Hypnotherapy allows a person to enter deep relaxation and focus attention the hypnotherapist’s voice.
Unfortunately, various misconceptions surrounding hypnotherapy and hypnosis have severely damaged its reputation. It is important to note that the technique does not involve being put into a deep sleep, nor will you be made to look a fool.
During a hypnotherapy session, you remain fully aware of the situation and your surroundings; however, you can accept positive suggestions being told to you by the therapist at a very deep emotional level. The most important thing is that you want to change, be it a behavioural habit or an addiction, for instance. You need to be highly motivated and be doing it for yourself.
During your initial consultation, you will discuss your goals and will jointly plan how you will achieve them using hypnotherapy. Your therapist will then suggest ideas, concepts and lifestyle adaptations-the seeds of which become firmly planted.
In many ways, hypnotherapy is a kind of psychotherapy. Hypnotherapy aims to re-programme patterns of behaviour within the mind, enabling irrational fears, phobias, negative thoughts and suppressed emotions to be overcome.
As the body is released from conscious control during the relaxed trance-like state of hypnosis, breathing becomes slower and deeper, the pulse rate drops and the metabolic rate falls. Similar changes along nervous pathways and hormonal channels enable the sensation of pain to become less acute, and the awareness of unpleasant symptoms, such as nausea or indigestion, to be alleviated.
A hypnotherapist will deal with the subconscious part of the mind, that is the non-analytical or instinctive part.
For example, someone who consciously wants to overcome their fear of spiders may try everything they consciously can to do it, but will still fail as long as their subconscious mind retains this terror and prevents them from succeeding. Progress can only be made by reprogramming the subconscious so that deep-seated instincts and beliefs are abolished or altered.
How many sessions will I need?
We recommend a minimum of three sessions for most cases, although smoking cessation can take just two.