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In association with Edinburgh
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis
What then is or
isn't hypnosis?
- Hypnosis is NOT
sleep, trance, unconsciousness or any other strange state of mind. It is
a perfectly normal state of mind that we experience many times a day.
- You will NOT
lose your awareness.
- You will NOT
be in someone else's power.
- You will NOT
be out of control.
- You will NOT
be in a trance.
- You CANNOT
be made to do or say anything you don't want to.
All hypnosis is
self-hypnosis and no one can be hypnotised against their will. You
allow yourself to be guided into hypnosis and you remain in control at all
times. You always know what is happening and you are in full awareness at
all times. You can stop the session at any time just by opening your eyes.
Everyone has experienced
hypnosis many, many times. We go into light hypnosis every day of our
lives - except we just wouldn't call it that.
- Have you ever caught
yourself daydreaming and not been aware of things happening around you?
- Sitting in that boring
meeting and your mind begins to drift away somewhere else imagining
something else much more interesting.
- Have you ever been so
absorbed in a book or watching a film or TV that you haven't realised an
hour or two has gone by?
- Drivers do it all the
time - you leave home and drive to a familiar destination - what
happened in between? Don't know, can't remember - and yet you were
driving with absolute safety and would have responded to any emergency
situation that arose.
One part of your brain was driving you safely whilst another part of
your brain was away with the fairies somewhere. Just so in the
hypnotherapy session - one part of your brain is in absolute control of
yourself and the session. It is the part of your brain that is 'away
with the fairies' that I am working with.
These are all expressions
of hypnosis. The main difference between these expressions and purposeful
self-hypnosis is the lack of specific motivations and suggestions towards
a goal.
Hypnotherapy encourages the
mind to achieve some desired result like pain or stress relief, positive
self-image, freedom from a phobia, positive self-control (as in stopping
smoking) etc. The day-dreamy state is so familiar that it is common for
people to disbelieve that they have been in the place of hypnosis the
first or second time it occurs. Hypnosis is a subtle phenomenon and we
all experience it differently.
Will I lose control
without knowing it?
Hypnotherapists do not possess the power to control other people's minds.
They guide you into deep relaxation so that you can access your
subconscious mind. In this deep relaxation you are not held back by the
inhibitions which normally prevent you from accessing your inner thoughts
and feelings. If you don't want to reveal things that are private, you
won't. You are in control of everything you say.
Can I be made to do some
thing against my will?
What about those performers on TV and stage?
NO. Pub and Club shows where people run around like chickens or dance with
brooms thinking they are dancing with someone beautiful create a
misunderstanding of what is really happening. The guinea-pigs in those
situations could actually choose not to behave like that but they just
don't know that. This is fully explained in your first session so that you
have clear understanding of what is happening.
The stage hypnotist has contributed to the image of hypnosis as a
'trance', 'sleep-like' or 'out-of -this-world'. In fact the opposite is
true: under hypnosis all your five senses are heightened.
Any suggestion contrary to your inner convictions will either be ignored
by you, or you will come out of the hypnotic state.
How does hypnosis work?
Under hypnosis all outside distractions are eliminated and your attention
is focused on the hypnotherapist's voice. It is this profound
concentration that permits suggestions to guide you into your
subconscious. The principal reason for its use is that under hypnosis you
become aware of why you have your present behavioural patterns which are
usually of archaic origin, and you are guided to adopt new, desired and
beneficial ones.
Can I be stuck in a
hypnotic state?
No, since it is the person being hypnotised who actually induces
him/herself through self-hypnosis. Just as anyone cannot be hypnotised
against their own will, they can bring themselves out in a split second.
Will I be aware of
what is happening?
Yes. The
predominant feeling for some people is - "It didn't work for me - I never
went under". Until they discover that they think and insist the session
lasted only 5 - 10 minutes when actually it was an hour or more.
If you have more
questions,
email them here
Hypnosis is a completely safe, natural relaxed state, not unlike
daydreaming. During hypnosis the critical, analytical mind becomes
relaxed, (see how imaginative your daydreams can be sometimes) and during
hypnotherapy this allows the therapeutic process, through
hypnoanalysis,
to continue more quickly than with most other counselling therapies.
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Edinburgh