I started going to see Kay around April 2019 for stomach pain and associated back pain (that would not go away after trying everything with my doctor) after reading how hypnosis can help with pain management. I liked Kay right off the bat! She's gives off a very calm and friendly vibe and is wonderful to talk too. I enjoyed our sessions a lot. Talking through my issues was nice and getting her take was helpful. The sessions were very relaxing as well. What I regret was not taking the audios seriously. I should have listened to them every day to get the benefit but I neglected that. I think that was why I didn't really think hypnosis was fully for me. It helped but not as much as I hoped. Forward to April 2020. I got infected with Covid in March and was dealing with many symptoms that would not go away. One of them was horrible acid reflux. I've had acid reflux in the past but this was 20x worse! Diet and medicine weren't helping and Kay texted me to check in with how I was doing (perfect timing!). I figured why not try hypnosis again and see. We had our session via FaceTime. I really liked doing it via FaceTime bc I could do it from the comfort of my couch or bed. No looking for parking or driving to SF. I stopped the medicine but continued to eat GERD friendly and listened to the audio we made 3x a day. My acid reflux went away! I just had to be diligent. I then developed another covid symptom a week or so later which was horrible headaches and nerve pain. I had another session with Kay and my symptoms improved. A couple of weeks later I stated having chest pains and heart palpitations, which is think was because I was too plugged into social media surrounding covid. My anxiety went through the roof. I could not stop being anxious. It was really really bad. My heart was racing so much all day. I had a session yesterday and I'm already feeling less anxious. My heart rate is going back to normal and I'm so grateful to Kay. I was considering taking anxiety meds and but I'm glad I tried Kay first. I think it's a combination of talking it through with Kay and doing the therapy that really helped. She really is amazing at what she does and I recommend her to anyone dealing with either physical or mental issues. read more

Kay is the real deal. She helped me navigate a challenging moment in life when I was at a crossroads. I got a lot out of only a handful of sessions together--she was immediately helpful and never pressured me to engage in any sort of long term engagement, which I really appreciate. I have new tools I was able to put to immediate use, but more than that, her insightful questions and active listening helped me find the clarity I was seeking. I cannot recommend her enough. P.S. this was written by a real actual human :) read more

Kay helped me get over a recent onset of insomnia I was experiencing for about a month. Her approach was amazing as she got to know me and the potential things that might of created this in order to develop a personal plan to help me get through it. I am so glad I trusted in her and would highly recommend! Thanks Kay! read more

Kay has helped me overcome harmful habits, negative thought patterns, and navigate difficult life events. She guided me in rewiring destructive thinking that was affecting my quality of life. Her compassionate approach makes her exceptional at what she does. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone struggling with confidence issues, trying to break bad habits, or working through fears. She has a remarkable gift for helping people transform their lives. read more

Kay is a miracle worker! I had a habit I was desperate to break - and after many attempts to try to stop on my own... she had the magic approach. Kay has a wise and kind way about her -- and was instantly reassuring that I could make progress on my goal. There is something about how Kay communicates -- with a calm, knowledgable strength -- that gave me confidence from the start, that in fact, I could make the changes I wanted to make. Kay is part coach, part confidant, part teacher -- and the combination was fantastic. Kay taught me that some habits (smoking, fingernail biting, etc), can be a strange loop of self-soothing and self-harming (a smart and helpful observation). She also provided so many techniques for me to get over my habit. Of the most special tools she gives clients are beautiful soothing meditations that she narrates based on scenarios that feel calming for each client. (She did one for me about listening to ocean waves, and another about walking through a forest in the autumn). But she's got all kinds of other techniques that are incredibly helpful. Most importantly, Kay is a super trustworthy professional, who has insights into the human condition, which makes her particularly valuable. I would give Kay 6 stars if I could. My gratitude to Kay is immense. Whatever you're struggling with - give her a try. It could change your life. read more

Kay is a gift. I would highly recommend her. I can't recommend her enough she was kind, listened attentively, and really but my issues into an actionable Hipnosis. Give yourself the gift of her talent! read more

