Hypnotherapy is an incredibly adaptive tool which can be used in many ways and offers relief for many of life’s daily challenges. My typical work week involves a wide array of clients with unique needs, and this week is no different.
Here is a brief run down: a landlord is overwhelmed with the stress in dealing with tenants and vandalism; a hard working mom, who is a recovering alcoholic, wants to quit smoking; an IT professional wants help with tinnitus; a high school senior is having difficulty with stress/insomnia; a blue-collar dad wants to reduce stress and the criticism of his children; a healthcare professional wants to lose weight and control alcohol use; a psychologist struggles with his weight; a husband and wife, who drive a considerable distance, also create healthier eating patterns; and a woman with advanced Parkinson’s Syndrome struggles with anxiety and pain.
Through hypnotherapy, all of these clients learn how to establish emotional separation from their problems, and how to create liberating images and emotions supporting healthy change. For many, the disconnect from the difficult past can be palpable. The process of creating sustained relief involves listening to sessions daily at home. Repetition created problems, so we take the same approach with the solution. I recommend three months of brain-training, going to the mental gym.
This is the most frequently asked question I get from prospective clients. My typical response is that ‘if you want to be hypnotized then that’s what will happen’. It’s not a battle of wills. We all have the natural ability to shift awareness from being fully awake and alert, to a daydream state.Once a new client makes the hypnosis-daydream connection, I teach them how to do hypnosis well, to not focus, concentrate or try. Trying to be hypnotized is a conscious effort, which only gets in the way.
Clients are instructed to allow their thoughts to travel, drift, and wander wherever they chose to go, even to the point of not being tuned into what is being said. This approach makes it very easy to transition into hypnosis and enables clients to descend deeply into subconscious thought, which enhances the overall effect of the session.
Effective hypnotherapy relies on a relationship of trust and cooperation. If clients trust that I am going to try to help them fix whatever problem they have, then they will likely have a positive experience.
I’ll occasionally get an apprehensive client so I’ll ask them if they are open to the experience of simple relaxation and if it would be okay for me to help them relax. I have never had anyone refuse such a comforting offer.
Then we begin with some simple breathing techniques which automatically gets the relaxation ball rolling and then I’ll transition into the formal session which supports whatever particular goal or challenge they have in mind.
So anyone who wants to be hypnotized certainly can be. All you need is an open mind and the desire to relax.
The experience of a hypnotic trance not so unusual or strange. To the contrary, it feels vaguely familiar to countless other moments in your life where you were absorbed in a zone, lost in thought, enthralled by bliss, or perhaps simply meditating.
Meditation is actually the closest you can come to a state of trance without being guided there, as you would experience in hypnosis. I often refer to it as taking my clients on a journey, a metaphorical trip in your mind or imagination.
There are countless ways to enter a trance. It is similar to falling asleep just not losing conscious awareness. That means that you are able to hear and sense things around you but, typically your eyes are closed, you are not moving, just resting comfortably relaxed. Amazing things happen when you relax on purpose. You should notice that your breathing slows down and most of your muscles become relaxed. There is this sense of distance from where you are, the passage of time gets distorted and often you feel a pleasant, almost euphoric state of peace.
The depth of a hypnotic trance varies, it can be very light or extremely deep. When you feel comfortable with the hypnotherapist, you are willing to “let go” to and allow yourself to enter a trance, then you can experience the special power of the mind and imagination. The power of hypnosis does not depend on the depth of the trance, rather it is a matter of skills the hypnotist has to help you experience something special.
As you enter hypnosis, you actually disconnect your mind from the body and surroundings. That means that your awareness is withdrawn from the normal alert state you walk around in and goes inwardly. The power of hypnosis is your ability to harness the full potential of your imagination without the normal restrictions of the critical mind. This is when a skilled hypnotherapist can help you make dramatic changes in your life. The hidden power of trance is in the suggestions you listen to and how much you embrace these new ideas.
Hypnosis does feel very nice and relaxing, almost like taking a nap. The big difference is in what you are guided to experience during the trance. There are many unusual effects that hypnosis can have on a person. An example of a famous one is the arm levitation, where your arm rises up with a distinct sense that you are not doing it intentionally.
There are many strange sensations a person can have during a trance which can only happen under hypnosis; none of these can cause you any harm or pain. Remember, that you cannot be hypnotized against your will, it works only if you agree to let it happen. So, perhaps you are now getting a bit more curious about taking a journey and exploring the hidden labyrinth of your mind.
A Boston area Hypnotherapist, with 10 years of medical experience as an RN, Paul has been helping clients since 2001 to overcome everyday challenges. Read more
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Paul’s Book
Healthy Hypnosis: The Simple Truth and Practical Use Paul explains the A-B-C’s of clinical hypnosis and offers case studies and examples of actual client sessions. This is a must read for anyone interested in this fascinating technique.
Effective hypnotherapy relies on a relationship of trust and cooperation. If clients trust that I am going to try to help them fix whatever problem they have, then they will likely have a positive experience.
