Stop Smoking and Vaping with Hypnotherapy
Practical, personalised stop-smoking hypnotherapy in Central London, Reading and Didcot, with online sessions also available.
If smoking or vaping is controlling your health, habits, money or peace of mind, you are not weak and you are not broken. Nicotine use can become connected to stress, routine, social situations, concentration and reward. Even when you consciously want to stop, those familiar patterns can continue automatically.
I’m Matthew Exell, a cognitive hypnotherapist, Master NLP Practitioner and mindset coach with over 18 years of professional experience. I use hypnotherapy, NLP and practical mindset techniques to help you understand your smoking pattern, reduce its emotional pull and begin thinking and acting like a non-smoker.
Call 07807 540142 or email me to ask a question or arrange your stop-smoking session.
Your Reasons for Becoming Smoke-Free
There is no single correct reason to stop. Your reason may be:
- To feel healthier and breathe more easily
- To be free from the smell, stigma and inconvenience
- To keep more of your money
- To feel calmer and more in control
- To protect the people around you
- To feel proud, relieved and genuinely free
- To stop vaping or using nicotine as part of everyday life
Your reasons are personal, and they are important. The session is built around what stopping means to you rather than somebody else’s idea of why you should quit.
Why Smoking and Vaping Can Feel Difficult to Stop
Smoking and vaping are not only physical habits. Over time, nicotine use can become linked to particular moments and emotional states: the first drink of the day, a break from work, driving, socialising, finishing a meal, boredom, pressure or anxiety.
The cigarette or vape may then appear to provide calm, focus, comfort or control. In reality, the routine can become part of a repeating cycle in which the urge itself creates tension and the nicotine temporarily relieves it.
Hypnotherapy and NLP allow us to work with the meanings, expectations and automatic responses surrounding that cycle. The aim is to help you feel that stopping is a positive decision and a release, rather than a constant battle or sacrifice.
How I Help You Stop Smoking
Every session is personalised. I do not use a generic script. We look at how, when and why you smoke or vape, what has happened during previous attempts and what being successfully smoke-free will give you.
- Cognitive hypnotherapy: focused relaxation and attention to help new responses feel more natural.
- NLP: practical work with language, triggers, beliefs, internal responses and future situations.
- Positive psychology: strengthening motivation, personal resources and a positive identity beyond smoking.
- Mindset coaching: preparing for real-life situations and building confidence in your decision.
- Relapse prevention: planning for stress, social events and other situations that previously triggered smoking.
For many people, stop-smoking work is completed in one focused session of approximately 90 minutes. Where appropriate, we can also arrange a booster session between one and four weeks later. Outcomes vary, and the most important starting point is that you genuinely want to stop for yourself.
What We Can Address
- Cigarette smoking
- Vaping and habitual nicotine use
- Social or occasional smoking
- Stress-related smoking
- Fear of cravings or withdrawal
- Concerns about weight gain
- Previous attempts and fear of relapse
- Feeling that smoking is part of your identity
What Clients Have Said
“Hallo pal. I’m good thank u. I am a non smoker!!! I don’t crave, I’m not moody, I don’t eat like a pig… Life is good @ the mo .. Thank u very much. I told loads of people of u .. Hope u r well”
M.V. – Stopping Smoking, January 2012
“I had tried before to stop smoking without much success. I knew I had to give up after becoming pregnant and still I struggled. I went along to see Matthew and I left not wanting to smoke ever again, even now after 5 weeks it barely crosses my mind that I ever did smoke. It’s difficult to put into words but I now don’t smoke and I’m sure I won’t ever again.”
Tracy – stopping smoking, 2010
“Hi Matt and thank for checking up on me its been over 3 years now I havent smoked and dont even think about it now, Cheers mate and everybody go to see this man to stop smoking because it works. Thanks for your help.”
Steve Logan – stopped smoking in 2011
Testimonials describe individual experiences. Results vary from person to person, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.
Call 07807 540142 or email me today to discuss stopping smoking or vaping.
The Benefits Can Begin Quickly
Your body begins recovering after your final cigarette. According to the NHS, the following changes can occur:
- After 20 minutes: your pulse rate starts returning to normal.
- After 8 hours: oxygen levels recover and carbon monoxide in the blood reduces by half.
- After 48 hours: carbon monoxide reaches the level of a non-smoker, the lungs begin clearing mucus, and taste and smell improve.
- After 72 hours: breathing may feel easier as the bronchial tubes begin to relax, and energy can increase.
- After 2–12 weeks: circulation improves.
- After 3–9 months: coughing, wheezing and breathing problems may improve as lung function increases.
- After 1 year: heart-attack risk is around half that of someone who continues smoking.
- After 10 years: the risk of death from lung cancer is around half that of someone who continues smoking.
Read the current NHS guidance on what can happen when you quit smoking.
If You Are Worried About Weight Gain
Some people worry that stopping smoking will lead to overeating or weight gain. We can address this concern directly during your personalised session by working with the triggers, routines and expectations connected to food as well as nicotine.
The goal is not to replace one habit with another. It is to help you develop a calmer, healthier response and feel confident about your ability to remain smoke-free.
Stop-Smoking Sessions and Locations
You can choose the location or format that suits you:
- Central London: convenient for people who live or work in London.
- Reading: in-person sessions for Reading and the surrounding Berkshire area.
- Didcot: in-person sessions for Didcot and the surrounding Oxfordshire area.
- Online: private video sessions across the UK and internationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sessions will I need?
Stop-smoking work is often completed in one focused 90-minute session. A booster session can be arranged where appropriate. Every person is different, so results and requirements vary.
Will I be asleep or out of control?
No. Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and relaxation. You remain aware, in control and able to speak throughout the session.
Can you help with vaping?
Yes. Although smoking and vaping are not identical, we can work with the triggers, expectations and behavioural patterns that maintain habitual nicotine use.
What if I have tried to stop before?
Previous attempts can give us useful information about your triggers and what support you need. A relapse does not mean that you cannot stop; it means the previous approach did not yet address everything necessary for you.
Does hypnotherapy replace medical stop-smoking support?
No. Hypnotherapy is a complementary approach and does not replace medical advice, medication or NHS stop-smoking support. If you have health concerns, are pregnant or take medication affected by smoking, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional.
Start Feeling Free from Nicotine
If you are ready to stop smoking or vaping, we can begin by discussing your habits, your reasons and what becoming smoke-free would change for you. You are welcome to ask questions before deciding whether to book.
Call 07807 540142 or email me today.