What is Hypnosis?
Hypnoidal state is naturally-occurring psychological and physiological state. This state occurs naturally between 50 – 200 times per day like a day-dreaming or being absorbed in a book that you lose track of time, or learning and taking the information into long term memory. Hypnosis is when a therapist induces that occurring natural state within the client. It feels like just before you go to sleep or just after you wake up – a pleasant and deeply relaxed state.
The belief is that people have their skills and resources within themselves. Clinical hypnotherapy creates a context to explore and discover them. Hypnosis itself cures nothing; it’s instead of the vehicle for empowering people with the abilities and realisations that ultimately serve to help them. The therapeutic effect is what happens during hypnosis in terms of discovering hidden skills and what new ones could be developed in the experience of hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy to foster inner growth
Clinical hypnotherapy is typically structured a guided experience. Like meditation, hypnosis is defined mainly by the direction and quality of the focus. The brain can be altered through suggestions given to people in states of focused attention. The purpose of clinical hypnosis is to create a context in which you can become absorbed and explore new possibilities for transforming your life experience with the desired direction.
In hypnosis, the Ego structure relaxes and lowers its resistance to adopting new suggestions. I compare this state to a beginner’s mind, which is open curios and observant mind without restrictive filters.
Hypnosis can provide the wounded mind tools that stimulate the healing process. When a mind is in an altered state of consciousness, extraordinary things are possible. The subconscious mind that governs automatic nervous response can be spoken to directly. The right words, in the appropriate context, can have an impact on a host of bodily functions and the mind. Healing involves shifting the subconscious mind from the memory that “it isn’t going to work” to an awareness of the ultimate success of the “I can do it”. Using clinical hypnotherapy, we can make changes in our subconscious thought patterns to create harmony with the conscious mind and, therefore, remove the fear.
A miracle thing can happen, but for it to happen, you are the one who is going to have to allow it – in your mind. We are the ones, ourselves, who work with the body and mind. Somebody else can’t do it for us.
How can hypnosis help?
Weight loss. Motivates weight loss, reprograms old eating habits, and establishes weight maintenance.
Stress and Anxiety. Develop techniques to reduce or eliminate stress, learning relaxation techniques, teaches to stop thoughts that create anxiety. Reprograms old behaviour patterns.
Self-esteem and motivation. Increases confidence and self-acceptance, reprograms past negative behaviour, explore new goals and helps your mind to find focus. Generate feelings of comfort in regards to success.
Sleep. Teaches to allow mind-body to relax and let go of anxiety. Breaks bad night-time habits.
Learning. Improves study habits, increase positive attitude towards learning, and enhances memory.
Depression. Overrides the negative thoughts that contribute to depression, leads the way to a more positive outlook.
Bereavement. Helps to address physical symptoms of the separation reaction, helps to find skills to overcome blocks to recovery and move from the state of emotionally being stuck to creating a space for healing.
Smoking. Can eliminate the smoking habit and provide procedures for permanent behaviour modifications.
Pain. Helps to control and ease pain by relaxing muscle spasms.
Inner Child. Helps to connect with the inner child, increases feelings of self-acceptance, self-worth, compassion. Helps to recognise negative patterns in life and realise them.
Hypnotherapy has been in use for hundreds of years all around the globe. It is used in hospitals for burns victims, in Belgium for anaesthesia with patients that cannot have pain control drugs. It is used by doctors, dentists and many other medical professionals.