1) All hypnosis is the same: Hypnosis is all about rapport, listening to the clients concerns and explaining the process to develop trust and put the client at ease. I email clients an audio file so they come in with an idea of who I am and what to expect. Those who have had prior experience with hypnosis usually mention the variation in style between practitioners.
2) Subliminal messages work: Subliminal Ads involve messages that you can’t hear. Common sense says they shouldn’t work, and there’s no research proving that they do.
3) Some people can’t be hypnotized: The only reason someone can’t be hypnotized is if the individual chooses not to or is incapable of following simple instructions. In over 20 years as a hypnotist I have experienced this only a couple of times which was when I was knew to the field and inexperienced.
4) Hypnosis is for the weak minded: Hypnosis was accepted by the AMA as a legitimate adjunct modality in 1958 so we are decades past the debate as to whether it is ‘real’ or not. The only debate that exists is if it is right for the individual. I see clients from all walks of life from executives terrified of giving presentations in the board room to physicians and lawyers fearful of passing exams and to truck drivers wanting to quit smoking. These days everyone is learning about the power of thought and how hypnosis is the best tool to get the job done.
5) One relinquishes free will with hypnosis: I’m happy to report I never hear concerns from clients about this ridiculous relic originating from the early 20th century. There are decades of scientific research validating the healing power of thought. Hypnosis is not the process of relinquishing control but rather tapping into powerful inner resources individuals were previously unaware of.
By: Paul Gustafson RN CH
Get things done: Many spend so much time focused on what needs to be done, nothing is accomplished. Hypnosis not only helps individuals experience satisfaction with even the smallest step forward but also offers a view into their clutter-free future. It’s a simple process of spending more time thinking envisioning what you want than what you struggle with.
Get over a relationship: Hypnosis helps you release the unpleasant past and enhance new enthusiasm about the days to come. It doesn’t erase the past it just helps you focus more of what you want than what you previously struggled with. It is the best re frame tool there is.
Find a fulfilling career: Hypnosis creates a sense of calm, centered peacefulness. From such clarity of thought comes new confidence and creativity. Rather than feeling trapped and powerless individuals using hypnosis see opportunity and freedom.
Don’t sweat the small stuff: We are all creatures of habit, both of action and thought. Even patterns of simple worry can become rooted and automatic. I see many clients overwhelmed by an array of simple concerns that just pile up to the point of effecting quality of life. Hypnosis offers a refreshingly rapid disconnect from these concerns.
Have more fun: Every client leaves my office with a smile because of the wonderful cathartic qualities of hypnosis. It creates a sense of unexpected freedom and relief and with repetition becomes the rule rather then the exception. Those who routinely enjoy this peaceful process laugh more and find more ways to add joy and fulfillment top their lives.
By: Paul Gustafson RN CH
Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus, concentration and inner absorption. When you’re under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions.
Under hypnosis, you’re more open than usual to suggestions, and this can be used to modify your perceptions, behavior, sensations and emotions. Therapeutic hypnosis is used to improve your health and well-being and is different from so-called stage hypnosis used by entertainers. Although you’re more open to suggestion during therapeutic hypnosis, your free will remains intact and you don’t lose control over your behavior.
Why it’s done
Hypnosis is intended to help you gain more control over undesired behaviors or emotions or to help you cope better with a wide range of medical conditions. Hypnosis isn’t considered a treatment or a type of psychotherapy. Rather, it’s a procedure typically used along with certain treatments and therapies to help a wide variety of conditions.
Applications
- Pain control
- Smoking cessation
- Reducing stress related to medical procedures
- Mental health conditions
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Surgical preparation
- Childbirth
- Weight loss
- Athletic performance
- Dental procedures
- Coping with chemotherapy
- Skin conditions
- Gastrointestinal problems
Risks
Hypnosis that’s conducted under the care of a trained therapist or health care professional is considered a safe complementary and alternative medicine treatment.
Adverse reactions are rare but may include:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Anxiety or panic
- Creation of false memories
How to prepare
You don’t need any special preparation to have hypnosis. But it’s a good idea to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing to help with relaxation. Also, make sure that you’re well rested before having hypnosis so that you’re not inclined to fall asleep during the session.
Be sure you carefully choose a therapist or health care professional to perform hypnosis. Get a recommendation from someone you trust. Don’t buy into promises of cures. And when you do find a potential hypnotherapist, ask lots of questions, such as:
- Do you have training in a field such as psychology, medicine, social work or dentistry?
