We're on
a mission
Mission & Philosophy
Our mission is to bring people together to rediscover their own strength through the transformative power of hypnotherapy, and, in doing so, grow the kind of connected, resilient communities we all need to thrive.
Meet the
Hertfordshire team
behind Belief Dynamics
Melissa de Lusignan, Hypnotherapist
D.Hyp, HPD (NCH), CH (NGH), MBSCH, MGHR.
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Mike Walker, Workshop Facilitator. Director of Well Healthcomms.
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Hi, I’m Melissa – founder of Belief Dynamics and a certified and registered Hypnotherapy Practitioner based in Harpenden.

I hold a Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma accredited by the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), the world’s largest hypnotherapy body, and the Hypnotherapy in Practice Diploma (HPD) Level 4, considered the gold standard qualification for practicing Hypnotherapists, awarded by the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).​
But I haven't always been a hypnotherapist. For over 30 years, I worked as an Executive Creative Director in healthcare communications. My career took me around the world, where I had the privilege of working alongside incredible doctors, nurses, and specialists—as well as hundreds of patients, both adults and children. I gained deep insights into how people experience illness and wellness, and how the right combination of medicine, communication, and mental health support can truly change lives.
I’ve always been fascinated by what makes people tick, and I am passionate about empowering others to make informed, supportive choices for their health and wellbeing. But, like many in high-pressure careers, I neglected my own self-care—until stress, anxiety, and burnout caught up with me.
A long-standing interest in psychology eventually led me to hypnotherapy, and I knew instantly that helping people through this powerful, transformative therapy was how I wanted to continue my career.
In 2025, I founded Belief Dynamics with a mission to make hypnotherapy available to all. That’s why I offer both private one-to-one sessions and a series of affordable group workshops and programmes—so that more people can access the support they need and reconnect with their inner strengths.

As a fully certified hypnotherapist, I personally deliver all hypnotherapy apsects of our services, but I'm also incredibly fortunate to work alongside my husband and business partner, Mike, in some of our workshops. He’s my inspiration, the love of my life, and supports and encourages me every single day.
Hi, I’m Mike—a seasoned workshop facilitator and Director of Well Healthcomms, an insight-driven health & wellness communications company. I'm proud to work alongside my wife, Melissa delivering our Dynamic Mind and Body group workshops.
I bring over 30 years’ experience having worked with some of the world’s leading healthcare brands. As a strategist and brand director, I’ve given presentations to hundreds of audiences worldwide—from consultants, doctors, nurses and scientific advisors, to marketeers, patients and support groups.
My professional journey has always been driven by a personal passion for health and well-being, especially in children’s health. As an informed parent, I was invited to speak at Great Ormond Street Hospital and later became a lecturer at London South Bank University, where I taught Children’s Nursing as part of the academic staff. I am also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Before my healthcare career, I began in the arts—as a Fine Art painter and lecturer in art and advertising at colleges and universities. I still enjoy drawing and painting when time allows, but my greatest joy comes from being a husband, dad, and grandpa.
What we do
We help everyday people overcome real-life challenges by transforming the beliefs and behaviours that shape their lives—from easing anxiety in five-year-olds and helping working mums beat burnout, to freeing people from unresolved chronic pain and supporting older adults through loneliness.
Rooted in the heart of our local community, we offer neuroscience-informed hypnotherapy-based Dynamic Mind & Body workshops and wellness programmes as well as one-to-one hypnotherapy sessions from our discreet practice situated behind Nonna's Cafe on Harpenden High Street.
We're bringing hypnotherapy to the community
So many of us go through life believing our thoughts and behaviours are fixed. But the truth is, our beliefs are dynamic. What we think, how we feel, and what we do can evolve to serve our best selves.
When people rediscover their own strength, they don’t just change their lives—they strengthen the bonds that hold communities together.
That’s because we’re neurologically wired for co-regulation. Social theory, psychology, and science show that when one person becomes calmer or more emotionally regulated, it can help lower stress levels in those around them. So it turns out that our mindset is contagious!
It’s what we like to call 'collective effervescence'.
Curious about hypnotherapy? Read on.
What is hypnosis?
When you hear the word "hypnosis," you might think of people doing silly things on stage—but real hypnosis is very different. It’s a natural state of focused awareness that we all experience daily.
Ever been so absorbed in a book, a movie, or even a daydream that the world around you seemed to disappear? That’s you in a hypnotic trance! ​
In a hypnotherapy session, I use a range of gentle techniques to deliberately create that focused, relaxed state in you. Think of it as a little like daydreaming, but with a purpose. While your conscious mind relaxes, your powerful subconscious becomes more open and responsive, helping you to build new thoughts, habits, and ways of being.
