Meet the Leeds hypnotherapist who helped football legend Chris Kamara speak publicly about his speech apraxia

Leeds-born Mr McDermid knows just how essential it is to be in the right frame of mind to tackle life’s biggest challenges, having ventured into the world of professional boxing at a young age.

His fascination with the mental ins and outs of sports psychology meant that he had a clear path in mind when he hung his gloves up and started working to help people confront their demons.

At just 23 years old he set up Leeds Hynotherapy Clinic and in the 16 years since Mr McDermid has helped tens of thousands venture deep into their subconscious to overcome issues ranging from anxiety and depression to smoking and arachnophobia.

He has also helped numerous big names in the sporting and wider worlds of influence, with one his most recent success stories coming from his work with former Leeds United player and punditry favourite Chris Kamara, who he helped come to terms with his public struggle with speech apraxia.

With mental health at the forefront of national discussions, Mr McDermid spoke to us about what’s involved in hypnotherapy and how he has worked to make it more accepted and “demystify” its image as something associated with circuses or cult-like characters.

Originating from Meanwood, Mr McDermid fought a few professional fights and boxed with the likes of Leeds star Josh Warrington and former WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan before turning his focus onto psychology.

“I suddenly found there’s an easier way to make a living than getting punched in the face”, he said.

“I’ve always found that boxing was a mental game though. Without the right mental state you can’t transition into the sport.”

Mr McDermid was able to fall back on his love for psychology when he packed in the boxing and focused on hypnotherapy, which he admitted he was sceptical of at first but soon found it was a “fantastic tool”.

After getting a degree in psychology and a diploma from the London College of Clinical Hypnosis, Mr McDermid helped his first client address their phobia of bees and wasps and work has been constant since then.

He said. “We resolved it and later she called me and said ‘Dan, I’ve been out in the garden for a BBQ and it’s been fine’.

“I’d found there was something really profound about this kind of treatment and I wanted to utilise it to help people.

“I was lucky because I started getting results almost immediately. It was a snowball effect and I’ve built up a reputation since then.”

Asked about what a hypnotherapy session entails, Mr McDermic, now 38, explained that the extensive two or three hour sessions see him and the client go through “emotional coaching” to understand what’s happening before he gets to the nitty gritty of getting them in a “meditative trance” state and addressing the unconscious.

He compared the process of hypnotherapy to learning how a magician does his tricks, explaining: “What I’m doing is getting clients to understand the subconscious tricks their mind is playing and how it is responsible for their condition.

“Whatever the condition is, they’ve fallen for it through a trick of the mind and I’m helping dismantle that so they can’t fall for it anymore. Essentially I’m un-hypnotising them from what they’ve been conditioned to do.”

Helping clients address their issues with “love, compassion and understanding” has been key in getting the desired results and has helped demystify the image of hypnotherapy, he said.

“I could call myself anything so long as I’m delivering results. That’s what’s really important to people.”

The frequency that he has helped those that have come for sessions at his space in Park Square means that many clients have been recommended, among which is one of the nation’s favourite footballing pundits and Wakefield native Chris Kamara.

Kammy came to Mr McDermid as he struggled with his speech apraxia diagnosis, a motor speech disorder that slows down the ability to communicate.

Mr McDermid said: “When he first came in he was in a desperate situation. He hadn’t told anybody and he wanted a cure.

“I had to be ethical and tell him ‘I can’t cure your condition, but I can help you adapt to and accept it so you’re not exacerbating it’.”

It was while the two were having sessions that Kammy’s condition became apparent to the wider public during a live appearance on Sky Sports, with many sharing their concern for the typically entertaining and bubbly character.

It was then that Mr McDermid pushed Kammy come to accept the condition and encouraged him to go public, telling him: “When you do it it’ll be the first day that you live again properly. The world will still love you and nobody’s going to judge you badly on this.”

Of course, the outpouring of support when Kammy went public was just as Mr McDermid predicted, and the two were then able to set about moving forward.

Mr McDermid said: “I had to rebuild his confidence and I hope I achieved that with him to feel happy and secure. And he’s doing such incredible work now and I’m so proud of the man for taking the work that we discussed forward.

“He’s now a pioneer for helping others with speech difficulties. And he’s simply one of the loveliest people I’ve met. One of life’s genuine souls.”

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Kammy subsequently wrote about the profound impact the therapy had on him and filmed a testimonial video for Mr McDermid, in which he said: “I thought hypnotherapy was just something from a theatre show! But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Daniel gave me the support and confidence I needed to go public with my condition – and that was the start of real healing.”

With mental health issues only becoming wider, neurodiversity becoming “more apparent” and technological developments further separating people, Mr McDermid said people are continuing to come with ever more issues.

“I love technology but it’s a blessing and a curse”, he said. “It gives people freedom to work from home and everything but it can cause a lot of damage.”

Mr McDermid charges £497 for three sessions and more information can be found on the website.