- Are you licensed in your specialty in this state?
- Where did you go to school, and where did you do your internship, residency or both?
- How much training have you had in hypnotherapy and from what schools?
- What professional organizations do you belong to?
- How long have you been in practice?
- What are your fees?
- Does insurance cover your services?
What to expect
There are a variety of techniques for hypnosis. The approach you choose depends on what you want to accomplish and your personal preferences. Your hypnotherapist may make a recommendation about the best technique for your situation.
In general, a hypnotherapist explains the process of hypnosis and reviews what you both hope to accomplish. The hypnotherapist typically induces you into hypnosis by talking in a gentle, soothing tone and describing images that create a sense of relaxation, security and well-being.
When you’re in a deep trance-like state, the hypnotherapist suggests ways for you to achieve specific goals, such as reducing pain or eliminating cravings to smoke. The hypnotherapist also may help you visualize vivid, meaningful mental images in which you picture yourself accomplishing your goals, such as shooting baskets accurately. When the session is over, either you are able to bring yourself out of hypnosis or your hypnotherapist helps you end your trance-like state.
A typical hypnosis session lasts about 30 to 60 minutes. You may benefit from just one session or several sessions of hypnosis. You can usually resume normal activities immediately.
Contrary to how hypnosis is sometimes portrayed in movies, on television or on stage, you don’t lose control over your behavior while under hypnosis. Although hypnosis makes you more open to suggestions, you can’t be forced to engage in behavior involuntarily. Also, you generally remain aware of who you are and where you are, and you typically remember what happened when you were under hypnosis.
You may eventually be able to practice self-hypnosis, in which you induce a state of hypnosis in yourself. You can use this skill as needed — for instance, after a chemotherapy session.
(Mayo Clinic staff)
Chronic stress has powerful effects on the body’s production and storage of fat. High levels of cortisol induced by stress can lead to increase in body fat and obesity. This adds to all the other ways that stress promotes obesity.
There are various ways stress can lead to increase in body fat and obesity. Most people are aware of behavioral and emotional aspects of stress-related obesity. People who are often stressed out have trouble maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
They may eat often even when they’re not hungry — this is called stress eating or emotional eating — or they may eat high-calorie fast foods because they don’t have time to prepare something healthy. Additionally, they may be too exhausted to exercise regularly when they’re under a lot of stress.
Physiological factors — specifically, cortisol and cortisol-induced insulin — are the main reasons why stress can lead to increase in body fat and obesity. When faced with a stressful situation, the body triggers the stress response or fight-or-flight response. This leads to the secretion of cortisol, adrenaline and other stress hormones along with an increase of blood pressure, breathing and heart rate.
The normal stress response causes the rapid increase of heart rate and respiratory rate as well as blood pressure. Available energy is increased while digestion and other non-essential processes are decreased. So, the body is primed to fight or take flight and escape, whichever is needed.
The natural stress response is usually short-term and self-regulating. When the threat is gone, the body returns to normal. As cortisol and adrenaline levels drop, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure as well as energy levels return to their baseline levels. Other systems inhibited by the stress response return to their regular activities.
The natural stress response goes awry when stress is constant and excessive. In today’s society, most people are inundated with overwhelming stress. For those constantly dealing with excessive and chronic stress, the body’s fight-or-flight response is constantly on. In turn, the resulting stress hormones released are chronically high.
Chronically high levels of cortisol plays a big role in the development of obesity.
- Cortisol helps the body handle stress; so, when stress goes up, cortisol also goes up. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism during stressful situations. This leads to increased blood sugar levels required for fast energy. In turn, this stimulates insulin release which can lead to an increase in appetite.
- Adrenaline increases alertness and metabolism by helping fat cells release energy.
When the immediate stress is over, the adrenaline levels return to normal. But, cortisol lingers to help bring the body back into balance after stress. One of the ways it gets things back to balance is by increasing appetite to replace the carbohydrate and fat used for the flight or fight response.
The problem is that in today’s society, stress-causing situations — such as, traffic jams or computer malfunctions — do not really require the body to use up a lot of energy. So, cortisol ends up causing the body to refuel after stress even when it doesn’t really need to refuel. This excess fuel or glucose is converted into fat resulting in increased storage of fat.
What makes matters worse is that cortisol-induced high levels of insulin also leads to increased production and storage of fat. So, exposure to chronically high levels of cortisol and cortisol-induced insulin are the main reasons why stress can lead to increase in body fat and obesity.
By: Allie Mendoza
