Here is an FAQ section which should go some way to helping you understand a little more about hypnotherapy:
Ten Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis
1. Will I still have control of myself?
You can be assured that you are still fully in control of yourself when you are hypnotised.
You are still conscious but your conscious mind is extremely relaxed and no one can take control of you and make you do things against your will while you’re hypnotised.
Ultimately all hypnosis is self hypnosis.
2. Am I surrendering my free will if I get hypnotised?
Not at all. When you are in a hypnotic or relaxed state you are more aware and more focused on yourself then you are in a normal state, you are not surrendering your free will.
The therapist cannot make you change any essential part of who you are, or make you do anything that you don’t want to do.
You are in full possession of all your faculties throughout the session and you are not under a “spell” or in anyway under the direction of someone else.
You will never do anything while you are hypnotised that you wouldn’t do under normal circumstances and whatever your issues, your subconcious will not take you anywhere your that conscious mind would not be happy to go to.
3. Is it possible to be hypnotised without giving my consent?
One of the most common frequently asked questions about hypnosis is “can I be hypnotised without my consent?” but no one can hypnotise you without your consent because all hypnosis is self hypnosis. Hypnosis is simply a state of very deep relaxation.
If you don’t want to be hypnotised then you won’t be able to relax and you won’t enter a hypnotic state.
Hypnotherapy depends on the client’s genuine desire to bring about positive change, and only a resistance to this desire to change can really prevent the client from entering a relaxed state where the necessary work can be done.
You can pause ( or stop altogether ) the hypnosis session at any time during the ‘induction’ ie the process of entering into a state of deep relaxation and at any point during the session.
4. Can I become ‘trapped’ in a trance under hypnosis?
It’s physically impossible for that to occur because you are not unconscious at any point during the hypnosis. You are simply in a deeply relaxed state but fully conscious and you can come out of that state at any time you wish.
You can also come out of that state when given a verbal or other cue by the hypnotherapist.
Sometimes when you get the cue to come out of your hypnosis you may hesitate because the relaxed state you are in feels so pleasant. After emerging from a relaxed state it may take you a few minutes to return to your normal awareness and this is perfectly normal.
You are always in control, even when you are deep in a hypnotic state.
5. Can I hypnotise myself?
Yes you can hypnotise yourself, all hypnosis is self hypnosis; once you’ve acquired the simple necessary skills it is very straightforward to achieve this.
You can also hypnotise yourself between sessions with your hypnotherapist and this is in fact recommended good practice to reinforce work done during sessions with the therapist. Although this is a useful additional practice it is arguably more effective to at least initially work with a qualified hypnotherapist to fully bring about desired changes and to let go of behaviours that no longer serve a useful purpose.
6. Is hypnosis effective with children?
Yes, Hypnotherapy is often used to treat children with eg behavioural disorders and children who have experienced traumatic events as well as for the wide ranging issues that also affect people in adult life. For instance, some Hypnotherapists have found that using hypnosis as a method of treating night terrors for children can be more effective than other treatments because entering a deep hypnotic state before bed relaxes their brain enough that they don’t have night terrors.
Hypnosis is now being used more and more in schools to help young people deal with a range of issues.
7. Is hypnosis a ‘real’ therapy?
Some people are sceptical about hypnosis at first, but usually that’s because most people’s experience of hypnosis is based on television or stage hypnosis which is purely about entertainment and has nothing to do with therapeutic practice.
Hypnosis is a legitimate therapeutic technique that has been used with proven documented success to treat medical and psychological disorders in millions of people over many years. In most cases hypnosis is a very effective form of treatment which will help you bring about positive changes in your life.
8. Is it possible to address more than one problem at once using hypnosis?
You may have more than one issue that you require help with, however hypnosis isn’t a magic cure that will address all your problems at once. Results don’t necessarily arrive in a structured and neat order; very often therapists find that a client may express a desire for help with one area and that behind this issue there will be others that need to also be addressed.
Subsequent sessions can be very successful in bringing about lasting and positive change and assisting you to let go of redundant and negative behaviour patterns.
9. How many sessions will I require to address my problems?
You most likely will need more than one session with a hypnotherapist to bring about the changes desired. Usually the first meeting with your hypnotherapist will consist of an informal chat and detailed consultation with the real ‘work’ beginning on your second visit.
Most people see noticeable results after just a few sessions and this may well be sufficient to address your issues. The number of subsequent sessions really depends on individual circumstances.
10. How safe is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is perfectly safe.
You are always in control of the situation and you are never unconscious.
Hypnosis can safely and effectively treat the physical and mental aspects of many common problems and help you to achieve your desired goals.