HYPNOTHERAPY

 WHAT IS HYPNOSIS ?

When we hear the word hypnosis, we almost immediately imagine or recall a TV entertainment show where people are hypnotized and suggested to carry out often funny requests by a hypnotist. This popular representation however can easily mislead from its true value as a therapeutic tool i.e. for self-development, emotional, physical well-being and healing.

Hypnosis is a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility and heightened awareness. It is often compared to daydreaming or the feeling of getting carried away. This often happens while reading a book, watching a film or even when driving a car, where one is fully conscious, yet one tunes out most other stimuli that are around and focuses intently on the subject at hand, to the near exclusion of any other thought.

The area, which is responsible for “creating” a hypnotic state or a trance state, is our mind. The human mind can be divided into three areas. The conscious mind is the area we think of when we consider our mind in general terms. Where our rational, analytical and will factors are created,which represents only a small part of the overall mind. Between the conscious and the subconscious mind is the area which can be thought as the critical area, a buffer zone or gate keeper that processes all incoming information from the conscious mind before it is allowed to enter the area called the subconscious mind (also known as the unconsious mind). This area is the intuitional, imaginative area which also deals with the automatic actions of our body e.g. breathing, blood circulation etc. It is here that our thoughts, feelings, emotions and behavioural patterns are stored since early childhood. This area is the largest part of the mind, which is mostly utilized in hypnosis.

It is estimated that a great number of all reported illnesses are psychosomatic, in other words caused by the mind. Every action creates a reaction, this is known as the law of cause and effect. Our thoughts control and maintain all of the functions of the physical and the subtle bodies. If we entertain positive thoughts and feelings we receive positive results and if we entertain negativity we receive negative results. Once an idea is allowed into the subconcious mind it will produce the same reaction over and over until it is changed or replaced by another. The longer an idea remains and is entertained in the subconscious mind, the greater the opposition to change will also be as the idea will become a belief system in itself. Whenever the conscious and subconscious mind are in conflict the subconscious will always win every time.

It is here that hypnosis and hypnotherapy can be of benefit. The mind and body of a person under hypnosis is guided into total relaxation through repetition of suggestion, which keeps the critical area or the buffer zone passive, enabling each suggestion to pass directly into the subconscious mind as being true and acted upon as an automatic reflex action.                                                                                                                              
From a therapeutic perspective hypnosis, in general may be used in three ways;

1.  Hypnosis may add something to our lives which we may be lacking, e.g. motivation, confidence, self-esteem, trust, etc.

2.  Hypnosis may be used to take away something which we do not want and benefit from, e.g. to change a habit, stop smoking, stop drinking, weights problems etc.

3.  Hypnosis may be used to release us from negative patterns and behavioural problems, e.g. fears, phobias, anxiety, depression, etc.

A  HYPNOSIS  TREATMENT

A simplified overview of a treatment:

• Rapport/Conversation; the client and the practitioner get to know each other.  The client will explain their problems and together with the practitioner decide the desired outcome.
• Practitioner will tell about the nature of hypnosis, what the client will do under treatment, how a hypnotic trance feels and answers any questions the client may have.
• After all questions are made clear the practitioner will bring the client into a trance state or the state of being in Hypnosis by induction.
• When the client is in a trance state, the Hypnosis treatment will commence with suggestions depending upon the nature of problem (s).
• After the session, the result will be tested to assure that the desired outcome as occurred.
• For the benefit of the client a self-hypnosis will be taught to strengthen their behaviour and condition. A back-up tape of the treatment will be availbale.

The imagination, concentration and memory will all dramatically improve while in hypnosis. A hypnosis treatment usually lasts between 1-2 hours.

The author offers the below application of hypnosis as a complementary treatment:

• Building confidence
• Stress management
• Habit control
• Sleep disorders
• Stop smoking
• Weight control
• Positive thinking
• Academic performance
• Athletic performance

HYPNOTIST/HYPNOTHERAPIST

Yaman Konuralp is a U.K. qualified Dipl. Hypnotist/Hypnotherapist DHP CMTP

DISCLAIMER

If there is any illness of psychosomatic nature or physical problems, i.e. pain, a medical doctor should be consulted. The degree of effect from a hypnosis treatment will vary from person to person; some people might need more that one consultation, however the desired results can not be guaranteed.