Last week I gave a talk to a local networking group, and one of the things I discussed was, what is hypnotherapy?
It’s important to address this, because there is a lot of misinformation about hypnosis and some of it is very harmful and can put people off seeking our help as therapists.
Stage hypnosis has become the thing that comes to mind when most of us think of being hypnotised. Images of famous hypnotists on TV, making people do strange things whilst in a trance. Essentially making a living from humiliating people in front of a large crowd.
This is unethical in the extreme.
It also discredits an extremely powerful psychotherapeutic technique which has been used for centuries, with astounding results.
So I wanted to set the record straight.
In hypnosis, all that will happen is that you will enter a state of very deep relaxation. You would still be able to respond if, say, a fire alarm went off. You are not unconscious and you remain in control. This is important. Many clients coming to me already feel that they have lost control. I certainly don’t want them losing any more.
The purpose of hypnosis is to quieten the conscious part of our minds. This is the part that we use on a daily basis, it helps us to function in our day to day lives, making decisions, getting things done. But, it can also be the thorn in our sides.
The conscious mind runs a narrative that it has heard from a very young age, perhaps from childhood. Remember how your parents used to say, “Sit down and be quiet”, or, “You can’t do that, you’re not good enough”? Well, the conscious mind is already hypnotised into believing all of this, because it has heard it for so long, it accepts it as being true.
This affects how we live as adults. A narrative of “be quiet”, for example, can leave us feeling that we don’t have a voice. This can lead to us accepting things in adulthood that we do not like or are unhappy with, simply because we don’t know how to voice our objections, we are left unable to challenge and stand up for what we actually want.
We need to hypnotise ourselves out of these unhelpful thoughts, these limiting beliefs, and into a more positive way of thinking that can help us to live a more fulfilled life.
Here is where hypnotherapy comes into its own. By entering this state of very deep relaxation, the conscious mind is quietened, allowing the therapist to access and work with the unconscious mind. Here is the goldmine for us therapists. It’s where people bury their deepest traumas, the things they feel unable to confront. It’s where the root of all those limiting beliefs is hiding.
When we can work with this part of the mind, we can shift these narratives, we can reframe thought processes and enable a new way of thinking.
Often people who undergo hypnotherapy come back saying they feel relaxed, like a burden has been lifted. They are often smiling. Sometimes results are achieved within 1-2 sessions. It really is that powerful.
From my peaceful and comfortable treatment room in my garden, we can work to release you from negative thought patterns, allowing you to achieve a more positive, healthy, and fulfilled way of life.
