Hypnosis
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Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy FAQ
What is hypnosis?
Hypnotherapy?
How does it feel
to be hypnotized?
How do you put
people into hypnosis?
Is hypnosis "mind
control?"
What about those
stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
How much
will I remember?
How deep will
I go?
How do I know
if I can be hypnotized?
What does
hypnosis feel like ... or ... How can I tell if I'm hypnotized?
Can I "get stuck"?
Can hypnosis
hurt me?
Is hypnosis
a 100% consent state?
What if I'm
under a doctor's care or taking medication?
Can hypnosis
help me?
What Areas Can
Hypnotherapy Be Helpful In?
What's
the difference between self-hypnosis, "guided imagery," "creative visualization"
or meditation?
How quickly
will I experience results from hypnosis?
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a very normal and natural altered
state of consciousness (an altered state of awareness), one we all experience
from time to time in which the mind remains clear, alert and focused on
something. Have you ever "become really absorbed" while watching TV? Or
driven to work on "auto pilot?" That's the same kind of altered state as
hypnosis.
Some misconceptions about hypnosis are that it's
a frightening or eerie state, or that it feels very weird, but it's actually
very normal and very pleasant.
Some people ask if they've really been hypnotized,
just because it feels like such a normal state and they were expecting
something very strange. The zombie-type states
you see depicted in movies and on TV are pure fantasy. .
Hypnosis itself is unlikely to assist in a relief
of symptoms, whatever those symptoms might be.
It is the therapy – hypnotherapy - which
is carried out within the altered state that is significant.
It adopts two altogether different forms in its
clinical approach.
Suggestion Therapy
This clinical form of treatment is ideal for
helping to cope with such things as self-development, particular fears,
doubts, nerves, smoking, certain habits, some weight-control problems,
stress, hypno-healing
(working with the body`s immune and healing systems)
and so forth.
Analytical Therapy
This is used for the more fundamental or deep-seated
problems or issues. This approach aims to find and eliminate the underlying
rudimentary cause of such things as irrational fears, emotional problems,
relationship difficulties, psychosexual problems, lack of confidence, personality
problems, sleeping difficulties, stuttering/stammering, anxiety, inferiority
complex, unhappiness, phobias, etc. and most other problems and issues
where there is a psychological factor at work.
How does it feel to be hypnotized?
It feels great! Hypnosis is a natural state that
feels similar to that feeling you get right before you fall asleep at night.
When you awaken, you feel refreshed and revitalized.
You just feel as if you are relaxing in a very
comfortable space with your eyes closed. You can hear everything--my voice,
the sounds outside the building, a car going down the street outside, whatever.
Because relaxation is a subjective experience (some people relax at the beach, for others it is chopping wood), so too is what each person feels when in a hypnotic trance. The feeling is the opposite to stress, so you will feel relaxed and calm.
How do you put people into hypnosis?
Two way Mindfit uses. 1) The traditional approach of using words and imagery to guide your mind into a relaxed state and 2) Binaural Beats, which create a situation where your brain follows the beats into the mental state known as hypnosis.
Is hypnosis "mind control?"
Not at all. No one under hypnosis can be induced
to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical codes
you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place under hypnosis.
You can actually lie when in hypnosis.
Your unconscious mind job is to protect and help you. Just like you cannot
be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not say anything
that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than you are comfortable
doing. Usually, if a hypnotherapist`s suggestion
conflicts with a client's value system, the client simply brings him or
herself up out of hypnosis; they just "wake
up." You are in complete control at all times.
Hypnotherapy is a gentle, loving process and
hypnotherapist's are trained to not judge.
You will heal and change in your own timing.
What about those stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
The "control factor" is still zero. Think about
it: we've all seen or heard about those stage shows--we all have expectations
about what happens in them. If you have never been formally hypnotized
before, you may be expecting "fireworks."
When that doesn't happen, you think, "Oh, it's
not working on me," and STOP TRYING, open your eyes and sit there waiting
to be let off the stage. The people who will do well as volunteers are
the people who do not expect to be transported to another realm. They understand
that they will still “know what's going on” and still “hear everything
the hypnotist says.”
