Epiphany Hypnotherapy

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Epiphany Hypnotherapy Fully qualified and insured clinical hypnotherapist and owner of Epiphany Hypnotherapy clinic located in Gym Plus, Swords.

Clinical Hypnotherapy & EMDR in Swords, Dublin- My name is Melanie Hargrove and I support people struggling with anxiety, phobias, stress, trauma, quit smoking, changing limiting thoughts, beliefs & habits, weight loss and confidence.

I remember being slapped by a nun in playschool. I was four.It was the first time I remember being slapped. I felt confu...
21/10/2026

I remember being slapped by a nun in playschool. I was four.

It was the first time I remember being slapped. I felt confused, embarrassed, but also frustrated because I had been blamed for something I hadn’t done.

To this day, I hate being wrongly accused. Looking back, I wonder how much that experience contributed to it. I can’t know for certain, but I find it striking that I still remember those feelings so clearly.

At four years old, I couldn’t explain myself the way I can now. But I knew I hadn’t done it, and I wanted to be believed.

Perhaps you recognise that feeling. Someone questions you and you find yourself explaining every detail, desperate to make sure they understand. Or a dismissive comment stays with you for hours, even though you tell yourself you should just let it go.

There can be many reasons something hurts. Sometimes, though, a situation feels familiar because we’ve felt unheard, embarrassed or unfairly treated before.

That’s where a little curiosity can help. Rather than criticising yourself for being upset, you might ask, “What is it about this that hurts so much? What do I need right now?”

Perhaps you need a chance to speak. Perhaps you need to set a boundary, or simply give yourself time before responding.

When I think of that little girl now, I think about how much she wanted someone to listen and believe her.

Perhaps understanding ourselves begins with that same willingness to listen. To notice what hurts and give ourselves a little kindness, even when we don’t fully understand why it feels so strong.

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin.
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Sometimes a client has an “A-HA” moment that brings their reason for being there into much sharper focus. Yesterday was ...
20/10/2026

Sometimes a client has an “A-HA” moment that brings their reason for being there into much sharper focus. Yesterday was one of those sessions.

Within about 20 minutes of using EMDR, so much had emerged. Family history, connections the client was beginning to make, what she wanted to change and what life might look like if she did.

This is something I find fascinating about this work. I never know where a session will lead. We follow what comes up for the client, and often they arrive at an understanding that hadn’t clicked into place before.

Yesterday, a woman who wanted to stop smoking pictured herself at 90, hunched over and in pain. It was an image that came to her, and it brought home how she felt about continuing to smoke.

As we worked, she began to imagine another possibility. Herself without ci******es. Hiking, exercising and enjoying the things smoking had been getting in the way of.

She didn’t even enjoy smoking anymore. She hated the smell, resented the cost and wanted to feel healthier, yet still found herself reaching for the next cigarette. That was the cycle she wanted to leave behind.

What stayed with me was how her focus began to shift. She could see beyond giving something up and picture the life she wanted to get back to. Being active. Having more money in her pocket. Feeling free to do the things she loved without planning around a cigarette.

She left the room seeing herself as a non-smoker and looking forward to what came next. That was how she felt at the end of our session, and I look forward to hearing how she gets on.

If you recognise yourself in that feeling of smoking even though you no longer enjoy it, you’re welcome to get in touch and have a chat.

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

We all have bad days, but how do you know when it's time to reach out for support?We all have days when we're tired, fed...
19/10/2026

We all have bad days, but how do you know when it's time to reach out for support?

We all have days when we're tired, fed up, emotional or just want to shut the world out for a while. That's part of being human.

But what happens when those days start becoming more frequent?

Perhaps you've noticed your motivation has disappeared. Things you once enjoyed no longer interest you, and even the smallest tasks feel like an effort.

You might find yourself withdrawing from friends or family, becoming more irritable or feeling overwhelmed by things that wouldn't normally bother you.

Maybe your sleep is suffering, your thoughts are becoming more negative, or you're carrying tension in your body that you just can't seem to shift.

And sometimes you can't even put your finger on what's wrong. You just know that you don't feel quite like yourself anymore.

One thing I've noticed is how easily we can become accustomed to feeling this way. We keep going, pushing through, telling ourselves we're just tired or stressed and that things will settle down.

And sometimes they do. But sometimes they don't.

You don't have to wait until you're at breaking point before asking for support.

If you've noticed changes in yourself, pay attention to them. Talk to someone you trust, get outside, meet a friend, make time for something you enjoy or consider seeking professional support.

You don't need to have all the answers or understand exactly why you're feeling this way before reaching out.

And please don't mistake struggling for failing. We all go through difficult periods, and needing support doesn't make you any less capable or strong.

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for yourself is acknowledge that things haven't been quite right for a while and decide that you deserve to feel better.

