Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis can produce an altered state of consciousness, similar to day-dreaming or being engrossed in an activity. When engrossed in a TV show or while driving on a highway we experience this altered state. In light to medium hypnosis a person is aware of their surroundings, and is receptive to positive suggestions. Hypnosis is used to change habits or to alleviate certain symptoms.
What happens?
During hypnosis you enter a relaxed state, in which breathing, heart and metabolism slows down. The conscious mind can rest, leaving the unconscious or subconscious mind open to suggestion. The subconscious mind is where our emotions, dreams, hopes and motivations reside.
Ordinarily we use only 10% of our conscious mind for daily tasks, the greater part of our mind is composed of the subconscious mind, which can create lasting changes for well-being and health.
The use of trance states to facilitate healing dates back to ancient practices in healing temples and shrines. Modern hypnotherapy developed from Anton Mesmer’s in the 1800s. Later psychologists and neurobiologists expanded our understanding of hypnosis.
Psychiatrist Milton Erickson (1901-80) used therapeutic metaphor and story to help clients. In my own work as a hypnotherapist, I have successfully used Erickson’s techniques with clients. His style offers a permissive style of hypnosis suitable for most people.
For most therapeutic uses of hypnotherapy a light or medium-trance is sufficient, in which the client remains fully aware of their surroundings. Some people decide to go into deeper trance states without conscious awareness. The state of hypnosis is induced by your own mind listening to the suggestions given by a hypnotherapist. After people have experienced hypnosis, I train them to use self-hypnosis to direct their own healing.
Self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis involves self-induction using four stages of relaxation: deepening (mentally counting down from ten to one into an increasingly relaxed state), application of suggestions, and formal ending (mentally counting up from 1 to 5 into a fully alert consciousness).
In self-hypnosis, the individual plays a dual role of giving and receiving suggestions. Therefore, a person needs to remain consciously aware in order to give themselves suggestions for improvement and healing. Suggestions are positive statements given to the subconscious mind during the relaxed state.
What’s it used for?
Hypnotherapy is used for anxiety, mild depression, phobias, addictions, weight problems, pain and insomnia. Any illness with psychosomatic roots can be helped through hypnosis. The relaxed state offered by hypnosis also promotes healing and deep relaxation.
Arvind Singh is a trained hypnotherapist, speaker and writer who uses hypnotherapy along with guided visualization and breath therapy to help clients. His experience as a Hypnotherapist along with Deborah Morrison’s experience as a Counsellor has offered them insights for writing NEXUS: A Neo Novel.
A well written article which I fully endorse as making good sense.
However, I believe that we use much less than 10% of our ‘mind power’, even going as low as 3%.
When you consider that we can only consciously carry out between 5 – 9 diferent functions at one time when the unconscious can literally carry out hundreds, I think that supports my opinion.
Hypnosis has the ability to tap into that hidden power and improve the quality of anyone’s life.
Keep up the good work in enlightening the public with this Blog.
Robert Shields
http://www.The-Robert-Shields-College.com
Amazing article, I thought i pretty much knew it all but some of this has opened my eyes just a little bit wider, especially the part on what happens. Thanks
Robert and hypnosis,
Thank you for your comments.
Robert your course on hypnosis sounds extensive and good preparation for someone wishing to train in hypnosis.
hypnosis your site offers many good ideas for people, though I would clarify between hypnosis and mind-control techniques. Hypnotherapy under a trained professional is merely suggestive and even in a trance state a person can refuse to do anything that goes against their ethics or beliefs, which is why as a therapist it is important for you to assess a client’s motivation.
For example, someone may ask for help in quitting smoking but during the pre-assessment, you realize their motivation comes from their spouse and they themselves are reluctant to quit. In this case, the hypnotherapist needs to clarify whether the person has their own reasons for quitting. If they do, then you can help them. Otherwise you need to find out whether they have their own reasons to quit.
Mind-control is about a person breaking another person down through control of their environment. We have clear examples of this in Nazi work camps and in the treatment of POW’s during the Vietnam War. Hypnotherapy is completely different from mind-control, since the control is always with the client and the therapist is only a guide who provides suggestions for the client’s benefit.
For some areas you need professional help just as when you can’t move a heavy couch on your own. So you ask for help in lifting the heavy load which you’re unable to carry on your own. In many situations, self-hypnosis is sufficient for you to achieve your desired goals, especially after your first experience of going deeper into relaxation.
Most people are surprised by the fact that in hypnosis you are perfectly aware of your surroundings and the suggestions being given to you. During a session, conscious awareness can go back and forth as deeper levels of relaxation are achieved.