Hypnotherapy FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions regarding
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy)
If you
live in the Tacoma/Seattle area, call (253) 927-8888 for an
appointment or a free consultation.
What IS hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a
natural, though altered, state of mind. We all enter some form of hypnosis several
times a day, like when we are driving and pass a turn-off because our mind is
wandering. Everyone goes through natural, altered states before falling
asleep, and while awakening. Therefore, most people can enter hypnotic
relaxation easily, provided they want to, and provided they feel comfortable
with the hypnotic process.
Some people assume that a hypnotized
person is asleep, especially because one who goes into a very deep trance can
sometimes have partial amnesia. I prefer the way my late mentor, Charles Tebbetts, defined hypnosis, so let me quote his exact
words as written in MIRACLES ON DEMAND (which is currently out of print):
"There is no legal definition of hypnosis. Webster's dictionary
describes it incorrectly as an artificially induced sleep, but it is actually
a natural state of mind and induced normally in everyday living much more
often than it is induced artificially. Every time we become engrossed in a
novel or a motion picture, we are in a natural hypnotic trance (pages
211-212)."
Even as we enter the 21st Century,
opinions still vary on the exact definition of this natural state of mind.
First of all, contrary to what many commonly believe, hypnosis is NOT a
"sleep" state even though a person in hypnosis may appear to be
sleeping. James Braid, a 19th Century English physician, gave us
the name "hypnotism" because the people he mesmerized appeared to
be asleep. Within a few months he tried to change the name that he coined,
but instead found that hypnotism is here to stay.
In my opinion, the most accurate way of
defining hypnosis is to simply call it "guided meditation." Since
many of us enter a meditative or "trance" state while listening to
music, watching TV, listening to a good speaker or a good sermon at church,
or even while reading, you could say that the hypnotist does not even have to
be a live person. So if hypnosis were ever outlawed, it would be virtually
impossible to enforce, because we would have to stop the freedom of speech
and freedom of press; and we would have to outlaw TV, music, sermons,
political speeches, etc.!
What are the benefits of
hypnosis?
Have you ever tried to change a habit,
only to find your subconscious resisting? Hypnosis has a good track record in
empowering people to get the subconscious to accept their conscious
decisions, especially when hypnotherapy is facilitated by someone who is
competently trained in the art of hypnosis.
Hypnosis can be helpful in managing
weight, quitting smoking (and overcoming other undesired habits), managing
stress, enhancing job performance, improving at sports, increasing
self-motivation and self-confidence, reducing anxieties (such as fear of
flying), and with appropriate medical
referral and/or supervision hypnosis can often be helpful in reducing
pain and/or in providing some comfort for cancer patients or patients of
other major diseases.
How do I
know hypnosis will work for me?
If you are unable to
attain your goals, you may actually be hypnotizing yourself to fail! Here are
3 ways we psychologically sabotage ourselves. Firstly, our subconscious will
want to repeat the behavior with the strongest emotional charge associated to
it. We will tend to do what we feel like doing or what feels most familiar
whether or not it is good or bad for us. So often we invest more feelings in
worrying about the problem and then switching to being in denial that the
problem even exists. That is why bad habits are so hard to break.
Secondly, as Emile
Coue once said, "when imagination and reason are at war, imagination
always seizes the day." This is how our greatest fears tend to be
realized: we allow our imagination to stray into all that could go wrong. We
usually do not consciously invest our imagination and feelings toward the
solution, keeping us stuck in bad habits.
Thirdly, the
subconscious mind does not respond to negatives. Telling yourself what
"not" to do is like trying "not" to think of a
dog…did you imagine seeing one, or hearing the barking, or did you pet
the dog? Now, don’t think of your favorite junk food…
Imagination is the
language of the subconscious, and hypnosis helps you imagine your desired
results more vividly.
Does a hypnotized person give up
control?
Even NOW this question is still
debated; but consider...
If this were true, then all
hypnotherapists would have a 100% success rate after only one session for
every client who enters hypnosis. Many thousands of ex-smokers have
successfully used hypnosis to quit; but there are thousands more who still
smoke, even after being successfully hypnotized several times. (The same can
be said for people wishing to use hypnosis to overcome improper eating habits
and/or other undesirable habits.) The ethical hypnotherapist endeavors to
help clients become more self-empowered to achieve their desired goals, and
helps clients take more control over their own lives.
