The state of hypnosis is a completely safe and natural state of being. Whilst in hypnosis a person can expect to feel very relaxed, similar to the feeling they get when they first wake up in the morning, when the body and mind is extremely comfortable. Qualified therapists can use hypnotic techniques such as guided imagery (visualisation), to help clients feel more happy, releaxed and more able to raise their self esteem. Hypnosis can help them break bad habits such as smoking or over eating and to simply help people feel more relaxed and better able to deal with life.
Hypnotherapy is essentially using hypnosis therapeutically (for the individual’s well-being) to improve quality of life and raise the ability of people to meet objectives.
Whilst in hypnosis people will maintain spatial awareness of their surroundings and are free to open their eyes, even speak. Despite some images portrayed on TV or in stage shows, hypnosis is a choice and personal control is maintained - nobody can hypnotise a person against their will.
Much of our day is spent in a conscious ‘thinking mode,’ where mind processes information logically, but when we sleep, daydream or get creative ideas, we tap into our unconscious or ‘feeling’ side. Sometimes however, our logical thinking conflicts with our inner feelings and we try applying ‘reason’ to determine our decision making or behaviour. Ultimately though, our feelings always control our actions.
Hypnotherapy is extremely effective at providing people with the tools to make positive life changes and address the required questions they need to answer to make change happen:
1. What do you want your life to be like?
2. What do you need to do to make this a reality?
3. Do you want it enough to make the required changes and do you have the required motivation?
Many people are actually thinking about these kinds of questions all the time without really putting any ‘flesh on the bones’ or planning how to make any changes happen. This can cause stress, depression, low self-esteem and anxiety. Hypnotherapy can help people to formalise objectives and actions and to do so in a positive not negative state of mind.
Many people will say they have never been hypnotised or don’t believe they can be hypnotised, whilst also admitting to having drifted off whilst pre-occupied or not remembering details of a car or train journey and only being aware of arriving at a destination - referred to as highway hypnosis. They are also likely to have experienced being ‘a million miles away’ and not hearing someone calling their name when only a few feet away. These are examples of natural trance states that all people experience. The job of the hypnotherapist is to induce such states and to build confidence, motivation and positive will, providing real therapeutic and practical support.
Hypnotherapy is a two way process between the hypnotherapist and the client. A person can only be hypnotised if they wish to be, and at no time can a client made to do anything he or she is uncomfortable with. No-one can make them do anything which they do not want to do. TV hypnotists use willing volunteers who are keen to entertain the audience and who love the attention – they are most definitely there for fun.
Lorraine McReight is a London hypnotherapist and practises Hypnotherapy in London in her specialist clinic.
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