Joe Thompson was hypnotised to overcome his phobia after he refused to board a plane on four separate occasions
A schoolboy jetted home to Britain today after being stranded in Abu Dhabi for more than a year because of a fear of flying.Joe Thompson, 12, was hypnotised to overcome the phobia after he refused to board a plane on four separate occasions.
Hypnotherapist Russell Hemmings made the seven-and-a-half hour flight home with Joe today - after he again tried to back out at the airport in Abu Dhabi.Joe said after touching down at Heathrow: “I’m so happy to be home. I can’t believe how cold it is here.
“I just want to get home and see my dog. I haven’t seen him for two years and I just want to give him a big hug.
“My mum and dad have been great and I’m so grateful to Russell for taking the time to help me. I just can’t wait to get home and get back to my life.”
Joe’s family moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2009 while dad Tony completed a contract as quality manager at a private hospital. The youngster first had a panic attack flying to the UAE after a holiday in Britain - and when the family booked a flight home in June last year Joe refused to board the plane. Dad Tony, 62, said: “There was no event that prompted it. It just happened out of the blue. And the fear is quite acute.
“He was fine until he got to check-in and then he fell apart.
“He got stomach pains, he collapsed and sat on the floor sobbing. It was awful. He never talked about the plane crashing.
"He just said each time ‘it’s the height’.”
Joe’s family spent £40,000 on medical fees, unused plane tickets and hiring a villa to extend their stay in the Gulf while they attempted to conquer Joe’s fear of flying. They even tried to make the 4,500-mile journey home by car and cargo ship but were denied entry visas to Saudi Arabia. Joe finally agreed to fly again after three months of treatment provided free by hypnotherapist Russell.
Dad Tony - a former aide to Labour politician John Prescott - said: “There were some dicey moments before we boarded the flight because he started getting very distressed.
“With Russell’s help we managed to get him onto the plane but soon after take-off he got very upset again.
"But Russell did his magic and all was good.
“Words cannot describe how happy we all are. It’s wonderful to be home again as a family.”
Hypnotherapist Russell said: “I used a combination of hypnosis and cognitive behavioural therapy.
“Joe started having a meltdown at the airport, but we worked through the issue.
“On board I was able to bring him down, calm him using hypnosis techniques. The results were amazing.
“I had actually prepared for this flight days and weeks ago during our therapy sessions, using the power of hypnotic suggestion, meaning Joe already had the tools for success deeply planted into his subconscious mind, he just wasn’t necessarily aware of it.
"Only in the most extreme cases of flying phobia would an accompanied flight be needed but Joe’s anxiety and panic was off the scale.
“This case was very complex and challenging, but I said it was possible to get him home and I’m thrilled I did it.”
Joe was greeted at Heathrow by mum Pauline, 50, who was forced to return home to Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, with daughter Chloe,18, last year to take up a job at a solicitor’s firm. - Mirror
