Hypnotherapy
What hypnotherapy is, and what it is not.
Hypnotherapy is a type of talking therapy that uses hypnosis amongst other methods to facilitate focus and relaxation, allowing for greater clarity and understanding.
It is not mind control, magic, or a state in which you become absent. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You remain aware, and no one can make you do anything you do not want to do.
Instead, a person willingly follows suggestions that feel right for them. That is why safety, rapport, and the therapist’s presence matter so much. Hypnosis can support therapeutic work, but it is the quality of the relationship and the clarity of the process that allow deeper questions to be approached well.
What hypnosis feels like, in practical terms
To me, professional hypnosis actually feels really nice. There is something about having someone suggest that my muscles relax to which my muscles respond.
The main use of hypnosis therapeutically is to induce relaxation, which, in turn, calms the mind. From there, so much more is possible.
When the brain is not under a threat response, curiosity and creativity can flow, and seemingly unsolvable problems become manageable.
Additionally, many suggestions can be used to help us imagine solutions or rehearse scenarios such as public speaking.
Think of hypnosis as a sandbox for the mind to play with possibilities before bringing change to the real world.
Why you do not “go under” or lose control
In stage hypnosis, practitioners run a series of "tests" for compliance. What that means is that some people are more suggestible than others. However, once you are on stage, the initial suggestibility becomes something else: compliance.
Compliance is simply doing as we are told. So by the time someone is on stage being told to act like a chicken, they most likely will because they do not want to disappoint, or cause discomfort.
Such a situation can lead us to do something we may not want to, or would not do otherwise, but that is more to do with social pressure than hypnosis per se.
When used ethically and therapeutically, however, suggestions can be a powerful tool. Nevertheless, some people are more prone to feeling the effects of suggestions, and some are less.
These differences are natural and practitioners know how to approach your particular needs.
Who tends to be a good fit for hypnotherapy
I prefer to think in terms of "when" rather than "who", because it is a matter of mindset.
When we feel truly willing to try something different, feel a thirst for change, or have a desire for growth, and at the same time feel curious about what might happen, that is the ideal point from which to approach this type of intervention.
Non-hypnotherapy talking therapies can take longer, for example, because they do not aim at harnessing the power of suggestion and relaxation. Instead, you may work with whatever mood you are in at each session.
With hypnosis, however, we can go to a place from which things may become easier and there may be a higher perspective.
How focused relaxation can help people observe thoughts and beliefs more clearly
It is very difficult to think when we are overwhelmed by sadness, fear, or rage, for example.
Strong emotions have a certain "wiring" in the brain, i.e. when we are sad we may only think sad thoughts. But when we are calm, we can think a whole range of thoughts, increasing the perspective significantly.
Hence it is always better to make decisions while calm and rested. With hypnosis, we can help you get there much faster!