You don't have to wait until things become unbearable to make yourself a priority.

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR
www.epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Have you ever picked up your phone simply because sitting with your own thoughts felt uncomfortable?No message to check,...
15/10/2026

Have you ever picked up your phone simply because sitting with your own thoughts felt uncomfortable?

No message to check, nothing you needed to look up. Just something to fill the silence.

I think many of us do this without even realising. We’re so used to being occupied that when everything goes quiet, we don’t quite know what to do with ourselves.

Sometimes that’s when we notice what’s been sitting underneath the busyness. A worry we’ve pushed aside, a feeling we haven’t acknowledged, or just how tired we actually are.

I recognise the importance of that pause in my own work as a therapist. Before a session, I take time to ground myself, settle and clear my head. If I’ve had a busy day or something on my mind, I need to acknowledge it and put it aside so I can give my full attention to the person in front of me.

My clients deserve to feel heard and have the space to explore what matters to them. Taking care of my own headspace is part of how I make room for theirs.

And it makes me think about how often we give that same attention to ourselves. How often do we pause long enough to ask, “How am I actually feeling?” and give ourselves time to hear the answer?

It doesn’t have to be a long meditation. It might be drinking your tea without scrolling, sitting in the garden or leaving the radio off for a few minutes.

There’s no need to force your mind to be quiet or solve everything that comes up. You can start with a minute or two, simply noticing.

You might become aware of something that needs your attention. You might enjoy a little peace. Either way, you’re giving yourself a chance to listen.

What do you notice when everything goes quiet?

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

How many times have you said “I’m fine” when you’re not?Someone asks what’s wrong and the words come out almost automati...
14/10/2026

How many times have you said “I’m fine” when you’re not?

Someone asks what’s wrong and the words come out almost automatically. You are hurt, disappointed or fed up, but explaining it feels harder than saying nothing. Perhaps you’ve tried before and ended up feeling worse.

So you tell yourself to be patient. They’re stressed. They’ve had a difficult time. They didn’t mean it.

You can understand all of that… but where do your feelings fit into the picture?

I think this is where patience can quietly turn into ignoring our own needs. We become so used to making allowances for someone else that we barely notice how much we are asking ourselves to put up with.

And eventually, we might feel resentful. We snap over something small, then feel guilty for reacting, forgetting all the times we swallowed what we really wanted to say.

That doesn’t make you difficult or unreasonable. It may mean there is something you’ve been trying to brush aside that needs your attention.

If keeping the peace is something you learned early on, speaking honestly can feel uncomfortable. You might worry about upsetting someone, being rejected or being told you’re too sensitive. It makes sense that “I’m fine” became the easier answer.

But you deserve to be heard too. You can understand why someone is struggling and still say, “The way you spoke to me hurt.” You can love someone and need things to change.

Perhaps the next time you hear yourself saying “I’m fine”, pause for a moment and ask yourself whether that’s true.

And if it isn’t, can you give yourself permission to acknowledge what you’re actually feeling, even if you’re not ready to say it out loud?

Your feelings deserve some of the patience and understanding you give so freely to everyone else.

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin.
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Who can afford to smoke these days? Ci******es have become a luxury item… with none of the luxury benefits.With another ...
12/10/2026

Who can afford to smoke these days? Ci******es have become a luxury item… with none of the luxury benefits.

With another €1 added to a pack of 20 in the latest budget, even keeping the same habit is costing you more. If you smoke a pack a day, that’s another €365 a year on top of what you were already spending.

And what are you getting back?

Maybe you look forward to that cigarette as your little break, your reward, a few minutes to yourself. I understand that. But imagine having those moments without needing a cigarette to enjoy them.

Imagine booking a weekend away, buying something you’ve had your eye on, or simply having more money left at the end of the month. And no longer having to check how many ci******es you have before you leave the house.

If you’re reading this thinking, “I’m sick of it, but I don’t know how to stop,” you’re welcome to get in touch. In our hypnotherapy sessions, we work with the habits, triggers and associations that keep bringing you back to smoking, supporting you to make that change.

You deserve a reward that gives something back to you. 💜

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Three months ago, a lady walked through my door wanting help to stop eating sweets. She felt she was addicted to them an...
09/10/2026

Three months ago, a lady walked through my door wanting help to stop eating sweets. She felt she was addicted to them and wanted to lose weight.

Yesterday, she came back to see me after a holiday, and listening to her, I realised just how much has changed.

She told me she has come down three dress sizes . She doesn’t use the scales to measure her progress, but her old clothes are now hanging off her.

And while that is a big change, it was everything else she shared that really made me smile.

We had also worked on her habit of eating chips. Despite having a gastric band and finding that chips made her physically sick, she had struggled to stop eating them. She now tells me she no longer eats sweets or chips, and she doesn’t feel she is missing out. She feels better for the choices she is making.