They stay with it and follow the hypnotist's
instructions, even when they're not sure if it's working.
You cannot simultaneously BE the show and SEE
the show! You have to pick one and stick with it!
Does anyone really think that if they volunteer
to go on stage that the hypnotist will suggest they do something BRILLIANT?
Anyone who volunteers is agreeing to play the part, whether they consciously
admit it or not.
For some, hypnosis (like alcohol) is a convenient
"excuse" to act out and not take responsibility for their behavior.
How much will I remember?
You'll remember everything--everything I say and
everything you experience or everything you need to remember.
However, because most clients receive a great
deal of information it may take days, weeks or months to really process.
I often encourage you to write your experience
down as soon as possible. As with any experience, it's not unusual to lose
the subtler details with the passage of time, and some of the patterns
you uncover may not “click” into place until much later.
How deep will I go?
Depth of the hypnotic state is an idea that used
to be a focal point, but lately the hypnosis community and hypnosis professionals
have realized that depth (or not) has little bearing. My view on this is
that my clients go as deep (or stay as light) as they need to and what
is appropriate for them, and we still get good results.
It is a fact that the more hypnosis one undergoes,
the greater and easier one drops down into the altered state.
It is a skill and like all skills – improves
with practice.
How do I know if I can be hypnotized?
Everyone can be hypnotized but one has to be willing to do it. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, which means if you want to do it, you will. The very small minority of people who have difficulty in a session are usually those who a) don't really want to be hypnotized (perhaps to debunk the idea); or b) can't relax and let go enough (perhaps fearing loss of control, which we know is a myth, or fearing the unknown) to go with the experience. Some things you can do to increase your ability to go under hypnosis easier and faster are practicing meditation, visualization, yoga or relaxation techniques.
What does hypnosis feel like
... or ... How can I tell if I'm hypnotized?
Many of us experience a "trance-like" state while being given a good sermon at church, listening to some good music on the radio, reading a gripping novel, or even while watching TV! Here are some personal feelings one may experience when in a hypnotic state:
1.Physical relaxation (Body muscles feel relaxed).
2.Fluttering of eyelids when entering and coming out of hypnosis.
3.Mental relaxation.
4.General feeling of drowsiness as if ready to doze.
5.Eyelids heavy (extreme effort to raise them).
6.Eyes smarting and/or tearing. Remove contacts; they create dryness.
7.Eyelids locked together, unable to open.
8.Jaw muscles relaxed.
9.Teeth unclenched.
10.Tongue loose and natural. When tense, the tongue goes higher.
11.Dryness in mouth.
12.Desire to swallow.
13.Moisture at corners of mouth.
14.Desire to scratch an itch, but not sure of doing it.
15.Twitching or jerking in any part of the body.
16.Euphoria (state of well-being).
17.Tingling or numbness in any portion of body.
18.Heavy feeling in any portion or entire body.
19.Desire to laugh, smile, giggle, or cry.
20.Lack of desire to open eyes (relaxation feels too good).
21.Body warmth or chill.
22.Feel personal freedom, carefree or uninhibited.
23.Sexual/sensual stimulation or awareness.
24.Time distortion (minutes seems like hours and vice versa).
25.Voice sounds fading in and out.
26.Letting go as if falling asleep.
27.Occasional involuntary sigh.
28.Feeling of lightness.
29.Feeling of floating.
30.Partial body detachment as if part of the body is not there.
Can I "get stuck"?
No. Again, hypnosis is a very natural and normal
state and cannot hold anyone against his or her will. If a client were
to go so
deep as to enter a truly unconscious state (a
very rare occurrence), they would simply go into natural sleep and awaken
when they were rested. It is impossible for anyone to be `left or lost`
in hypnosis.
After hypnosis, a person awakens naturally, just
as they do after sleep! If the hypnotherapist were to leave before counting
them awake, the subject would eventually realize that the session had ended
and would awaken on their own.
During the session, if there were an emergency,
or the subject no longer wished to participate, they could easily awaken
themselves at any time and simply stop.