Kay's treatments saved me from the worst crisis I ever had, they are the best thing that ever happened to me! I've been to many therapists, but none have helped me even a small fraction of how much Kay has, thank goodness I found her here on Yelp! When I found Kay a couple months ago, my severe insomnia and anxiety disorder was so bad it was almost impossible for me to sleep. I was so stressed and tense that I felt like I couldn't breathe or sit still let alone lie down let alone rest. My life felt unbearable. I had just lost my girlfriend and my dad. Not sleeping had become so unbearable that I was not sleeping out of fear of not sleeping. I was a broken down nervous wreck. Now that seems like another life, I have no difficulty sleeping now! As Kay's treatment has enabled me to work on my deep underlying issues, she's crafted innovative new treatments that are working to resolve them! In just two months I've gone from having by far my worst mental health crisis, to having grown more healthy than I've ever been. I wish I'd never had this challenge, but because I have I'm far better off than I would've been without it, all thanks to Kay! I also appreciate Kay's calm and true compassion. Do yourself a favor and choose to be treated by Kay Heatherly. Shaking my head about her few reviews that weren't positive. I guess no matter what, someone will find it isn't right for them, even when almost everyone else highly recommends it. read more

I found Kay almost exactly a year ago here on Yelp, desperate for someone to help me with crippling anxiety resulting in OCD/a form of trichotillomania. I met with her consistently every other week for nearly 10 months and saw A HUGE shift. I've done EFT in the past, but her method of combining tapping with hypnotherapy/meditation is what I truly believe makes things stick. The work doesn't happen overnight, and you must be willing to invest your time and effort, but I can honestly say she saved me from debilitating self-destructive behaviors and led me through a very dark period. She has amazing, loving energy and every session with her makes you feel like you are just becoming lighter and lighter. Highly recommend Kay. She is worth every penny if it means getting peace back in your life. read more

Kay's MP3 Helps Me Dive Into Deeper Sleep I just got back from a scuba diving vacation to Cozumel to plunge into the warm (78 degree) Caribbean Sea. Prior to each time I did a giant stride over the course of 11 dives in 5 days, I reviewed everything I'd be doing underwater in my mind's eye. When I first drop into the water, a momentary anxiety always hits me: "Can I breathe underwater?" Of course, I've been doing it now for over 38 years. So I take a deep initial breath, look down at my dive buddies and divemaster, slowly exhale, and start a slow descent--floating weightlessly like an astronaut on a Space Walk--clearing my ears with every breath to avoid ear drum damage, and taking rhythmically calming breaths. Then, I reach the depth the divemaster had mentioned in our on-board briefing. It varies daily on our two morning dives, depending on where we're exploring and how deep it is. The first dive was to 80 feet, or the height of an eight-story building. That may seem deep, but I've been down as far as about 150 feet and to 100 or so feet multiple times. Anyway, when we get to the bottom, we level off and start looking for interesting sea life floating around us, in coral crevices, or above. At this point, breathing through my regulator is natural, but always through your mouth, not your nose and mouth. On this very first dive, we're lucky enough to spot a huge eagle ray that's about 8-10' across, flapping its wings to glide near us. It's breathtaking! We also saw a harmless 4' nurse shark, a black-and-white spotted moray eel opening and closing its mouth (it's how they breath), some lobsters trying to hide beneath their coral outcroppings, and dozens of colorful endemic fish, including parrotfish, yellow tail, grunts, and many more. These initial details of descending to the ocean floor are what I remember each night when I'm trying to fall asleep and are part of an MP3 that Kay Heatherly has made for me as a long-time patient. The descent literally matches my plunge into sleep with calming, rhythmic breaths through my nose this time. Most nights, it works like magic, and I quickly fall into a deep sleep. On nights when my writer's mind remains especially active, I try this post-hypnotic technique again later in the night to get back to my mind's eye underwater. It works for me, so it could work for you. - Gil Zeimer, Tiburon, CA read more

Kay B Heatherly, CHT - When I'm trying to go to sleep, I picture myself here, floating weightlessly in warm water. - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - San Francisco, California

