UNDERSTANDING HYPNOSIS

Hypnosis and its uses in a clinical atmosphere is rapidly emerging as a highly effective science in solving the problems of people and creating desired behavior. Its benefit has been repeatedly proven in many cases as both a single solution and as also a valuable adjunct in psychotherapy and psychiatry. Yet it is probably the lowest risk procedure available from the stand point of limiting treatment.

Few complementary procedures are less understood, or more plagued by misconceptions and misunderstandings.

Before considering what hypnosis is, perhaps it would be appropriate to establish what it is not! Television, movies and mostly just absolute lack of knowledge has created a false persona of something dark or controlling. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Consider this as an example. If right now wherever you are reading this, I ask you to close your hand making a fist and squeeze it so tight that no one could pry it open. Could you do it?  Of course you could, but WHO has to do it?!  You do.

In like fashion if you were about to do hypnosis and you are asked to relax – who controls the relaxation? If asked to imagine something – who has to do the imagining? If asked to speak, raise a hand, feel hot or cold, or create a mental image; WHO is in control of doing and performing those things?

No other form of therapy leaves YOU in so much control.

Do away with the thought that a hypnotist has any ability whatsoever of “controlling your mind”, they are simply a “tour guide” assisting you in solving your situations in life.

Though the hypnotist may use the word “sleep”, it is simply a reference to “act like you are asleep”.  In fact if a person is truly asleep, no work can be done.  The process of hypnosis is highly focused thought.  The relaxation part is a physical process to allow the subconscious mine the ability to be more focused and in control than the conscious mind.

In most cases the subject is fully aware of communication and may participate if asked to respond either verbally or by signal. Unconsciousness cannot be involved.

What is Hypnosis?

The U.S. government defines hypnosis as having two parts: (1) the bypass of the critical factor, and (2) the establishment of acceptable selective thinking.

The Mayo Clinic says: “Hypnosis can be used to help you gain control over undesired behaviors or to help you cope better with anxiety or pain. It’s important to know that although you’re more open to suggestion during hypnosis, you don’t lose control over your behavior.”

(ref: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hypnosis/about/pac-20394405)

The Legal Law Dictionary say: “Hypnosis deals with making a change in the subconscious mind. The premise of hypnosis is that if a suggestion is allowed to go into your subconscious mind, then it has the power to change your beliefs and change your behaviors.

Hypnosis is now frequently used in medicine, dentistry and psychotherapy. It is used as a part of the treatment of psychiatric/psychological disorders, the effects of incest, rape and physical abuse, allergies, anxiety and stress management, asthma, bed-wetting, depression, sports and athletic performance, excessive self-consciousness, smoking cessation, obesity and weight control, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunctions, concentration, and test anxiety.”  (https://definitions.uslegal.com/h/hypnosis/)

Both the American Psychological Association and the British Psychological Society say it is an “effective therapeutic technique”.

Actually, hypnosis is better described than defined. It is often considered an altered state of consciousness featuring “focused consciousness,” a process in which the subject (who is in control) chooses to see only what is relevant to his task, blocking out everything else. Hypnosis involves guided concentration, i.e. the hypnotist. The guidance, however, may be provided by a qualified practitioner or, in the case of self- hypnosis, by the individual subject. Self-hypnosis, which can be taught by a properly certified hypnotist and learned by virtually any client, can provide the recipient with a lifetime of benefit and a worth while tool.

WHERE DID HYPNOSIS COME FROM?

The basics of hypnotism go back to ancient times. Those who have read Jean Auel’s memorable book, “Clan Of The Cave Bear,” will remember accounts of magic, healings, inherited memories and revelations performed or created by the “Mogurs” and “medicine women” of prehistoric clans. Hypnotism. In the early centuries of our own land, the medicine men of Indian tribes performed seeming miracles. Hypnotism. Wider, non-secret usage began in the 1700’s in several forms under different names.

There were periods of progress and periods of stagnation in the development of modern hypnotism. Medical interest and acceptance expanded following World War II when the use of hypnotherapy proved especially helpful to surviving battlefield casualties suffering from shock, injury, battle fatigue and various psycho logical disorders. As understanding increased hypnotism began to be recognized as an important adjunct to counseling psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, and also medical fields including neurology, obstetrics, emergency medicine, burn therapy and others. Hypnosis is finding increasing usage in dentistry and other areas where pain control is important. All humans (and possibly several animals) have two distinct minds— the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is vastly larger and more powerful than the conscious mind, yet it is the least understood and used by mankind. Actually, the great “unconscious” mind has two functional elements, the subconscious and the superconscious, the former the storehouse of memory, the latter dealing with the spiritual.

DOES HYPNOSIS WORK?

American Health Magazine reported comparative figures all the way back in 2006 that hypnosis is tremendously more effective than other forms of treatment.

The subconscious mind receives and retains, neither accepting nor rejecting, all the messages we receive from our backgrounds, whether genetic, social, religious or experiential, plus all the conflicts (little or big) that enter our lives daily. When for whatever reason the conscious mind (which deals with everyday living, logic, reason, etc.) becomes overloaded, the subconscious prepares us for what is considered appropriate action (usually fight or flight). However the subconscious mind does not analyze, as does the conscious mind, but accepts all messages in the literal sense.

In essence, hypnosis is a means of communication between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. Many human problems, habits, stresses, anxieties, attitudes or apparent deficiencies can be traced to interpretations by the subconscious mind which, when under stood by the conscious mind, can reduce or resolve specific problems.
The subconscious is also the seat of all memory. Traumatic events can be buried or suppressed in the subconscious. A major benefit of hypnosis is its ability to uncover and bring into the light of understanding the buried information or experience which may be the cause of a troublesome problem.

WHAT CAN HYPNOSIS HELP

The range of areas where hypnosis can provide positive influence to the human mind and body is almost limitless. To name a few, hypnosis is an accepted treatment for:

Stress and Anxiety

Migraines

PTSD

Addictions

Depression

Performance Anxiety

OCD

Grief

Dementia

Sleep Disorders

and more.

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE

Your first visit with your hypnotist will, primarily, be exploratory. You will learn about hypnotism and become comfortable with it. Your hypnotist will discuss your interests and your desires to determine if hypnosis can accomplish what you want to achieve.

If you both feel that it will be worthwhile to proceed, your hypnotist may give you some small tests to determine your type of suggestibility, your ability to relax, your skills at visualization—procedures which help your hypnotist adapt to you as an individual so as to design programming personalized for you which will be acceptable to your subconscious, retained and acted upon in a manner leading to full achievement of your goals.

Your session will include a brief relaxation period.  The purpose of this time is not to cause sleep, although the work “sleep” may be used. It is to create a level of relaxation “acting as though you are asleep”.  This allows you, the recipient a better access to your own subconscious thought process without the interference of the conscious analytical thinking process. It also allows you to make more rapid and permanent change because it is about your having a very focused train of thought without the hundreds of other thoughts we usually have getting in the way. 

REFRESHED AND INVIGORATED

At absolute minimum clients respond that they have never felt so refreshed and calm after such a short period of time.  Once tried, most people are excited about and look forward to their next opportunity to do hypnosis again.