Questions and Answers about hypnosis..

Q. How safe is hypnosis?                                                                                           A. Hypnosis is 100% safe in the hands of a qualified therapist, who can determine with your help exactly the type of assistan ce you require.

Q. Is it all right for Hypnotherapists to treat clients in their own home?                       A. Yes. For clients who are unable to leave their own homes.

Q. What if I fall asleep whilst listening to a hypnotic CD or performing self hypnosis?   A. If you are very tired you may find it possible to drift of to sleep during the exercises. If you need to remain awake set an alarm clock. Better still, do the techniques in bed and then just allow yourself to drift from deep trance into sleep and you will awake re-energized and refreshed. Make sure you hear the suggestions given as you drift to sleep. This exorcise can be done at any time of the day, where it is possible to be alone and undisturbed, should you be required say perhaps in an emergency you will be able to waken and be fully alert. Needless to say this exorcise must not be used in a car or operating machinery.

Q. Is it successful with real fears and phobias?                                                            A. Usually immensely so, when the correct therapy is employed.

Q. Does hypnosis always work?                                                                                 A. More often that not. A client under treatment from their own doctor should always continue with their medication, as Hypnotherapy is complimentary. There are the factors of your thought patterns changing to the positive, reframing and therefore giving you more confidence in what you are about to achieve. A responsible therapist will soon detect when all is not going as planned and either refer that client either back to their Doctor or to another Therapist who may specialize in their presenting condition. It is of vital importance that the Therapist and Client build a “rapport” as they will have trust in each other and will be able to discuss everything at each session, therefore progressing together. If the rapport was not present then either Therapist or client could terminate contract.

Q. How long does it take to produce a result?                                                            A. It depends on far too many factors to make a bald statement about this. It can be as few as one for a simple problem, to as many as... well, that depends on the ethics and skills of the therapist involved. A responsible, properly trained, therapist will not keep a client in therapy longer than necessary.

Q. Do you really go into a trance? If so, how deep? Are you in any way unconscious? A. I don't actually like the word 'trance', because it is easily misunderstood; it is in common use, however, and a hypnotised individual is, technically, in a trance. But you are not aware of this trance state, any more than you are aware of it when you intently watch something on TV or immerse yourself in a book or newspaper to the point where you don't hear someone calling you. These are both trance states in which you are aware of the object of interest only, and it is almost identical to the hypnotic 'trance'. It is NOT the trance you see on films and TV sometimes where somebody is staring glassy-eyed with no idea of where they are or what they are doing. The depth of trance varies from one individual to another and it is often considered to be relatively unimportant from a therapy point of view. You are not unconscious in any way - unless you go to sleep, which is not unknown! Then, you would simply awake when asked to by the therapist.

Q. Can somebody's mind be too strong?                                                                     A. No. The stronger the mind the better the ability to focus and concentrate, which makes the hypnotised state easier to achieve. The statement 'My mind is too strong to be hypnotised' is usually based on fear and the individuals who say this are often the best subjects of all! It is not difficult to resist being hypnotised and needs no specific strength of mind at all. It is getting into hypnosis that takes the mental work!

Q. Can you hypnotise someone without them knowing it?                                          A. You can, if you have the skills to do so. The use of 'hypnotic language patterns' and pacing and leading body language will do it. But you still could not get that person to do anything with hypnosis that they would not do without it. Hypnosis merely overcomes inhibition and the 'conscious critical faculty' - the part of our thought processes which tends to limit our behaviour or belief system.

Q. Can anybody be hypnotised?                                                                               A. Yes: Only if they are willing.

Q. What is self-hypnosis? How do I do it?                                                                  A. Self–hypnosis is relaxing in a controlled manor, a CD supplied by your therapist is the most reliable way to go about it. The familiarity of voice patterns will help you to relax quickly into a trance like state; this will also assist in quickly deepening the trance state when in a session.

Q. Is there anybody who should not be hypnotised?                                                 A. A Qualified therapist will spend time discussing with a client their presenting condition and would determine if it is with in their remit of experience to proceed. They should be guided by their therapist and would be referred on to a specialist for their condition.

Q. What does it feel like to be hypnotised?                                                                  A. Actually, it doesn't. For the vast majority of people there is actually no such thing as a 'hypnotised feeling' – their will always be a number of people who would insist afterwards that they had not 'gone into trance’. After their first session though, most people start to become aware of how the state feels to them. It may be that they feel excessively heavy or light. Most of all they will have a feeling of comfortable deep relaxation.

Q. Can you make anybody do things they don't want to?                                          A. Hypnosis should only be used with the persons consent. In my opinion the answer is No. As people are aware of their surroundings and of questions asked or instructions given to them under Hypnosis, a therapist will be aware of resistance, either from a client not yet being ready to explore the subject causing discomfort or distress and would use another channel to explore. As most people have only knowledge of Stage Hypnosis, people being used for entertainment value. It is important that it is understood that Hypnosis is to be taken seriously as part of changing and improving life for clients.

Q. Can you get 'stuck' in hypnosis?                                                                           A. No, your therapist would never leave you in a trance and would always bring you out of the trance and discuss the session with you, making sure you are alright.

Q. Is it dangerous in any way?                                                                                    A. Not in the hands of a properly trained therapist. Registered with the NCH or other professional bodies.

Q. Is Hypnosis a cure?                                                                                               A. No, Hypnotherapy is about changing though patterns and habits and the “cure” does not really fit into the equation. A client can be successfully treated for a phobia for example, this has been through reframing the way they would think of their Phobia and that they can now go through life without fear.