| Discovering
Resolutions
What
is Hypnosis and How Can It Help?
What
are Guided Imagery and Mental Performance Training?
What
is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a completely natural state
of being; one in which we spend much of our time,
without even being aware of it. Have you experienced
periods of time where you had such focused attention
on an event or an effort that you simply "left"
or lost track of what was going on around you? Perhaps
while reading, working on a project, or being fully
engrossed in a conversation with a friend at a restaurant?
Our minds are designed to do so much more than the literal
processing of information. Listening to stories, watching
movies and reading books all allow us to use our imaginations
to experience events as if we were truly there. Our minds
and senses welcome the opportunity to allow our powerful
imaginations to fill in the blanks, add the colors and
mix in our own past experiences in order to convert words,
ideas and sounds into complete pictures into which we
can step.
Brain studies have shown that the reactions in our brains
to situations we imagine are the same as to those situations
we actually experience. Hypnosis takes advantage of this
fact to help us identify and change limiting beliefs and
emotional and physical reactions and to give us access
to greater happiness, understanding and success.
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OK. So we all do it. Call it daydreaming,
zoning out, whatever. So how is hypnosis a good tool
for solving problems, dealing with habits and discovering
new resources within us?
During hypnosis, as in meditation, the conscious
critical mind is by-passed as we focus inwardly and
achieve a deep state of relaxed concentration. Quieting
the chatter in our conscious mind on a regular basis
puts us in a position to better understand ourselves
and to fully access the resources within us in order
to feel well and to attain our full potential.
The hypnotic state also puts us in the perfect position
to understand what habits, thoughts, beliefs or experiences
may be blocking us from making the changes we want
to make. We can make connections between what is missing
in our lives and what we need to do to accomplish
our goals and achieve happiness.
In this state, we can use imagery, suggestion and
various other techniques to move from unwanted behaviors,
thought or feelings - including physical pains - to
more positive and supportive alternatives. In this
way, we remove limitations we may have unconsciously
put on our selves.
This part of our mind that is so powerful and creative
holds the key to our health, habits, behaviors, fears
and beliefs. Making the choice to use this key opens
doors to whole new ways of feeling, behaving and understanding.
Regular access to this inner, powerful part of ourselves
builds skills and connections that actually put us
in the position of creating new choices and improving
our performance and understandings in physical, mental,
emotional and social situations. We can change our
lives.
I always stress that hypnosis is a process which
makes use of natural states of mind to help us better
understand ourselves. It is not magic . It requires
work and, for some issues, regular practice. A willingness
to have change occur within us is critical to the
process. If you are truly willing to be free of your
fears, habits, pain and negative emotions and ready
to accept the possibility of becoming the person,
performer, athlete or student you wish to become -
hypnosis can help.
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Movies and hypnosis
stage shows give the impression that people are under
the control of the hypnotist. Is that what happens in
hypnosis? Can I get stuck in hypnosis?
Nobody loves a good stage hypnosis show more than I do,
but I they do cause some confusion for people who want
to understand hypnosis and how it works.
First, let’s come to the understanding that all
hypnosis is self-hypnosis. That is, the person “being”
hypnotized, is actually in control at their very deepest
level. When we work together, I consider myself to be
a facilitator, rather than a hypnotist. I am simply facilitating
as you learn to use your mind to identify inner resources,
solve your own problems and achieve your goals.
By definition, hypnosis involves a choice to lower conscious
thinking and bring forward our inner, subconscious mind.
Since our inner mind is the place where we store our values
and beliefs, those values and beliefs are completely available
to us and guiding us under hypnosis.
Our inner mind is also where we have full access to our
creativity and imagination. Stage shows make use of our
imaginations and self-hypnosis. In a stage show, participants
have, by virtue of their attendance and participation,
agreed to explore, in an entertaining way, the incredible
power of their minds and imaginations to create a world
of sensations.
While watching a stage hypnosis participant look for
their missing belly-button, or answer a shoe phone, just
think "What incredible power our mind has to create
realities and possibilities where we thought there were
none!".