I saw Kay in 2019 and at the time I had never paid for services like this before so I was skeptical. I was going through a tremendously hard period in my life and I was looking for healing and direction and I was at the point of being willing to try anything. She gave me real compassion. She listens deeply, she's very calming and wise, and her space has great energy and is very beautiful - I still remember how it feels. She helped me identify different things in my life I wanted to let go of and different things that I wanted to bring in to my life. What I remember most vividly was us working on identifying the type of partner I wanted in my life. Once you identify those things she guides you through the hypnotherapy process to actually let them go and to bring in the new things. At the time I had been unsuccessfully dating for 5 years with so much heartbreak and I was so lost. Six months after I did the session with Kay I met my partner. He fits the exact description of what I had tried to bring in to my life in my sessions with Kay. We've been together and so happy ever since. I hadn't realized that my description of my future partner in my sessions with Kay fit the description of my current partner and that I met him so soon after until I was thinking back on it a few months ago and realized it. I came back here to post it cause I thought that it's a nice story to share. Looking back I think my time with Kay really helped me clarify what was actually important to me in a partner and helped me focus my energy on finding that. I really appreciate how Kay listened to me and really cared for me during such a hard time. read more

I am thrilled with the progress I am making in such a short timeframe with Kay's hypnotherapy sessions. She personalizes the practice for your unique concerns. I highly recommend her and her practice. read more

Kay has transformed my life! She truly has a gift in helping people overcome adversity and hardships. I have a new lease on life thanks to Kay. I can't recommend her or her services enough! read more

Kay's work has really made a big impact on how I can better navigate life by better understanding my own patterns and behaviors that hold me back. Every session, Kay creates an open and trusting environment where I feel comfortable sharing personal challenges related to events that prevent me from living my best life. By diving deep with her on some of these challenges, I've gained a better understanding of myself, and how I can lead a life that keeps true to myself. It's been amazing to challenge myself, reframe thoughts that are not helpful to me, and reassess how I think about specific topics within relationships including power, authenticity, and vulnerability. I've come out of these sessions feeling more confident and more self-aware of areas I want to improve within myself. I'd highly recommend Kay's practice . read more

I continue to be helped greatly by Kay. My life has improved through her therapy; I'm happier and more relaxed with myself. It's especially good for me to have my appointments with Kay on FaceTime virtually. When I met with her in person, I couldn't see her or even hear her nearly as well, as perfectly, as I can on FaceTime - so that's one upside from the pandemic. Now I can see all her facial expressions and reactions which are so important as feedback. I can't believe how much less I discerned in person, but didn't realize what I was missing! read more

Wow! What a difference it made to go to the dentist after a session with Kay. I wasn't sure how this would work but it did. I felt my trauma melt away into a supportive field of her voice after working with talking and a positive imagine. Powerful, and glad I took the chance. I am confident to recommend her for repatterning the stories around what's been hard. I felt less pain and I felt more confident. read more

It seems like a lot of people really get value from her meditations and EFT tapping, but unfortunately that was not the case for me. I spent the money on a package of 3 sessions, and I kept hoping it would get better as I did the meditations and tapping religiously for over 2 months but I didn't have any luck for me at all. I was hoping for more guidance on what to try to make it better, but I felt like our sessions didn't really provide a lot of direction and when I would suggest maybe trying this or that, the response was often 'that's not how it works'. So I felt like I was stuck no matter what. I kept trying and am jealous of the people who had such amazing experiences. I wish that's what I had, but it just didn't work for me. read more

I have loved my 3 sessions with Kay. She really helped turn my life around, and brought more positive energy into my life, for much better outcomes. I can't thank her enough. One of those sessions was a few weeks ago and we did it virtually. We had a deep dive into our session and there no difference in-person vs virtual Via FaceBook, and it's much more convenient. You don't need to drive to the session. It is fabulous to be able to have a session anytime that Kay is available and in the comfort of my home. I actually love this new way of therapy. Hurray, at least one thing works well in these challenging times. read more

My first foray into hypnotherapy and I would have to say it was definitely worth it. Kay has a soothing voice and a motherly Instinct and a kind way of dealing with whatever stress is affecting you at the moment. You do have to sign up for three visits to start so it is an investment, but I felt like those three visits gave me what I needed to move forward in my healing and my journey towards better self-talk and taking care of myself. You also get a recording of each visit so I will be able to use those in the future to calm my anxiety. read more

I have nothing but praises for Kay, she helps me work through my issues and most of all, I feel comfortable sharing my most personal experiences with her. She is down to earth where she can relate to me and after each session I walk away feeling relaxed and ready to take on the world. read more