Can hypnosis hurt me?
In over two hundred years of recorded hypnosis history, there is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis. Hypnosis can only be used in a positive way. If anyone tries to give you suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything you feel strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the state of relaxation on your own.
Is hypnosis a 100% consent state?
If at any time you want to emerge from the state of hypnosis, for any reason, you will instantly, naturally open your eyes and become fully alert. No one can keep you in hypnosis against your will.
What if I'm under a doctor's care or taking medication?
If you have any questions about whether or not
hypnosis will help or conflict with a present medical condition, ask you
GP.
The interesting reaction of hypnosis on medication
is that, over long periods of time, it tends to "potentate" medication,
which means if you're currently taking medication, after a series of hypnosis
sessions you may find that you need less amounts of it, or a lesser strength
of the drug. Hypnosis can often complement traditional medical care and
better or more informed doctors favor it. It can act as an adjunct to
medical treatment.
Can hypnosis help me?
"Helping me get past my fear of public speaking?"
"Improving my golf game?" "Helping me relax during exams?"
"Curing my insomnia?" Etc. Let's put it this
way: think for a moment about any issue in your life that you'd like to
improve and ask yourself, "Does my mind interact with this issue/activity
in any way? Do my thoughts/beliefs affect my performance?
Do my feelings contribute to my experiences in
this area? Have I had past experiences that are reinforcing my beliefs/thoughts/emotions
in a negative way? Is it my expectation that I will NOT get the results
I desire?"
Are you getting the picture? The mind, body and
emotions are all connected. Therefore, I'm not aware of ANY issue that
can not be at least significantly improved/relieved
through the regular use of hypnosis.
Generally, there is a positive effect from hypnotherapy.
When pain and trauma is released from the unconscious mind and the physical
body's stored stress is also released from your cells. You can experience
calmness. peace. and a feeling of joy from resolving an old issue, changing
your behaviors and old patterns, leaning new information connecting with
your inner wisdom, changes in how you perceive yourself and others. You
can actually learn to let go of old hurts and angers, so they no longer
affect you physically and emotionally. Your unconscious mind holds our
keys to health, happiness and self-empowerment!
What Areas Can Hypnotherapy Be Helpful In?
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What's the difference between self-hypnosis, "guided imagery," "creative visualization"or meditation?
Truthfully, there's not a tremendous difference at all. I believe that the widespread misconceptions about hypnosis have made people afraid to call the process by its rightful name--especially in the business environment. “Guided Imagery” or “Previewing” perhaps sound a little less mystical than “Hypnosis” and "Self-Hypnosis." All of these processes are simply procedures to relax the body and focus the mind. The state you attain can feel similar for each--no matter what you choose to call it.
How quickly will I experience results from hypnosis?
How quickly do you WANT to see results? There's
a lot of factors at work here. First, and foremost, there's your motivation
level and commitment. If you're "trying" to quit smoking because your partner
has put you up to it, you're not really all that motivated yourself, now
are you?
My advice there: just quit wasting your time
and money and be honest. There's no such thing as "trying to quit." You're
either ready to be a non-smoker or you're not. Same is true with just about
anything. If your motivation and commitment level is HIGH, you'll likely
experience results straight away or very quickly. If it's low, you
may stop going to the hypnotherapist or stop listening to that new
tape long before you see any results. Other factors that determine your
success can include your comfort-level and respect for the hypnotherapist
you're working with, as well as the regularity of your hypnosis sessions.
Hypnosis is NOT a magic pill. Sorry!
You will actually have to do some WORK along
the way, such as attending your hypnotherapy sessions or listening
to your self-hypnosis tape on a daily basis. If you are expecting to be
"put to sleep" and awaken "never wanting to eat chocolate again," you're
probably destined for disappointment. It just doesn't happen that way.
On the other hand, I have many clients who quit smoking after my `one smoking
session`, they were what I'd call HIGHLY MOTIVATED and have COMMITMENT.
Have you?
Many people expect to be rich by not doing anything
to make it happen!
