The Pro Member Interviews : Julie Bevan Solution Focused Hypnotherapist Anxiety Expert Empowering Young Adults Pro member
What is the point in having the best group of female entrepreneurs in your membership if you cannot tap into their magnificent brains for all the high achieving , super genius, beautiful and wonderful thoughts that hang around in their head… well there would be no point, obvs – hence why I asked them to take some time out to talk to me about their life, their passion and of course their businesses…
Lets Dive in ...
How would you describe your profession?
Julie: Solution-focused hypnotherapist. I work with anxious or depressed teenagers and their parents so they are able to go from anxious and unhappy to happy and confident by just understanding how our brains work.
What Drives you?
Julie: The amazing transformation of unhappy teenagers with horrible physical symptoms of anxiety to happy and confident young adults ready to take on the world. This not only changes the teenager but the whole family.
If you won £10k and could only spend it within your business what would you use it for?
Julie: Advice and help for an online course so that I could reach far more teenagers and know I can help them change very quickly.
When did you realise you wanted to do this for a living?
Julie: I trained for myself and my own children as I didn’t know how to help them with their anxiety, I was not going to do it as a business. When I saw the change in myself and my clients, I couldn’t do anything else. Teenagers found me, I didn’t go looking for them. Once I had worked with them, I knew that this group were for me.
Tell me a funny story about your business?
Julie: I always ask the client if they know anything about hypnotherapy. When I tell them that I will not control their mind, I don’t own a pocket watch and they will not be standing on one leg clucking like a chicken. I have had several who are quite disappointed and were looking forward to that!!
Who do you work with?
Julie: Predominately anxious or depressed teenagers who are also suffering from some debilitating physical symptoms such as stuttering, facial and body tics, anger, social anxiety, IBS, school exclusion, etc.
I work with them and a parent at first so that they both understand how anxiety and depression are generated and more importantly the simple steps they can both take to reduce and remove the feelings and symptoms.
Teenagers make changes very quickly, quicker than most adults and when they change the difference is seen throughout the family.
Have you had any difficult situations you have learned from?
Julie: Not to be frightened when I am told the client has suicidal thoughts. I have learned that asking specific questions helps the client to understand more. I am no longer afraid to use the word depression or suicide. Asking these questions do not make the person more depressed and it gives us both an understanding about the current situation.
Have you had any wins that have made you feel happy?
Julie: When I have a teenager with me who is hunched over with mental anguish, has developed a terrible stutter, has facial and body tics and feels they will never go back to school and the mother is in tears not knowing what to do for the best. I explain the workings of our brain quite simply and then see the difference if and when I see them next. Many times just this one hour makes a huge difference and gives the teen control and power back. Sometimes I see them for 2 or 3 sessions and the difference seeing a happy smiling teen who is back to school and socialising is just the best feeling ever.
Where is this journey taking you?
I hope to see more teenagers either in person or on line and I want to develope an online course to reach more people, either they cannot afford to see a therapist 1.2.1 or they do not have the confidence to do this.
I also want to produce a journal that people can obtain the same information and put it into practice every day.
If you could give a new business owner one piece of advice what would that be?
Do your own thing, and don't keep buying shiny new things
Looking back at when you started this journey – could you have imagined yourself here?
No, teenagers scared me at first as they don’t have the same amount of eye contact as adults do.