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Whether in a group workshop or a one-to-one session, I will gently guide you to explore and overcome any emotional, behavioural, or physical challenges that may be standing in your way, so you can move towards the life you want to live.
How will hypnosis feel?
First, let me reassure you that even though you are in a “relaxed state of focused awareness”, you stay in control the whole time. Although your conscious mind has agreed to step aside for a while, it is always observing. You won't and can’t be made to do anything against your will. You won’t be “asleep” (even though we sometimes say this to encourage your relaxed state). And you certainly can’t get “stuck” in hypnosis—your conscious mind would never allow it!
The majority of people report that being in hypnosis is a wonderful and relaxing experience. Some people become acutely aware of their breathing and sensations in their body, others lose all awareness of their body completely. Many people experience ‘life’ as they would out of hypnosis, seeing images, hearing sounds, feeling sensations, even tasting and smelling things. Whereas others don’t see or experience anything ‘concrete’ at all, and simply report having thoughts or ideas. Whatever you experience while in hypnosis is perfect, because your subconscious creates what’s right for you.
How hypnotherapy can help you
When we engage with our subconscious mind, we can open up all sorts of new possibilities.
Hypnotherapy can help you to:
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Restore a sense of calm by overcoming anxiety, stress, depression, phobias and fears.
Achieve your true, natural, healthy weight by reframing diet beliefs, body image and eating behaviours.
Rekindle relationships and intimacy by reconnecting with yourself first and then your partner, friends or family.
Restore healthy sleep patterns by relearning how to sleep like a baby!
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Improve your health and fitness by finding and connecting with your motivation.
Restore a sense of comfort to your body by releasing unresolved chronic pain and symptoms of chronic mind-body health conditions such as: IBS, headaches, migraine, long Covid, chronic fatigue, pelvic pain and many other conditions.
But hypnotherapy is not just for solving problems! Many athletes, performers, and business leaders use hypnotherapy to fine-tune their skills, to stay calm under pressure and achieve peak performance.
What you can expect in a one-to-one
hypnotherapy session
Hypnotherapy works best when we’re a good team. It's what we call a therapeutic alliance.
At our first meeting, we’ll chat to make sure hypnotherapy is right for you. I’ll ask you about your health, medications and what aspect of your life you'd like to work on. I’ll also answer any questions you have about hypnosis (and bust a few myths you might have heard!). We’ll do some easy, gentle activities to help you experience hypnosis for yourself—and to help me understand how to tailor our sessions to suit you best.
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Each session usually follows four simple steps:
1. Induction
Helping you relax and enter a light hypnotic state.
2. Deepener
Taking you into a deeper level of focused awareness.
3. Therapy (Change Work)
Using positive suggestions and other techniques to help you reach your goals.
4. Awakening
Gently bringing you back to normal alertness.
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Each step is personalised for you. As you get more familiar with hypnosis, it often gets even quicker and easier.
What happens after a session?
Most people feel pleasantly relaxed after a session—but ready to get on with their day too. You might not consciously remember everything that was said (that’s normal!), but trust that your subconscious heard and understood every word. You could notice subtle (or even dramatic) changes right away—in your thoughts, behaviours, or how you feel inside. Sometimes, the people around you notice the changes before you do!
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Will I need more than one session?
It really depends on what you want to achieve. Some people get what they need from one session, while others find they need a more sessions to help them create deeper or lasting change. As a guide, the majority of people have at least 3 sessions. Some programmes are designed to be more comprehensive and require 6–12 sessions. We can discuss what is likely to be right for you when we meet and, together, plan your therapy sessions.
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How involved do I have to be?
As mentioned, hypnotherapy is a collaborative process, but ultimately YOU are doing all the work. As your hypnotherapist, I am simply guiding and helping you to make all the changes for yourself. Your active participation is vital. ‘Homework’ is often a component part of the process, for example, you might be asked to notice changes in your thoughts or feelings, take small steps towards a new behaviour, or practise a self-hypnosis technique.
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As with everything in life, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it!
Why work with a certified practitioner?
Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool that can help you tap into your inner resources to make deep, lasting change. That’s why working with a professionally trained, certified hypnotherapist matters.
When you choose to work with me, you're in safe, skilled hands. Here’s why:
I trained and gained my Professional Hypnotherapy Diploma with HypnoTC, one of the UK’s most comprehensive and rigorous hypnotherapy schools —accredited by the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), the world’s largest hypnotherapy body.
I also hold the Hypnotherapy in Practice Diploma (HPD) Level 4—considered the gold standard qualification for practicing Hypnotherapists—awarded by the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).​​
I'm a member of The British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH) and a registered and accredited practitioner with The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), The General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) and The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
These memberships mean I follow a strict code of ethics, ongoing supervision, and continuous professional development—because your wellbeing deserves nothing less.