Hypnotherapy – Common Questions and Concerns
Sometimes people have reservations when they hear the term “hypnotherapy”. It is important to differentiate between the hypnosis you might see on television or a stage and the hypnosis that is used medically and therapeutically. To help you understand the difference, let’s address a few of the most commonly asked questions and concerns:
Can everyone be hypnotized?
Hypnosis is a natural state of the mind. The average person goes in and out of a hypnotic or trance state several times throughout the day. That means if you are a human, then you have been in one of these states and you can be hypnotized. Have you ever felt “in the zone”? Meditation, prayer, day-dreaming, dreaming, and hypnosis are all the same state of mind. Our brain operates on different brainwave frequencies. A trance state is similar to what is induced in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), where the nervous system slows down allowing right brain associations and processing to take place. Since this is something we do naturally, by learning how to use these states of mind with intention, we are able to capitalize on our brain’s awesome capabilities.
I don’t want anyone to control my mind!
We use properties of self-hypnosis all the time without realizing it. Learning about how our brain works and how to use the different states of mind our brain uses on a regular basis helps you to be able to control your own mind better. It will raise your awareness of control attempts in interpersonal interactions as well as hypnotic suggestions used all over in daily life in places like television, music, advertisements, and political campaigns. By increasing the communication between the left and right as well as the upper and lower hemispheres of the brain, you are better equipped to identify and reject suggestions that do not align with your core desires. You can begin to understand how your body integrates information and forms belief systems. In hypnotherapy, the client is in control at all times. As all answers lie within, through intentional self-hypnosis you can gain access to your own inner wisdom and resources.
Will I remember?
Yes. In hypnotherapy, a trance-like state is induced where your senses become heightened rather than dulled. You will not become unconscious, rather, it is a higher state of awareness like “superconscious”. In this state, you will feel a distinct mind-body connection that will continue after hypnosis has ended. You will be able to remember everything that was said, felt, and experienced and you will be in control at all times. You will be able to hear, see, feel, move, etc. and can stop the process at any time.
Will I be able to wake up?
Throughout the session, you will be going in and out of a trance-like state. Sometimes it will feel like “it’s not working” as you feel completely normal and conscious of what is going on. This is intended, as it is a delicate interweaving of right brain processing with left brain processing, dipping into the lower regions of the unconscious and bringing information up into the conscious to be processed. This is how whole-brain integration is promoted.
What if I discover things I don’t want to know?
Repressed emotions and unresolved experiences are stored on a cellular level in our bodies. If they are not addressed they will create disease both in the body and in the mind. Addressing and releasing the energies you have stored is freeing and empowering, which opens the way for healthier and happier experiences to manifest.
Hypnotherapy is a safe and effective way to overcome trauma and dissociative disorders. You are in control of your own healing and together we can give you the tools to live life to the fullest.
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To find out more about hypnotherapy or set an appointment with our hypnotherapist at Redwood Family Therapy, click HERE!