I've actually been hypnotised four times, by four different people (three women, one bloke), with varying degrees of success (obviously, else I wouldn't have had to go four times!)
It's absolutely fab. I go because I bite my nails, and have done for absolutely forever. The first time I had hypnotherapy was just... amazing. Whenever I'd tried to stop biting my nails before, I'd had to try so hard, play with something in my hand or something because I just couldn't handle it if my hands weren't busy. It sounds like such a little, unimportant thing but I can't describe how good it felt to just... sit. And have my hands resting on the arm of the chair, or in my lap, just doing nothing.
Anyway, as it came up to my graduation I went back for a 'refresher', but to a different hypnotherapist because the first was a bloke, and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Still worked a treat, but had false nails on for graduation (first time in my life my nails had been long enough for them to stick!), and when they came off I got straight back to biting. Then went to another lady (moved to a different area) for the third time, who was a bit rubbish to be honest, and then the most recent was August just gone, which again worked an absolute miracle but I'm slipping back to bad habits (stress), so am listening to the CD like mad to try and save me another £50 session!
Life story over... it's definitely not a cheap fix, but it's bloody brilliant. I was dubious at first, thought 'this seems to have worked, but maybe it's all in my head..' then remembered that was the whole point!! I don't know how or why it works, but if you get a good hypnotherapist then it really, really does.
I suspect if you wanting hypnotherapy for eating issues, Fern, it might take a couple of sessions, but then maybe not. You really do know exactly what's going on when you're 'under', it's just a deep relaxation, just like when you're tired and you zone out. They can't make you do anything you don't want to, you are still completely conscious, just really relaxed. They'll have a chat with you beforehand, so you can decide if you want to go through with it, and talk through your concerns. I was sceptical at first, but honestly, I am a total convert!!