Most people ask what is hypnosis and how does it work? Hypnosis can be described as a natural state of mind (at an unconscious level) that alternates between the person’s alertness and wakefulness. Everything that has occurred in a person’s life is present in the unconscious mind, whether it is real or imagined. You can be in an everyday trance state or hypnotic state when you are driving a car on your familiar route to work or when you relaxing listening to a lovely piece of music or just before you drift off to sleep.
What Does Hypnosis Involve?
To answer the question what hypnotherapy involves, it uses different techniques for therapeutic reasons and works at the unconscious level of a person’s mind where the individual’s desires, decisions and long-term habits are located. Trusting and being present with the person who is your therapist giving you hypnotherapy is one of the factors required for the therapeutic session to be successful. The hypnosis state is a deep state of mental relaxation, similar to being in a meditative state, in which the client becomes aware of their own inner world more than in their normal conscious or waking state.
People fear the unknown and for this reason, some people worry that during hypnotherapy the therapist will control their mind, and perhaps make them do things they don’t want to. This is a myth that comes from watching hypnotherapists on TV or entertaining an audience at an event, it’s not the same thing but I can understand why you may be worried about it. Instead with Cognitive Behaviour Hypnotherapy, there is a collaboration between the therapist and the client, this brings a level of trust and enhances the therapy session. It is this deep state of relaxation where you are most responsive to suggestions and hence you can make changes to your habits and behaviours that may be causing your problems.
I have people ask me regularly whether I am going to make them ‘cluck like a chicken’ or ‘dance around the room’. Stage hypnotists like Darren Brown do get receptive people do ridiculous things but the people that step on the stage are willing to partake in these activities. All hypnosis is ‘self”- hypnosis and the hypnotherapist is a guide to your inner mind and the rest of the responsibility is on the client who wishes to be hypnotised as it is a collaborative process. Clinical hypnotherapy will not make you do what you don’t want to do and you are in total control of yourself during the sessions.
Does the idea that all your secrets will come out during these sessions fill you with fear? You are in control of your mind during the sessions and if you are asked a question that you wish not to answer just “say no”.
Does Hypnotherapy Still Work If I Fall Asleep?
If you do feel as if you have fallen asleep during the therapy session, don’t worry your subconscious mind is still hearing my suggestions and you are able to make the changes in your habits and behaviours. Each and every person has the insight and knowledge within themselves to recognise their issues and with the therapist support they go deeper within and find the root causes of these issues/problems. You will discover techniques and develop skills to access your subconscious mind and change habits and behaviours that cause the problem. Together with positive suggestions and strategies to stay in control you can change how you perceive the problems and let go of the hold the cause of this issue has over you.
Does Hypnosis Work And Can Everyone Be Hypnotised?
Hypnosis requires the cooperation and motivation on the part of the client, and this cooperation enhances the client’s experience in their unconscious mind level. Hence Hypnosis/hypnotherapy has been effective in the treatment of anxiety. The following techniques for coping with anxiety can be greatly enhanced when a client has undergone hypnosis sessions:
- Stop or pause when you feel anxious
- Focus your attention on the part of your body that is affected by your anxiety reaction, as well as your feelings associated with this.
- Learn mindfulness where you notice to focus your attention on.
- Learn to mindfulness breathing
- Challenge your anxiety thoughts: are these thoughts your opinion or facts.
- Do things differently by checking with yourself what you are worried about or anxious about and as you do it several times a day you will start to reduce the checking over time.
- Avoid situations and things or people that cause you to be anxious.
- Get support from friends and family
- Ask yourself what else I can do (like going for a walk or doing an activity) that will stop yourself from reacting to these anxious thoughts.
Hypnosis can help you change your response to situations that cause you anxiety so that you cope with them better and they affect you less. Understandably you may be concerned about using this type of therapy to treat your anxiety, but because it addresses the way you respond to stressful situations rather than only the symptoms of your anxiety, it can be a very powerful tool.
If you like to talk to me in confidence about your anxiety, how hypnosis may be able to help and to get an idea of whether you feel that we can build a trusting client/therapist relationship, please get in touch. +44 (0)796 715 1790 or info@formindssake.com
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