Also, the client must CHOOSE to change,
otherwise long-term success is very unlikely. This is further evidence that
the power is in the client rather than the hypnotist. However, a skilled
hypnotherapist has mastered the art of hypnosis, and can provide valuable
assistance to most clients who choose to change.
Can I be
made to do things against my will?
This question goes
hand-in-hand with the previous question. You can resist suggestions that are
against your will or contrary to your value system. You can also resist
suggestions if you have an emotional desire to resist...which is why many
smokers trying a 1-session approach backslide within days or weeks. This is
also evidenced when a non-smoking spouse schedules an appointment for a
smoker who wants to keep on smoking, but reluctantly agrees to see if the
hypnotist can “make” the urges go away. Any long-term success in
such cases is rare, and then usually happens if the client has an emotional
desire to quit. On a different note, you would not unknowingly reveal your
deepest secrets either, because it is even possible to lie in hypnosis. This
is why testimony while in hypnosis is not permissible evidence in a court of
law. Most people develop these misperceptions from Hollywood, and/or seeing or hearing about a
Stage Hypnosis show, which, you must understand, is done for entertainment
purposes only.
How does hypnosis feel?
Since hypnosis is a
natural state of mind, clients are often surprised that they hear every word.
Unless one enters a deeper state, or at least a medium state, he or she may
not "feel" any different than when relaxing in the favorite easy
chair with a good book or some beautiful music. One may feel quite mellow,
and may feel light (or weightless), or very heavy as if sinking into the
chair. The feeling may be euphoric for some who enter a very deep state. In a
light state, it is entirely possible for a client to believe that he or she
was not hypnotized, so it is very important to realize that IMAGINATION is
the language of the subconscious. Many successes have taken place with
clients who never “felt” hypnotized in any of their visits.
What makes hypnotherapy different
than traditional therapy?
Cognitive counseling (or traditional
therapy) deals with issues at a cognitive level; and many of life's problems
require just that. When someone has to make difficult cognitive decisions,
competent professional help is absolutely essential! For example,
hypnotherapy is not a substitute for marriage counseling. When it comes to
changing habits or behaviors regulated by the subconscious, hypnotherapy
shines. Hypnosis is NOT A PANACEA for all life's problems, however, and
should not be advertised as such.
If you have tough decisions to make,
you need a skilled professional to help you understand your options (such as
a marriage counselor for marriage problems). If your problem is due to the
subconscious refusing to allow you to accomplish what you consciously wish,
you may wish to consider hypnotherapy. Our job is to help your subconscious
mind to accept the conscious decisions you choose.
It's also important to realize that a
competent hypnotherapist recognizes that he or she is NOT licensed to
diagnose (unless trained and licensed to do so). If your prospective
hypnotherapist tries to tell you the cause of your problem, ask him/her
whether he/she is qualified to diagnose. While a physician, psychologist, or
licensed mental health practitioner may be qualified to diagnose or
"label" the cause of someone's problem, the hypnotherapist does not
make that determination. However, if your subconscious mind stops you from
accepting positive suggestions or responding to positive imagery, the
competent hypnotherapist can help your subconscious mind to discover and release
the cause(s).
Can hypnosis be used to reduce
pain and/or suffering from illness?
Pain is a warning that something is
wrong with the body, and the cause should be diagnosed by someone qualified
to do so. You should only seek hypnotherapy for pain management after
receiving the appropriate referral from your primary health care
professional.
How long
will it take before I notice a change?
The answer depends on
the combination of several factors: your desired goal, the strength of your
desire to change, and the degree of any subconscious resistance to change. In
only one session, most clients become more relaxed than before. That in itself can be a big change for many clients! If you can
agree that the ability to intentionally relax yourself is an important first
step towards improving your health and mental focus, then one session may be
sufficient to help you learn how to do that…but what about overcoming
undesired habits, overcoming fears, or achieving other important personal or
professional goals?
In
Washington State,
your hypnotherapist is required by law to provide an estimate of the number
of sessions if possible to do so. Also, some people respond to hypnosis very
well, and are able to achieve their goals in less time than other clients. If
any hypnotist promises a one-session “quick fix” to your problem,
there is a good possibility that any success will be temporary.