In fact, she said she feels like she is eating more. She’s enjoying her food, choosing differently and walking the dog every day—something that wasn’t part of her routine when we first met.

She had just returned from a cruise and laughed as she told me about all the stairs on board. She flew up them, something she said she wouldn’t have been able to do before.

But the part that stayed with me was the photographs.

On previous holidays, she avoided getting into photos. She would come home with memories of where she had been, but very few pictures of herself enjoying it.

This time, she had so many photos of herself. Smiling, feeling confident and happy in her own skin.

She came to me wanting to stop eating sweets. Three months later, she’s telling me about enjoying her food, moving more easily and feeling comfortable enough to be in the photographs.

That means so much more than a number on the scales. 💜

If you recognise yourself in her story and would like support with emotional eating or habits you’re struggling to change, you’re welcome to get in touch.

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Some useful advice I received was not to take everything personally. I didn’t find it easy, but it has stayed with me.Ho...
08/10/2026

Some useful advice I received was not to take everything personally. I didn’t find it easy, but it has stayed with me.

How often do we replay someone’s words, question their tone or read into “that look”? Before we know it, we’ve decided we’ve done something wrong, upset them or somehow fallen short.

Yet their reaction may have very little to do with us.

We all bring our own experiences, insecurities and worries into our interactions. Sometimes confidence masks insecurity. Sometimes a smile is someone trying to fit in. Sometimes a sharp response comes from frustration that was there before we arrived.

We can’t always know what’s behind someone’s behaviour. But we can learn to pause before making it mean something about our worth.

For me, becoming more of an observer means getting curious instead of immediately blaming myself. “What actually happened here, and what am I adding to it?”

Of course, sometimes there is feedback we need to hear. And sometimes someone’s behaviour is hurtful and a boundary is needed. Not taking it personally doesn’t mean staying quiet or accepting poor treatment.

It means giving yourself enough space to choose your response without putting yourself on trial.

Someone else’s mood doesn’t have to become your self-doubt. 💜

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin.
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

With so much going on in the world, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s happening in your own life. Another price hike, an...
07/10/2026

With so much going on in the world, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s happening in your own life. Another price hike, another worrying headline, another disaster… there always seems to be something else asking for our attention.

Sometimes I wonder how much we’re taking in without even realising it. You pick up your phone for a quick look and put it down feeling heavier than you did before.

Keeping informed matters, of course. But where do you draw the line? When you’re already trying to stay afloat with your own worries and responsibilities, the weight of everything else can feel like too much.

It might be worth noticing how you feel after scrolling or watching the news. Are you able to get on with your day, or are you left tense, unsettled and worrying about things you have no control over?

You’re allowed to switch off. To leave the news until tomorrow, unfollow an account that repeatedly drains you, or put your phone away and give yourself a little breathing space. Caring about what’s happening doesn’t mean you have to follow every update.

Perhaps today, take a moment to step away from the noise. Have a cup of tea without your phone, get outside, or spend a little time doing something you enjoy.

Disconnect for a while so you can reconnect with yourself. Your own world needs your attention too. 💜

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin.
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

If a flower doesn’t bloom, we don’t blame the flower. We check the conditions it’s growing in. And perhaps we could offe...
06/10/2026

If a flower doesn’t bloom, we don’t blame the flower. We check the conditions it’s growing in. And perhaps we could offer ourselves the same consideration.

How many times have you sat in a room where you didn’t feel welcome? Left a conversation feeling drained? Put up with hurtful behaviour because you were more worried about upsetting someone else than acknowledging how they were treating you?

We can be doing so much work on ourselves, trying to understand our patterns and make changes, without stopping to consider what we’re going back into every day. It’s hard to grow somewhere you constantly feel criticised, dismissed or expected to keep the peace at your own expense.

When working with clients, we often explore not just what’s happening within them, but what’s happening around them too. Sometimes we’re so used to a situation that we haven’t recognised how much it’s taking out of us.

That doesn’t mean everyone can simply leave. Relationships, family situations and work can be complicated. But recognising how an environment affects you can help you make more informed choices. Perhaps you engage differently, set a boundary or limit the time you spend there. Sometimes, when it becomes possible, you choose to leave.

And perhaps you begin making more room for the people and places where you feel welcome, appreciated and able to be yourself.

Before you ask yourself again, “What’s wrong with me?” it might be worth asking, “What are the conditions I’m trying to grow in?”

Epiphany Hypnotherapy | Swords, Dublin
Hypnotherapy & EMDR for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, trauma, confidence, weight management and smoking cessation.
epiphanyhypnotherapy.ie

Address

GYM PLUS, APPLEWOOD VILLAGE, SWORDS, CO DUBLIN
Swords
K67Y5F2

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+353896109655

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