This review was due about 2 years ago after Kay helped my husband with his smoking addiction. He has been smoking since he was a teenager and had tried many things to help him quit. A friend of mine recommended hypnotherapy and also recommended Kay to me. I guess I was desperate to get the hubs to quit so I told him to see Kay. We're glad he did. Husband signed up for 3-appt treatment, after the 1st appt he said he didn't need anymore...(I'm hoping its because the therapy worked). I'm glad he finished all 3 anyway. After at least 20 years of chain smoking, hubs haven't had a cigarette. He was glad he did the treatment and I am way more than happy with the result. read more

LIFE CHANGING! I began seeing Kay in the middle of COVID and she has been nothing short of a miracle-worker and has hands down changed my life more than any of the psychiatrists or therapists I've seen combined. I've been struggling with a couple of issues that I could not seem to shake and in partnership with Kay, we worked diligently to gain my freedom and happiness back. I began with 3 sessions and ended up doing many more because of the direct benefits I noticed in my life as a result. I could not recommend her more. I was hesitant about seeing her via Zoom but the effectiveness has been just as high, if not higher, than I imagine it would have been if I were making the trip to her office. Stop reading this post and do your future self a favor and give her a call! read more

Kay helped me during some of the darkest days of my life, and her sessions really helped me put things into perspective, and love myself again. I highly recommend her to all of you. read more

Kay is so thoughtful, professional, and detail oriented. She helped me work through some deep and difficult issues with depression and anxiety. I highly recommend her! read more

I was looking for therapist online and I found Kay through Yelp. I'm glad I did. She's a kind and talented hypnotist. Our sessions started during the pandemic so we have been using FaceTime. It's convenient and effective. She recorded and send email follow up after each session which helps A lot because I can always go back and listen to our reminders. I would highly recommend Kay to anyone who is struggling and finding guidance. read more

Kay offered me a refund for one visit. I would have liked to have more since in my eyes the second and third visit with her was not good at all but I appreciate the offer and the talk about my experience. read more

I had worked with Kay several years ago and achieved positive results through her professional skill and varied techniques using the theory of Neuroplasticity- knowing that the brain can change. Now, I have new personnal challenges and have opted to schedule Kay's assistance once again I look forward to meeting with Kay in her comfortable and pleasant office. I expect her to follow her ritual and offer me a cup of tea and then reestablish rapport by asking questionsts which she uses in formulating the session goals. In the session, several techniques are employed. One of these is the Emotional Freedom Technique- EFT which helps close down negative pathways in the brain. Then Kay, who listens carefully, takes notes and then uses the information to create the guided meditation to open up positive new pathways in the brain in order to develop tools to make positive changes. In the guided meditation, the hypnotherapy part of the session, the subject drifts into an altered state like being absorbed in a good book where he/she is receptive to positive suggestions The client is then emailed the audio file of the session to listen to in the comfort of home I have found that hypnotherapy is considered to be the most effective form of personal therapy and my own expreiences with Kay confirm this. read more

Kay is amazingly talented in quickly identifying issues and making a useful treatment plan in the form of an audio file. I was able to listen to the file as frequently as I liked which aided in my healing. I still review the files even though our sessions have ended. I would highly recommend Kay to anyone! read more

It was great working with Kay. I felt like we connected right away and she has a good sense of humor. She really listened to what I wanted to work on, and we started in a guided meditation that she emailed afterwards. We had just 3 seasions and I'm already seeing the results. I definetly recommend Kay, and I'm sure I'll be seeing her in the future to work on other issues. read more

Absolutely fantastic. In the first week, Kay helped me to understand and let go of things I'd been fighting with for 20 years. Absolutely life changing, and she's a wonderful person to spend time with. Worth every penny and much more, I've recommended her to several of my close friends/family already, and I highly recommend you give it a try! read more

I met Kay years ago and will admit at first I was pretty hesitant about hypnotherapy. But Kay and I became good friends so I figured I'd give it a shot, hoping that she would not make me bark like a dog or assassinate a foreign diplomat, or something like that. I say this in jest, of course, because what Kay does is not something hokey but rather something quite therapeutic. In essence, she helps you work through anything you want to discuss, offering up subtle suggestions and guidance on how to overcome issues, problems, etc. I would say that the more specific you are, the better your results will be i.e. quitting smoking is easier to work on than just feeling better about yourself. Kay's a great spirit, very understanding, very approachable, and someone I'd recommend when you are trying to overcome or better yourself. Look at hypnotherapy as a means to improve yourself, much like using a personal trainer for your physical self. read more

