What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for self-improvement and the removal of problems. Hypnosis is basically guided meditation through which a person’s subconscious is employed to help make positive change.  Movies and circus acts make those who have been hypnotized to be totally out of control of their own bodies and minds.  This is not true.

  Hypnosis is merely a relaxed state that the person enters where their minds are more likely to imagine, to create, to remember, and to be responsive to suggestions.  The person remains in complete control of the situation.  This misconception stems from most peoples experiences with stage hypnotists who get their participants to do foolish things.  The thing is, these participants have volunteered and given their consent to the hypnotist to make them do strange things.  A person cannot be made to do anything that goes against their will or moral values without consent.  Hypnotherapy is generally a short-term method of treatment and a person will usually benefit from it within the first few sessions.  Those persons who are motivated to change have the most success.  One key for hypnotherapy to be successful is for the person to be comfortable and relaxed.

    Hypnotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating stress, anxiety, phobias, unwanted habits or addictions, allergies, migraines and relationship problems just to name a few. 

Hypnosis can be induced in six main ways.  The first is eye contact.  Movies like to show this technique although it was mostly used in the 1800’s.  Progressive relaxation is another form of inducing hypnosis.  The person is helped to imagine a safe place and is led through different levels.  Mental confusion methods seek to confuse the mind in order to make it easier to let go of the present surroundings.  Mental misdirection methods use imagination and response in order to lead a person in a certain direction.  The loss of equilibrium method is based on an idea similar to rocking babies to sleep.  The shock to the nervous system method is commonly used by stage hypnotists.  It is a rapid form of hypnosis but is not used much in clinical settings.