Hypnosis is safe and a completely natural state of being. When people are in a hypnotised state they can expect to feel relaxed and drowsy in a similar way to when first awakening in the morning. Qualified hypnotherapists use hypnotic techniques such as visualisation, to improve clients self esteem, happiness and emotional well being. Hynotherpay can help people break negative lifestyle choices and habits such as smoking, eating unhealthily, feeling trapped in a job or simply help them to become more relaxed and stress free.
Hypnotherapy is essentially using hypnosis therapeutically (for the individual’s wellbeing) to improve lifestyle choices or to meet goals and can be a very useful method for instigating change and to provide people with the tools to make it happen.
Whilst in hypnosis a person will maintain awareness of their surroundings and will even be free to open their eyes or speak should they wish to. Despite some images portrayed on TV or in stage shows, hypnosis is a choice and personal control is maintained – nobody can hypnotise a person against their will.
Much of our day is spent in a conscious ‘thinking mode,’ where mind processes information logically, but when we sleep, daydream or get creative ideas, we tap into our unconscious or ‘feeling’ side. Sometimes however, our logical thinking conflicts with our inner feelings and we try applying ‘reason’ to determine our decision making or behaviour. Ultimately though, our feelings always control our actions.
Hypnotherapy can be a very effective method for helping people to make positive changes in their life and to address challenging questions which are the prerequisites to change. For instance:
1. What do you want your life to be like?
2. So how can you make this objective a reality?
3. Are you motivated enough to make the change happen?
Many people are actually thinking about these kinds of questions all the time without really putting any ‘flesh on the bones’ or planning how to make any changes happen. This can cause anxiety, depression and low self esteem. Hypnotherapy can help people to formalise objectives and actions and to do so in a positive not negative state of mind.
Many people will say they have never been hypnotised or don’t believe they can be hypnotised, whilst also admitting to having drifted off whilst pre-occupied or not remembering details of a car or train journey and only being aware of arriving at a destination – referred to as highway hypnosis. They are also likely to have experienced being ‘a million miles away’ and not hearing someone calling their name when only a few feet away. These are examples of a natural trance state that most of us will have experienced. The job of the hypnotherapist is to induce such states and to build confidence, motivation and positive will, providing real therapeutic and practical support.
Hypnotherapy is a two way process between the hypnotherapist and the client. A person can only be hypnotised if they wish to be, and at no time can a client made to do anything he or she is uncomfortable with. No-one can make them do anything which they do not want to do. TV hypnotists use willing volunteers who are keen to entertain the audience and who love the attention – they are most definitely there for fun.
Lorraine McReight is a London Hypnotherapist and practises Hypnotherapy in London in her clinic.
