What is Hypnosis?
“Hypnosis is a natural state of heightened awareness, frequently associated with relaxation, where if you are able, if you wish, to open yourself to suggestions and where you can make use of your imagination to help you effect positive changes in your life”
As a Hypnotherapist I help people make positive changes in their lives through the use of Hypnosis. This frequently involves helping people overcome illness. Often a Hypnotherapist is able to offer a cure as opposed to simply alleviating symptoms.
A Natural State
Virtually everyone can enter the state of Hypnosis. Not only can we enter it, we do enter it at least twice daily at the moment of awakening and the moment of falling asleep. Once you have been hypnotised you begin to recognise it as a natural and “normal” state. For example if you have experienced being so engrossed in reading a good book that you become so fully absorbed and deep in imagination that someone could speak to you and for a moment you may not be aware of them.
Another example of a natural trance state would be watching a film and being moved by the action or dialogue. We know that it is not “real” and that we are hearing a recording and seeing images being projected on a screen. Even though we are aware of this it doesn’t stop us being moved to tears or scared. Many people may have experienced a trance state while driving their car. They make the journey in “automatic pilot” mode, their mind totally occupied by matters other than driving.
Other examples of trance state are daydreaming or fantasising, when chanting or praying, when caught up in a traumatic experience or when ‘floating out’ during a boring lecture.
In Hypnosis you are keenly aware of all physical sensations around you. You will notice sounds that normally you would not be aware of.
Most but not all states of Hypnosis are associated with relaxation. When we are relaxed we are more likely to allow our minds to wander and enter the realms of our imagination.
As a hypnotherapist I use positive suggestions while you are in this relaxed state of Hypnosis which you choose to take on board, you find that you automatically act upon the suggestions. We all allow ourselves to be Hypnotised it is not possible to Hypnotise someone against their will whatever you may have seen on television!
Imagination is truly the language of hypnosis. If you close your eyes and imagine yourself in a special relaxing place, you will soon enter hypnosis and will have learnt a valuable way to control stress.
Why is hypnotherapy useful?
Sometimes when we try to change any of our habit patterns, or set ourselves a positive goal i.e. quitting smoking or loosing weight we find our subconscious mind resists. We can use hypnosis to overcome our resistance to change.
