How does hypnotherapy work Hypnotherapy works by addressing the subconscious mind. The conscious mind remains aware of what is going on, but drifts into relaxation. Once conscious thinking is sufficiently relaxed, powerful agreed upon suggestions are made to the subconscious. This process promotes emotional change and helps conscious and subconscious thought processes find agreement about the presenting issue. Once agreement is achieved, successful results follow. How is the conscious mind distracted To distract the conscious mind, the therapist helps the client get into a relaxed state (or trance). The sound and tone of the practitioner’s voice will help the client relax quickly and the words used in the induction will help the client let go of any resistance. After a few minutes, the client enters the hypnotic Alpha state where the body will physically relax, and the brain waves slow down to around 8 to13 waves per second. How does it feel to be hypnotised The client will feel aware and in control and might feel their hands and feet tingling slightly, this is the relaxed state improving blood flow. Breathing may become deeper as muscles relax and swallowing may increase. Thoughts may drift or remain focused but the agreed upon suggestions are accepted at a subconscious level either way. Once the client’s subconscious accepts the suggestions, the therapist brings the client back to normal awareness. Who is in control The client who employs the therapist and requests that they help them to change unwanted behaviour is in control. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The therapist simply helps the client achieve the relaxed condition needed to address the subconscious mind, and delivers the agreed upon suggestions. Remember, stage hypnosis is not hypnotherapy and is entertainment; stage hypnotists are performers and the people who join in are as much at risk as any other performer. Hypnotherapy however is a separate profession and practitioners are qualified, insured and are there to help. Can everyone be hypnotised Everyone can be hypnotised if they are willing to participate in good faith. The effect is not limited to people who are weak-willed, but it is about the willingness of a client to work with the therapist and the level of commitment employed. In fact recent research indicates that people who are above average intelligence and are imaginative benefit most from the process. Serious clients should not attempt to carry out their old problem behaviour (to see if therapy has worked), but instead practice their new chosen behaviour. Repetition of the new chosen behaviour creates a conditioned response, turning it into a habit. Can hypnotherapy change me Yes. Hypnotherapy promotes the successful interaction between your thoughts, emotions and feelings, re-establishing your basic personality. It helps change who you are now (possibly affected negatively by past difficulties), into a more positive version of yourself. This enables you to be optimistic and fulfilled, despite life’s unavoidable setbacks. What is Self-Care and Self Hypnosis If a thought or emotion prompts you to behave in a way you no longer find acceptable, you have developed a habit (or conditioned response). Self-care and self-hypnosis helps you to develop a conditioned response (or habit) of behaving in the way you want to behave, without conscious effort. You will learn how to use these techniques at home. What is Stress Response Stress Response is the emotional response to a stress stimulus (or trigger) which may cause you to light a cigarette or eat in response to the stimulus. Hypnotherapy allows your subconscious mind to adopt a new and appropriate response in these stressful situations. Furthermore, repetition of the new and appropriate stress response develops it into a habit. Even the most intransigent addict or phobic etc can find relief from their unhappiness with a new stress response and repetition. What is Psychodynamic Transfer Many people are not aware of the factors that influence their emotions and behaviour; conflict can arise when the self-concept of an individual is at odds with adopted self-concepts originated from others. The Psychodynamic Transfer that occurs during hypnotherapy moves energy between levels of consciousness. This allows individuals to think and feel in line with their underlying tendencies, achieving unique self-actualisation.

Marcus Aurelius ‘The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.’ James Oppenheim ‘The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise man grows it beneath his feet.’ James A Michener ‘An age is called dark not because the light fails to shine but because people refuse to see it.’ Robert Louis Stevenson ‘Do not judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.’ Confucius ‘I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.’ Marcus Aurelius ‘If you are distressed by anything external, it is not due to the thing itself but your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.’ George Bernard Shaw ‘Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.’ Mahatma Gandhi ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’ Buddha ‘Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we did not learn a lot today, at least we learned a little. If we did not learn a little today at least we did not get sick. If we got sick at least we did not die, so let us all be thankful.’ Marcus Aurelius ‘You will find rest from vain fancies if you perform every act in life as though it were your last.’ Elbert Hubbard ‘To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.’