What Hypnotherapy Is — and What It Isn't!

I’d like to take this opportunity to talk with you about what hypnotherapy is, and what it absolutely is not.

Contrary to what you may have seen on television, in the movies or on a cruise ship, hypnotherapy is not an act on the part of the Hypnotherapist, of putting you into a state that leaves you incapable of making choices or doing things that you would not choose to do.

When you are lead into hypnosis, your ears will still be “awake”. There is nothing that can be done to you that you would not choose to be done. The things that are said may very well be remembered after you are lead out of hypnosis. This is perfectly normal, and most people are aware of what has taken place during the session.

Have you ever been driving in your car, and after a while you realize that you have been driving for many miles, although you can’t quite recollect the actual act of driving, but you can certainly see that you are fine, and maybe if you really thought about it you could remember going through that light a few miles back? Well, that is exactly what hypnosis is. You may have also “zoned out” watching television or reading a book, or maybe even listening to someone speak!

Everyone goes in and out of the levels of hypnosis throughout each day. When talking about levels, you can probably remember them like the levels of an ocean. I’m sure you remember from a science class at some point that the sea has layers, and each layer going down is clearly a deeper layer, and different things happen in each of those layers. It is the same with hypnosis.

In the beta layer, the “top” layer, you are completely awake and aware of what is going on around you. You are alert and fully functional. The next layer “down” in hypnosis is alpha. Alpha is the most common place that hypnosis occurs. This level of your ocean is where you can float along, relax and become enveloped in the peace of the hypnosis session, and this is where change for you will happen. The bottom two layers of hypnosis are theta and delta, and most likely you won’t ever approach these. These are the advanced stages of hypnosis that aren’t necessary for the changes that can be made with hypnotherapy. But, if you do go into a deeper layer, there is nothing to worry about. Everything I am mentioning about alpha is true for all layers of hypnosis.

I’m sure the whole time I’ve been explaining this, you have wondered, and maybe even questioned whether or not you can be hypnotized at all. The truth is, almost everyone can be hypnotized. In fact, it is the most intelligent people who are the most hypnotizable and the most open to suggestion, which is what hypnosis is all about!

The most important thing is realizing that hypnotherapy isn’t an exotic trance leaving your eyes spinning and your memory washed out. It is simply a state of supreme relaxation where you will be able to hear the therapist, and even be able to move to get comfortable, scratch an itch or speak if you choose to.

Speaking of relaxation, another thing that some people worry about is, “What if I fall asleep?”, and I can encourage you by reminding you again that your ears never sleep. Your ears are always on. Have you ever fallen asleep to the television and woke up to realize that the words spoken on the television had manifested themselves into your dreams? Well, that’s what happens if you fall asleep during a session. You will still hear every word said, and the unconscious mind will take note of these things, and that is exactly where we want these messages to be stored so that you will see real change right away.

Another thing to point out here is that if at any point you feel like you want to end the session, simply count to three in your head, and the session will stop immediately. Don’t worry about saying or doing anything that will embarrass you. Again, you will not do or say anything that you do not choose to do or say. This is probably the most common misconception about hypnosis, and I can assure you that what you have probably seen in the media is false.

So, let’s recap some of what we have learned. No. 1 — You will be able to hear because your ears are always on. No. 2 — You will most likely be able to remember some, if not all things from the session. No. 3 — You will not do or say anything that you do not choose to do or say. No. 4 — There are several layers to the ocean of hypnosis, and the goal is to simply go into alpha, a light, trance-like state that everyone easily moves in and out of every day without even realizing it. And finally, No. 5 — If at any time you choose to end a session early, simply count to three in your head, and you will end the session immediately.

For more information, check out www.hopewithhypnosis.com.