I am sometimes asked if a person can get "stuck"
in hypnosis. Since hypnosis is simply a relaxed state
of concentration, you are always able to return to a fully
alert state as you need or desire to.
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How will I feel when
I experience hypnosis?
You will find that you experience some very familiar
feelings while under hypnosis. Most people experience
a deep sense of relaxation, along with the ability to
focus fully, as they might when they are reading a good
book or fully involved in a project. If you think about
the sensations that you have when you become conscious
of how you are feeling just before you go to sleep, that
is often a feeling people describe as being a part of
their hypnotic experience.
Some people enjoy even deeper sensations during hypnosis.
Those include feelings of heaviness or, for some, floating.
Other feel a pleasant ability to see and sense colors,
thoughts and images with particular clarity and intensity.
I am often asked if you will remember what happens under
hypnosis. Most clients remember everything. Occasionally,
a client goes very deeply into hypnosis and may not immediately
remember the entire session. For clients like this, I
make the suggestion during hypnosis that you will
remember everything and, because your subconscious mind
accepts that suggestion, you do.
Whatever you experience, it will most likely be so very
pleasant and comfortable that it is something you will
be interested in experiencing again. That is why I work
with all of my clients to build their self-hypnosis skills.
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How will I know
if it works? What benefits will I see?
As they achieve success with hypnosis, people notice
positive shifts in thinking, feelings and behaviors. These
include stress reduction, performance and learning enhancement,
smoking cessation, improved comfort levels, weight loss,
blood pressure stabilization, IBS symptom reduction, pain
reduction, improved sleep, release of panic, anxiety,
fears or bad habits, confidence and self-esteem building.
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Is
hypnosis safe for use with children?
Hypnosis,
by nature, is both safe and beneficial for anyone
when used by a caring and competent hypnotist, and when
the client is ready for change.
Children
are particularly capable of benefiting from hypnosis,
because their minds are closer to the hypnotic state naturally
and regularly. A good hypnotist is able to engage the
child's imagination and interests in order to help them
discover and integrate comfortable, easy solutions to
problems and issues.
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How
many sessions will I need to achieve my goal?
Hypnosis
is not magic, although it can often seem to be when it
brings great change and relief quickly and easily. It
is a tool we can use to reverse old ways of thinking and
initiate new forms of behavior and feeling.
Most clients
notice changes following the first session, and achieve
their goals in just three to five sessions. Some more
complex problems may take longer - up to 10 or 12 sessions.
On the other hand, there are clients who, depending on
the complexity of their issues, gain complete resolution
in just one or two sessions.
Once I understand
your needs more fully, I will be better able to give you
an estimate of the number of session recommended to address
your specific issue.
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What
should I look for in a hypnotist?
At this time, hypnosis is not a licensed
profession. Certification from a recognized professional
group, however, is an important qualification to look
for when seeking a hypnotist. Organizations such as The
National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), through which I am
certified, provide structured curriculums, continuing
education, and an ethical structure that ensures you are
working with a qualified professional.
Beyond that, look for a person with whom
you feel very comfortable. Is this a person with whom
you feel you can share and not be judged? Do they present
themselves in a way that makes you comfortable and allows
you to trust them to work in your best interest? Do they
respect your feelings and thoughts and listen carefully
as you discuss your concerns?
A good hypnotist will provide clear and
useful information and fully involve you in the process
of developing the right approach for you to achieve your
goals.
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Wow - this
is some cool stuff! What else do I need to know?
While hypnosis can provide remarkable results
in healing of physical, mental and emotional pain, hypnotists
are not counselors or medical professionals. They employ
the techniques of hypnosis to assist you to overcome obstacles
and realize new options, thus healing yourself.
Hypnosis is a marvelous tool that can be
used to accomplish amazing changes in our health, habits
and well-being - often in less time than other, more conventional
methods. It is not, however, a substitute for proper medical
treatment or counseling.
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Physician referrals may be required
for pain, anxiety and other issues. |
