Hypnosis is a state of awareness in which the subconscious mind is more in control than the conscious mind. Unlike the conscious mind, the subconscious mind does not have to believe the thought that is suggested,
the client only needs to want to change, or want the goal in order to make changes.
Hypnosis Can Help You:
Eliminate Destructive Habits
Build Positive Habits
Improve Stress Coping
Stop Smoking
Lose Weight
Control Anger
Reduce Pain
Decrease Anxiety
Overcome Fear
Improve Mood
Improve Sleep
Improve Health
Improve Happiness
Improve Performance
Increase Relaxation
Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to enable a person to take control
of feelings, behaviors, habits, and self-image. A person who is in a hypnotic
state or trance responds to guided imagery and suggestions for new positive behaviors that will begin after the trance is
over.
Hypnosis is an entirely natural state of consciousness. It is not
the same as one’s normal waking state. When people are hypnotized, they
are completely awake and alert. They know exactly what is happening during every
moment. Their awareness is actually heightened and focused.
It is not possible to be under someone else’s control during hypnosis.
People do only what they want to do and are always aware of where they are and what they are doing. They are in control at all times. They become highly receptive
to positive suggestions, but only if those suggestions are acceptable to them. The
trance may be stopped at any time, without risk of someone getting “stuck” in hypnosis.
Like all psychotherapy, the goal of hypnotherapy is for the client to learn new ways
of thinking and behaving in order to take control of his or her life. Hypnosis
is not a quick fix or magic cure, but it can be a very helpful tool for a motivated client who is willing to work and take
responsibility for change.
What Hypnosis Feels Like
A person may become hypnotized in one of two ways: by listening to another person’s
voice (either on tape or in person) or by listening to one’s own thoughts. The
hypnotherapist uses vivid imagery that stimulates the subject’s imagination, and makes positive suggestions for new
behaviors after the session is over.
Most people find that during a trance, they have more access to their feelings and
past memories. The subject’s awareness ebbs and flows during this time. Thoughts come and go and there may be parts of the session that he or she won’t
consciously remember afterward. However, the subconscious mind remembers everything.
People usually awaken from a hypnosis session with very pleasant feelings. There is a sense of well-being and even euphoria.
How Long Does Improvement Take?
Most people say they become aware of the suggestions that were made during hypnosis
soon after the first session. The subconscious mind begins to prompt the person
for the new thoughts and behaviors immediately. If a hypnosis session is especially
intense or if a person has listened repeatedly to a self-hypnosis audiotape, these prompts may be more noticeable and effective. Often, improvement happens much faster than with more traditional psychotherapy. The person’s level of motivation also has a major effect on how quickly he or
she begins to change for the better.
Does Hypnosis Always Work?
Hypnosis is generally a very effective tool for change. However, success may be challenged
by the client having a greater desire for the negative behavior than the positive goal.
Another obstacle to success is if the client focuses on negatives rather than positives. If you tell yourself what not to do, like trying not to smoke or not to eat cookies or not to be nervous, you will have a hard time succeeding because the mind responds to positives, not negatives. It is more effective to say, “I am free of the desire to smoke” or “I
enjoy eating broccoli” or “I am calm and confident”, and to visualize the details of your goal as if it
were happening in the present.
How Hypnosis Works
The conscious mind functions mostly like
a computer; black/white, logical, reasonable, and it is where we spend most of our time.
Most people in our culture learn to disregard their subconscious feelings and perceptions because they are viewed as irrational and not based in reality. Still, the subconscious mind is a very powerful force for all of us.
It contains the most important elements of our psyches: our dreams, fantasies, and emotions.
These two parts of our minds are quite distinct from one another. The language of the subconscious is imagery and metaphor, which the intellect does not understand. The intellect prefers reason and facts, which the subconscious mind does not comprehend.
There are times in our lives when we are reminded of our powerful subconscious mind. When we face emotional turmoil, loss, or trauma, we may experience the subconscious
mind’s ability to affect both brain and body. When stress is high, our
ability to eat, sleep, talk, and think clearly can be impacted. Even though we
thought that we had resolved an important issue, the subconscious creates a symptom or illness as a way of telling us that
the feelings have not been resolved.
Healing is a subconscious process, not an intellectual process. You cannot improve your life or heal your pain by telling yourself that you should get a life or move on or get
it together. Healing is accelerated when you spend some time in the trance
state. In a trance, your sense of self is expanded and your critical, questioning
mind is relaxed. This enables you to communicate with your subconscious mind
by creating images and symbols and by recreating memories. In the relaxed trance
state, you can use your imagination to build a picture of how you want your life to be and describe the steps you will need
to take to make it real. When you return to normal waking state, you can continue
to focus your mental energy on the images you created when you were in the trance.
Loretta "Lori" A. Gephart, M.A. is a Licensed
Psychologist and a Certified Rational Hypnotherapist. She
offers individual hypnotherapy sessions in the Allison Park and Sewickley offices.