At Alliance
Self-Empowerment, we offer a free consultation so that we may discover
whether hypnotherapy is appropriate to consider, and to provide an estimate
of the number of sessions when we are able to do so. We are also willing to
answer questions not answered on our website.
Do I need
to see a Hypnotherapist, or do CD's & audio tapes work as well?
That depends on
several factors, including the nature and depth of your problem. General
self-hypnosis tapes will give you only general results, but most clients make
better progress when they are treated as individuals. The competent
hypnotherapist listens to you and endeavors to understand your needs and
customize the session appropriately. You must also feel comfortable with your
Hypnotherapist's techniques, level of experience,
and professionalism. You must also like the sound of his or her voice,
otherwise that could be a distraction to successfully entering hypnosis.
If you both feel that
it will be worthwhile to proceed, your hypnotherapist may give you some small
demonstrations to help you discover the power of imagination, and to
determine your ability to relax and respond to guided imagery. This may help
your hypnotherapist structure suggestions in a more effective manner than
what might be on a tape or CD.
How do I choose a competent
hypnotherapist?
Rather than simply telling you where to
go, allow me to share my own views regarding instruction itself. My opinions
expressed here are my own, and from the point of reference of a combination
of factors: my professional experience, the opinions expressed by several
experienced hypnotherapists who have taken my course to enhance their training,
my national involvement with several professional hypnosis associations and
other leaders in the profession.
Many 3-day to
5-day training programs provide "certification" which represents
that a participant can become a qualified or certified "hypnotherapist"
who can work with almost any client walking through the door. On 4/1/97, I
saw a three-day "certification" course flier advertising that
someone with a doctorate degree can become a "Certified Medical
Hypnotherapist" after only three days of training! Who would you prefer
hypnotizing you: a full-time hypnotherapist, or a doctor with only three days
of hypnosis training? (For medical applications of hypnosis, a medical
referral and/or supervision is needed.)
First of all, ask your prospective hypnotherapist
when and where he/she received training in the art of hypnosis, and whether
he/she is a member of an active hypnosis association. Most credible hypnosis
professionals maintain active membership in at least one association.
SECOND: Find out the length of the
training. Was it a one-weekend certification course? If so, this person will
probably be using hypnosis scripts…which only work for some of the
people some of the time. Most major hypnosis associations around the United
States now have at least a 100-hour minimum training requirement before one
may be considered a consulting hypnotist or "certified
hypnotherapist," even if said person has counseling experience.
THIRD: Find out whether the approach is
self-empowerment (based on the concept that hypnosis is guided
self-hypnosis), or whether your hypnotist treats people as
"subjects" by dominating the subconscious with suggestions.
Last but not least, does your
prospective hypnosis professional have a set program that you must follow, or
will he/she fit the technique to the client? Find out whether or not your
prospective hypnotist is trained in client-centered techniques to help
discover subconscious causes of any resistance in the event your subconscious
blocks positive suggestions (example: regression therapy, parts therapy).
Some people are concerned about
regressions. The increasing controversies over "false memories"
have resulted from therapists employing hypnotic regression without adequate
training in hypnotic techniques! ...and in many cases these are experienced
mental health counselors who have only minimal training in hypnosis. However,
a competently trained hypnotherapist knows the difference between leading and
guiding during a regression, and understands that we deal with subconscious
perceptions of past events – which can be altered by our own emotions.
For example, two children witnessing a fight at school can tell different
versions to a teacher just minutes after the event. Ask your prospective
hypnosis professional whether regression might be necessary for your
situation, and whether he/she is trained and experienced in hypnotic
regressions.
If you have an inner
conflict over accomplishing a particular goal, ask your prospective hypnosis
professional how he/she helps clients resolve inner conflicts. You may need a
referral to someone trained in parts therapy or one of its variations.
You
may request info regarding hypnotherapy and/or a free consultation by email
or by phone. Please note: due to an extremely busy schedule, you may need to
request an appointment two or three weeks in advance.
Call
253-927-8888 or email
Alliance Self-Empowerment (click here)
Alliance Self-Empowerment, Inc.
2748 Milton Way, Suite 120
Milton, WA
98354
(253) 927-8888
We are located in the
Surprise Lake
Professional
Center,
on the first floor. Enter the main door, and enter the hall to the left of
the elevators, and look for Suite 240.
If you wish,
visit the link
to our offices (click here).
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Last updated: January 8, 2008
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