I hate to admit it, but I've kind of been letting things go over the last few years. I had gained some weight and hadn't really made any serious attempts to quit smoking. I finally decided that I was tired of being a fat smoker, but knew I would need some back-up. I've been seeing Kay for the last several months, and feel that her guidance has been instrumental in keeping me on track. She really helped me get my mind to the right place it needs to be in order for me to stop smokin' and get movin'. She has a lot of good information on nutrition, and helps you critically think about the choices you make. I'm not sure what kind of mental shift occurred, but I definitely walk more, eat better, and weigh less now that I did 4 months ago. I actually feel motivated to stay healthy, and I haven't picked up a cigarette since the day I decided to quit :) It feels great! :) read more

I wasn't looking for a hypnotherapist, or a therapist of any kind for that matter. Rather, I had been doing some research on EFT (emotional freedom technique) mainly out of intellectual curiosity and finally decided I would never really understand it until I tried it. Kay showed up as a practitioner of EFT on yelp and had glowing reviews so I figured she'd be a good choice. I went in the next day and agreed to three sessions. I figured since I was there I might as well pick something specific to work on and chose "indecisiveness". I went in mainly expecting to see what EFT was all about and possibly make some headway on my indecisive nature. From the moment I sat down in her office, however, it was as if some emotional floodgates opened and I couldn't stop what poured forth. I'm a pretty open person and didn't know I had all this stuff pent up, but something about Kay's nature just whisked it out of me. Turns out I had all sorts of self-sabotaging talk going on in my head and I was essentially paralyzing myself with indecision because I wasn't paying any attention to what I really wanted. I was wayyyy too busy trying to live up to all these ideas I had about what other people expected of me. Kay helped me realize this and let go of it all. I was finally able to just take a step back and decide I was going to spend a few months figuring out what it was that I wanted - for me. What is it that makes me happy? And how can I fill my life with it? What is my purpose? Kay helped me stop saying yes when I really mean no. She helped me stop trying to please everyone else and listen to my heart. She helped me shed the reservations I had about my dreams and passions and decide to actually pursue them! I saw her a total of 4 times and am in a completely new place in my life now. I've started pursuing my dreams and doing what's right for me, regardless of what anyone else thinks. It's been immensely liberating! Half the time I couldn't even figure out what it was she was actually doing that was helping me. I don't know if it was the hypnotherapy, the EFT, the guided visualizations, or just her as a person. She made me feel SO comfortable and validated and OK with who I am that I couldn't wait to become even more true to myself. She is worth every penny. I will definitely go back to see her again. read more

I've seen Kay twice so far and I have to say that the combination of hypnotherapy/guided meditation and emotional freedom technique has been pivotal in my healing. I've been experiencing bouts of anxiety, and thoughts and emotions that have been challenging to feel and move through. Kay is an active and compassionate listener and she's able to guide me into feeling more at ease and in my body and she's helping me to rewrite mental patterns that are not serving me anymore. Each week she records the guided meditation sequence as well as the EFT sequence and I've been listening to the recordings daily, which has made a big impact on my day to day life. Since seeing Kay I've been feeling a lot more at peace, in my center, and confident that I have more tools now to rewrite old mental and emotional patterns. Thank you so much Kay for the work that you do. read more

Over the last 10 years I have seen 9 therapists. They have ranged from psychiatrists to counselors. Every time, I end my care because I feel it is wasting my time and money. I was in search of a true answer. I found Kay! I have always been willing to try just about anything, so when I found this, I figured, what they heck. My first appointment I was very comfortable and felt welcomed. She, never once, made me feel silly or out of place. I completed the first session and made an appointment a month later. I didn't know how that was going to work, but that month was the best one I had had in a very long time. It was the first month where I didn't have breakdowns daily. I believe I had two the entire month. The next appointment went much like the first. Again, made another appointment another month out and again, a great month! My last appointment, she asks for you to commit to three, I went in with no fears, no problems, nothing that I felt needed to be dealt with. For the first time in over 10 years, I feel normal again. Thank you Kay for helping me when I felt no one could! read more

