Hypnotherapy explained

So, you’re keen to try hypnotherapy, but you’re still curious as to what it’s actually going to be like. Well, that’s natural, and it’s good to be curious especially when it concerns your health and a treatment you may not have experienced before.

If you’d like the experience of hypnotherapy explained, I can give you an idea of what it may be like. However everyone’s experience is unique.

Can I help you?

In your first session with me I will welcome you into my therapy room, where I will ask you to fill in a brief medical history. I will explain the experience and what to expect of the treatment and if you have any questions they’ll be answered. I’ll also tell you about myself, my experience and the methods I use, and of course why I use them. I will explain that hypnosis isn’t in itself the therapy; think of it more like a method to allow me to deliver therapeutic tools more effectively.

The physical experience

You’re also probably wondering just what hypnosis feels like? Well, hypnosis feels different for almost everyone and so the experiences I will describe are general feelings or indicators of hypnosis. If your experience is completely different, don’t be concerned – it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, or that you aren’t hypnotised.

You will be slowly taken into a state of hypnosis where you will find yourself relaxing; perhaps you may like to think of it as going into a deep meditative state, a state of being that you many think of as sleep – but it isn’t. In deep hypnosis you may even experience rapid eye movement (REM). This naturally occurs during sleep and is usually when dreams occur. Some people feel like their body is asleep, but their mind is awake and aware. As your state of relaxation progresses, the subconscious mind becomes receptive to positive suggestions.

It’s like entering a different level of consciousness. It can be compared to the feeling of watching a TV but not taking in what’s going on, or listening to someone talking to you but you’re not really ‘there’.

You will be aware of the room you are in, the sounds around you, but they will have little significance.

During hypnosis I will give suggestions and use various therapeutic techniques in order to access the unconscious part of your mind; in other words your long term memory store and belief systems. Throughout the process you will be in complete control. It’s not possible for anyone to force you to do anything against your will under hypnosis and you can become fully awake should you choose.

At the end of the therapeutic stage I will give you an instruction to become wide awake, which you will do feeling more refreshed and energetic and with a greater understanding of your issues.

After the session you’ll remember everything you need to to remember, and if you’re worried about looking like some poor person who you saw take part in a stage show while on holiday, you can relax. That isn’t going to happen. That kind of thing is done purely for entertainment, and I’m a therapist, not an entertainer.

Can hypnotherapy help you?

Often patients will come to me with multiple issues, in which case more investigation will be necessary. Whatever issue you want to work through, you can be assured that I’ll devise an appropriate treatment program. Patients often elect to treat the most debilitating issue first then come back at a later date for more work.

Many patients come to see me for issues such as confidence building, public speaking and focus work, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a top sports person or executive (though many are). In our modern society we can all be called on to give presentations, take exams or have interviews. Or perhaps you need to focus on your training program at the local gym. All of these are valid reasons for seeing a hypnotherapist and every patient is treated with the same level of care, empathy and expertise.