Hypnosis: Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is hypnosis?
A. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness that allows you to access resourceful states of mind. Most people just feel incredibly relaxed. In fact, in today's stress-filled world, it will probably be the most relaxed you've ever been.
Q. Can anybody be hypnotised?
A. Pretty much. I work with clients of all ages and backgrounds. My youngest client to date was an eight year old girl with fear of the dentist; my oldest client was 82 and wanted to regain her self-confidence. If I don't think hypnotherapy is suitable for you I'll tell you honestly and recommend alternatives.
Q. How do you hypnotise somebody?
A. Actually most hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You choose to listen to the voice of the therapist which leads you into a very relaxed state. Sometimes, too, they will employ - with permission - the use of touch in various different ways, commonly of the subjects hands or forehead. Mostly, the client will close their eyes fairly soon in the induction, but an individual can quite easily be hypnotised with their eyes open. After hypnosis is induced (usually in a matter of a few minutes) a deepener routine might be used to deepen the state. At all times you are totally in control.
Q. Is it good for performance enhancement?
A. Hypnosis, with the right sort of adjunct work, EXCELS at performance enhancement of all types! Here are just a few of the things with which it can make profound improvement:
Q. Is it successful with real phobias?
A. Usually immensely so, in conjunction with the right therapy.
Q. What does it feel like to be hypnotised?
A. This varies from individual to individual. Some of my clients say they feel very light, as if they were floating; others say it felt as if they were pleasantly 'scrunched up'. Some people lose awareness of their arms and legs; others find that they are fully aware of everything, even more so than usual.
Q. Can people be made to forget things, like suggestions or the session itself?
A. You cannot actually 'make' anybody do anything in hypnosis. Hypnosis gives nobody any power over the person who is hypnotised.
Q. Can you get 'stuck' in hypnosis?
A. No, you definitely cannot! If you were hypnotised and the hypnotist just walked away and left you, you would simply bring yourself out of the state whenever you wanted to.
Q. How does hypnotherapy differ from stage hypnosis?
A. The hypnosis is the same, though many believe it is not. But it is the 'therapy' part that is different - the stage hypnotist is out to entertain others. The hypnotherapist is out to make somebody's life more enjoyable to live.
Q. What's the difference between hypnotherapy and psychotherapy?
A. Usually, psychotherapy makes changes to the subconscious by using the understanding and imagery of the conscious mind. Hypnotherapy attempts to bypass the conscious mind to a large extent, working directly with the subconscious. For this reason, hypnotherapy is often quicker than psychotherapy. But it's 'horses for courses' - there are some clients who will respond better to psychotherapy and for them, this would probably be a better form of treatment. I also use elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) with my clients
Q. What exactly is 'Past Life Regression'?
A. Theoretically, a look back to a lifetime experienced earlier in history - this can be thousands of years earlier, or maybe only a short while back, just before the current life span began. It is claimed that there is a therapeutic value in such experiences, in that they may account for certain psychological difficulties in current life. Numerous attempts have been made to prove the validity of various PLRs, but this has never been achieved - there has always been the possibility of the experience being nothing more than the recall of a long-forgotten memory from childhood in THIS life. Many experimenters are at pains to point out that they DO NOT CLAIM that a PLR is evidence of a previous existence for the individual concerned, only an awareness of a set of circumstances that occurred before that individual was born. Some therapists believe in the existence of past lives, others prefer to look at them as convenient metaphors for change in the subconscius mind.
Q. How long does it take to produce a result?
A. That depends on the problem and the client-therapist mix. It can be as few as one session for a simple problem, to as many as ten. A responsible, properly trained, therapist will not keep a client in therapy longer than necessary.
Q. Can you hypnotise someone without them knowing it?
A. You can, if you have the skills to do so. The use of 'hypnotic language patterns' and pacing and leading body language will do it. But you still could not get that person to do anything with hypnosis that they would not do without it. Hypnosis merely overcomes inhibition and the 'conscious critical faculty' - the part of our thought processes which tends to limit our behaviour or belief system.
Q. Can somebody's mind be too strong?
A. No. The stronger the mind the better the ability to focus and concentrate, which makes the hypnotised state easier to achieve. The statement 'My mind is too strong to be hypnotised' is usually based on fear and the individuals who say this are often the best subjects of all! It is not difficult to resist being hypnotised and needs no specific strength of mind at all. It is getting into hypnosis that takes the mental work!
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