F.A.Q. about Hypnotherapy
To learn more about hypnosis, here are some questions that are often asked about it:
How long has hypnosis been around?
The short answer: Since many many moons ago....
Hypnosis is a process that brings a suggestion to the subconscious mind to become a reality. If you think about it, you can realize that hypnosis at its core has been around for a lot of time. Humans use their "power of suggestion" since the creation of time!
I'm afraid of losing control of myself...
This is the moment to undo the "false beliefs" about hypnosis:
- You are completly in control of yourself; you can move, talk and come out of hypnosis on your own at any time.
- You will never do something that goes against your moral values (killing, stealing or anything else that is immoral to you).
- You must choose to be hypnotized and completely consenting and, no, I cannot hypnotize your spouse for you.
- I have no power over you or your actions after you leave the hypnosis sessions.
Why use hypnosis?
There are many reasons to use hypnosis therapeutically, here are some of them:
- Self-confidence
- Managing your stress (and anxiety)
- Concentration problems (adults and children)
- Phobias of all kinds
- Insomnia
- And much more...
Please note that I don't offer my services as a hypnotherapist for stoping to smoke, eating disorders, addiction and weight loss, but if you do write me an email I can refer you.
Can everyone be hypnotized?
For therapeutic hypnosis, yes, anyone can be hypnotized, however, hypnosis can be light in the first few sessions.
The most important thing you need to know is that even though anyone can reach the state of hypnosis, if your conscious or subconscious mind does not want to know anything about the hypnotist's suggestions, you and the hypnotist are wasting your time.
What... we enter "trance" ?
Personally, I prefer the word « deep relaxation », but to say the real words, the hypnotist has to bring you into a state of "trance" to begin his work of suggestion.
But beware! When I talk about "trance", it doesn't mean the famous "trances" psychedelic too often associated with this word, during the hippie years, because of the drug and its effects.
In fact, a trance is something you have experienced in the past if you have meditated, prayed, done visualisation or any other means of relaxation that allows you to be in a more Zen state of consciousness with yourself. It is that moment when everything is calm and serene where you feel a presence while being totally awake.
What are the physical effects?
Let's talk brains...
You, at the moment, have a BETA brain rhythm. This is the normal rhythm when you are awake, fully conscious and attentive to everything that is going on around you.
When we bring you into a hypnotic state, we lower your brain rhythm to ALPHA. It is a state of relaxation, always conscious, but more relaxed with your eyes closed. It is a state much more open to imagination and intuition.
You also have two other brain rhythms. THETA is a light start to sleep which can sometimes be affected by an experienced hypnotist. It is a state of deep hypnosis.
And you have the DELTA rhythm, a deep sleep that is not affected by hypnosis. If you ever reach this state and start snoring, I will be happy to wake you up!