Conquering my fear of Santa: My journey with hypnotherapy

I am often asked how I got into hypnotherapy. My journey began in my early 30s when I sought help from a hypnotherapist to overcome an unusual fear: my fear of Santa Claus. Yes, you read that right. I was terrified of the men dressed as Santa at shopping centres. Just a glimpse of one would send me running to find a hiding spot or to put as much distance between us as possible. 

At the time, I owned a skin clinic in a shopping complex where the tenant committee would hire a Santa to walk around each Christmas. Although it was just one day, it was the worst day of the year for me. As a tenant, I technically contributed to his wage, so he made it a point to visit every shop, including mine, to say hello and hand out lollies. I had trained my staff to alert me if they saw him approaching so I could hide in the back until it was safe to come out. 

As an adult, I knew how ridiculous my fear was. I knew it was just a man in a costume, but I couldn't stop the irrational panic. One day, a client witnessed me dart for cover. After Santa left and I resurfaced, she suggested I look into hypnosis and gave me the number of a friend who specialised in it. I was apprehensive but trusted her and booked my first session. 

It turns out I’m an excellent hypnotherapy client, as I go into hypnosis very easily. Being a big daydreamer who grew up in a hectic household, I had learned to tune out people and noise—qualities that make for the best hypnotic clients. 

In my session, the hypnotherapist used a technique called Ego State Therapy, which has become my favourite. She identified the part of me that was causing the fear and engaged with it. This part of me was very young and unaware that I was now an adult. 

The root of my fear was a vivid memory from my childhood. After a stern stranger danger talk from my mother, she took me to see Santa for a photo. Standing in line, I was already on edge. When it was my turn, Santa offered me a lolly and asked me to sit on his knee. The combination of his gesture, the overwhelming smell of body odour and pee, and my recent lesson on stranger danger triggered a deep-seated phobia. 

My hypnotherapist explained to this part of me that I was now safe, grown up, and capable of looking after myself. She guided me out of hypnosis, and from that day forward, I had no problem with Santa. The next year, I even helped Santa get dressed in my clinic without hesitation. 

Phobias are fascinating. Once we understand their true origin, they can simply vanish, leaving us with a memory but no emotional attachment. I continued with hypnosis for about a year, addressing other issues, which I will write about in future blogs. 

Many years later, as I pursued a path in mental health, I reconnected with hypnotherapy as a treatment modality, fell in love with it all over again, and haven’t looked back.