with the Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Before retraining, I spent over 30 years working in health and social care, including senior leadership roles. That background shapes the way I work — I understand healthcare systems, I understand what it means to support people through difficult and frightening experiences, and I bring that depth of experience into the therapy room. Alongside my private practice, I currently provide hypnotherapy support within Belfast City Hospital as part of a pilot programme developed in partnership with the Macmillan Information and Support Centre, supporting patients experiencing anxiety around cancer treatment.

Outside of work, you’ll most likely find me outdoors — sea swimming, paddleboarding, or walking. I moved to Northern Ireland to be closer to family and fell in love with the coast. Getting outside and into nature is genuinely important to my own nervous system regulation, and it’s something I often talk about with clients too.