Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy practice now fully booked after developing online presence

About the business

A Discerning Life was founded in 2012 by Paula Hamilton, a qualified psychotherapist and hypnotherapist who studied under the renowned American clinical psychologist, Michael Yapko.   

Paula’s practice offers services to help with a range of areas, including mental health and wellbeing – such as depression and anxiety, quality of life – such as phobias and insomnia, and workplace issues – such as stress and public speaking. The service can also help with sports performance, exams and tests.  

The support I have had from Business Gateway has transformed my online presence and marketing function. It has also helped me to develop the skills to market my business in a strategic and authentic way.

Paula Hamilton, Owner, A Discerning Life

How Business Gateway has helped

Having successfully operated for over a decade, Paula approached Business Gateway in September 2023, in need of marketing support to help her reach a wider client base.  

Paula accessed a suite of Business Gateway’s growth business services, including one-to-one support from a dedicated business adviser, who provided a strategic review of her business.  

She also attended over ten Business Gateway webinars ranging from ‘Building a Digital Marketing Plan’ and ‘Google Analytics’ to ‘LinkedIn for Business’ and ‘Blogging for Business’.  

Digital support also helped to improve her website and overall social media strategy, including A Discerning Life’s SEO and Google rankings.  

Since working with Business Gateway, Paula has been nominated for a Scottish Business Award. On a mission to pull up the level of professionalism in hypnotherapy, she is now turning her focus to ensuring appropriate supervision is provided for other hypnotherapists across the country.  

Paula Hamilton, Owner, A Discerning Life, said: “The support I have had from Business Gateway has transformed my online presence and marketing function. It has also helped me to develop the skills to market my business in a strategic and authentic way.  

“The one-to-one support was like having a cheerleader in my business, encouraging me to grow and challenge myself. I am now fully-booked every month, which is just amazing.” 