I found myself with an immovable boulder in my life and an alarming lack of energy. By the time I got to session three with Kay, I made the difficult change and moved the boulder. Without Kay and the support of friends, this wouldn't have happened. Kay has superb listening skills, gets right to the heart of matters and receives my highest recommendation. read more

One visit and I was happier. It had been awhile since I felt the burden of sadness lifted from grieving my father every day. Two different people told me I was "glowing." Said my "smile was bigger." We had agreed to meet up again and it went well also. I accomplished goals that week and felt amazing about it. I had a fun week. I continued to listen to the recordings that Kay provided of our sessions and we had a third visit which was also positive encouragement for my life. Kay also has helped me realize that I can let go of anything that is not happening now and accomplish goals sooner. I am still grieving my father but feel happy deep inside. read more

I had a great experience with Kay. I found her to be totally and completely non-judgemental, like I could tell her anything and that she genuinely wanted to help me get to a better place. I told her things that were REALLY hard to say out loud. Kay helped me to trust my own instincts and to have faith in my beliefs. I especially love the fact that she will create a personalized CD with meditations/light hypnosis that I could play again at home. I actually use the CDs every single night, and they really help me stay on track mentally. You will need to sign up and be committed to 3 sessions. I think it's believable that a person would need at least 3 sessions to really tackle their problems. I don't think one session alone should be seen as a cure-all. I felt like I needed all 3 sessions. I could probably use one more, but thanks to the horrible economy I am financially strapped and can't afford to see her as soon as I would like. If you are reading this Kay, thank you for helping me. read more

I saw Kay 5 times and it changed my life. I had chronic back pain for 8 years following a back surgery and had tried everything: acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, arnica, Ben-Gay, Salon Pas, therapy, group therapy, steroid injections, trigger point injections, even Botox injections (in my back). I had taken pain pills daily for 8 years, and at the point I saw Kay, I was having other bizarre physical symptoms too. I went to Kay with a very targeted plan of wanting to get a handle on my physical pain. We worked on that almost exclusively and talked about other issues only insofar as they might impact my pain. Kay is one of the most attentive listeners I've ever met. She takes her cues from you for what you want to work on and uses your own language to communicate with you in a way that is most effective for you. She makes you a CD each week that she asks you to listen to each day, as a way of retraining your brain in the new, more positive path you are working toward. I believe that the brain sets down grooves, ways of thinking about yourself or your body and gets stuck in those paths. I think it takes a daily commitment over a few weeks to lay down new tracks, so it's important to follow her instructions and listen to your CD each day. I read a book right before seeing Kay, which I think might have opened my mind to the experience, called "Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain" by Fred Amir. He didn't go to hypnotherapy, but he advocates some brain retraining techniques that I think are similar to hypnotherapy. I had my back surgery at 25, and during the years of pain, I had resigned myself to an early old age, a life of limited physical ability and holding back my friends and family. After seeing Kay, in 5 short weeks, I literally had a whole new life, with almost no pain. I take no pain pills now, I lift heavy objects, pain is only something that enters my mind occasionally, like normal people. It is not my constant companion. I can't thank Kay enough. I know this may sound new-agey and woo-woo, but I literally tried EVERYTHING ELSE, and this is what worked. read more

I thought Kay was wonderful. I was having extreme anxiety attacks and panic attacks that my psychiatrist wasn't really helping me with, and Kay made them absolutely disappear. I had three EFT sessions and these panic attacks I had been having are gone. Gone. Sadly, my insurance didn't cover the visits, but I feel I've paid a lot more to a psychiatrist who couldn't help me at all, so there you have it. She was completely worth it and I'm very happy with the results. read more

First of all, she puts you at ease, and lets you know you are safe, and in a serious place-not what we usually associate with hypnotism. She asks you what you would like to free-up or modify in your life. She listens non-judgmentally, asks some questions, explains what hypnotherapy REALLY is and relaxes you. She will make tapes specifically for YOU to immerse yourself in and she will care how you are doing. She is a guide and will become a friend. Pat M. San Francisco read more