What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a heightened state of concentration and focus attention, also known as trance.
Hypnosis allows you to be more open to suggestions to making helpful changes in your perceptions, sensations, emotions, memories, thought, or behaviours.
Guided by a trained hypnotherapist using verbal cues, repetition and imagery, you will be taken into a deep state of focus and relaxation. When you’re under hypnosis, this intense level of concentration and focus allows you to ignore ordinary distractions and be more open to guided suggestions to make changes to improve your health.
How does hypnosis work?
How hypnosis works isn’t completely understood. However, its commonly believed that in a deep state of focus and relaxation that achieved with hypnosis
- Your conscious mind is quietened
- You’re able to tap into the part of the brain where your thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, sensations, emotions, memory and behaviours originate.
- In this state you’re more open to guidance from your hypnotherapist to help you modify or replace the unconscious thoughts that are driving your current behaviour.
Hypnosis myths
- Hypnosis is a form of entertainment.
- You lose consciousness or have amnesia when you’re hypnotised
- You’re under the control of your hypnotherapist when you’re hypnotized
- Hypnosis is nothing more than sleep
What conditions is Hypnotherapy helpful in treating?
Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a myriad of medical conditions in which psychological factors influence physical symptoms.
Common mental health uses may include:
- Stress and anxiety, (especially before medical or dental procedures); panic attacks; and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Phobias
- Behaviour control issues, including giving up smoking, drinking, and losing weight.
Common medical uses for hypnotherapy include:
- Insomnia
- Asthma
- Hot flushes during menopause
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Pain control, including after surgery, childbirth, cancer, fibromyalgia, burns, and migraine
- Skin conditions
- Side effects from chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
How do people describe the hypnotic experience?
People will experience hypnosis in different ways, but most feel calm and find it very pleasant being deeply relaxed, in a trace like state, but so focused they can block out other external distractions.
Length of sessions and cost
This will depend on the conditions presented, usually 60 -90 minutes, but could be a few hours for smoking etc
How many sessions will depend on the symptoms.
Is Hypnotherapy suitable for everyone?
Hypnosis may not be appropriate for people with severe mental health issues, such as psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions.