Q. What is Hypnosis?
A. Hypnosis refers to a state or condition in which a person becomes highly responsive to suggestions to adjust habits of thought, feeling and behavior. Hypnosis interacts with the subconscious mind to create positive change (new habits) in your life. It is a state of relaxed focus — similar to daydreaming. Each of us enters this state (also known as a trance state) when we are falling asleep and again when we are waking up. It is that half state between dreaming and awakening. If you have ever hit the snooze-button on your alarm clock, there seems to be enough time to have an hour-long dream in a handful of minutes. That is a trance state.
There are many other times when people experience a natural state of trance: driving a car on a long stretch of highway; watching television; listening to music, or working on a favorite hobby or activity. Trance is normal, natural and much more common than you realize.
Q. What can I expect to achieve with Hypnosis?
A. Hypnosis is a wonderful technique for calming and restoring a person to their optimum, healthful energy. It provides a sense of balance to the mind and body, encouraging confidence and success. It can help maintain motivation and peak performance as well as retain or regain a positive outlook on life.
Hypnosis creates a new clarity to decision-making abilities. Subconscious beliefs and patterns can be changed at will. You can redesign your life! You’ll learn to cope with problems by remaining calm and centered.
Q. Is Hypnosis dangerous?
A. Hollywood-movie hype has created the misinformation that abounds about Hypnosis. Simply put — you are always in control during your session; you are always able to awaken from your trance at anytime during your session, and you can never, ever do or say anything against your will as your subconscious mind always protects you.
Q. How will I know if I was Hypnotized?
A. Some people leave their session wondering, “Was I Hypnotized? I knew what I was doing the whole time!” Please remember — Hypnosis is not a state of amnesia or lack of awareness. In fact, the opposite is true. Hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness and focus.
Q. How similar is Hypnosis to what I see on TV or in the movies?
A. Hollywood has perpetrated many myths about Hypnosis. You are in total control of your subconscious mind at all times and you are merely replacing negative habits and thoughts with new, positive thoughts and habits to improve your life. You are never in a position to say or do anything against your will as your subconscious mind is always in control.
Hypnosis can not make you do something against your morals or ethics. No Hypnotist can make you do something that you really don’t want to do. That’s why some people can be Hypnotized to stop smoking, and yet, they still smoke. You have to want to change, agree with the change, and then Hypnosis is a technique for making that change possible.
Q. What can’t be treated with Hypnosis?
A. Serious psychiatric or mental health problems are referred to a qualified psychotherapist or psychiatrist. Medical problems within the physical body must always be treated by a physician first, who can then, at his or her discretion, prescribe Hypnosis for pain control or relaxation. Drug addiction, family-dynamics disorders, clinical depression and other such problems need to be treated by doctors and psychiatrists, who can then, at their discretion, prescribe hypnosis as a complementary treatment.
Hypnosis is not a treatment or cure for mental illness. A client suffering from psychosis, suicidal depression, or taking prescribed medications for psychological stability should only be hypnotized by their doctor or psychiatrist and/or by an experienced hypnotist with the expressed, written consent of the client’s doctor or psychiatrist.