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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