Hypnotherapy
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a form of complementary therapy that utilises the power of positive suggestion to bring about subconscious change to our thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Hypnotherapy aims to alter our state of consciousness in a way that relaxes the conscious part of our mind while simultaneously motivating and focusing the subconscious part. This heightened state of awareness – reached using skilled relaxation techniques – allows the therapist to then make appropriate suggestions. You sit comfortably reclined in an easy chair in a softly lit office. As you listen to with your eyes closed, you find your body relaxing more and more. Guided by the calm and confident voice, you allow your mind to let go and turn inward. As you relax, your awareness of where you are, why you are there, and who is speaking to you, recedes into the back of your mind. You just content yourself with effortlessly allowing the voice to act on you, and with enjoying this state of profound relaxation and deep calm… You are having a typical hypnotic experience.
In my opinion, Hypnotherapy is mostly used for:
- Pain management
- Motivation
- Goal achievement
- Fears and phobias
- Stress & anxiety
- Smoking
- Unwanted behaviour patterns
- Coping with Bereavement
- Confidence in public speaking, attending an important interview or being calm through your driving test etc.
- Weight loss
People typically experience both mental tranquillity and physical relaxation under hypnosis (relaxation is not a necessary condition for hypnosis, however; one can be both mentally and physically tense, and still be in a state of deep hypnosis). Various changes in perception are also common under hypnosis. Some people feel great heaviness coming over their bodies, others feel very light, numb or even disembodied. Subjective floating, sinking, spinning, and tingling sensations are often reported.
Other changes that accompany the hypnotic state, are the ones which make hypnosis a remarkable tool for mental and physical healing and make the various specialised hypnotic techniques possible. For example, hypnotic analgesia, the blocking of pain with the aid of hypnosis, depends on the mind´s ability to alter body perception in response to suggestion under hypnosis. Regression, where the person´s mind recreates past experiences in vivid detail as if the events are being relived, relies on the greatly facilitated access to remote memory. Finally, post hypnotic suggestions, which are suggestions given to people under hypnosis that affect them after they wake up, rely on the increased automatic receptivity to suggestions in the hypnotic state
Therapeutic hypnosis is specifically used to improve your health and well-being and is different from stage hypnosis that is used for entertainment purposes only. You will not start clucking like a chicken or break out in a Michael Jackson dance. If you were given suggestions that you don’t morally agree with, you would come out of hypnosis and your mind would mentally block those suggestions. Hypnosis is not a control state, it is an agreeable state for the mind and body to shift its perspective in life.
There are no negative side effects. Most people find the experience to be extremely positive, beneficial and empowering. Hypnosis is considered safe no matter what your condition. I always ensure that you and are in a positive, relaxed and motivated state at the end of each session.
Are simple people most easily hypnotisable?
Not at all. In fact, researchers have found that more intelligent people are slightly more hypnotisable. It seems that openness to new experiences, rather than gullibility, is related to hypnotic ability.
I have previous had hypnotherapy but it didn’t work, does this mean i cannot be hypnotised?
Hypnosis is a natural state that we have access to all day long. When you drive down the road and miss a turn or get lost in a movie or your favourite song, those are all states of hypnosis. The most common reason for failure to induce trance is lack of rapport and explanation of the state, or a hypnotherapist without professional training who is using incomplete methods.