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What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a natural state that all people drift into and out of several times a day. If you have ever driven along, lost in a daydream, only to realize that you drove past your exit, then you have experienced a state of hypnosis! Hypnosis is simply a state of heightened awareness and focused attention, in which you are able to quickly and effectively learn (or unlearn) a variety of behaviors.
What Happens During Your Hypnosis Session?
During a hypnotherapy session you remain conscious and completely aware of everything that is going on around you. Hypnosis is simply a tool that can be used to learn positive behaviors quickly and effectively. At the end of the first session, many people are surprised at how normal and simple hypnosis really is!
Because all hypnosis is really self hypnosis, you are the one who consciously chooses whether or not you will be hypnotized, the hypnotist never has any type of power or control over you or your behavior, and you can never become “stuck” in a hypnotic state. In fact, during the counseling portion of your first visit, you are one who helps to choose the suggestions that the hypnotist will be “planting” in your subconscious! All people can, and naturally do, enter the hypnotic state.
Stage Hypnosis
But wait! Are you recalling scenes of the stage hypnotist having people cluck like chickens and run around like barking dogs? Don’t forget that this is entertainment, done by people who are expecting wild and wacky antics! It’s like comparing classical ballet to nightclub dancing: Both the expectations and the purposes are completely different!
Why Hypnosis?
If you have ever tried to change a habit or behavior, but felt that you were your own worst enemy, then hypnosis could be for you. If you have ever experienced failing will power, or lack of motivation, then hypnosis can help bring the power of the subconscious mind into play. A good hypnotist can help re-write the script that keeps playing out in your head, giving your mind a new script that more closely relates to your new goals and ideals.
How Many Sessions Does it Take?
It depends. How long have you had this “negative” behavior or habit that you are trying to change? Is it a superficial problem that you desire to change, or is it a persistent, deep rooted problem based on childhood abuse or training? And most importantly, do you truly desire to change, and are you taking the steps needed to facilitate the change?
Two Examples:
- A relatively superficial “problem” such as a seasoned athlete desiring better athletic performance might only need one session before a competition. Why? The athlete is currently taking other steps towards this goal. He or she is in training for an event, and is focused on a specific outcome in a sport that he or she is already proficient and practiced at.
- A more complex or long-term “problem” will take more sessions. An overweight individual who is being pushed to loose weight for health reasons, but who has been overweight and inactive for 20 years will require more sessions to effect the desired outcome. The first sessions may focus on increasing the desire for change. This could bring up past issues such as the belief that “girls don’t do sports” or “wives and mothers aren’t physically attractive”. Once these life scripts are rewritten, and the individual truly knows and believes that they deserve to be healthy and attractive, the hypnotic sessions may address willpower to eat less or to move more.
Won’t I become Dependant on my Therapist?
No! The goal of a good therapist is to increase your capacity to handle your own issues. As states above, all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis, and through hypnotherapy you will learn the power of your own subconscious mind, and how to access that. A therapist merely guides you along, but does not create dependency.
What are the Limitations of Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a powerful tool that is highly successful in changing behaviors or attitudes that the individual wants to change. However, if you do not truly desire a change, a hypnotist cannot force you to change. A spouse’s nagging to stop smoking is not a true desire to change!
Also, hypnosis is not the single magic bullet. Be wary of anyone or anything that promises dramatic changes with no effort. All change takes effort, and must be accomplished in the body, the mind and the spirit in order to truly be effective. Hypnosis helps reprogram the mind, which can give you the motivation needed to change the body or the spirit. It helps you with the process and your progress, but it is not a substitute for proper medical or health care.
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