WHAT IS HYPNOTHERAPY?
WHAT IS HYPNOTHERAPY? Inducing trance to create change
Ah. Defining hypnosis – at times, quite the conundrum! It’s often difficult to describe hypnosis in a way that is acceptable to everyone.
But in general terms, hypnosis is a naturally occurring state that someone can enter into (with or without the help of a Hypnotherapist) where their mind is more receptive to suggestions that can change the way they think, feel and/or behave.
Subjects often report afterward, a feeling of being disconnected from their immediate environment and a distortion in their perception of time.
(Oh, and contrary to popular belief, a person always has TOTAL control of their body and mind in hypnotic trance.) Your best interests are always at heart, and your integrity is of the utmost importance.
Hypnotherapy is sometimes referred to as clinical hypnosis or medical hypnosis and is provided by a certified Hypnotherapist or a healthcare professional qualified in hypnosis.
As a therapeutic modality, hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for creating long-lasting and life-changing results.
FAR FROM A ‘NEW’ THERAPY
Practically all ancient cultures – including the Persian, Greek, Chinese, Roman and Egyptian – used hypnosis in some form. There are also many references to trance and hypnosis in early writings.
Both Egypt and Greece had religious centers where people came for help with their problems and/or illnesses. Hypnosis was used to induce dreams, which were then analyzed to get to the root of the issue.
EVERYDAY STATES OF HYPNOSIS
Day dreaming
Absorbed in a book or film
Highway driving
Involved in exercise
Waiting for a bus or train
Just before you go to sleep
Just before you wake up
You get the gist…?
These states are so common and familiar that most people do not consciously recognize them as hypnotic phenomena.
SO HOW DOES HYPNOTHERAPY WORK?
A Hypnotherapist has the skills and knowledge to guide a client into a ‘trance’ state – bypassing the rational, conscious mind in order to communicate directly with the subconscious mind. It is here where our beliefs, habits, thought patterns and values all reside. Result!
If you have a solid desire for change in your life but haven’t successfully achieved it, your subconscious may be holding onto a belief that is no longer serving you.
In short – in order to eliminate or change a negative reaction, we must reach the subconscious mind and change the IDEA responsible for the reaction!
It’s often surprising to many people when they realize just how little of what they do, think, feel etc comes from the rational part of the brain and how much of who they are lies in the subconscious. And even more remarkable? The degree in which you can influence this automatic subconscious programming for better health.
Hypnotherapy offers alternative responses for your subconscious mind to choose from – new, healthier ways to fulfil the same positive intentions without keeping you stuck in the same patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
By communicating our conscious wants and desires to the subconscious mind so that it can understand and accept, we can change old limiting beliefs, thought patens and habits to create powerful – and permanent – change.
THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
The conscious and subconscious are two spheres of activity within one mind. Your conscious mind is the reasoning, day-to-day problem-solving part, while the subconscious mind takes care of processes independent of your conscious control.
The subconscious mind does not work on strict logic – it is the domain of feelings!
‘Your subconscious mind accepts what is impressed upon it or what you consciously believe. It does not reason things out as your conscious mind does, and it does not argue with you. Controversially, your subconscious mind is like a bed of soil that accepts any kind of seed, good or bad. Your thoughts are active; they are the seeds.
‘Negative, destructive thoughts continue to work negatively in your subconscious mind. Sooner or later, they will emerge and take shape as an outer experience that corresponds to their content.’
Your subconscious mind does not engage in proving whether your thoughts are good or bad, true, or false.
While the conscious mind accounts for just 5% of brain activity, the subconscious mind trumps that massively – 95% of all brain function happens here. Some people like to picture the mind as an iceberg; the part that’s visible (above the surface) and the part that’s hidden (below the surface).
YOU CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS. OR CAN YOU?
Once an idea has been accepted by the subconscious mind, it remains there until it is replaced by another idea. This rule of the mind is the basis of the saying, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’
The subconscious mind exists to enable you to survive in your environment – imagine if you had to think about what to do every time you encountered a door, for example!
The subconscious learns one response to a situation and after it works OK a few times, it stops thinking about any other responses. This saves a huge amount of time and effort, but of course applying the same response to slightly different situations can lead to problems…
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF HYPNOTIC TRANCE
So how can a Hypnotherapist (or anyone!) be sure someone is in hypnotic trance? There are a number of cues which work as an indicator of trance in a subject. These can include:
De-focusing and pupil dilation
Slowing of breathing
Slowing of blinking reflex
Eye fixation
Rapid eye movement
Eyelid flutter
Reduction of the swallow reflex
Facial muscles smoothing
Immobility.
These changes do not always happen together in every individual but most will be seen at some point during a hypnosis session in varying degrees.
WHAT ISSUES CAN HYPNOTHERAPY HELP WITH?
Hypnotherapy can help with a range of problems including;
anxiety disorders
stress
fears/phobias
depression/low mood
motivation issues
sports performance
loss of self confidence
weight management
smoking cessation
addictions
chronic pain management
insomnia/unhealthy sleep patterns
IBS symptoms
relationship/sexual issues
preparation for surgeries
preparation for childbirth (hypnobirthing)
stuttering
Hypnosis can help children and adults alike, and is a brilliant tool for better mental health and wellbeing.
For help:
Take the next step and book your session with DHP. Lazzaro Pisu in Vancouver, today, Call 604 202 7938.
Lazzaro is dedicated to help your mental health. Contact him today.
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