ABOUT
James Gunning

To assist you in making your choice, I would like to provide some background information about myself. I hope this will reassure you when you contact me for information or to book your FREE consultation. Additionally, you can explore my BLOG for further insights, free advice, helpful tips, and inspiring stories. So....who am I and what made me choose this career? I have lived in Norfolk for over 35 years. Prior to this I have lived in many different places including Cyprus for a brief stint! This gave me an amazing grounding in life, having to change schools and make and lose friends so regularly. I believe this is where my interest in communication began. I became an expert at establishing friendships quickly and learning (sometimes the hard way!) about what makes people tick. ​ During my working life I have always worked in some form of communication, whether it be face to face or over the telephone. I was previously a Police Officer and worked for Norfolk Police for 11 years (See below). I also spent several years as a Trainer for KLM Airlines, teaching courses ranging from advanced interpersonal skills and body language all the way through to Load Control (weight & balance) on live flights for the various aircraft types being used. During this time I successfully achieved certificates for Coaching, Training Trainers, Presentation Skills, Communication Skills, Powerful First Impressions and Mentoring. Sadly I was made redundant, but this was when my interest in hypnosis really ignited. I was determined to bounce back and decided that a strong mental attitude would be required and so, used my redundancy money to book my first course as a Master Hypnotist through the Proudfoot School of Clinical Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, way back in 1996! My appetite for learning went off the scale. After successfully passing, I later booked up on the full Hypnotherapist training course and started using my new skills with family and friends. The results totally changed my view of the human mind and what can be achieved when things are pulled into focus and changed. I truly believe we are only skimming the surface of our true capabilities and that is what makes hypnosis work so exciting. ​ My Anxiety Experience... More recently I spent eleven years as a Supervisor within the Norfolk Police Control Room. This was a role that required exceptional communication skills due to the nature of the work and extreme pressure that often arose during difficult incidents. I witnessed and experienced first hand the effects of stress, anxiety and fatigue, and how it could manifest itself both physically and mentally. ​ Burn Out! After years of pretending I was ok, a particular incident occurred one night and it changed everything. I was burnt out and anxiety overwhelmed me and suffocated what little bit of me I had left. It had been building for a while, but suddenly I found myself down a path I couldn't escape from. I went from 'Hero to Zero' fast! Simple decisions became impossible, I found myself feeling sick and nervous in almost every situation. Anxiety had taken control and left me tearful and sinking fast.  ​ The Turning Point After seeing my GP and trying various medications (Which for me, made things worse!), I found myself signed off work sick. It was during this time that I realised it was only ever going to change if I took action. This was the turning point. Using Hypnosis for anxiety and other powerful techniques, I tore down the walls I had created in my head and took back control. I have NEVER looked back!