Fear of water & learning to swim

You can feel safe in the water

A fear of water can shape a whole life: the holidays avoided, the pool parties missed, the quiet embarrassment of never having learned. It doesn't have to stay that way. Fear is learned, and it can be unlearned.

Book a free consultation Call 07809 694361

DHP qualified · BEd (Hons) · Over 20 years of teaching experience · Free first call

Who this is for

Does this sound like you?

People come to me about water for all sorts of reasons. You might recognise yourself here:

You panic near the deep end, or can't put your face in the water
You avoid beach or pool holidays, or sit on the side while your family swims
You never learned to swim and feel it's too late now
A frightening experience, often in childhood, left a mark that never faded
You want to be able to keep your children safe around water

How I help

The mind first, then the water

This is where my background is genuinely unusual. As a qualified hypnotherapist and an experienced swimming teacher, I work on both halves of the problem. Hypnotherapy gently settles the fear response itself, the tight chest and racing thoughts that arrive before you're anywhere near the water. Once your mind feels safe, learning to swim becomes possible in a way it simply wasn't before.

We go at your pace, always. For some people the goal is swimming a length; for others it's simply feeling calm on a beach holiday. Both are wins, and both are achievable.

Elizabeth Ellen DHP
Qualified hypnotherapist (Royal Berkshire College of Clinical Hypnosis), BEd (Hons), over 20 years a secondary school teacher, and a qualified swimming teacher. More about me

Common questions

It's natural to be curious

Is it too late for me to learn to swim?

It's never too late. I've helped adults of all ages who believed the water simply wasn't for them. We calm the fear first, so that learning becomes possible, and even enjoyable.

Do you teach the swimming as well?

I'm a qualified swimming teacher as well as a hypnotherapist, so I understand exactly what happens in the water and can tailor the hypnotherapy to it. On your free call we'll talk about the right combination for you.

Can this work over Zoom?

Yes. The hypnotherapy part works very well online, wherever you are in the country. Many clients do the mental work with me over Zoom and then build water confidence at their local pool.

What if I'm embarrassed about it?

Please don't be. A fear of water is far more common than people admit, and you will never be judged here. Most clients tell me the hardest part was picking up the phone.

Get in touch

Book your free consultation

The first step is a relaxed, no-obligation chat. Tell me a little about what you'd like to change, and I'll come back to you within one working day.

07809 694361

Hermitage, Berkshire, and online via Zoom

Not sure whether hypnotherapy is right for you? That's exactly what the free call is for. There's no pressure and no obligation.