Have you ever wondered what hypnotherapy is about? Hypnosis?
Whether it's a cheap stage-trick, or something deeper than that?
The answer is kind of both: weird AND wonderful.
Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation, when your subconscious is opening up to suggestions.
Where hypnosis differs markedly from hypnotherapy, is that hypnosis can be used for any purpose - even entertain people by "making" others act like chickens, whereas hypnotherapy is only the therapeutic use of hypnosis.
I always thought it quite fascinating, so I did an elective course in hypnotherapy during my psychotherapy degree. It was quite eye-opening, and I've used hypnotherapy in my work ever since - but only as one of the many tools in my toolbox.
Let me answer some of the questions I always get asked.
Can you be "made to do" anything you don't want to?
Definitely not. That's one of the reasons I never use hypnotherapy in a first sessions, even if my client asks for it. I need to find out whether my client actually wants the change s/he is trying to achieve, or whether they're just trying to please someone else (as would be the case if they came to stop smoking for example, not out of their own volition, but rather because of the pressure their family put on them to quit).
Will you fall asleep?
No. You will be aware of everything that is being said and done, though on occasion your mind will wander.
Is it pleasant?
For the great majority of people, it is as refreshing as a nap, and as relaxing as time spent in a spa. The more you do it, the easier and faster it is to relax (I usually teach my clients trigger words, so they can do it by themselves). For some rare clients, the ride is a little bit more intense, and hypnotherapy - like any therapy - can bring up long repressed emotions.
Think of it as guided meditation - first a few relaxation exercises, followed by a walk through a park, with some trigger words added into the mix to help you achieve what you really want, by talking straight to the subconscious mind.
I have used hypnotherapy successfully in my practice for issues as diverse as smoking, binge-drinking, over-eating, social phobia, anger, but always integrated it into a holistic psychotherapeutic approach.
Curious? Just ask me any questions you might have or read more about the father of hypnotherapy, Milton H. Erickson.