The Phobia Fix Protocol is a streamlined, highly effective approach that combines CBT, imaginal exposure, NLP, and the Hypno Beta Blocker, designed to resolve most phobias in just one session. The therapist guides the client through structured imaginal exposure to desensitise fear responses, employs CBT reframing to shift unhelpful thoughts, installs an NLP anchor for instant calm, and applies the Hypno Beta Blocker to break the fear-memory connection.

There are various steps to cover during the session and you should allow between 90 minutes to 120 minutes to fully deliver this session.

Instead of providing you with separate scripts for each part of the session, which can be difficult to organise and can feel overwhelming, I have provided one script that comprises the following components:

• Induction
• Deepener
• CBT-hypnosis
• Hypno-Beta Blocker
• Ego-strengthening

Take some time to familiarise yourself with the script, and with the various stages. Although it is a long script, it is no longer than bringing together various scripts and approaches and covers everything necessary during your first session (when combined with the earlier ABCDE discussion and setting up an anchor and safe place).

It's important to note, though, that although there are several steps, as long as you are organised they flow together perfectly. You'll also note that some of the steps, such as creating a safe place and setting up an anchor, can be carried out very quickly, whilst the ABCDE discussion and hypnosis script will take longer to work through. In addition, some of the steps - such as providing the client with their recording and encouraging them to expose themselves to their phobia in a real-life situation - are steps that they carry out after the session is over.

One of the most important aspects of success is setting the expectation that this is a one-session solution. Phobia work thrives on decisive resolution, not long-term therapy. Some clients may need more than one session, but there should always be significant improvement with each one. If a second session is needed, the focus remains on reinforcing progress—no matter how small—strengthening the anchor, and using rewind technique and parts therapy to explore any resistance. However, if a client finds themselves in repeated sessions with little movement, it's a sign that this approach may not be the right fit for them at this time—and that’s okay. Not every client will respond to this, or any, method, and that’s not a failure on the therapist’s or the client’s part.

I experienced this first-hand when I saw a hypnotherapist for my driving phobia. I was desperate for it to work, ready to invest in as many sessions as needed because overcoming the fear would allow me to take a good job. But what made the biggest difference was that the hypnotherapist refused to book me in for another session. She told me I was cured and that she wasn’t expecting to see me again—though I could return if I really felt I needed to. That certainty convinced me. More than any technique, that firm belief in the success of the session made me believe it too.

This is why it’s so important that therapists encourage clients to think in terms of a single session. If we imply that phobia work takes weeks or months, the client may assume their fear is too deeply ingrained to shift quickly. But if they are led to believe it can be resolved in a session, they are far more likely to accept that possibility. And in phobia work, belief is everything.