About You
Hello, I’m Stella Tomlinson.
Author and Solution-Focused Hypnotherapist.
Before you consider booking in with me, please take a moment to read this page.
If we are going to step into this process together, it helps immensely if we share some common ground.
So let’s talk a little about you…
Does this sound familiar?
You have long navigated the world with an incredibly perceptive mind and body.
Lately, however, your nervous system may feel like a raw, frayed wire where the volume on life is turned to maximum.
You’re in your forties, fifties or sixties and find yourself experiencing:
Mental static: Trapped in exhausting loops of overthinking, rumination, and procrastination that leave you feeling like you simply can't think straight.
A loud inner critic: Feeling disconnected from your creativity and joy, frozen by perfectionism and constantly second-guessing your worth.
Physical weariness: Carrying the pressure of daily anxiety and stress exhaustion in your body, resulting in chronic tension or waking up in the night.
Disorientation: Navigating the challenges of midlife and beyond and feeling untethered as your old roles and identities change.
Frayed boundaries: Feeling you’re running on empty from managing everyone else's needs, navigating complex family dynamics, and struggling to say a gentle, firm no.
And you might be asking yourself:
"What is wrong with me?
Am I losing my mind?!
Where did my perspective and resilience go?”
And perhaps also:
“Surely there’s more to life than this?”
Take a deep breath…
You are not broken, and you do not need fixing.
When your stress bucket overflows, the primitive brain triggers an emergency alarm in the body and you feel like your thoughts spiral, or body braces and you can feel like you’re losing control.
But this isn’t a personal failing.
It’s how our brains and nervous systems are wired.
What is going on beneath the surface:
The primitive mind survival script:
Your brain is constantly scanning for danger. And when you’re under stress your brain (specifically the amygdala) gets tricked into thinking everything is an emergency. Daily life, bodily sensations and even your own thoughts fill your "stress bucket" to the brim and sound the alarm.
A natural biological shift:
In your younger years, your body had natural buffers against stress. As midlife brings a hormonal transition, those built-in buffers lower. Your porous nervous system isn't failing; it is simply overwhelmed.
An existential threshold:
Beneath the physical challenges, you are navigating a deep change. You are shedding an old identity likely built around living for everyone else. Your soul is craving a deeper purpose and an awakening to a life more alive - but you cannot hear your own inner wisdom while your body is locked in emergency survival mode.
But you cannot just think your way out of this, because the alarm is sounding in your body, not your intellect.
You just need a safe space to quiet the noise so your mind and nervous system can reset.
And then you will hear the guidance your rational, creative mind is trying to give you.
We will work well together if…
You are ready to move forward and:
You value both neuroscience and soul: You are fascinated by the depths of the psyche, but you also appreciate the practical science of change. You love that we can honour the mystery of the soul while using evidence-based brain science to calm a busy mind.
You view depth as strength: You want to calm anxiety and overwhelm rather than change who you are.
You question the rush of modern life: You are critical of a life-denying system obsessed with constant hustle, exhaustion, and perpetual growth. You want to step out of that frantic script.
However, I am NOT the guide for you if:
You are looking for a space to process childhood trauma or analyse your past.
You may prefer to explore approaches such as trauma therapy and EMDR or work with an analytical counsellor/therapist instead. I am qualified to offer solution-focused psychotherapy and hypnotherapy.
You are seeking medical help with your symptoms, are looking for a perimenopause diagnosis, or are looking for advice on nutrition or HRT.
I am not qualified to give medical advice, diagnose, or advise about HRT or nutrition.
We may share some Common Ground
If we work together, it often helps if our worldviews share a little common ground.
We don’t need to agree on everything, but these are the foundational pillars of how I view the mind, the body, and the times we are living in:
An Earthy, Grounded Spirituality:
You value a connection to the natural world.
You believe our bodies and minds are deeply responsive to natural rhythms, and that true peace often involves unplugging from the noise and stepping out beneath the trees.
Mind, Body & Soul are Intimately Connected:
You believe you cannot separate mental overwhelm from physical comfort.
True well-being means looking at the whole system – calming a frantic mind to soothe a weary body, and vice versa.
A Critique of Modern Hustle:
Our modern culture is often obsessed with constant hurry, productivity, and perpetual growth.
You’re open to a practice that is an intentional counter-cultural space where rest is celebrated, and expectations like perfectionism and people-pleasing can be safely dismantled.
No Gurus, Just Collaboration:
You are not looking for a self-appointed expert telling you how to live.
You understand that hypnotherapy is a collaborative process where the therapist is helping you tap into the inner resources and wisdom that already live within you.
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Conversations you are drawn to (because you dislike small talk):
The state of the world now • Patriarchy & feminism • Energy & emotions • Flowers and trees • High sensitivity & neurodivergence • Peri/menopause • Nature spirituality • The sacred feminine • Archetypes • Healing & trauma awareness • Nervous system regulation • Ethical business • Nuanced critiques of the wellness industry.
You may feel like you’ve come home when you work with me…
If you are yearning to:
Feel more at peace with yourself - confident, settled, and comfortable in your own skin.
Create conscious space to process your thoughts and tune into what you truly want and need.
Rediscover your sense of self amidst the identity shifts of midlife and the daily demands on your energy.
Reclaim sovereignty over your mind and emotions, gently stepping away from worrying about what others think.
Trust the quiet voice within you, turning those soulful inner whispers into confident action.
Answer your soul's call for deep self-intimacy, living a life that matches your true values.
Thank you for reading
I share this because I value your time and my own.
If our views on these foundational issues fundamentally differ, we are unlikely to find the deep, harmonious alignment required for this gently powerful restorative work.
If, however, you read these words and feel a sense of safety and relief (or even curiosity) — I would love to welcome you into my practice.