Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis is a perfectly normal frame of mind that the brain naturally enters many times a day for most people. Hypnosis is frequently associated with a deep sense of relaxation and the focusing of attention on appropriate suggestions made by the therapist. These suggestions help people make the positive changes within themselves that they desire. In a hypnotherapy session you are always in control and cannot be made to do anything you wouldn’t do normally.

Nowadays this is usually done by voice induction rather than swinging watches etc. Usually it is just the slow and soothing way that the hypnotherapist speaks that relaxes the client sufficiently to enter hypnosis. Sometimes the hypnotherapist may also touch the forehead or hands, if required, but only with permission.

It varies between individuals and it can take a few sessions for people to identify the feelings. These are often of arms or legs feeling very heavy or light or even feeling rigid. Sometimes clients may also feel like they are floating or spinning or that parts of their body have enlarged or reduced in size. The majority of people also feel that time passes quicker, so that a 50 minute session feels more like 20 minutes. There is also often a feeling of being re-energised after a session as well as residual feelings of being relaxed.

Being in a trance is similar but different to being asleep. You will be very relaxed and peaceful in a similar way to when you are drifting off to sleep but it is likely that you will be more aware of what is being said at the same time. It is very rare for people to fall asleep while they are in trance but even if they do it isn’t a problem and usually only lasts for a short time.

Being in a trance in real life is very different to being in a trance in films. Hypnosis is not a “truth drug” and you can’t be made to do something against your will. Even if you did divulge a secret it would not go any further because whatever is said in sessions is covered by client/therapist confidentiality.

The short answer is no. For hypnotherapy to work you need to be a willing participant. If you decide you don’t want to go into a trance there is nothing I can do to make you…not that I would anyway!

Not if it is done by a well trained therapist who is working in accordance with rules of conduct and ethics.

Possibly, possibly not. Some people remember ever single word that was said in a session while others have no conscious memory of what was said after the first 5 minutes. For hypnotherapy to be effective you are not required to be able to recall what was said.

In most cases it is not important if you remember the details of an incident which went on to be a possible root cause of your current issue. Sometimes it is useful or interesting to get the details of the picnic that lead to you being stung by a wasp which then lead to your phobia, for example, but it isn’t vital. I tend to focus on where the person I am working with is at the moment with their thoughts & actions and where they would like to be in the future. The past isn’t as important as those two in most cases.

In a word, yes. Hypnosis has been shown to improve performance in many areas including : Sports, Career, Memory and Concentration, Acting, Studying, Exams, Presentation and Speaking Skills.

This depends on the type of therapy and the individual. There have been concerns raised regarding epileptics, although there is no evidence that hypnosis can trigger seizures.

The actual process of hypnosis is the same. The difference is hypnotherapy is used to address and resolve issues for an individual whereas on stage hypnosis is employed for the entertainment of others.

This depends on the individual and the issue being addressed. To a large degree it is down to the person receiving treatment as to how effective hypnotherapy can be. Hypnotherapy is intended to be a swift therapy technique and there shouldn’t be any reason to see someone for more than 12 sessions at the very most although many people will see results much sooner than this. A professional therapist will never keep a client in therapy any longer than is absolutely necessary.

This depends on the degree of subconscious change that was initially brought about. The best and most long lasting therapy addresses underlying causes of the behaviour causing concern. It depends on the individual, but there is always the possibility that a problem can be treated once and never troubles the client ever again. It is also possible that hypnotherapy will be successful but won’t last a lifetime and may need ‘topping up’.

What people mean by “strong minded” when they ask me this kind of question is never that clear but technically everyone is capable of going into a trance as it is a perfectly normal frame of mind pretty much every one of us experiences on a daily basis. As I mentioned in a previous question, if you don’t want to be hypnotised then you can’t be. This means that you have every chance of going into a trance and benefiting from this if you are a willing participant.

Pain is a warning signal to let a person know there is a problem within the body and where it is at. However, with a written medical referral a hypnotherapist would discuss therapy options, with a view to reducing the perceived level of pain.

At the beginning it is usually best to have each treatment session around 7 days apart. This gives the work done in each session the time to sink in and to be processed by the brain and during this time you may begin to notice your thoughts, attitudes or behaviours changing.