How Hypnotherapy Helped Ashley Gaspari Let Go of Limiting Beliefs

SWIHA graduate Ashley Gaspari's passion for helping others using hypnotherapy

In the depths of our minds, there are beliefs that shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us. These limiting beliefs can hold us back from reaching the life of our dreams because we can’t seem to let go and break free. Hypnotherapy is a way to unlock these chains, allowing us to rewrite our stories in a way that provides empowerment and positive transformation. Through this amazing healing modality, I was able to discover the strength inside of me and could finally move forward.

If you had told me a few years ago that hypnotherapy would be the key to overcoming my deepest struggles, and that I would go back to school to become a hypnotherapist, I wouldn’t have believed you. I was lost, broken, and felt like I didn’t have a purpose in life. I didn’t have any goals and my dreams felt out of reach. I didn’t believe I deserved anything good and thought this was how my life should be.

I was carrying around a ton of emotional baggage. I struggled with addiction which was my way of coping with grief and trauma. All of the loss in my life took a toll on me and I was caught in my mind, listening to the negative beliefs that told me I was worthless. I believed that I wasn’t strong enough to overcome my addiction, that I would never accept and move forward with my grief, and that my trauma would always be there, holding me down.

I felt like my mind had created my own, personal hell and it was holding me back from living the life I wanted. There were so many times I tried to break free, yet I always ended up stuck where I’ve always been; trapped in my mind. These limiting beliefs held me back for so long that I didn’t know how to live any other way.

What are limiting beliefs? They are thoughts and feelings that we internalize from our past experiences, society, or what others have said to us. They usually relate to strong emotions like failure, fear, and rejection. These experiences shape how we view ourselves and the world. They negatively affect our lives and prevent us from chasing our dreams, taking risks, or even loving who we are. They can sound like “I’m not good enough”, “I don’t deserve anything good”, or “It’s too late”. They are powerful obstacles that keep us from living the life we want.

When I finally got clean in August 2021, I still felt like I was in the dark because I didn’t know who I was, what I liked, or how to pick up the pieces of my life. I had tried all sorts of other therapies before, however, with the universe on my side, I discovered hypnotherapy all over again. This was a healing modality I learned about years prior, and something I experienced, loved, and believed in. Because I lost myself, it was like I completely forgot how much it changed my life, and here it was again, ready to pick me up and heal me.

From the very first session, I knew I found my passion and purpose. Hypnotherapy didn’t just address what was happening on the outside, it focused on healing the inside. The part of me that was scared, beaten down, and had almost given up. It allowed me to learn the root cause of these beliefs—the ones that had been holding me back from who I was supposed to be for so long.

Hypnotherapy provides a space for us to effectively identify, process, challenge, and ultimately transform these limiting beliefs. We are able to bypass the conscious and work directly with the subconscious, which helps change the negative thoughts that could have been plaguing us for years.

Through my hypnotherapy sessions, I was able to explore my subconscious mind, where all these beliefs were stored. I faced the emotions and experiences that had fueled my addiction, grief, and trauma. And for the first time, I felt empowered. Hypnotherapy gave me a safe space to process these emotions and changed the way I processed them.

One of the most transformative aspects of hypnotherapy is that it helps you change the narrative you’ve been telling yourself for years. I created a new, positive story in those deep, relaxed states. This included beliefs that told me I was strong, capable of healing, and deserved happiness and peace.

During one of those sessions, I focused on my grief. I was carrying such a heavy weight from the pain I was feeling and thought it always had to be like that. Because of hypnotherapy, I found that I didn’t need this pain to control my life. I learned that all this loss happened for a reason. To teach me the lessons I was meant to learn in this lifetime. I would learn to honor and respect what I’ve been through and lost. I would move forward with space in my heart for it while not letting it hold me down.

When it came to my addiction, hypnotherapy showed me that my shameful behaviors were caused by the pain I was feeling. Once I faced that pain and started to heal, the thought of using substances left my mind. Hypnotherapy helped me see the way I was living and that I didn’t need to live that way anymore.

Hypnotherapy wasn’t a type of magic that instantly changed everything; it was the tool I needed to learn so I could help myself. I had to put in the work and be patient, consistent, and motivated. I practiced the tools and techniques that were shared with me. I did the homework outside of sessions that included doing the inner work.. answering and journaling the questions that made me face who I was. I could finally break free from those limiting beliefs and see myself as worthy and deserving of good things.

As I continued to heal, I felt my purpose emerging. I wanted to help others who were struggling like I had. I saw how much hypnotherapy changed my life, and I wanted to show others that it could do the same for them. This realization inspired me to go back to school and become a hypnotherapist.

Now that I’m a hypnotherapist, my purpose and passion is guiding others on their healing journey. I’ve walked in their shoes, felt the weight of loss, trauma, and addiction, and made it out of the darkness. Helping others break free from their limiting beliefs and showing them the path to healing gives me the feeling I’ve searched my whole life for.

Hypnotherapy gave me the tools to change my way of thinking, to heal from the deepest pain and trauma, and showed me I can move forward with a sense of hope and purpose. Now that I can share these tools with others, I can help them find their way out of the darkness and into the light.

If you or someone you know is struggling to move forward, I will encourage hypnotherapy. It could be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Hypnotherapy helped me break free from the limiting beliefs that were holding me back. My healing has been an incredible journey, and I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the help of this amazing tool. It has brought peace to my mind, body, and spirit.

Limiting beliefs can be powerful obstacles, however, they can be overcome. With the right support, you can break free from these chains and live the life you were meant to. Hypnotherapy provides an effective healing approach to release these negative thoughts and allows you to access your personal power. My journey is proof that it works, and I would love to help you take that first step on your path to healing and transformation.